Fall Samplers 50% Off

High Country Gardens' Fall Samplers are on sale for half off through next week. This makes their prices quite good, and all plants that they sell are suited for this area. They're based out of Santa Fe, and I've had wonderful success with all of their plants. We're getting the grape sampler, which is 5 cold-hardy varieties of grapes in gallon pots for $32.47. This comes out to less than $7 a pot. Grapes at Lowes (which only sells one variety) are $10. If I didn't already have raspberry bushes we'd be trying out the berry sampler as well!

Bulb Planting Info

I posted earlier about some bulbs that were available online, and Rachael Boyle was kind enough to send me the following info (she's our resident gardener!):

When you plant them make sure you fertilize them down in their holes because they don't have the leaves on which they get energy from. They love bone meal or blood meal (sounds gross, I know) or another fertilizer. If you use a powder don't wet it so that it can sit around the bulb.

Also, bulbs are graded, like eggs. Those bulbs that are sold in high quantity and for a small price are not very good. They typically carry diseases or are molded. Plus, only a small number will grow and those that do grow will make small flowers. In addition, they can't support themselves and will most likely NOT come back the following year. You may want to look into buying them from a nursery that way you will get big beautiful flowers- only if you buy a handful it is better than a handful of small ones that grew with small flowers. You can hand pick them. They are large and healthy. Obviously, the larger the bulb, the larger the flower.

Also, as you know, when they start to die don't cut off their leaves if you want them to grow again the following year. They need them because they pull energy from them. What I like to do is cover them up with annuals so that as they are dying back the annuals are taking their place. And you don't notice the old leaves that much.

Do any of you have gardening tips and advice? I'd love to hear it! I'm so new to all of this, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it. I'll be sure to post pictures when I find out how those bulbs do!

Great Deal on Bulbs!

I just ordered 160 bulbs for less than $10 shipped! Just for a comparison, the bags from Costco are $14 and contain between 15-40 bulbs. So this is really a GREAT deal, especially if you're like me and need ANYTHING to fill in that empty space in your garden!

There are two different options from Bulbs Direct, both about $10. The first is the Florists Favorite 160 bulb collection (this is the one I ordered).


Here's the description from the website:

Add color and interest to your garden this summer with this stunning collection of our most popular long lasting summer bulbs, returning year after year with brilliant color displays great for cutting or just enjoying in the garden.

• These lovely Allium produce large glossy golden star-like flowers that will spread rapidly to form large clumps.
• Poppy Anemones are gorgeously colored and well known as a favourite amongst florists.
• Brodiaea mountain lilies have beautiful clusters of funnel shaped flowers in deep blue.
• Gladioli bloom in warm summery hues with pleasant markings on the petals, they produce dozens of flowers on each tall graceful stem.
• Liatris have large bottlebrush like spikes of tiny clustered purple florets and unlike other flowers they open from the top downwards.

The other option is the 80 + 80 Free Bulbs Collection.


From the website:
Buy 80 Bulbs and get another 80 FREE!! A great collection of spring/summer bulbs popular with gardeners everywhere and selected for their beauty, color and hardiness. The 80 Offer comprises:

* 20 lovely Allium moly's: they produce large glossy golden star-like flowers in May.
* 10 Iris Hollandica has oversized flowers with a heavenly scent that's sure to please.
* 30 Brodiaea Queen Fabiola producing beautiful clusters of funnel shaped flowers in deep blue.
* 20 Anemone Coronaria De Caen fantastic vibrant flowers poppy like with striking black stamens.

If anyone needs to borrow a bulb planter, just let me know. Now, I have no idea how well these will do in Albuquerque. But I figured that if even 1/4 of them work out, I'm still better off! I can't wait to get mine and get some in my garden!

Great Gardening Advice

Rachael gave me some really good gardening advice, and she said I could share it with all of you! I am going to use it as my gardening guide!

Cool weather veggies that you might want to plant now (and I emphasize NOW) and are easy to grow, but will stop performing when it gets too hot are: ...Plus I wrote what is easiest (and cheapest) to grow them from- starters from the store or seeds.

Celery- buy as starters (they may not be out yet??? and I think you'll have to buy from a nursery as opposed to Lowes or Home Depot)

Carrots- plant seeds, plus they can stay in the ground for a while so you can plant them all right now verses staggering them by two weeks.

radishes- plant as seeds, stagger by two weeks (plant some now and some in two weeks for a full crop)

lettuce- plant as seeds, stagger if you want too

onions, if planting big onions plant starters, if you are planting spring onions plant as seeds. Also, onions can keep some bugs out of your garden so I like to plant them around the edges in some spots

spinach, start as seeds, once it gets too hot they will die back but will come back in the fall and can grow must of the winter

peas, grow from seeds, some are bushes and some are vining so pay attention

Some good hot weather ones are:

tomatoes- definitely plant as starters. I also like to plant at least one cherry tomato plant because my kids love to pick the tomatoes and eat them as they play outside.

beans- grow from seed, most variety sold are pole beans so use a trellis or poles to support them

watermelon- grow from seed, as you know, plant on mounds

pumpkin- grow from seed, as you know, plant on mounds

squash- grow from seed, as you know, plant on mounds

bell peppers- plant from starters

strawberries- plant from starters, they like their own place so you can have a patch and treat them like perrenials or most commercial growers treat them like annuals- read up on them, they can be fussy

corn- grow from seed

cucumbers- grow from seed, as you know, plant on mounds, and buy the burpless ones because they are less bitter.

Don't plant anything that attracts squash beetles until later. They are nasty! That means no, squash, cucumbers, watermelon, pumpkins and other things that are low lying until AFTER June 15th. That is when the threat of infestation should be minimal. Luckily, these plants are all fast growers and it will not matter that you don't have them in the ground before. No time lost.

Kristie

Starter plants

I planted some starters yesterday, and I must say it is getting me very excited for my garden this year! I will have lots of seeds left over if anybody would like some. I have zucchini, summer squash, sweet peppers, onions, sugar snap peas, green beans, and roma tomatoes. So if you would like some of my seeds, or have some of your own seeds left over, leave a message in the comments!

Kristie