If you live in the Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice has passed ushering in a new season and the end of 2014. For the gardener, a short time to reflect on the wonderful events that fulfilled the holiday season will give way to planning for spring. New Year’s resolutions must include your garden!

As you look back at planting results, you may need to research different ways to improve your soil, and you may rethink what to plant and where.  Maybe you received a special garden tool as a holiday gift? Cheers

May you be at peace this holiday season as you enjoy close friends and family and may you experience a joyful, prosperous new year!

Cheers!

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The “flower of the month” is the Geranium.  Geraniums are annual, biennial or perennial and are sometimes called “cranesbills”. This versatile flowering plant is long lasting and can be found in temperate regions and mountain tropics. The plant can be propagated by seed or cuttings and are a delight to grow as they are long lasting and can be grown in beds, pots, outside or inside. Some varieties grow best in full sun but most are partial shade plants. I suggest starting seeds in early spring for blooms that will last throughout the season.  Cheers

Plants, trees and shrubs develop in numerous ways.  Seeds are carried on the winds and settle in fertile soil, millions of natural perennials remain or die and renew themselves and even animal droppings contain seeds that take root and grow in a constant cycle.  These are some of the natural ways the earth propagates and sustains itself.

Humans have always planted to feed themselves and farming technology has developed in ways that now feed billions of people.  Individual or community gardeners grow food and flowers on a smaller scale and friends might trade plant cuttings to root and grow in their homes.

Our world cannot survive without plant propagation!

An indication of seasonal change is the great migration. As winter approaches, millions of migratory birds circumnavigate the globe in search for more favorable habitat.  Arctic air initiates the flow of several species of ducks, cranes, swans and geese in regions originating from Alaska through Canada and the Great Lakes. They can be seen working their way south through the Pacific, Central and Atlantic fly zones in North America. Recent conservation efforts have resulted in an increased number of birds and seeing them gather in the sky and open water is something to behold.  Cheers

 

What would we do without tools? Throughout our existence, tools have played an intricate roll during work or play and must be given proper care to fulfill their purpose. I could not imagine gardening without the required tools as they make our work easier and more pleasurable.  A small amount of cleaning, maintenance and storage will extend the longevity of your tools, saving money and time. Store your tools out of the elements after each use, clean, sharpen, and repair them at the end of the season and they will be “ready and able” next spring.  Cheers