2 years ago we had so much basil that even after giving lots of it away we had huge plants to dry at the end of the season. We filled several 2 quart containers with dried basil. Last year we got almost nothing. All of the plants in the greenhouse failed. We bought 6 plants to set out in the garden. Only 2 lived and they were scanty producers.
This year everything in the greenhouse has done extremely well except for the basil. Experience is supposed to be a good teacher. What was different 2 years ago? For one thing our greenhouse was really just a big cold frame then. We did not have the bottom heating pads. We seeded directly many things into egg cartons. We used store-bought potting soil instead of home made.
Having read lots of stuff on the internet about growing basil, there seems to be no problem with anything we are doing; but I think it is time to go back to the egg cartons and no bottom heat. Basil is too wonderful to forgo. There is only 2 and ½ weeks before garden planting time; but we will start over with the basil and see what happens. I’ll let you know how it goes. Any suggestions?
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Monday, March 29, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Monkey Grass out the Wazoo
It is called monkey grass when you have lots of it and “liriope” when you want to sell it for $3+ per plant. Monkey grass makes great borders and has really nice blue flower spikes in the summer. Once established it will spread quickly. It is easy to transplant. I have a friend who claims it will grow on concrete. I haven’t tried that. Not sure about the purpose.
Dig up a big clump, break it into individual plants and transplant them in a row. Once they are well established, mow them. This is like shaving. It just causes thicker growth. Lilies seem to work the same way; but it is important to get a bulb with each division. It is not necessary to mow the lilies, they go away in the winter anyhow. They should be dug up and divided every few years though.
Monkey grass is really useful for bordering beds and filling areas where low maintenance is desired. Some people mow it every year; but once every couple of years is enough.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Dig up a big clump, break it into individual plants and transplant them in a row. Once they are well established, mow them. This is like shaving. It just causes thicker growth. Lilies seem to work the same way; but it is important to get a bulb with each division. It is not necessary to mow the lilies, they go away in the winter anyhow. They should be dug up and divided every few years though.
Monkey grass is really useful for bordering beds and filling areas where low maintenance is desired. Some people mow it every year; but once every couple of years is enough.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme
“Are you going to Scarborough Fair?” These are 4 really great herbs that go together in almost anything. Except for Parsley, they are all perennials and once they get started they continue producing. They are also evergreens and give a little fresh winter flavor. The parsley of course can be dried.
Parsley is usually started in the greenhouse. It is a great companion plant with almost everything; but especially with tomatoes and peppers. The rosemary bushes are scattered around the yard. A new one is planted every 2 years or so; because the younger shoots are good in stews and stuff. The older tougher branches are used for skewers with the leaves left on or laid in the bottom of the crock pot until the dish is complete. They are then pulled out and put in the compost. The dead wood from pruning is thrown on the grill to add flavor when charcoaling.
We have no sage yet; but that is one of this years goals. It is a beautiful evergreen plant. The leaves can be picked for seasoning, teas, or medicinal herbs. Thyme is planted in the garden; but it is also used for borders and allowed to flower. The flowers are pretty. If you go to Scarborough Fair, please watch for my old true love.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Parsley is usually started in the greenhouse. It is a great companion plant with almost everything; but especially with tomatoes and peppers. The rosemary bushes are scattered around the yard. A new one is planted every 2 years or so; because the younger shoots are good in stews and stuff. The older tougher branches are used for skewers with the leaves left on or laid in the bottom of the crock pot until the dish is complete. They are then pulled out and put in the compost. The dead wood from pruning is thrown on the grill to add flavor when charcoaling.
We have no sage yet; but that is one of this years goals. It is a beautiful evergreen plant. The leaves can be picked for seasoning, teas, or medicinal herbs. Thyme is planted in the garden; but it is also used for borders and allowed to flower. The flowers are pretty. If you go to Scarborough Fair, please watch for my old true love.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
The First Day of Spring
The trees are budding, the girls are wearing short skirts and tank tops. Is that a lawn mower I hear? Some people say this has been the worst winter ever. I think Charlotte dodged the bullet. A good freeze is still possible. There are Indian Summers surely there can be Indian Winters.
The ground in the garden is ready for the serious planting. The summer seeds go in on Good Friday. The plants go in the ground the following weekend. Some of the plants are so big they may have to go in earlier. Nasturtiums and Cilantro are the heroes of the greenhouse this year. I hope they will be heroes in the garden. The basil is the week sister. It looks like the garden may have to play host to store-bought basil again. Everything else is pretty much on schedule.
Raised beds are really wonderful. They are easy to plant and weed and they can be planted when the rest of the garden is still wet. Also, they warm up faster than the dirt level beds.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The ground in the garden is ready for the serious planting. The summer seeds go in on Good Friday. The plants go in the ground the following weekend. Some of the plants are so big they may have to go in earlier. Nasturtiums and Cilantro are the heroes of the greenhouse this year. I hope they will be heroes in the garden. The basil is the week sister. It looks like the garden may have to play host to store-bought basil again. Everything else is pretty much on schedule.
Raised beds are really wonderful. They are easy to plant and weed and they can be planted when the rest of the garden is still wet. Also, they warm up faster than the dirt level beds.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Friday, March 19, 2010
Bamboo for Trellises
An article in this month’s Organic Gardening magazine recommended using bamboo for trellises. Bamboo is so ubiquitous around here that that should make a great choice. I have been using whatever kind of old stick I can find. They are convenient and picturesque; but they are also ugly. I know where there is a bamboo forest near the university; but I would like to find something closer to home.
The article suggests driving some rebar into the ground and tying them to that. I think some short pieces of plastic pipe could be driven into the ground and the bamboo simply inserted in the pipe. I don’t know how much the pipe would cost. I think it comes in 21 foot sections. It could be cut to 2’ sections or maybe 18”. If someone knew a plumber, scraps could possibly be found for free. Perhaps the bamboo could be cut at an angle and just pushed into the ground. I have done that with sticks in wet weather.
Bamboo should make a very attractive trellis for espalier pruning tomatoes. I have not done that in years; but I am thinking about trying it with a few plants this year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The article suggests driving some rebar into the ground and tying them to that. I think some short pieces of plastic pipe could be driven into the ground and the bamboo simply inserted in the pipe. I don’t know how much the pipe would cost. I think it comes in 21 foot sections. It could be cut to 2’ sections or maybe 18”. If someone knew a plumber, scraps could possibly be found for free. Perhaps the bamboo could be cut at an angle and just pushed into the ground. I have done that with sticks in wet weather.
Bamboo should make a very attractive trellis for espalier pruning tomatoes. I have not done that in years; but I am thinking about trying it with a few plants this year.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Green Around the Gills
That is how I am celebrating St. Patty’s day. Daylight savings time got me really excited about having an extra hour every day to play in the yard. I forgot about my poor body. I am so sore that I ache all over. Nothing like an extra hour of tiller and posthole digger to bring pain. Exercise is like drugs. More exercise will hopefully take the pain away and make the yard and the garden look better.
The “dry water garden” is tilled and raked and ready for more planting. The line parallel to the sidewalk is tilled; but not raked. The posts for the deer fence are all installed. Everything in the garden is up except the potatoes and about 2/3 of the sugar peas. The garden is not as green as my gills; but it is getting there.
My friend Mitchell who is a brick mason gave me enough bricks to finish the floor of the greenhouse. Yesterday (the 16th), I went to an empty property and found a whole stack of bricks outside. Now I need another project to use the extra bricks.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
The “dry water garden” is tilled and raked and ready for more planting. The line parallel to the sidewalk is tilled; but not raked. The posts for the deer fence are all installed. Everything in the garden is up except the potatoes and about 2/3 of the sugar peas. The garden is not as green as my gills; but it is getting there.
My friend Mitchell who is a brick mason gave me enough bricks to finish the floor of the greenhouse. Yesterday (the 16th), I went to an empty property and found a whole stack of bricks outside. Now I need another project to use the extra bricks.
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Home Based Weather Station
Have you ever seen the rain fall in your neighbor’s yard; and not fall in yours or vice-versa? You might want to set up your own weather station at home. The information could be invaluable for your garden if entered in your garden journal. All you really need is a maximum/minimum thermometer (“$7) and a rain gauge ($6). Of course there are more expensive options for those who thing quality is measured by cost.
I am installing a fence that I hope will keep the deer out of my garden. A friend, who is a beautician, is saving me a couple of bags of human hair. These will be placed in little bags and hung around the garden. I won’t know whether it is the fence or the hair that works; but I won’t care if it works. If neither works, I’ll know that.
I found a beautiful little flower in my flower bed and I didn’t know what it was. I guess the birds planted it or if it is a bulb; maybe it came with leave or grass that I picked up by the side of the road. I had intended to ask the readers of this column, if there are any, what it was. I did find out that it is a crocus. Here is a picture, in case the person told me wrong.
Happy St. Patrick's Day
David Segrest is an International REALTOR in Charlotte, NC. His email is david@segrestrealty.com , His webpage is http://www.segrestrealty.com , and his international real estate blog is http://dointernationalrealestate.blogspot.com/
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