All the Dirt on Gardening

Regular pruning is much better than letting plants grow and grow without shaping. But, I've never pruned our 3 clematis vines. It's a little confusing since you are supposed to know what you have in order to prune at the correct time to make the plant healthier and bloom more. Did you know that the color we enjoy is not clematis's flowers? Their flowers have no petals. The color is sepals and stamens. The pretty fluffy plumes that show up after flowers fade is the stamens expanding and curling. In "Armitage's Vines and Climbers" Allan Armitage confesses that his favorite Clematis varieties are the Clematis texensis, Texas clematis, because they are not rampant growers, are idiot proof,  slow growing, take full sun and have little trouble with our humidity. Scarlet Leatherflower is another name for the Texas native Clematis. Our 3 vines came from assorted plant sales so their lineage is questionable. They bloomed less this year than ever before so one can ...

Enthusiastic gardeners and nature lovers enjoy writing and teaching. They produce hundreds of books and videos each year. When requesting review copies, I ask for the ones that I think will appeal to a wide audience. This list reviews books and a DVD published between 2008 and 2011. They are about garlic, projects for grandparents, attracting pollinators, vines, disastrous bugs and organic solutions for plant problems. The information includes the publication information plus the full price and the online booksellers’ price. Armitage’s Vines and Climbers by Allan Armitage. Published 2010 by Timber Press (www.timberpress.com and 800-327-5680) 205 pages. $30 to $20. Whether you prefer woody vines and climbers or herbaceous (ones that die back to the ground in the winter), Armitage’s wisdom will guide you to choose the best selections for the space you want to cover. “Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America’s Bees and Butterflies” by Xerces Society authors Er...

Greenhouse Grower dot com has a page of Allan Armitage video clips online. In each clip, Armitage talks about and shows a great new plant he is enthusiastic about. Here's the link http://greenhousegrower.com/ggtv/?vid=298

Shakespeare's Hamlet said "To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, Or to take arms against a sea of troubles, And by opposing end them? " Is it nobler to give your plants some food before they turn yellow and appear to be on death's door? Or is it a stronger gardener who waits for the enemy's approach and then takes arm against the sea of trouble? ORGANIC OR CHEMICAL WEAPONS? The next decision is whether to take an organic or chemical approach. Organics are said to feed the soil and chemicals are said to feed the plants. Organic gardeners believe that if you feed the soil your plants will be healthier. Microorganisms in soil break down organic fertilizers to make nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and trace minerals available. Typically, organic gardeners use products such as cottonseed meal, fish emulsion, manure, compost, mushroom growing medium and sludge. Chemical ferti...