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Become a Citizen Scientist as you Feed Birds
It is that time of year again when the weather gets colder. Many people become concerned about the wild birds in their yard and begin bird feeding. This is also the time of year for bird feeders to join the 15,000 other people who are a part of the …Read more.
Grass Seed, Grubs and Suet
Q: The utility company gave us a large bag of grass seed to use for repairing an area they dug up after hitting our septic system. We used most of it, but want to save the rest for next spring to finish seeding the damaged area. How do we store it …Read more.
Pumpkins are Delicious
Have you heard that there is a shortage of pumpkins this year? That might be true in the Northeast, but it isn't true for most of country. There are hundreds of pumpkins and squash varieties, but the two main groups we think of when we say pumpkin …Read more.
Spring Flowering Bulbs and Orchids
Q: My wife likes tulips and daffodils, but I don't like the display we get from them. They all bloom at once, and then there is nothing. It is a lot of work for not much flowering time. How can we get more blooms?
A: In the world of spring flowering …Read more.
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Garden CatalogsJanuary is National Mail Order Gardening Month. Have you been getting your garden catalogs in the mail yet? If you haven't received enough gardening catalogs, or need more of them specific to a type of plant you want to grow, go to www.mailordergardening.com for a list of companies that offer catalogs of plants and gardening tools. You will get a direct link to the company's e-mail or web page so you can order the catalog. It is time to start the new year with a resolution to get new plants for the garden that will use less water, be more disease resistant and make your landscape prettier, and to get new tools that make your jobs easier. If you are a new gardener or have just moved to a new climate, the best place to buy plants that are suited to your locale is your local garden center. Some garden centers are better than others in terms of plant care or pricing and some have more knowledgeable people, so check them all out until you find the best fit for you. As you become an experienced gardener, you will want plants that you have a hard time finding locally. The whole new plant situation is a Catch-22: If people don't buy new plants, then stores won't stock them and if they are not in stock, people can't buy them. Big box stores often have very little variety in most plants. They just stock the few species that locally sold well in the past. Many local garden centers are not much better. If people don't buy the new varieties, it is not worth the space and labor to take care of them. So, if you want new exciting colors and plants that are often easier to care for, you need to ask your local garden center for them. Or, search out the specialty garden center in your region that will take the time to find the plants you want. Catalogs are a great way to get plants that are special, new, rare or hard to grow. Your local garden center can't stock 300 colors of daylilies, iris or every kind of peony, but somewhere out there is a grower with a catalog that does have all the plants you want. If you want to buy plants or seeds through a catalog, it helps to understand some of the definitions you will find. The term “annuals” is used for plants that sprout, bloom, produce seeds and then die all within one year. You will need to know which hardiness zone you live in. Originally, hardiness zones were only used to describe how cold the winter's lowest temperatures reached. Now there are also hardiness zones for the effects of the summer's heat. There is more than one source of cold hardiness zone maps, so most catalogs will show an example of the one they are using. Hybrid vegetables are often more tolerant of insect or disease problems, while the terms “open pollinated,” “heirloom” or “antique” are used for older varieties that may not look very pretty, but may taste better and won't be found in the grocery store. Tomatoes that are listed as determinate will stop growing taller at the height listed, while indeterminate tomatoes will just keep on growing all over the place and will need to be staked, caged or tied up. Don't be fooled by plants that are listed as winners of meaningless prizes. See who awarded the prize. If the plant was grown in trial gardens and won an award, it is a worthy plant. Look for All-America Selection winners, All-America Daylily Selections and All-American Rose Selections. Some catalog companies will supply a substitute if the plant or seed you ordered is out of stock. If you would prefer your money back, make sure you note on the order form that you don't want substitutes. As with any financial transaction that occurs through the mail, you should keep photocopies of your order. You should use a credit card, check or money order to safely pay for your order. Carefully read the directions so that you place your order correctly. This will help to eliminate delays caused by the company. Catalog companies that are a part of the Mailorder Gardening Association are reputable and will work quickly to resolve problems. The organization is 75 years old and not only represents the catalog companies, it also sponsors the Green Thumb awards for new plants and products. It also runs a program in which hundreds of schools receive Dutch bulbs for use on their school grounds to help kids learn about gardening. Order some catalogs today — it is time to start dreaming of summer. E-mail questions to Jeff Rugg, Kendall County unit educator, University of Illinois Extension at jrugg@uiuc.edu. To find out more about Jeff Rugg and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC. 
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