Twisted Sister

Winter reveals the sick and twisted reality. Now is the time to access tree branches and do your pruning (if necessary). I tend to discourage excessive tree pruning. Don't do it if you don't know what you're doing! Pruning should be done for a good reason and in the proper way. You can do more harm than good if you just start hacking away.


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Plant For Winter

When you live in a climate that's cold for half the year, it's a good idea to PLANT FOR WINTER. Think about winter all year- even in June when you're putting in a new flower bed- remember winter- What do you have for winter interest?
A snowy garden can be beautiful. That's the time your GARGOYLE statue is really in it's glory !!!

HERE ARE SOME PLANT IDEAS FOR WINTER INTEREST:
Red Twigged Dogwood, Perennial Grasses, Evergreens, Burning Bush, Vines, Hydrangea, Winterberry (it's toxic though), Boxwood, Coneflower.

Rock and Roses

I grow roses for the Rose Hips. The flowers themselves are a bit cliche'. There are a few new hardy roses with vivid color that I like, such as: "Firecracker".

Roses are VERY Rock and Roll: (REMEMBER GUNS AND ROSES) ! Every other tattoo out there is a picture of a thorny rose.

Roses can be evil, but they're tough and durable- they have rewards, and hey, they get the chicks!

BAREROOT ROSES: Planning to buy bareroot roses? It's hard to find quality plants-Mail order direct from a reputable grower often works well.
The bareroot roses should not be dried out, should not be molded, and should have good looking roots, and a good amount of long canes. Before planting, prune out all dead or weak canes, leaving about 4 good canes on Hybrid Tea/Grandiflora/Floribunda roses. Leave a lot more canes on shrub or miniature roses. Prune the tops of the remaining canes to stimulate new growth.
Prune the roots to stimulate root growth, cutting maybe 1/3 of the roots off. Plant A.S.A.P. in a lightweight potting mix in a pot which is approx. 2 gallons. The potted rose needs to be warm, with lots of strong light, and humid- so mist the canes with water, or put a loose-fitting clear plastic bag over the plant to retain moisture. (Slightly dangerous because you don't want mold or mildew. If you do this, Remove the bag when leaves start to emerge). Keep the soil well-watered.
Don't fertilize until you have leaves on the plant. Roses need lots of sun, and heat, and once they get going, they need regular fertilizer to bloom and do well.