Rainmakers

I am travelling to Dallas TX next week for the annual Garden Writers Symposium. Part of the weekend includes a tour of the Dallas Arboretum and social media "rainmaking" frenzy. Attendees will be encouraged to utilize whatever form of social media (twitter, facebook, blogs, etc.) to fill the Internet with gardening information to their readers while at the Arboretum!

So, all you reliable readers, join me as I will be on FB and this website sharing all the fun things during my stay in Dallas. All I ask is that you say a prayer for me on Friday the 10th and Tuesday the 14th as those are flying days! I do not like to fly!

I'll tap more about the rainmaking later, but share this info with your friends, we are going to clutter the net with gardens!

Blessings from the Garden!

ML

ps. friend request: mary louise hagler and/or mlchgarden on facebook!

Under Pressure

I work best under pressure...feeling a twinge of pressure from my growing list for September. My index card "lists" have become a source of entertainment for my children.

Here is today's Garden Index card:

• FlowerCamp-order aprons, need good clippers, confirm menu w/caterer


• Finish entering email addresses (ugh) for monthly newsletter (Constant Contact) to start in September


• Book flight to Dallas for September 10-14 before the prices get too highDONE!


• Share September To Do's on newsletter and walk the talk


• Figure out how to make this year's pumpkins a learning experience for children


• Write a week's worth of blog posts so when I am doing all of the above, I won't worry!

I'll stop here before I get too overwhelmed. Add that to the day to day list...Pressure!

Blessings from the Garden

ML

LIGHTS

OK. Rarely do I verbalize my frustrations on this blog, but my walk with Gizmo tonite has thrown

me over the edge...Full moon, I suppose!

Ambient lighting or outdoor lighting can be a beautiful addition to your landscape. However, I just counted 45 lights in a front yard. We don't live in a neighborhood filled with mansions or one acre plus lots, so our front yards are a good size, but not HUGE!

Highlighting attractive areas, trees and beautiful front doors is one thing, but up-lights on ugly old dogwoods, your brick house, and butchered crepe myrtles is OUTRAGEOUS!

In addition, and most importantly, fireflies or "lightning bugs", prefer to have the lights out when they pro-create! Me, too, for that matter. I've had to install "blackout" curtains over my expensive window blinds to have peaceful sleep at night---when it's supposed to be dark.

No pics today, evidence could be used against me!

What do you think? Anyone else suffering like me?

It's probably PMS and Full Moon Combo.

Thanks for listening & let me hear from you.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Question

I entertain gardening questions almost daily & decided to post this one for readers.

From L.B., a friend on Facebook:

When is the best time to plant hydrangeas and how do you prepare the soil?

Great question especially as we anticipate cooler weather. I would plan to plant in

October, about the same time we plant pansies in Augusta. We should have cooler

weather and less stress on both plants & gardeners!

The fall is also the BEST time to prepare your soil, both for fall planting and spring

blooms! If you are really interested in the "make-up" of your soil, do a soil sample.

You can get bags from your county Extension office or most of the local garden centers.

You'll receive a detailed report on what's in the soil and what's missing!

You may want to amend the area you intend to fill with hydrangeas with compost and/or

aged manure. If you are planting a blue hydrangea & you want it to be more blue or pink, the CSRA Hydrangea Society gives a clear description!

Be sure to consider where you are going to plant your hydrangeas. For years, I planted mophead blue hydrangeas in the full shade, and never a bloom- always died. Now, much wiser,

I plant them in most sun. Read up on your variety though as to how much sun it prefers!

Please post pics !!

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

find me on Facebook: mlchgarden

Sunday Farm Update on Monday!

Saturday night found us celebrating a friend's 50th at Doe Doe's which is located in the middle

of nowhere. We were a bit goofy after waiting an eternity for our food...

Woke up early enough on Sunday to weed, harvest and water. HOT!





There are pumpkins all over the field! Flower Campers will have first pick of this year's"Orange Bulldog" pumps! The zinnias, sunflowers, celosia and broom corn are crazy right now...Perfect timing for FlowerCamp!


Here are more pics for today's report.








If you are interested in receiving "MLCHgarden Tools", my monthly e-newsletter, make sure I have your email address! First issue this week!
mlchgarden@comcast.net.



Find me on Facebook,too: mlchgarden

Blessings from the Garden.


ML

Fresh Ex-STRESS?

The second recall of Fresh Express bagged lettuce reminds me I need to make a list and order lettuce seed for the fall garden. Listeria is a bacteria that appears to have significant effects on pregnant women and their unborn babies.

Even though bagged lettuce is not our lettuce of choice, I will take this opportunity to share some seed types you may want to try because the time is near in our area. UGA tells us to plant between Sept 1 and Oct 1.

Here is my list:

Butter head

Romaine

Buttercrunch

An order is in progress for Johnny's Selected Seeds...

I will plant the lettuce seeds in the Raised Beds this year along with broccoli, kale, carrots, cabbage and beets...

Stay tuned.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Week in Review

Home/Farm Wrap Up...

I have to keep the farm flowers picked and rows weeded in anticipation of FlowerCamp in Sept/October. The home garden has been neglected this week as my energy focuses on Burke County. If you've not signed up for FlowerCamp yet, it's time. Registration is in full swing, and a weekday session opened up.

Home

Pure neglect this week. Here is my list of things to do this week at home:

• pull grape toms from raised bed


• order seeds of lettuce, beets, chard and hollyhocks!


• check out Park Seed and Johnny's Selected Seeds online


• borrow a weed wacker for the "back 40" where Round Up didn't do the job


• pick peaches before squirrels do


• add to green bean trellis before they get out of hand

Farm

Here is what I did last week. Several email inquiries re: pumpkins. Yes, there are plenty of pumpkins, but not counting on them until they are in the truck!

• harvested buckets of zinnias, celosia, mexican sunflower


• planted 2 rows of sunflowers


• sprayed fungicide on zinnias


• fertilized & watered pumpkins/zinnias


• assessed pumps, they look beautiful!

That's it for last week, still much to do for FlowerCamp. Ordering "bib aprons" this week for everyone, and looking for decent clippers. Two years ago, Big Lots had an unbelievable deal on pink handled Fiskars clippers!

Blessings from the Garden,

ML

Farm Update

Shaunita is guarding the Pumpkin Patch for us in Burke County!

So far, so good, but as I tell my kids, don't get your hopes up until the check is in your hand!

I've battled crows, deer and turkeys the past 2 years, and they could be waiting to destroy my crop on October 1- harvest day! I am not usually a pessimist, but that's farm life....

I'll share the most recent pics, though, of a gorgeous crop so far!

Beautiful blossoms...

This Orange Bulldog pumpkin is about 5lbs. now, there are tube shapes, cinderellas, and a variety of pumps in the field right now.

Fingers crossed.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Kitchen Garden Visit

I visited Project Host today in Greenville, SC along with friend Winnie, and Travis from the Golden Harvest Food Bank here in Augusta. We road tripped eager to learn more about how this Soup Kitchen/Culinary School runs their Kitchen Garden...The new Master's Table in Augusta has plenty of space for a Kitchen Garden. Brainstorming now for debut in the fall!

The Kitchen Garden contains an assortment of fruits, veggies and herbs. They are growing Jeresalum Artichokes in an area off to the side. Gail, Garden Host, told us these plants are good for diabetics in that they are not "sugary" like potatoes. That's a new one for me.

The Project Host Kitchen Garden was established in 1991, and is one of the first working Soup Kitchen gardens in the nation. The Mission of the garden is to "nourish with knowledge".

Here is the report in pics.

Jerusalem Artichokes above are in the Sunflower family with an edible tuber that makes a tasty relish! There are 16 raised beds and one large in-ground garden area filled with okra, tomatoes, basil, eggplant and peppers. Paths along the raised beds were neat and tidy, covered in chunky rocks. Greenville Master Gardeners work 2 Saturdays a month to maintain the clean look.

Squash and pumps are in the same family.I'd bet this is a cute little pump, but the Garden Host says it's a squash! What do you think?

Can you imagine how much Soup Kitchen food waste is sent to this compost bin every day?!

Travis was amazed when he saw the beautiful red jalapenos!

It was such an inspiring day! Knowing all of this is possible here in Augusta and the unlimited teaching opportunities!

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Summer Fruit Salad

This was delicious so had to post. Includes basil from garden, so it counts as garden related!

I did not grow the fruit, however, maybe next year!

3c. peeled chopped peaches

8 oz FRESH mozzarella cubed or sliced

3Tbs fresh basil snipped

3/4 cup Lemon Poppyseed Dsg

4cups watermelon seeded & cubed

2cups honeydew melon

1 cup mango(i threw this in because i had it!)

3 cups fresh strawberries sliced

2 cups seedless green grapes cut in half

Toss first 3 ingredients with 1/4 cup Lemon Poppyseed Dressing. Layer watermelon, peach mix, honeydew, berries, and grapes in a large glass dish or bowl. Serve immediately or chill for up to 8 hours. Toss with remaining 1/2 cup dressing . Garnish with fresh mint sprig!

Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

Using small processor, blend 2/3 cup veggie oil, 2 Splenda packets, sprinkle of sugar, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 & 1/2 Tablespoons poppy seeds, 2 heaping Tablespoons chopped onion, 1Tablespoon Dijon mustard and a shot of salt. Store in fridge for 1 week, serve at room temp, flavor's better!

Salad snatcher lurks...

Recipe adapted from August 2010 issue, Southern Living magazine!

Garden Goals in Review

On 12.31.09, I posted my Garden Goals for 2010.

Eight months later, I am planning Christmas cards and reviewing

those goals...

Here's a glimpse of my 2010 Gardening Goals:

1. Share my passion for gardening with children.
2. Grow more food for my family to experience.

3. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)

4. Start two "lasagna" garden beds.

5. Prepare my little garden for the 2010 garden tour.

1. Well, my children aren't that interested in gardening unless

there is money involved, honestly. So I pay Sam to help me in the

flower field and the pumpkin field in October! Otherwise, I'd like to

have a few small groups of children come visit the "pumpkin patch" in

October.

Also, I'm beginning a new project with The Golden Harvest Food Bank's

"Master's Table". There is room for a generous "kitchen garden"

where fruit and veggies can be grown to help feed guests at the new

site and at home. Plan to involve youth groups in the implementation

of this bountiful garden.

2. While not perfect, I have grown English peas, tomatoes, squash(crop failure),

more tomatoes, cucumbers, jalapeños, bell peppers and green beans this summer. Just planted

more green beans, cucumbers, sweet potatoes and eggplant.

3.I will sign up for Earthwise CSA as several Facebook friends

rave about the fresh produce and timely suprises they receive

each week. Delivered, even better!

4.Instead of 2 Lasagna Gardens, I designed one Lasagna Garden(LG) and 2 Square

Foot Gardens(SFG). Lessons learned: LG holds moisture much more effectively

than SFG, don't plant tomatoes in SFG- take up WAY too much room! Will try

large pots for fall crop. Watch out for Squash Vine Borer and other nasty squash bugs,

treat with Sevin dust if necessary. Whole crop wiped out early summer.

5.The Sacred Heart Garden Tour was a big hit. Although unable to tour other

gardens, I met hundreds(really! 350+) of kind hearted gardeners in my own little garden.

Sharing garden experiences is something that inspires and motivates me

to keep forging ahead in most areas of my life.

Blessings from the Garden.

ML

Farm Update

8.2.10

Amazing what rain does to the garden! First, I was worried the “gulley washers” had washed the pumpkins away, but that is not the case. The combination of rain and heat has been key to on target performance, so far.

There are blossoms galore on the “Orange Bulldog” pumpkin plants, and the zinnias, sunflowers, celosia and broom corn are in full force! All this growth requires cutting, fertilizing and careful inspection. The heat & humidity combo could bring mildew, fungus and other nasties, so it’s critical to observe at least twice a week.

The bees are CRAZY in their hive, drawing comb and making honey!

My Canon EOS 50D and lens were returned from repair last week, so I was able to capture this week’s update…

Blessings from the Garden

ML

Feed Me, Seymour!

Before I go out to check what the 4" rain in Burke County did to the pumpkin patch, I want to remind you how important it is to fertilize after what my friend, Winnie, calls a "toad choker"!

The heavy, soaking rains in the CSRA mean we gardeners need to get out and fertilize. Just like diluting tea with extra water, the rain takes vital nutrients from the soil...If you have not used a Slow Release or Controlled Release fertilizer up to now, it's (Osmocote pellets) time to go ahead and work that in. Also you may consider a "water soluble" fertilizer such as "Proven Winners" water soluble fertilizer.

Full report on Burke County Gulley Washer ASAP!
Blessings from the Garden.
ML