Even Gardeners Have to Clean House

I don't think I've ever blogged about a cleaning product but gardeners occasionally have to clean house too. Recently I needed a general cleaner for the sink, counters, bath, etc. I usually use a generic "bleach" cleaner from Walmart. Well, I was at the Dollar General Store and they didn't have a cleaner with bleach. At least, if they did I couldn't find it in the newly reorganized store.

The closest thing I found was a spray cleaner called Kaboom. I bought it. WOW!
This stuff is amazing! It shines my stainless steel sink with very little effort, porcelain sinks too. I even used it to clean my light-colored linoleum in the kitchen. I just sprayed a little on the floor and damp mopped. Couldn't have been easier! If you haven't already, I highly recommend you try it!

No, I'm not getting paid to write this.  😊

Hydrangea Pruning...I couldn't have said it better myself....

My Big Blue Mophead Hydrangea

My Internet friend and Gardening Guru, Mike McGroarty, sent this link in one of his emails. It is the complete guide top pruning Hydrangeas! Enjoy!

Hydrangea Pruning Made Easy

Lawn Care Advice

This is a good post from my fellow blogger and lawn care specialist, Tyler. I think it's good advice for all of us who have to maintain a lawn.
Grass Guide

heirloom Plants

We all talk about heirloom vegetables but how many of you have heirloom flowers?  Those flowers that your great-grandmother gave you or the ones That your friend got from the old farm that was abandoned near their property?

I have several special plants that I have had for as long as I've been out on my own and trust me, at my age that's been a long time. 

My blood runs green because all my ancestors on both sides of my family tree were farmers and gardeners. I thought it would be fun to show my heirloom plants. Maybe you would post a picture here of some of yours too.

These Tiger lilies came from my Great Grandma Sims. She and my Great Granddaddy lived in Athens, Tennessee in a farmhouse with a dog-trot in the center. She had a root cellar out in the backyard that I was afraid to go into by myself because I was afraid there would be a snake in there. The lilies were in her front yard and we could see them from the porch swing where my cousins and I would sit and listen to the grandparents, aunts, and uncles tell stories about their lives growing up in Alabama.

My Grandmother Meadows was her daughter, and as my Daddy would say, "The apple didn't fall far from the tree." She moved into a house next door to us when I was about 4 years old. Her brothers built the house for her and she had so many pretty flowers both inside and out. I got the start of my Fuzzy Jew plant from her.

I honestly can't remember where I got the start of my pretty daisies that are growing in my front flowerbed. I have moved them at least four times and they are about to take over the bed out front. The Autumn Joy Sedum in the foreground has been moved about as many times as the daisies. It came from my Mother's yard.

The little starter cutting of my Jade plant came from the woman who was my Daddy's accountant many years ago. Both she and my Dad are gone now but the plant lives on. It is a huge plant. I winter it over in the studio window and bring it outside in the spring every year. People who come to my garden sales are always amazed at how big it is. I usually have little babies from that plant to sell each spring.

I hope that one day one of my boys will marry a girl who will carry on the tradition and keep these plants going for future generations.

Weed Killer Update

I wanted to post pictures of the weeds that were wiped out by the Natural Weed Killer (click the link to see original post). This damage happened on a hot sunny day and the weeds died in about 2 hours! This worked as well as RoundUp ever did and is safe for me and the environment! I think the hot sun was the key to the fast-wilting of the weeds.

Dead weeds in the driveway.
 The green is a ground cover that I am encouraging to grow

Weeds around my Clematis vine. The vine is unharmed. 

More Recycled Container Ideas

Hydrangea in a recycled pot

I have a friend who raises cattle...maybe you do too. One day he was at one of my backyard nursery sales and he noticed my container garden He asked me if I would be interested in big heavy containers. He said the minerals that he feeds to his cattle are packaged in big red plastic tubs. He was having a difficult time trying to recycle them or find a place to dispose of them.  Of course, I was interested. The next day he came with a pickup truck loaded with great big, thick plastic tubs!

I took the labels off and Bill drilled holes in the bottom for drainage. They make perfect big pots for the shrubs that I use for cuttings to root and grow the little shrubs I sell in my backyard nursery.  If you know anyone who raises cows, you might be able to have big pots too.

Another tip for using any large container is to fill the bottom fourth of the pot with styrofoam cups or packing peanuts. This helps with drainage and makes the heavy tubs a little lighter to move around.