Gardener Gifts

Folks are always asking me about gift ideas for gardeners. Here are some of our must-haves while working in the Greenhouse.

Find a nice durable tote, bucket, or basket that has a handle. Even better if it is mesh or has drainage.
Shop for a set of measuring spoons – plastic works best for measuring fertilizers, etc.
Find some garden twine. I like the kind that comes in a can with a cutter on the top. Can’t get tangled up. Or plastic plant ties. Again…. The kind with a cutter on the package.
Grab a roll of duct tape. Yep, even for gardeners, it’s true. Duct tape fixes a LOT of things.
Find a putty knife. It removes weeds between pavers; gets mud off boots.
Pliers. Cheap ones. They are great for pulling out stubborn weeds. They’re my “go to” for walnut seedlings that appear EVERYWHERE when our resident squirrels can’t remember where they put their winter stash.
Rooting hormone. I can NEVER find that little bottle when I need it.
Insect repellent – one with sunscreen preferably.
Hose washers (at Gary’s request).
Pruners. I like small ones around here. They’re great for deadheading or minor pruning.

Visit our blog for more gardening tidbits!

Rosemary-Infused Housecleaner

Vinegar has been used as a household cleaner for ages. Created by the fermentation of diluted alcohol products, vinegar features an acidity that makes it an amazing cleaner and disinfectant. However, it doesn’t smell that great. Use a few sprigs of rosemary from the garden and some lemon to create a lovely scented homemade cleaner!

You’ll need:

2 sprigs rosemary
Peels of 2 lemons
2 cups water
2 cups white vinegar
1 quart jar

To make:

Add all ingredients to your jar and let them rest for 10-14 days in a cool location to let the oils infuse. Once infusion is done, strain your ingredients and put the liquid into a spray bottle. If you prefer, you can keep the lemon and rosemary in the spray bottle.

Note: As with any acidic product, avoid using this cleaner on porous surfaces.

Need rosemary? Pick up a few plants here at the Greenhouse!

Clematis

You know you’re in trouble with a plant right off the bat when you don’t know what to call it! Do you pronounce it Clem-a-tis or Clem-a-tis? Whatever…we all know which plant we’re talking about. Here’s one time tested piece of advice: Keep their heads in the sun and their feet in the shade.

The truth is that clematis like their roots cool and moist, but they grow best in a sunny location. You can accomplish that a number of ways. Place mulch at the base of the plant or plant other perennials that don’t compete (ex. iris aren’t deep rooted). Decorative rocks also help shade the soil.

There are lots of cool varieties in many different colors these days. Heck ,they are even bush cultivars now! No old-fashioned garden is complete without them.

Visit our blog for more gardening tidbits!

Callery Pear Trees

(Pyrus calleryana) Varieties like Bradford and Chanticleer have been promoted for years as fast-growing spring blooming trees. The one in our front yard here at Back Home had to be one of the biggest in the state of Virginia before we finally took it down. It had a circumference of 6 ft. or more at its base. So what’s all the uproar about these trees now?

First, they are brittle and famous for splitting (and they’re ugly after that). Second, genetic testing has revealed that when a Bradford hybridizes with other cultivars, an invasive wild hybrid with beautiful blooms results. This hybrid has been taking over the countryside. It sets fruit and it has thorns. Once they become established, they’re almost impossible to remove.

Our advice? Find a reputable nursery to recommend to you some spring blooming specimens. I’m partial to redbuds, but there are many more.

Visit our blog for more gardening tidbits!

Rusty Antique Chic

You all know how we love our unique planters here at the greenhouse, and boy, did we find some treasures to use this year! From vintage toolboxes to old toy trucks, we’ll be creating some new and exciting container plants this year. Some will be available for sell so you can either pick one up or use ours as inspiration to create your own!