Patrick's Garden — A fresher look at gardening.

Ten Gifts for Veggie Gardeners

by Patrick on November 25, 2012

We are all more than aware we have been witnessing an explosion of victory gardens for the fourth time in the history of our Grand Republic. So with the all this veggie craze fever, it has been a pleasure all year looking for gifts suitable for all the vegetable gardeners in your life.

There’s nothing like the reward of starting your own heirloom vegetable seedlings under lights in January to kick off the gardening year. From the Greenhouse Megastore comes the Indoor Starter Kit Plus (Around $120 )which includes a 4′ grow light patented stand, essential heat mat and moisture dome.that gets your endorphins rollicking as you dream of your impending bounty. Just image 24 six packs of heirloom veggies for your garden but must do your research for best results. And I can think of no better way to get those seedlings off to a organically fast start that composting your kitchen scraps with the help of red worms even in your own apartment! The Worm Factory 360 6 Tray from mastergardening.com may turn out to be your new favorite garden tool. At the tidy investment of $129.95, top dressings of the richest free compost throughout the season will render a harvest of the highest yielding quality organic you could have ever imagine.

Now where would be a great place to use your black gold than a container that mimics how potatoes are grown in the open field. Potatoes starts are grown in a trench and as the plant grows, soil is brought in to gradually to fill in the trench for maximum.yield. The same effect can be used in the Potato Grow Bag from Gardener’s Supply Company

Let’s keep your imagination stirring with the concept of sitting at your patio table enjoying looking at pansies while harvesting carrots directly from an outdoor wall to your plate? Woolly Pocket Planter ($40.00) allows you to do just that with the smallest amount of hard labor on your part. This absolutely brilliant all-American design breakthrough also has the added benefit of being made from 100% recycled plastic bottles that are fashioned into soft pockets that easily accommodate drip irrigation.

This is but one example of a revolutionary movement known as edible landscaping. While thought of by some as a new trend. the term was coined by the author Rosalind Creasy in her groundbreaking book Edible Landscaping in 1982. The revised edition was published to much fanfare in 2010 at the price of $27.00.

Both novice and seasoned gardeners often forget an important tstage in the development of hardy transplants. One cannot transition newly grown plants from your basement to the garden bed without compromising the finished quality. The premiere Kinsman Garden Company vendors its Cold Frame and Automatic Opener at a list price of around $180. This essential tool hardens off new transplants so they are better prepared to thrive in what may be a challenging environment as they are planted in the open garden.

Now a cold frame is more than just a tool to get your piece of nirvana on earth off and running faster than your neighbors. It’s a weapon that even in the most limiting scenario could allow you to grow veggies all year long. Try my favorite crop ,mescaline, which is a crisp salad mix including small leaves of arugula, lettuce, spinach and Swiss chard. Pick up a copy of the cold frame bible Four-Season Harvest: Organic Vegetables from Your Home Garden All Year Long ($17.00) for further inspiration.

The Territorial Seed Company is an unheralded family owned seed and supplier one of my favorites. The Urban Jungle Veggie Garden Basket ($98.95)is a soup-to-nuts package specifically designed for apartment dwellers or other tight areas. Ten compact growing seeds, three hanging sock baskets, multi-purpose tool and seed supplies. Yes, WOW.

aHa Modern Living is a spunky little company offering s many unique gifts like The Gardener’s Multi Tool. This could be a great stocking stuffer absurdly priced at only $10.50. With essential tools like a bottle opener and corkscrew, this small pruner is both functional and just plain fun.

Now let’s stay in the tool shed to introduce you to the Transplanting Trowel with Bottle Opener ($46.75 )from the appropriately named Garden Tool Company. Most of us know how good a Budweiser tastes at the end of a hard days labor but what if you get the crave while you’re in the garden? Just open up your cooler and grab a cold one and open it up with the bestl dual-purpose trowel in your cadre of hand tools. While expensive, this is but one example where convenience has its price in life.

So let’s not lose a fine opportunity to help some kids jump start into our brotherhood of gardeners by gifting in tandem the bottle opener trowel with the Kid’s Trowel and Fork Set ($32.00). Made with the same high-quality materials, you can be sure it will be around to pass from child to child in even your extended family or to good friends.

I hope this bevy of gifts for the vegetable gardeners in your life helps you start to noodle possible Santa gifts. While some may at first blush seem expensive, think of them as investments that will pay for themselves in quick order. I can think of no better gift than to give a loved one valuable tools to improve the yield of fresh, organic vegetables for their families. And I give you permission to Santa bag some of these beautiful gifts for yourself. I also give you permission to make mistakes in your progression into a master gardener vegetable grower. Here’s wishing you a Merry Christmas and higher yields of your precious veggies!

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King Tut & Friends Container

by Patrick on October 19, 2012

I apologize for the lateness of this post. Been very sick the last two months but still wanted to share some of my best work..The freshness is most appreciated the winter weather is coming or has already arrived in your area.

I have always loved the Kinsman line of baskets and planters. Heavy steel construction with an extraordinarily thick soft plastic coating, they are stunning, simply stunning when compared to any competitor’s line. But I’m terrible at projecting sizes, so a 2′ wide basket at the time, sounded quite reasonable. But indeed It was not, though. I never got around to using at the old house.

When I came to Trinity I assumed I’d hang them off the pair of 30+ year old pin oaks that grace the front entrance. But I didn’t bother to ask after I put my thinking cap on and thought they would be a huge liability with a heavy wind. So I asked my buddy carpenter Dan to design something for the with no idea he would craft something so beautiful. Don’t you wish you had but one?

I’m quite pleased with the King Tut & Friends container combo. Because of all my spring hospital visits this spring, it wasn’t planted until early June and these pix were taken in mid-August. These images beg the question what would this look like after growing a full season??? You may not recognize the whispey Ruellia augustfolia elongated by Miralc-Gro in the soil mix.Fun to see it dancing with the best Egyptian export ever. But the unusual thing, it is still flowering and not just a mass of long leaves. I think it’s an inspired combination but even P A Smith couldn’t replicate it. Met PAS in August at a PBS fundraiser. Forgot to ask about this P business with his name. Hated is Dad Paul? Will have to ask at next presentation.

Never grown Dichondra ‘Silver Falls’ and will have to use in whatever combo i dream up next spring just to see a curtain covering the stand.The ruellia self sowed all over my grandmother’s front yard in her garden at the edge of the Outback. Don’t recall if we called it Mexican petunia, though? (horticulture sarcasm???) With having Nan’s provenance, the container is very personal to me. Thanks, Nan.

\And ornamental peppers have always been a fav after I first saw them at a garden tour in her home town, Narrabri (Aboriginal for river with many snakes, I believe.) The variety ‘Calico’ has been quite fun as the red peppers explode under the striking variegated leaves. The growth obviously is a testament to the youth of the container.Have you tried ‘KingTut’ in containers? He’s a beast. Same in Egypt. Better view, though. Let me know, please?

At the front entrance I used a pairing of these planters with Coleus ‘Wizard Sun’ and a charming fuchsia ‘Koralle and a chunky variegated ivy. I also had Super Elfin White but iit’s a testament that imp But I was thrilled with its performance considering the late planting and excessive heat of the summer. I will be sure to use next spring.

So I’m looking forward to many winter months drooling over possible combinations for my sexy planters (Once again I’m looking like a guy in a nursing home who hasn’t seen in action in a long, long time when I’m calling a planter sexy. Am I right Dee, or am I right?

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Hardy Hibiscus

by Patrick on August 21, 2012

I’ve been watching you, my fellow bloggers, post wonderful blooms on GBBD over the last three years but there have been few opportunities to find worthy enough to create a meaningful post here at Trinity. Until now! Native American hibiscus (H. moscheutob) and its progeny have to be some of the showiest perennials in the garden at this time of year when other plants are on life support, this year more than ever. John Bartram (1699-1777) was the first to herald this native to the gardening world. In the 1950′s the first major hybridizer, Robert Darby, introduced the still widely grown Lady and Lord Baltimore.

I have been privileged enough to see the native hibiscus in my boyhood home of Australia, the showy yellow hibiscus in Hawaii and for over thirty years now our native species and its resulting hybrids. Don’t back me in the corner in a hope to hear of a favorite. The flowers here at Trinity Nursing and Rehab are found in a huge expanse of kentucky blue and rye grass on the east side of our campus.

I assume they were planted by the former Lutheran owners of TNAR who are responsible for their vestiges and so much more that I enjoy so much every day. Why they are untethered from any nearby planting or landmark I will never know or the kind people who planted them.

These images bring to mind my beloved Sydney Opera House. I sang as part of a boys vocal choir. Didn’t realized at the time what a honor this was.

The prettiest are the pink, which although fewer , would be the ones to get the attention of nearby walkers and runners on the Turkey Creek path. Unlike the white, the over layering petals form more of the traditional circle you’ve come to know and love.

Big Red, the name I bestowed upon her, is the flashiest on the near hedge in the lawn. She emblazoned too bright in the midday sun to see much definition (When you have only one functioning hand, you can’t be picky about the sun exposure when you can snag a volunteer.)

And now for something completely different; I’ve used Sunoatiens around here for several years now in the windowboxes, so while in a hospital bed it occurred to me that a few in the ground with 8 Dragon Wing hanging baskets above would be da bomb. Let’s just say technical difficulties stopped the successful execution of my grand idea. But say it with me, there’s always next year.

Finally, rarely do you see a good bloom day centered around just one family of plants. My high-school buddy from Family Tree identified the last of my beautiful be . This shrub is almost pinned between one glorious ashe and a side wall except for a huge enough break on the eastern side to beam in the light required to sport these little beauties on a 12′ plant. From my wheelchair view up it reminds me of my beloved camellias. Is it unfair for me to selfishly hope global warming will warm up the climate in my zone to grow my favorite shrub. Only a gardener would have to take pause then answer his own questions with of course it is selfish.

So now I know what it’s like to be a participant in the noble effort to share joy with other bloggers on this continent and beyond. I’ll have to do this again, real soon.

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My Planter is on Fire! Potting Soil is Flammable!!! One Documented Fatality to Date!

by Patrick on July 18, 2012

Recently, as one of my nurse’s aides was leaving Trinity Nursing & Rehab for her 11:00pm dinner break, she was horrified to see one of my planters engulfed in a small fire ball. The planter was an extra-largge Kinsman hanging basket I had converted into a planter on a cedar stand. My aide called 911 and the fire was quickly extinguished before the structure of the building was threatened. The fire was allegedly set by a rehab resident sneaking a cigarette on this smoke-free campus and discarding a lighted butt into the potting soil. My first assumption was the coco-liner was at fault but upon examination of the remains and further research, Im convinced it was the potting soil. Indeed we were very luckily but we were hardly an anomaly!

After heavily damaged coco-fiber liner removed, note charred posts with bare metal basket and plastic spattering on base,

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Perils of a Quadriplegic Gardener (Part 2)

by Patrick on May 20, 2012

It seems appropriate for another Perils installment considering I’ve been in hospital four times in the last six weeks and I’m writing you during my sixth day in ICU at the local hospital. My blood pressure has been bottoming out in the 40s at night and they can’t figure out why. I have to get outside to enjoy the weather and make garden plans.I haven’t been blogging since early January when my computer fell off its stand and I lost all files. Then it took two months but two of my brothers were so kind and they chipped in together for a sleek MacBook Pro. And then I had to learn the Mac which leads me to today Read more →

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The Best of the Speciality Catalogs 2012

by Patrick on January 2, 2012

Chamblee’s Own-Root Rose Nursery

From the big, bad, great state of Texas you’ll find a small family owned nursery with a big claim to fame. I believe it’s the only business selling own root roses and extolling their benefits of which are mainly winter hardiness, And they ship in one gallon pots for $8.95. Now the plants are only 6-12″ high but if they’re using gallon pots, then you know the root development must be strong enough for ship;ping.

Our Extension Master Garden group places a bulk order of their Earthkind roses. Earthkind roses is a Texas A&M program where contenders are evaluated for winter hardiness, disease resistance and insect tolerance across the Lone Star state. Our EMG group must be seeing similar performance because the program is ongoing. Read more →

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Gifts for Gardeners Wish List

by Patrick on December 16, 2011

After over two very long months, I’m happy to report the server here at Trinity is now back up and working just fine. I think you can understand there’s no IT person in a nursing home. In fact, the responsibility falls begrudgingly in the hands of the head of the maintenance man (maintenance is a PC term for handyman), The guest server is maintained by the owners of the nursing home in Miami. Apparently to my no lack of surprise, there must be few users in their multiple nursing homes and none who cared enough to complain. But after getting the director to ride the maintenance guys butt, it was restored after the nine week delay. So, although belatedly, I’d like to consider this my best Christmas gift in years. In that vein, I’d like to present my Christmas wish list.

The gardening season of 2011 was one of the worst in recent memory. Unless you broke the cardinal of digging in wet soil, a very wet, cold spring kept many of us from planting everything we wanted. And early heat waves beginning in June were brutal on our plants. So we’re all looking forward to 2012. But before we get there, let’s ask for some beautiful garden gifts from our friends and family. Or even give ourselves some gifts n to make 2011 seem less traumatizing than it was.

With the demise of the honey bee population, attracting mason bees to your garden would be a great objective for your garden in 2012. masonbeehomes.com offers the highest-quality, handmade houses I’ve ever seen, But it’s also the content of the website that’s the gift that keeps on giving with detailed instructions for site installation, attracting mason bees and cleaning your house each year. The Contemporary version is made of redwood framing and two polypropylene boxes of 60 holes giving room for 360 bees per box. The price is $35.95.

If you kept your garden alive this season and didn’t give in to writing everything off, then you deserve a medal. Charleston Gardens is offering just that with its World’s Best Gardener Medal for $30.00. The medal with a charming sunflower top measures 2.5” BY 3” and is attached with tie tack construction.

Determining light levels between full sun and full shade can be so difficult. And predicting the difference between part sun and part shade can truly impact the performance of a plant. So a product to help predict light levels in different areas of your garden is full of promise. So why not try the SunCalc in your garden at a price of $30.00.

For a little whimsy and dry wit, it’s hard to beat the “Nothing is Written in Stone” garden stone, also from Charleston Gardens. This message is etched into a natural river stone with approximate sizes of 9” X 7” by 3” high priced at $65.

Gardener’s Supply Company can always be relied upon for some of the best garden gifts in the market place. Their Everlasting Alliums have 10” steel orbs tipped in gold with installed heights of 29“ and 35”. Coming in Periwinkle, Petal Pink and Purple, they are priced at $36.95 for a set of two.

The New York Botanical Garden Shop has some very exciting gifts. First off, I’d like you to consider purchasing Scrabble Gardening and inviting some of your hard core gardening friends over for a lively game of one of my favorite games all about our favorite past time, Cost is $32.

Garden tools can always look pretty mundane. But the Celia Birtwell Tools including watering can, trowel set and pruners break that mold. Celia Birtwell is one of Britain’s leading textiles designers and these products that are imported from England make for some truly unique gifts. Prices range from $32 to $65.

From a family farm in New Hampshire, Cube Mountain Farm crafts beautiful wreaths from flowers cultivated on their property. Riki’s Wreath is an elegant blend of ‘The Pearl’ Achillea, blue larkspur, the herb lemon leaf, blue hydrangea and gypsophila. As you can see from the image, this is true craftsmanship in wreath making coming in at $84.95.

So even though its late in the buying season, go trolling for these beauties on their sites where there are plenty of other great gift selections. And when all the gifts are unwrapped, wish for the best gardening gift: a better growing season in 2012. Merry Christmas to all.

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