High Country Gardens has a YouTube Channel!

Here's a video about how to plant perennials!

Mapping the Sun

I know, your garden isn't the thing on your mind, right now, but I am anxious to get out in mine and it is just cold, so I thought I'd give a little tip on here!

I decided to be good and map out the sun in my front yard. I was really surprised at how little light it gets and how much it is shaded. I thought there was full sun out there, but it turns out that there are only a few hours of direct sunlight on most of it and there is even a small area that has no direct sunlight. My house shades it until around noon and then a few hours after that, the tree in the front starts to shade it as well.

My point in telling you this is to let you know that you should take an average day (or several if you want to know more) and look at the spot every hour so that you can tell what is really going on. I just got out my gardening journal (a spiral notebook) and drew a little map. I made a very rough sketch of the area and then drew where it was in direct light at which time and then when the light was gone. I added the times up and then I knew exactly what I was dealing with.

By the way, six hours of direct sunlight is considered full sun! If you live in a higher elevation place (like me--Utah) then you have to take that into account for some of the plants that may be more sensitive. Usually, a good greenhouse will help you out with that by putting those plants in the shade section.

Gardening Journal

A gardening journal can be an invaluable resource for you in your garden. Some things to include are:

Varieties selected

Botanical and common names of plants

Map of your yard/garden plot labelled with the plants where they are

Empty seed packets and labels from the pots

Gathered information about the plants you've selected

Before and after pictures

Ideas for the future

The number of plants you planted and notes about how well things did

Plans for the future, sometimes based on what you learned in the past

When planting took place

Problems and solutions

A list of your favorite plants

There are a lot of possibilities. The best part about having a gardening journal is that I have a horrible memory and if I write everything down, I don't have to remember. You can also know which varieties did well in certain areas and you can make sure to buy those again. Or, if you move, you know which plants you'd like to purchase again.

I also make notes on the entries after they succeed, die or when the growing season ends. I like to see the progress of things.

So, if you don't have one already, grab a notebook and start writing down all of the things you have in your garden!

New Yard

I am excited to have a new yard. It is the first yard that is actually ours! We can do whatever we want with it! There is even a ready-to-plant (once we weed!) vegetable garden!

My first plans are to plant a few melon seeds, since not much else would do that well by the time we get there and I'm pregnant and don't have a lot of energy.

Then, I'm going to start keeping track of the light in my yard. Since I haven't lived there, yet, I don't know where the shade falls and for how long. I want to create a map and pay attention to the light each area receives. Then, next season, or maybe in the fall if I can afford it, we can start planting some things and hopefully have good luck with them, since we'll plant them in spots that are good for them.

Now that I think of it, I should pay attention to how wet/dry things get as well.

Lithops

I love succulent plants and one of my favorite succulent plants is the lithops. They are a tiny plant with only two leaves. They look kind of like little brains and are really cute. I'll admit, they are pretty weird looking, but that is part of the fun!!

Introduction to lithops

Lithops cultivation

Buy lithops I want the baker's dozen!!

I had one for a while, and I killed it!! :(

Luffa

I have wanted to grow my own luffa sponges for a long time. I tried a couple of years ago and the plants didn't flower. I learned that I needed to have them be a certain lenght before they'd flower and fruit. I need a bigger yard!! ;)

So, here are some luffa sites that I have found and I hope to one day be a successful luffa grower!!

Luffa Seed

About Luffa

Uses, about, etc

How do make and grow luffa

FUN!

Fertilizer Questions

I found a couple of sites with some specific information about which type of fertilizer to use.

How to Choose and Buy Fertilizer

Fertilizer

Always read and follow the package instructions. They will tell you how often to fertilize.

Growing Fruit Links

I found these a while ago and didn't put them in a post. Here they are:

Growing Grapes

Pruning Raspberries pdf

Strawberries

Sounds yummy!!

Intermountain Planting Guide

Here is a pdf file of an extension publication. It is a great resource with lots of information about growing plants in the intermountain west. I hope you enjoy it!

Intermountain Planting Guide

Listening

This article puts gardening into very simple terms. You have to pay attention to your garden. You can't simply plant it and set the sprinkler to go and hope that it lives. If you take the time to walk through and look at your plants, you can have a better growing experience. You will be able to notice problems before they become catastrophes. You will learn if plants are getting enough water, or more likely, too much. Insect problems can be averted if you notice them when there are only a few and you take care of it then, rather than allowing them to take over your yard. You can also be aware of what the normal is for most of your plants and then know when something isn't just right.

You can also benefit from the nature around you. Just having a beautiful view when I walk into my house isn't enough for me. I like to spend some real time outside enjoying the sights, smells and other senses all around me. What a great way to relax!!