Ornaments By Nature

The trend for the holidays is more natural and a little less bling. If you are looking for that perfect gift for someone special or simply for yourself, then craft an ornament influenced by nature. Just take a clear glass-ball ornament, remove the top and fill with sprigs of evergreens such as juniper, holly, bayberry, and even mistletoe. To prevent condensation, leave the tops off for about 24 hours. For that finishing detail, thread ribbon through the top, knot the ribbon, and hang.

Making Merry

One of my favorite parts of the holiday season is feasting on all those delicious baked goods. If you love to bake and give these yummy treats away, then here are a few suggestions for their packaging. Just go to your local craft store and buy some inexpensive glass jars. Now fill the jars with your goodies and a few sprigs of evergreens. You can also find at your local craft store wood birch boxes. Secure the tops with colorful twine in holiday colors. You can even decorate the wood boxes or for that matter the glass jars with Christmas designs you paint yourself with acrylic paint. Even holiday decals will work for those of you who doubt your artistic ability!

The Right Way to Plant Bulbs

October and November are the perfect time to plant your spring blooming bulbs. You want to plant now rather then later. If you wait until December or even later then that, usually your bulbs will sprout but they will bloom in late spring and if we have an early warm up, the flowers will last for only a very short time, that is if they bloom at all. I usually start mid-October. First I prep my ground by adding organic mix and plenty of blood and bone meal. This is organic fertilizer and works great. This will allow for your bulbs to develop a strong root-system and thick lush growth and therefore blooms. There are other bulb fertilizers on the market. The choice is yours....

Remember to buy fresh bulbs and not bulbs that have been in the stores since July. I noticed some big box stores had them so early this year, to early. Look for bulbs that have no bruises and no signs of rot or dryness. Plant with the narrow point side up and plant about 6 inches deep. Some bulbs like crocuses need to be planted only 3 inches deep. Read the directions on the package.

Remember that bulbs such as tulips bloom great the first season, but because of our hot weather, usually decrease in size each year there after. I treat tulips as annuals but there are several perennial varieties available.

Tasty Halloween Drinks

Tonight is the night. Treat yourself, your family and friends to a delightful and refreshing Halloween beverage. I have two easy recipes for you.

Chris's Autumn Cider

Ingredients:

1 gallon of Apple Cider

1/2 gallon of Apple Juice

2 cups sugar

5 Cinnamon Sticks

Bring the Apple Cider, Apple Juice, cinnamon sticks and sugar to a boil. Let cool and then remove the cinnamon sticks. Add sliced apples if so desired. Then serve warm or cold. For an adult version just add 2 cups of pure grain alcohol. Yum!!!

Apple and Orange Autumn Splash

1 gallon of Apple Cider

6 cups of Orange Juice

Cloves

3 Apples

2 Oranges

Mix the two juices together. Now slice the apples and oranges into disc shape slices. Press into each piece of sliced fruit about 8 cloves. Now take the clove slices and simply add to the mixture. Your done. Add sugar to taste if needed.

Have a spooky Halloween...

Winter Conifers

Even though it is Autumn, it's time to purchase your winter conifers for your landscape and containers. You will want to get those varieties that will not only do great for the winter but can tolerate the sizzling heat of our summers. One such tough guy is the Alberta spruce. This cone-shape beauty prefers lots of morning sunshine but light shade in the afternoon. Wonderful in pots especially if you plant around it's base with white pansies and white ornamental cabbage for a winter look.But you can't forget about the evergreen bird Nest Spruce, the Grey Procumbens Juniper, the Grey Owl Juniper (love this shrub), and the Hinoki Cypress. Shop early for these babies before they are gone....

Plant a Pumpkin

Now that so many of us are moving on to the Christmas season, you may be thinking of getting rid of your pumpkins. Before you do, plant a pumpkin and grow your own next year. You can wait to do this project until spring if your pumpkin will last that long, but if not, you can plant a pumpkin now. All you have to do is cut the top open, remove about half of the seeds inside and leave the rest. Now just fill the pumpkin with dirt and place in the garden. Next spring the seeds will germinate. Go ahead and thin out the sprouts to just a few chosen ones. Let them grow and before you know it, you will have your very own great pumpkin.

Winterizing Your Lawn

Don't wait too late to winterize your turf for the upcoming winter season. Just about now winter weeds will start germinating. If you wait too late to apply your pre-emergent then these vigorous weeds will take root and create havoc in your lawn.

Most of us do not really understand how a pre-emergent works. When you spray or apply in granular form a pre-emergent, that product turns into a gas layer right above your dirt. When a weed seed germinates, the tender plant hits this gas layer and mutates and then dies. This is why it is so important to apply your lawn chemicals at the right time. Once a weed has germinated and starts growing and then you apply your pre-emergent, its to late. Of course, never fear, you can always apply a post-emergent that will kill existing winter weeds.

With chemical to use?? Just go to your local garden center and ask a garden expert. Make sure you come with important information such as what kind of turf you have and the square footage of your lawn area. Also, double check and read the directions on the bag to make sure it really is the product you need.

 

Live Life to the Fullest,

Chris