1. Select a container. Anything will work, as long as it has drainage holes.

2. If you are using a large container, place a layer of Styrofoam packing peanuts or empty plant cell packs in the bottom of the pot to lighten it up as well as to save on potting mix. Fill the container about ½ way with a high quality potting mix. It is very important to use potting mix as both potting soil and top soil will compact in the container and the plants will not thrive.

3. Next add a layer of hydrated water retaining crystals (if they are not already included in the potting mix). The package should give directions on how much to use for the size pot. The crystals do their job the best when they are in a layer at about the level that the plants root balls will be within the container. Add some more potting mix and then you are ready to plant!

4. The number of flowering plants that you select will depend on the size of the plants, the size of the container and how fast you want it to fill in. Also take into consideration where the planted container will be placed and select plants with the correct sunlight requirements. Choose plants from each of the criteria below:

Thrillers are the large, upright plants that give the container its dramatic focal point. Plant these either to the back of the container or in the center.

Fillers are the ones that fill in the space around the thriller.

Spillers are planted around the edge of the container and form the “skirt” as they spill over the edge. Some examples are Bacopa, trailing petunias,

5. After planting, add potting mix to the top edge of the container. Sprinkle slow release fertilizer (if not included in the potting mix) around the plants, water and enjoy!

Last weekend, I held a couple of workshops for making your own fairy and miniature gardens. After the workshops, I was combining the plants into one flat and it occurred to me that there was a really neat mix of plants. It got me to wondering what I could put together as demo gardens. So, here are the results! I hope they inspire you to be creative.

For this garden, the fairies have lots of places to sit, rest and visit.

This garden includes some accessories for the birds who enjoy coming to see the fairies while they visit with one another and maybe enjoy a cup of tea. Bunny rabbits also love fairy gardens so don’t be surprised if you find one finding under a plant!

This swing is a great spot for a fairy to relax.

After working in the garden, fairies love to play!
Be sure to give them a space where they can enjoy their activities.

I hope these gardens give you some ideas and inspire you to create your own. If you would like some help with plant suggestions, click on the chart to the left to enlarge it. If you would like a pdf copy of the chart, e-mail me here and I will be happy to send you a copy that you can prin

1. Choose your seeds
This is the fun part. All those seed catalogs to choose from! If you are interested in heirloom varieties, check out Seed Savers exchange. They have a great variety of heirloom veggies and flowers.

2. Know when to start your seeds
The rule of thumb is to start your seeds indoors 6 weeks before they can be planted outdoors. Some need a longer germination period. Check the packet for more information. Here in zone 4-5 midwest, most plants should be started in mid-March to April, depending on how cold tolerant the plants are. For most larger size seeds (beans, squash, melon, cucumbers), it is easier to plant them directly in the ground rather than starting them indoors. This would be after the chance of frost, generally mid to late May here in Wisconsin. You will need to find out the date for your area.

3. Use a seed starting mix
If you are starting seeds indoors, it is important to use a special seed starting mix. Potting soil is too heavy and will hold too much moisture. The seed starting mix is much lighter and helps keep the new seedlings from staying too wet and “dampening off”, whereas the seedling gets a fungus that causes the stem to rot through and the seedling dies. It doesn’t matter too much what you start the seeds in. There are a lot of growing systems out there to choose from or you can go simple. I personally have used egg cartons (the cardboard kind) to start my seeds. You can use yogurt containers with holes in the bottom or cell packs left over from last year. Use what is most convenient for you.

4. Growing
Most seeds need some warmth from underneath to help them get started. If you plan to continue starting seeds indoors, you may want to purchase a seed propagation mat. Otherwise, use some creativity. Your house’s radiator may even work. You can also set up a DIY bottom heater. Check out the article Here if you are interested in trying this method. Once the seeds have germinated, they need light. I always thought they needed special grow lights. Turns out I was wrong! Most gardeners use 4 foot long garage lights and hang them from the ceiling in the basement or garage. The lights need to be 4 inches above the seedlings and turned on for 16 hours a day. As the plants grow, be sure to keep moving the lights up. Once the plants get a bit larger and produce a second set of true leaves, they can be transplanted to a larger pot, depending on what they were started in.

5. Planting
When you transplant your seedlings outside will depend on your individual area, the weather and the plant. Some plants can tolerate very chilly weather, including a frost. Others prefer much warmer temperatures. The best practice is to check the seed packet for specific information. Seedlings also need a period of ‘hardening’ during which they are outside for awhile but still getting protection before they are planted. This can be with the use of a cold frame, an unheated greenhouse or simply by setting them outside on warmer days and moving them indoors for the night or if the weather gets cold. After a couple of weeks getting acclimated, the seedlings can be planted and in a couple of months you should be enjoying fresh produce and beautiful flowers.

One of the great things about spring is the early burst of color that we get from bulbs after the long days of winter. Sunny yellow daffodils, tulips in a rainbow of colors, fragrant hyacinths are all familiar spring flowers. By spending some time planning this fall, you can have a spectacular spring display to enjoy after the dreary days of winter. The following guidelines will help you with your planning.

1. Spring flowering bulbs must have a period of cool temperatures to bloom. The recommended growing zones are 3-7. If you live in a warmer zone, you will need to prechill the bulbs before planting. Place them in a refrigerator in October for 8-10 weeks before planting. If you live in the northern states, this is not necessary as our temperatures get cool enough.

2. Choose the site where you want to add spring blooming bulbs. Most bulbs need ample sunshine. However, if they are an early bloomer, you can plant them under deciduous trees and the bulbs will have saved enough energy before the trees leaf out. The other important consideration is drainage. Bulbs need good drainage. If the soil stays too wet, the bulbs will rot.

3. The bulbs can be planted two ways, by excavating the entire area (this works well if you are planting a large number of bulbs) or individually. Follow the recommended depth guidelines for the type of bulb you are planting. If the soil is dry, be sure to water well after planting. And don’t worry too much about which end of the bulb is up. The bulbs know to send shoots up and roots down so they will adjust.

4. Sit back and wait to enjoy the beauty next spring!

Having a bulb planter can make this fall task go much quicker. Click HERE to purchase one from Natural Havens.

Some fairies are believed to be friendly and give luck and prosperity to humans who treat them respectfully. Invite these magical beings to visit your garden by creating a new sanctuary for them.

A fairy garden is a miniature garden that is said to be attractive to fairies. The plants used in the garden all stay small and resemble larger plants such as shrubs. Adding miniature furniture and accessories adds to the large garden feel, as well as being appealing to fairies and giving your garden a personal touch. You can choose to add a fairy figure or just leave the garden as is, for the real fairies to find. Use the following tips to create your own fairy garden.

1. Select a container. The best ones have a large open surface area for adding lots of plants and accessories.

2. Choose your accessories. Create a scene within your garden by choosing from a variety of furniture and structures including fairy houses and furniture. Structures, such as arbors and paths, help to define the garden space. The accessories you add will give your garden a personal touch.

3. Select your plants. Different plants can be used for different purposes, the important thing is that they stay small and won’t quickly outgrow the garden space. Remember to select plants that have the same water and light requirements. Some examples are:

Groundcovers (Lawn)
Scotch or Irish Moss
Creeping Thyme
Baby Tears
Cushion Pink
Corsican Mint

Trees
Lemon Cypress Cone
Euonymus variegatus

Shrubs
Hens & Chicks varieties
Blue Mouse Ears Hosta
Polka Dot plant
Zebra plant
Ageratum

Flowers
Variegated Dwarf Myrtle
Gold leaf sedum
Sedum “Fairy pink”
Dwarf Myrtle
Mexican Heather
Boxwood Honeysuckle
Angel Vine
Cigar Plant
Alyssum

4. Use a good quality potting soil.

5. Lay out your garden before you plant. Decide where you want paths, where you plan to place furniture and features, what direction the garden will be viewed from. Experiment with different arrangements until you find one you prefer.

6. Be sure to maintain your fairy garden as you would a larger one. Water when the soil has dried out, taking care not to over-water. Use pruners to trim plants so they don’t become too large. (Any plant that does out grow its environment should be removed). Pluck out any weeds that appear as well as remove any dead leaves or plants. Proper fertilization will help keep your garden looking lush and healthy.

Remember to be creative and have fun! The possibilities are unlimited and the gardens are enchanting.

Click HERE to find all the items you need to create your own personal fairy garden.

Sunlight
Make certain your plants are receiving the correct amount of light. Southern windows provide high light, east and west provide medium light and north facing windows are low light. If your plant’s leaves are looking a little brown and dry on the edges, try moving it to a spot with less light. If the growth is spindly, try moving it to a spot with more light.

Plants use sunlight to produce food and since there is less sunlight available in the winter months, the plants need to be use the available light as efficiently as possible. To help them, it is important to keep their leaves clean. Dust and grease may accumulate on the leaves, slowing growth. Cleaning the leaves helps keep the leaf pores open. Plants with large, smooth leaves may be cleaned with a moist, soft sponge or cloth. Alternatively, they can be placed in the shower and the leaves gently washed. For plants with fuzzy leaves, a small paintbrush can be used to gently brush the leaves and remove dust.

Temperature
Most houseplants grow well with daytime temperatures between 65 to 75ºF and nighttime temperatures between 60 to 65ºF. Fluctuating temperatures may damage some plants as well as temperature below 50ºF so keep plants away from cold drafts and hot air vents. Make sure the plant’s foliage doesn’t touch any cold windows. Also, don’t place plants on top of the television. This location is too warm and generally too far from windows to provide proper light.

Water
Houseplants will require less water in the winter than in the summer when they are actively growing. The frequency of watering also depends on the type of plant. Some, like ferns, prefer to be evenly moist while cacti prefer to be completely dry before watering. Most houseplants should be watered when the soil is barely moist or is dry to the touch. Water the plants thoroughly until water begins to drain out the bottom of the pot. If a saucer is used, discard the excess water it has collected.

Humidity (the amount of water in the air) is also very important for healthy houseplants. Most houseplants prefer a humidity level of 40 to 50% but most houses have a humidity level of only 10 to 20% during the winter months. To help increase the humidity of the air around the plants, try grouping them together. The water lost from the soil as well as the water lost through the plant foliage will help to increase the humidity in that immediate vicinity. Another option is to place the plants on trays or saucers filled with gravel or pebbles and water. Just be certain that the bottom of the pot is above the level of the water. Misting is not a practical way to increase the humidity level as it would need to be done several times a day to help increase the humidity.

Additional Care
Be sure to regularly turn and prune your plants to keep them shapely. Pinch back new growth to keep your plants bushy. Plants need to be fertilized regularly during their active growth period in the spring and summer. However, since the plants generally are not growing much during the winter months, fertilization is not required. Begin to fertilize houseplants again in March or April as the growing conditions improve and the plants resume growth.

By giving your houseplants some extra care during the winter months, you will be rewarded with healthy and beautiful plants.

To help keep your plants looking their best, click HERE to purchase the stainless steel watering can.

Most places that sell Christmas trees will also have bundles of greens available for purchase. The most common type is the balsam fir, but you can sometimes purchase other varieties as well. Different types include white pine, cedar and other firs such as Douglas or Noble. Using a mix of greens will give different textures to your planter.

What you fill with the greens is up to you. Empty pots work well. For a formal look, use a classic footed urn. At our house, we have a raised brick flower bed that we use. Window boxes can also be used. The containers should be filled with potting mix. If all of the soil was removed, the bottom half of the container can be filled with packing peanuts to help save on soil and reduce the weight. Leave about a 1 ½” space at the top of the container.

Once you have decided on the container, decide about how long the greens should be cut. There is no set rule, just decide what looks pleasing to you. Generally you will want to have some of the boughs draping over the edge of the pot. Fill in the area with the greens, varying the height a bit. After the container is filled in, you can add some decorative touches to it. Include a large bow, add some red dogwood and/or white birch branches, dried flowers or seed heads, large pinecones, holly or bittersweet. You can even add a strand of lights. Use your imagination!

Suet can be offered a variety of ways. Suet cages mounted on trees allow larger birds, as well as smaller ones, to feast on the suet. If the larger birds or squirrels are a problem, an up-side down suet feeder may help. This would allow only the birds that can cling up-side down with their feet to reach the suet. Suet can also be smeared into holes drilled in a log feeder or on a dead tree “planted” in your yard.

Suet can be purchased in convenient blocks, ready to be used in suet feeders. These blocks are great to buy in bulk as they are stored at room temperature and you are certain to have them on hand to refill feeders. However, some people prefer to make their own suet blocks. Have fun getting creative with the following recipes and enjoy watching the antics of the birds that visit your suet feeder.

Basic Suet Recipe
Melt one part of rendered lard over low heat. Remove from heat and add 1 part peanut butter and 6 parts cornmeal and/or oatmeal. Add seeds, nuts raisins, and other bird foods. Pour into a square container to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Store the containers in the freezer. These can be used in a suet cage feeder or an up-side down feeder.

Homemade Treat
Mix one part peanut butter, one part rendered lard, 3 parts cornmeal, one part flour and one part finely cracked corn to form a dough. If the mixture is still sticky, add more cornmeal or flour. Smear on pinecones, bark or use to fill holes on a log suet feeder or drilled into a dead tree.

No-Melt Suet Recipe
Melt 1 cup of rendered lard over low heat (do not use suet; the lard is processed and will not spoil, anything else will). Remove from heat and stir in the following ingredients:
1 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 cups quick cook oats
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup whole wheat or white flour
Pour into a square container to about 1 1/2 inches thick. Store the containers in the freezer. These can be used in a suet cage feeder or an up-side down feeder. This recipe will not melt in the summer heat.

What type of seed and feeders are best?

Overall the best birdseed for feeders is black oil sunflower seed. This seed is high in nutritional value and is consumed by a wide variety of birds. Black oil sunflower seed can be offered from a wide variety of feeders including tube feeders, ranch style or hopper feeders, tray feeders and bowl type feeders. The style of feeder you chose will also determine the types of birds that will be able to eat from your feeder.

Other popular types of seed are peanuts, striped sunflower seed, thistle or nyjer seed, finch mixes and mixed birdseed. Each of these types of seed attracts specific birds and is best used with specific feeders. Peanuts, either in or out of their shell are great for attracting jays, woodpeckers, chickadees, titmice and nuthatches. Peanuts can be offered from special wire-screen peanut feeders, hoppers or tray feeders. Striped sunflower seeds are eaten by large birds such as grosbeaks, cardinals and jays and are best offered with hopper or tray type feeders. Nijer seed and finch mixes are eaten by American Goldfinches, House and Purple Finches, Pine Siskins and other small finches. The best way to offer this seed is a tube feeder with small ports commonly called a thistle feeder. Mixed birdseed is best used only in late autumn and winter to avoid feeding English Sparrows, pigeons and blackbirds. Use with tray feeders or scatter the seed on the ground. Many sparrows, finches, cardinals, doves and quail prefer to feed on or near the ground in this manner.

Suet cakes are also an important food source to many birds including woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees, titmice and jays. In addition to these common suet feeders many sparrows, mockingbirds, thrashers and even robins and bluebirds will eat suet cakes if they are available in the spring and summer. Offer suet cake in suet cages, which can be free-hanging or mounted to a pole, tree or other object. To prevent European Starlings, jays and other birds from consuming your suet cakes, try an upside down suet feeder. This type of feeder allows access only to woodpeckers, nuthatches, chickadees and titmice, which can hang from the feeder with their strong feet.

Proper Care of Feeders

If you decide to provide seed for the birds, it is very important to keep the feeders clean. Unclean feeders can harbor bacteria that will make the birds sick. Feeders should be cleaned every month with a mild bleach solution (1:10 dilution), rinsed thoroughly with water then allowed to dry completely before being refilled with seed. If you are purchasing new tube feeders, make certain they open easily for cleaning. A long handled brush designed for cleaning bird feeders will help to make the job easier.

By offering a variety of seed and suet in your yard and providing fresh water in heated birdbaths, the birds will in turn reward you with their antics and beauty. Seeing a dozen red cardinals against a fresh white snowfall in winter is quite a sight to behold and helps to keep the winter from feeling so dreary.

To get started feeding the birds, click HERE to purchase a variety of feeders and other products that help make feeding the birds easy.

Butterflies are often referred to as “flying flowers” and it’s no wonder. They come in so many different sizes and colors. As the long, warm days of summer continue, I am always amazed at how many butterflies we start to see. By spending a little time planning a butterfly garden, it’s possible to have these beautiful insects visit your yard as well.

The most important requirement for a butterfly garden are plants that are attractive to them. Adults need nectar plants and prefer plants with large, flat flower heads that are fragrant. Also consider planting host plants for the larvae to encourage several generations of butterflies to stay within your garden.

Suggested Nectar Plants
Butterfly Weed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Butterfly Bush (Buddleia davidii)
Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Daylillies (Hemerocallis sp.)
Viburnums (Viburnum sp.)
Marigolds
Petunias

Provide an alternative food source such as a butterfly feeder. If you make your own butterfly nectar, 8 parts of water to one part of sugar is the recommended solution. Clean and refill your butterfly feeder every 5 to 6 days, more often in hot weather. Some butterflies are attracted to over-ripe fruit, such as bananas, plums, pears and watermelon.

Sunshine is essential to butterflies as they need it to warm themselves. Place several large, flat rocks in a sunny part of your garden. Butterflies will use them for basking.

Consider adding a shallow birdbath to your garden. Place a few rocks in the bottom so the butterflies have a place to perch while they take a sip of water.

Certain kinds of butterflies, like the Sulfur butterflies in the photo, will congregate in mud puddles. To attract them, provide a damp area in the garden or form a shallow mud puddle. The butterflies extract minerals from these areas so add salt from time to time. Another option is to fill a bird bath or shallow pan with sand, keep it damp and add salt occasionally.

Shelter is another requirement. Consider allowing a corner of your yard to become overgrown or start a wildflower planting. Log piles and butterfly houses can both be used to provide shelter. Mount your butterfly house 3-4 feet off the ground near flowers that butterflies are attracted to and in the shade to keep the butterflies from overheating. Be sure to add bark strips to the house so the butterflies have something to cling to. Hibernating butterflies may also use the house. Ten species of butterflies in the 48 contiguous states hibernate including Mourning cloak, Compton Tortoise Shell, Millbert’s Tortoise Shell, California Tortoise Shell, Hoary Coma(Zephyr), Question Mark, Angel Wing-Satyr, Green Comma, Gray Comma and the Red Admiral.

By taking the time to add these elements to your garden or by creating a new garden just for the butterflies, you will be rewarded with the sight of these lovely “flying flowers” floating through your garden on warm summer days.

To help you get started with your butterfly garden, click HERE to purchase butterfly products.