Hello fellow gardeners!

Seed starting is a wonderful pass time this time of the year. It gives you a leg up on Mother nature.

Some of the best reasons to start seeds…

● You have so much more choices and varieties!

● It saves you money!

● Personal pride! The pleasure of growing something that is most certainly not available at your local nursery or chain
retailer!

● Your perennials flowers will bloom the same year as planted!

If you like starting seeds, then when your flowers in your garden go dormant you can collect seeds from them and save even more money! However, this only works for the heirloom plants- not hybrids!

List of things you will need!

● Seed packets of your choice!

● Soil-less mix (aka “Seed starter mix”) - you are going to want to pre-moisten the mix with warm water ahead of time.

● Containers! Use can either recycle or use new ones. Please Note (if you are using recycled containers (such as old pots or plastic containers saved from food items), they must be scrubbed in a 10% Clorox solution).

● Labels (I use popsicle sticks), it is very important to keep your plants straight- because they all the look the same when they are small!

● Marking pen or lead pencil to write on the labels with.

● Optional: Clear plastic bags- either zip lock or clear 13 gallon trash bags. Zip locks are for special seed treatment (refrigeration). I use clear trash bags as covers for my large seed trays to help keep the moisture in!

● A good light source (your plants will need additional light so they do not become spindly). You can use a hanging shop light, or grow lights will do just fine! You don’t want to rely just on the sun from your window because your plants may too cold at night.

● Optional: Heating Pad. You can also use the top of the refrigerator, or a out of the way vent, or even a warm (not hot) radiator.

● Optional: Cheese cloth. This is useful for difficult to transplant seeds.

● Chamomile tea, this is a great natural solution to fungus problems.

● Perlite, vermiculite or sand, these are perfect to use as a light cover for small seeds.

● A calendar strictly for your seeds, that way I can mark which seeds will be ready to start in 8 weeks, 10 weeks, and so on, counting backwards from the previous years last frost date.

● Optional: An album with plastic pockets to insert your empty seed packets into. I use it as a visual journal, and make notes on when I started the seeds, germination rates, where in the garden I’m going to plant them, and other useful information.

Read More About It

My next article will tell you all about how to start seeds, but if you want a fabulous book on the subject, “Park’s Success With Seed” is hands down the best! Of the many books I’ve bought and read on seed starting-this is the most informative, easy to read, and helpful guide!

A Time Saver that is Easier than Ever!

If you are a busy person and would enjoy growing your own seeds with out all the fuss, this bio-dome system is the thing for you! It is very popular and very reliable! I’ve tried it myself last year, and I highly recommend it!

I hope you all look forward to Part 2 of starting seeds!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne

To my way of thinking, gardeners are a very special breed of people. There is no feeling like taking a walk through your garden and looking at plants and remembering where they came from and from whom. To this day when I look at my rose garden, I see the Nicole rose- a gift from my daughter, or York and Lancaster- a gift from my son, or all the hard work my husband and I put into the garden together. Sometimes it brings tears to my eyes because of the swift passage of time and the profound love we share.

As a gardener I would much rather receive a plant that will grow with our love rather than a bouquet that is wilting in a couple of days, and I’m sure others feel the same way! Another good thing about giving a plant is that it is almost certain to cost much less than a bouquet of roses (which average about $70 a dozen these days).

For your significant other, a red rose says it all! This traditional Valentine’s Day gift means passionate love. However, if you truly love him/her you should also include a certificate saying you will dig the hole, amend the soil, water the rose, and generally take care of it, so that your significant other can enjoy all the benefits!
I recommend the Double Knockout rose for three reasons…

• It’s no fuss!
• It’s disease free!
• It blooms from May to September- lots of bouquets can come out of this shrub!

Another wonderful choice is “Let Freedom Ring” rose…

Let Freedom Ring

Don’t forget your mom or mother in law on Valentine’s Day! Where a red rose might not exactly be accurate in it’s meaning for a mother, a pink rose would be perfect! A pink rose means perfect happiness and friendship!

I recommend the rose “Sweet Promise” for three reasons…

• It’s brand new on the market (so it practically guarantees she doesn’t have it!)
• It has a strong traditional scent
• It lasts a long time in the vase! Perfect for cutting!

I also highly recommend the Nicole rose! It is simply my favorite! It has been part of my garden for six years now, and I can attest that it’s beauty cannot be beat!

Breaking Tradition on Valentine’s Day- Getting Creative!

If you don’t want to give your significant other the traditional rose and chocolates on Valentine’s Day, here are some other great choices!

• Red tulips or carnations also say “I love you!” the same as roses!
• Irises signify that you have an important question to ask!
• Daisies! These happy flowers mean “I share your sentiment.”
• Calla Lily’s signify beauty.

Did You Know…

Courtesy of Dr. Leonard Perry and his article entitled “Improve Your Love Life With Flowers”

According to, “Helen Farmer-Knowles, an aroma therapist and counselor on natural remedies, provides some interesting insights into the uses of flowers in aromatherapy in her book, The Healing Garden: Nature’s Remedies and Cures. Here are some of her thoughts…”

“Roses are the flowers perhaps most associated with love, and there are sensual reasons for this. The petals are soft and silken to the touch. The color red is often seen in clothing ads as a “suggestive” color. And there is even a scientific basis to the theory that fragrance aids in “falling in love.”

Also…”Many people believe that a good or happy mood leads to a healthy immune system. So smelling roses, or other favorite fragrant flowers, can help boost your health and well being, in addition to promoting a healthy love life.”

There you go! Get healthy with roses!

Happy Gardening, and Have a very Happy Valentine’s Day!
Marie Suzanne

If you have some great choices you’d like to suggest as Valentine’s Day gifts for that special someone- feel free to comment below!

Hello Fellow Gardeners,

I have something really special for you today…free garden plans for any size garden! Better Homes and Gardens offers these detailed plans that include…

• A detailed layout diagram
• A list of plants for the garden and alternative choices
• Complete instructions

Here are a list of some of the different types of gardens you can find…

• Container Garden Plans
• Annual Gardens
• Shade Gardens
• Gardens of Grasses
• Privacy Garden
• Property Line Garden
• Butterfly Garden
• Bird-Friendly Garden
• And more!

Here are a few of my favorite gardens, just click on the picture to go directly to the plans…

A Border of Contrasting Shapes…

A Clay Soil Garden…

A Large Welcoming Front Yard…

A Patio Garden…

A Mailbox Garden…

Here are some more tips on how to save money while still getting the garden of your dreams…

• Get a friend to garden with or join a gardening group! This will allow everyone to share the costs (and labor!).
• Grow from seed! A seed packet costs significantly less than a plant, you just be patient! Stay tuned for my article on growing seeds under lights to learn how!
• Share plants! Got something in abundance? You may be able to trade with a friend or garden group buddy for something from his/her garden!
• Buy in bulk- get a friend or group together to buy a truckload of manure, or peat moss, then split the cost and the load evenly. You’ll get a better deal, and no heavy lifting!

Happy Gardening,

Marie Suzanne!