What about that journal? The one resolution this year for my garden is keeping up with my journal. I always start out with good intentions, but this year I will keep that journal going. I promise.

A journal will help make the most of your gardening. The successes and learning from the failures. If you start plants from seed, consider creating an annual chart with the plant name, variety, seed company, date planted, and date of germination. It's important not to plant seedlings too early, as well as not to plant them late. Your garden journal will help track the right time to transplant.

A good garden journal is one you can take with you into the garden. Sketch the layout of your garden will help you remember how the gardens look at various stages during the summer and what you'd like to change the following year. Remember your best friend along with the garden journal is your camera. Have you even forgotten how those tall daisies were blocking the small impatience?

You can find garden journals in book stores, but a ringed binder will let you flip back the cover for support to write when you are out in the garden.

 

Winter
 

Flower of the Month
Do you know what it is?

Winterberry Holly, one of the prettiest woody plants found in the garden at this time of the year. Ilex verticillata. With vibrant, bright red sprays of berries covering the bare branches of this deciduous shrub. Find out more

 

The Good, Bad, and Buggy

Scales on houseplants

Scale insects attach themselves to stems and undersides of leaves to feed on plant sap, causing stunted and deformed plants. Scales range from tan to brown and 1/16 to 1/4 inch in diameter. One type, called soft scale, excretes a messy, sticky liquid called honey dew. how to control scales

Garden Wisdom
Seed Germination Test

Can you use seeds that you bought to use in 2006? If you are not sure try this germination test to find out if leftover seeds are viable before you spend time planting them:

1. Place a few seeds (10) on one half of a double layer of damp paper towel.

2. Fold the other half of the towel over the seeds. Place the towel in a plastic bag and seal three-quarters of the way and check daily to make sure the towel stays damp, moisten if necessary.

3. After 7 to 10 days, count the number of seeds that have germinated. If all the seeds germinate that's great. nine seeds represents a 90 percent rate, and so on. Buy new seed if under 50 percent or less.