Friday, May 8, 2009

This post is for NON gardeners

See that blue-ish Petunia? Ignore it. We are talking about Marigolds, those tiny little plants around it. If you are not a gardening person and you've always wanted a spot of flowers with little work, here's what ya do. Clear a spot of dirt 3 or 4 foot long and 1 or two feet wide. Turn it over with your shovel. Yes, this is work, but, it's the last of the hard work. It will take you an hour or so. That's it. Now, you're home free.
*
Take packages of Marigold seeds, buy, 4-5 packs, and throw them on your freshly dug dirt on a rainy day. That's it. I don't bother planting them, they grow like weeds. They grow anywhere it's sunny and in any soil. If you want to be fancy, you can throw Zinna seeds in back, or the tall variety of Marigolds. Let the suckers grow close together, do not thin them. I don't care what the package says, they don't mind crowding and they will shade out weeds. You may have to pull a stray weed as you stroll by, but, you will not be really weeding. Leave 'em alone..ignore them. They don't even mind drought. I am not an expert who knows it all, but, I know a few things. The next year, save your seeds from dead heading (which you don't even have to do if you don't want to) and you have the next flower bed for free. A small bed of one or two colors makes great visual impact. It's much better than big beds that get away from you and look messy.

5 comments:

Jane said...

What about your birdbaths? We need to see your progress.

Anonymous said...

Good advice for starter gardens!

Disher said...

I just undid them! I'm a fixin to put them on. Mom had me running around all afternoon.

gardenhoe said...

Thanks anon. I would be so thrilled if I inspired someone to try. A tomato in a pot can thrill me.

N said...

I think I'm caving. (g) I'm such a dunce. Is deadheading snipping picking off the top of the blooms?

I remember years ago I had a garden of mums that the whole neighborhood was drooling over. Until it was time for them to bloom, I picked the little buds off--someone told me they'd come in thicker. They were right. I put them in as plants, though, and I had more energy in those days! I've never planted anything from seed. I remember that I had to mix sand and peat with the clay, but it really turned out to be a beautiful garden. Then, life got in the way, we moved and I've never gardened, again.

Thanks for the inspiration. Now, to get off the couch. (g)