Funky Friday

 

     At our local arboretum, they had different ways of vertical gardening on display last summer. This is one method, for cucumbers, that intrigued me. I use bamboo sticks and twine sometimes. I like the idea of using smaller branches from trimming. Personally, I don't think I would take the time to try to get a natural wrap around it like they did here... or maybe I would if I could buy it somewhere :)

 

 

 

 

What are your thoughts on staking/trellising like this? What is your preferred way of staking or trellising your veggies or flowers?

More Hostas!

Over the next week or so, I will be highlighting some hosta varieties that I feel are a breath of fresh hosta air! These hostas have much to offer, as far as color, shape, or texture.

Feel free to comment below, and share some of your favorite hosta varieties :)



Hosta 'On Stage'
The leaves on this one really caught my attention. I loved the green on the tips.
It is a neat and tidy plant, growing about 2' wide. It's a late-riser, meaning that it
is one of the last to poke up in spring. The flowers rise 18-24" or so.  

Hosta 'Jack of Diamonds'
This is a young hosta plant. I love the deep blue with a thin margin of green.
The leaves are puckered, which adds some textural interest. At maturity, this plant will be
about 18" tall and almost 3.5' wide!!



Hosta 'Elegans'
The blue on this one was stellar! I was taken by the  large leaves, the textures, and the way the flowers stand out.
This baby will get about 30" tall, and 3-4' wide! It is stunning!



Hosta 'Daybreak'

Hosta 'Daybreak' close-up.
Notice the different shades of green on one plant!
This sun-tolerant hosta gets big! At maturity it can be 2' tall by 5' wide!!
Definitely a great space-filler.

 

 

 

The two pictures below are simply to show the wonderful colors, shapes, and textures of some different hosta varieties. They all go so well with each other. There are more pictures to come!  

Hosta Happiness

I have not been a huge fan of Hostas.

That is almost sacrilege in the shade-gardening world!

But I have been slowly trying out new varieties of hosta plants in my gardens. Last summer I was able to visit the Hosta Glade at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, and I fell in love with the plant! They are gorgeous!  I was in awe of the beautiful leaf shapes, colors, textures...everything...

There are so many varieties that we don't hear enough about, to be quite honest with you. I am no fan of the green and white kinds that you see practically everywhere. Let's explore some wonderful hosta plants together, and try a new variety in our gardens this year :)

 'Fringe Benefit'

'Fringe Benefit' gets up to 2' tall with a  spread of about 2.5'. The color in the middle is a nice blue-green.

'Tokudama Flavocircinalis'

 The 'Tokudama Flavocircinalis' gets about 18" tall, with a 4' spread. Very nice! It's leaves are tough and thick. The flower spikes can rise up to 24" tall.

'Tokudama'

The 'Tokudama' rises about 18" and has a nice spread. The ones I saw were almost 2' tall! I loved the rich coloring and the puckered, thick leaves. The leaves themselves are fairly large, as you can see it this picture. This is one hosta I would like to add this year!

I'm Baa-a-a-a-ack!

It has been WAY too long since I have been consistently here. Forgive me! Last summer saw a knee surgery, and the Fall/Winter had more difficult situations, such as the passing of my Dad. But life is finding a rhythm, and I realize I need to get back in to the gardening world!

Spring in Minnesota this year has been, well, more like winter. Today, May 3rd, we had SNOW ALL morning. Yesterday, just 10 minutes south of me, they had 5" of snow! And about 40 minutes south of me, 15" of snow!!! yes, you read that right!

But, spring is going to arrive!! Finally, I had some snow crocuses blooming...at the end of April.

Thanks for all of your patience with me as I have navigated some difficult situations :)

It is good to be back.


If you are local, and are interested in a gardening consultation, don't hesitate to contact me! Check out how in the Contact tab.

Spring Greetings !!

Happy Spring!

 

Here in Minnesota we are getting closer to 50degree temps, and that means...GARDENING!

 

Time to get those seeds planted that you have been waiting on, such as: tomatoes, peppers, herbs, and any other veggies/flowers you want to grow. Remember that some plants DO NOT LIKE transplanting, so either direct sow those outside when it is warmer, or use something that will break down in the ground without disturbing the roots.

 

Nettie's Gardens is here to help you get your garden ready, plant containers, or to come to your house for a consultation/idea session :)

 

Contact us today for any of your plant needs!

 

We can provide you with quality plants from a local dealer, delivered to your door for a small fee.

 





GOT PLANTS?

The weather is heating up, and with it GARDENING season is about to be in Full-Swing! When thinking about your gardens, Nettie's Gardens can supply your Perennial and Annual plant needs! Plants come from a fantastic local grower.

We can provide:
Hostas ~ wide variety!
Native Plants ~ Grasses, Ferns, Rudbeckia, Penstemon, Phlox (woodland phlox), Echinacea (purple and pale purple coneflower)
GRASSES ~ Big & Little Bluestem, Sedges, Switch Grass, Prairie Dropseed, Cord Grass, Indian Grass
Perennial Wildflowers ~ Common Columbine, Bloodroot, Ginger Rood, Jack in the Pulpit, Merrybells, Shooting Stars, Trillium varieties, Virginia Bluebells

And So much MORE!!

There are many annuals that we can get for you as well, from Tomatoes, Peppers, and Herbs, to Petunias, Zinnias, and Marigolds!

Contact us today if we can be of assitance to you! We deliver the plants from the grower to your door for a minimum fee. We can also plant them if you so desire.

Have containers that need to be filled with plants? Contact us today.





Earth Angel Hosta

'Fanfare' Gaillardia

'Blue Mouse Ears' Hosta

Don't forget.... Nettie's Gardens can provide you with high-quality, affordable, locally-grown perennials and annuals for your gardens :)


contact us today!

May We Help You?

The time is here to start thinking about your garden! What new plants do you want to try this year? Have a troubled area of your garden? Nettie's Gardens is here for you!

From delivering quality perennials, annuals, and containers, to one-on-one help in your garden, we can help.

Contact today to get the ball rolling! Look under the Services tab to see all the different areas we can cover for you.

Too Far Ahead?

I am in Minnesota. We are about 6 weeks ahead of where we usually are, thanks to the warmest March on record! Needless to say, all of our gardens here are quite confused.

For example, my crocuses are usually the ONLY thing blooming in my yard at this point, while all else is brown. My hyacinths and daffodils are contemplating coming up.... But right now i have GREEN grass, my perennials are ALL coming up, and my Hyacinths are in full bloom. I actually almost missed my crocus blooms because of all the other things coming up!

Super weird = my rose bushes are fully leafed-out!!! This does not happen til mid to late May in a normal year. We are all hoping that we don't get a frost at this point.

One of the strangest occurrence's this Spring happened on the Ides of March...The frogs in the pond out back were already chirping! on MARCH 15th!! THAT was so weird!! We don't usually hear them until May either. AND... We were sleeping with our window open - IN MARCH.

Have you had an abnormally warm Spring? If so, what are you seeing now that you don't normally see at this time?

New Gardening Season!

Greetings, Fellow Gardeners!!

What an amazing winter we have had here in the Upper Midwest. Little snow, mild temps, and lots and LOTS of SUNSHINE. After last year, I think many of us embraced this mild winter with open arms.

It is now the end of February. What kinds of gardening thoughts are running through your head? I am assuming you are either perusing seed catalogues, or walking the aisles of the stores picking out your seeds. I am definitely thinking of what I am going to do in my own garden this Spring. We are going to make some changes in the front gardens, which will create more room for......TEST GARDENS!! YAY :)

Do you have a favorite source you get seeds from? What are you looking forward to most this growing season?

All Tucked In...Soon to Emerge!

Well, our gardens are all tucked in, and we are in the midst of winter. Although, it is more like a dry Spring out there lately!! I am not complaining, after all we endured last winter...

As you can tell, the blog posts here are not happening with regularity, but they will start picking up again come February!

Enjoy your seed catalogues as they start coming!

Share in a comment some of your favorite sources for ordering seeds/plants.

Time Passes...

I am amazed at how fast time goes. The regularity of the Autumn schedule will certainly help in planning blog-time!

Harvest & Canning season is in full swing! I honestly don't can, though i want to. I didn't seem to grow enough of anything this year. Just grew enough to eat off the vines :)

We have been harvesting green beans, golden raspberries, tomatoes (the Brandywines are amazing!), bell peppers, and even 2 eggplants. It was my first time growing them, and they were wonderful. We are also still harvesting from our cucumber vine! There truly is nothing like eating a tomato or cuke fresh from the vine, all warm from the sun....

What are you harvesting? Are you a canner? If so, what are you canning? Do Tell!!!

Indeed...

Thank you, Angela, at Blog Mommas, for the 'Blog of the Week' status!!

Has it truly been more than a month since I was here? Indeed, IT HAS! Forgive me, Gardening Friends. Sometimes I just don't know what happens to the time (especially with four kiddos running around!).

Cooler evening temperatures are upon us here in the Midwest. The days are getting a wee bit shorter, as it is dusk by 8:15pm. Truth be told, I love the cooler weather. This is when some gardens REALLY shine! The black-eyed susan's are still going strong; sedum is beginning to bloom, hardy gardem mum's are making an appearance, and Fall asters are getting ready to burst.

What are some of YOUR favorite Autumn blooms?

Funky Friday ~ Hostas!

Here we have the 'Empress Wu' hosta variety. It is one of the largest hostas in the world right now. Growing to a staggering 4' high with a spread of 5-6'! One leaf can measure 18" across. Now THAT is impressive!

Recently I have added 2 of these beauties to my collection. I am anxious to see what they do in the next couple years, as they are still young.  Generally, I don't get "in" to hostas, but if there is something new and different, that makes it stand out, I am excited to try it.

These beauties need mostly shade, but can handle morning OR late evening sun. Keep it away from hot afternoon sun.

pic from HERE

Another brand new hosta I have added to the garden this year is 'Blueberry Muffin'. It is a nice-sized hosta with a spread of about 36", and it has nice thick blue-green leaves that are puckered. Again, this is a new variety, and I am thrilled to see what it does in the garden next year.

 It has been awhile since I last did a Funky Friday! What new hosta varieties are YOU trying in your garden this year?

Bloomin' Gardens!!

picture by Nettie's Gardens, LLC

Boy, after the Spring we had here in the Upper Midwest, it seems a bit disgusting that it is already Mid-Summer, yet here we are! After so much cold and rain, we are finally in a nice warm stretch.

How is your garden growing? What do YOU have blooming/fruiting now?

We have our bell and hot peppers flowering! YAY!! The tomatoes are still a bit iffy here, but a few more days of hot sun will get them hopping. For the first time since they were planted, my Calamagrostis 'Karl Forester' grasses are blooming. They are simply beautiful. Never thought I would be so captivated by a grass! The Monarda have opened up and are blooming as well Coreopsis. In fact, just about everything is blooming around here, with the exception of Sedum.


Remember to keep things well-watered this time of year. If you let your plants get stressed, it will affect their blooming. It can take up to 2 weeks for them to fully recover.

What are you seeing in YOUR garden??

Under Attack !!



We are under attack! Ok, not us personally, but our garden. As I went walking around the yard (front and back) I couldn't help but notice these crazy red blotches all over my mature River Birch. After much research, I saw that it was Eriophyid mite.

Apparently they do not hurt the tree, and some people even like the crazy coloration. Not me, but there is not much to be done for it. 


Next, I was in the front yard and saw orange all over my Hollyhock leaves. Grrr. I love my Hollyhock, and was getting concerned. I thought it was a rust, and I was correct. Not too much to be done for this now, except remove the infected leaves and extra clean-up this Autumn.

Finally, the straw that broke the camel's back....Aphids. A number of varieties. DISGUSTING!! I had a little bit of Eight left, so I used that on my back gardens. In the front, they were all over my Achillea (yarrow) plants! I mean....ALL over. The GOOD NEWS is that there were plenty of beneficials on the plant as well. I did not want to use a chemical spray, as that would have killed the beneficial bugs, so I mixed some water and Dawn dishsoap in a bowl. Out I went to wage my war against the aphids. I grabbed each stalk and dipped it in the water mix, and the aphids all drowned. I may have to repeat this again, but at least I have won a major part of the battle. There were simply too many aphids for the good bugs to eat! And aphids multiply like, well, aphids (which is worse than bunnies).

What kind of insects are you battling in YOUR garden? How are you winning the war? I would love to hear from YOU!!

Plant Swap Items so far

We have all sorts of plants coming for the plant swap! drop-dead gorgeous lilies, AnnaBelle Hydrangea, Hostas, plants from NORWAY, sweet woodruff, misc. others, and some Beefsteak Tomato seedlings! Clara Curtis daisy, Achillea, and much more!! There are a few Pine tree seedlings, Monarda (Bee Balm), and many others.

Plant Swap !!

Here we are, one week out from the 3rd Annual Perennial Plant swap at my house. I am excited to see what people will bring, and even more excited to see the faces of those that will find a new plant to try, or just get some old standards to fill in a bare spot.

The swap is on Saturday May 21st, from 10:00am-12:00pm. Looking forward to SEEING some of you there!

If you are interested in coming, please email me at nettiesgardens@gmail.com

Funky Friday - A TOOL !!

I know it has been awhile since i have done a Funky Friday post...forgive me.... This week for Funky Friday I am featuring a NEW TOOL!!! Yes, it is pretty funky looking, so it qualifies! This is the  CobraHead Hand Tool that I received from Jan over at Thanks for Today for participating in the Gardeners' Sustainable Living Project with this post. It came in the mail yesterday, and it was finally sunny today, so i went out and tried it.  OH MY STARS! This tool is AMAZING! You can order one by clicking the CobraHead link above. I easily pulled out weeds, cultivated ground, and even got out dandelion taproots! Yeah, pretty cool!  No, I am not getting paid to advertise this...I am just so excited about my new "toy" for the garden :-)

SORRY... I HAD THE WRONG LINK UNDER THE COBRAHEAD HAND TOOL! IT IS CORRECTED NOW!!!

Now is the time to get out there and prepare your beds for planting!!

Weaving Tomatoes

This is a neat way to keep your tomatoes trellised. He also shows where the suckers are, how to take them off, and why you need to...

Worth watching if you have 6 minutes! The suckers info is toward the end.