Get Ready! It time for Cold Crops!!!

If you live in my area, then you must have been out in the yard over the last weekend getting ready for the first round of veggies to go in the ground. Sure, there are other things that need to be done like weeding, pruning, and last minute clean up but the primary focus (if your a veggie gardener) is to get your plot ready for the first phase of seeds.

What an exciting time! The weather will continue to tease us as our hunger for summer grows but to be able to start planting in the garden...it is extremely satisfying! Plant it and watch it grow despite the cooler temperatures and tons of rain (we hope). March 15th is the big day.

Give or take a few days, now is the time to get started. What seeds can go in you ask?

Asparagus
Rhubarb
Broccoli
Cabbage
Kholrabi
Onions
Peas
Radishes
Spinach
Turnips

On March 20th...

Beets
Carrots
Cauliflower
Endive
Lettuce
Parsley
Parsnips
Potatoes
Salsify
Swiss Chard

Timing is so important! You can have the perfect watering system, great soil, but if you don't have the right temperatures, your harvest will be poor.

Buy high quality seeds from your local nursery and make sure to follow the planting depths and spacing requirements on the back of each package. Remember, this is suppose to be fun. Don't get overwhelmed, get excited!

Happy Planting!

Great soil tip - What's my wining recipe? Just a nice balance of soil mixed with compost and to make sure there is enough nitrogen, feel free to add a 10-20-0 fertilizer.

For more information about how to make your vegetable garden experience a winner, please visit the below link:

www.utahcountyonline.org/Dept/Exten/Horticulture/UtahVegetables.asp

Evergreen Favorites

I love evergreens!!! Why called evergreen? Because the color remains year round. If you don't have any junipers in your yard yet, I challenge you to see where you can fit them in. The year round, color, structure, and texture is amazing and chances are, if you feel like something is missing, an evergreen shrub or tree will probably do the trick. The following are my top 5 favorites for the standard residential property. Most of us don't have homes that can handle the scale of a 60 ft. pine but there are some dwarf varieties and also some shrubs that would be excellent choices. Above is a Globe Spruce. They come as a lollipop bush or low to the ground. They have a beautiful mint green color and the compact needles add wonderful texture to any landscape.

This one is a dwarf called the Vanderwolf Pine. It won't get taller than 16 ft. and it has an awesome rustic flare. Alone or in a grouping, this is an excellent choice to switch things up a bit.

This isn't the best pic but this lovely and soft looking shrub is a Tanyosho Pine! The needles glow and luminous green and it has a lovely purple flower in the spring. Definitely a friendly and whimsical little evergreen.

Some of the bushes in this pic are Boxwoods. Boxwoods are excellent for structure in a garden and even though they don't have needles, this is an evergreen. It will stay this beautiful round green shape (with the help of pruning) all year long. Fairly easy to care for, this little guy is quite hardy and comes in a variety of shapes and sizes.


Ah! Cascade Falls Bald Cypress! I don't have this one in my yard yet but will this spring. I love weepers! This one stays pretty petite and fits well in any landscape. Very hardy and romantic, this cypress is not officially an evergreen because it turns a golden brown in the winter but its shape and color aim to please any evergreen lover.


Of course, there are many other varieties not mentioned in this post. It's always a great idea to explore all your options at the nursery before making a final decision but perhaps, I've saved you a little time and one of the above choices has hit a home run for you.



Happy Planting!



Jessica

Winter Chores

Just because its cold outside, doesn't mean there aren't some remaining chores in the yard. Did you know that Winter is the best time to cut back your Butterfly Bush? Follow some of these winter tips to help your garden along come springtime.

1. Some trees and shrubs may have held on to their leaves even though winter is well under way. It is important to remove debris from beds as it accumulates. Left over debris can be rich in unwanted seeds, diseases, and insect life.

2. Cut back any remaining perennial plants. They are sleeping right now and although the temperatures are unpleasant, they will go through the least amount of shock at this time. Mild winters can also be best for adding new shrubs to your yard.

3. When doing Christmas lights or not, take time to notice the condition of your trees. Now that their leaves are gone, you can better assess the trunk and bark health as well as take notes for some needed pruning. For example, I have a Japanese Maple in my yard that had I not been adorning it with lights, I would have never seen the damage on the trunk from my cat scratching on it. Then I noticed the same markings on almost every tree! Now that I know, I can do something about it before it gets worse.

Winter is also a great time to assess the design and proportions of your garden. If there is enough varying heights between trees, evergreens, and shrubs, your yard will look like an amazing winter wonderland when the reaming shapes are kissed by snowfall. Too many annuals, low plants, or cut back perennials will leave a blank canvas lacking texture and interest during the dormant months. This time of year exposes the structural bones of a garden. Chances are, if its a bit on the boring side right now, the design is unbalanced.

Creeping Phlox

Creeping Phlox is a beautiful perennial with strong presence. Available in a variety of colors, Phlox blooms in the spring with a dense carpet of brightly colored blossoms. Mostly used as a ground cover, these plants need well drained soil and full sun exposure. However, there are some important things to know about keeping these guys happy and blooming every year. I planted some Phlox that has done well until this year. As I read and studied about it, I realized that I failed to give my Phlox a much needed trim. Cutting back excess growth (especially at the middle of the plant) is crucial. If the Phlox is overgrown on top, new spring growth can't break through the dense surface. I had to completely pull out one plant and start over! Fortunately, the other seems to be recovering well from its recent pruning. Next year, I should have a magical display. Phlox look amazing in rock gardens, lining walks, and feeling up some open space at the base of trees and shrubs. After flowering, the fern-like leaves remain a healthy green color and adds overall fullness and whimsy to any landscape. Phlox is available right now at your local nursery for an average of $3.oo per plant (smallest size). If you have the room (6 in. tall and 2 ft. wide), this perennial would make a great addition to your yard.

Timing is Everything - Vegetable Gardening

For those of us who want to master the art of growing and harvesting edibles, having a planting schedule is extremely important. Knowing when seeds need to go in is half the battle! The web address below is for a vegetable gardening pamphlet. On the last page, you will find a planting chart for Utah. If you live in another state, contact your local agricultural program to get a schedule for your area.

http://extension.usu.edu/files/publications/publication/HG_313.pdf

Also, there are some tricks to the trade that can help make your harvest more bountiful. Incorporate the below tips and watch your garden grow! (Each item below will be covered in more detail in future posts.)

1. Become familiar with the enemy - Weeds can germinate very quickly. If you wait till they are mature before removing them, you'll be fighting weeds all season. Check your garden daily! Pull out small intruders as soon as you see them and take note of your growing plants. A daily look over will help you catch signs of sickness or infestation early.

2. Think organic - Compost is a garden's best friend! Till organic product into your garden beds every season to help keep your crops well fed. Artificial fertilizers are unnecessary and unnatural.

3. Raise your beds - It is best if you can create a planting environment where you don't have to walk through your planting area to tend your vegetables. You'd be surprised how quickly a bed can become contaminated by visiting shoes. Also, raised beds help to promote proper water drainage. Planting boxes are a great way to create order and design to any garden.

4. Start small and choose wisely - Some plants require more work than others. Carrots, onion, radishes, peas, tomatoes...these are all great for first timers. Get comfortable growing these vegetables well and then add a new vegetable or two as you are ready and have the room.

Growing vegetables is wonderfully therapeutic and an incredibly important survival skill. Get to work so you can enjoy a large harvest for you and your family this year!

Please feel free to ask questions or share any tips/comments you may have. If you like, request a topic! Lets expand our knowledge together!

Welcome!

Dear Friends,

Welcome to Jessica's Green Thumb! Finally, a place for those of us who love getting our hands dirty in Mother Earth 's beautiful soil. Hobby gardeners are a unique group. Our yards are our canvases and the plants we choose and how we place them is a deep and personal expression of who we are and our appreciation for the wonderful beauty that is nature.

Each post will feature helpful information on a variety of subjects. From perennials to vegetables, soil prep, and garden design tips, everything you need to know can be found right here.

I look forward to learning with you! I will document my own projects on this blog. Before and after photos and placement plans are all part of what I love to do most right now. Guided Garden Designs is a very young hobby business I have started to help challenge my gardening abilities. I want to continue to create and learn even after my own yard is finally complete.

Anyone can have a green thumb! It takes time, patience, trial and error, and a strong desire to persevere. What looks great in your yard today might not tomorrow. You must be willing to be flexible with your inspiration and be proactive when problems arise. Stick with me and we can grow anything together. Comment, ask questions, become a Follower and make friends. Together, we can make the world a more beautiful place one home at a time.

Happy planting!

Jessica Schmutz