Summer was great while it lasted!
I made this little “plant pal” from a ping-pong ball and golf tee. She doesn’t look happy about summer being over but so far, we’ve had no frosts in our area. That could change by the time this hits print as we often get some chilly weather by mid-October.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Iris blooms in the fall? You bet!
Yes, it is possible to enjoy nice big iris blooms in the fall. Pictured is one of my “twice blooming” iris varieties called Immortality. They bloom first thing in the spring and then again in the fall. These bloomed the entire month of September this year. The only catch is …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
The flowers of fall are doing well
It looks like summer is about over, whether we like it or not. The first day of fall is almost here, arriving on Sept. 22. You’ve probably noticed how quickly the days have grown cooler. In the spring, our average daily temperature seems to take forever to just get up …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Where did our summer go?
The bad news is that it looks like the end of summer is here. The good news is the beginning of fall has also arrived. With a little luck, we’ll enjoy a nice, long, warm season such as we’ve had the past two years.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The 'Dog Days' of summer are here
Unfortunately, our summer has pretty much flown by. If we could only slow the days down once the temperature hits 75, we’d be in business.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Enjoying the heat? Your plants need TLC to survive
Late July is the hottest time of the year in our area, with 86 degrees being the highest average daily high temperature. I don’t know about you, but that’s hot enough for me. Anyone who loves the 90s must live in air conditioned comfort wherever they go. Or spends their …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Weeds are 4-letter words
There are many types of annual poppies. The breadseed poppy is one of the easiest. It will reseed itself year after year and produces huge lavender blossoms followed by large seedpods. The name comes from how they’re used as a substitute for expensive nuts in making bread.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Nectar sippin' time
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Is our country 'for the birds'? Thank 'the Bard'
Now that summer has officially arrived, we can relax and enjoy it — or can we? The weather always seems to have a few nasty surprises for us such as hail, wind, high heat and even floods. We’re very fortunate not to live in “tornado alley.”
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Summertime and the living is easy
Welcome to summer! Although it’s not official until June 20, who cares as long as it feels nice and warm. Actually, it has been warmer than we wanted already.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Iris means rainbow
Most of us have our main planting done by now, but there’s usually room to try something new. One thing to keep in mind, is to read labels while you’re drooling over this plant and that in the stores. Many of them are not hardy for this area and may …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
We're off - and running
Nothing tickles gardeners more than being outdoors, planting something that grows. It can be anything, as large as a tree to as small as a poppy seed. We know that in time, this thing will grow and (hopefully) be beautiful.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 8 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Mother Nature's pruning?
Area trees by the hundreds, maybe thousands, got an unexpected “trimming” a few months back. In November, our area was hit by an unusually strong windstorm which either broke tops off or completely toppled huge trees. Most of those affected were Ponderosa pines. These have shallow, “pancake” shaped root systems …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
More spring chores
I hope you all made it past the first without being April Fooled. Now that we are into a new month, we are that much closer to sitting on the patio, drinking lemonade. Just think about it.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS AGO
At last the first day of spring
With all the rain we’ve had this winter, maybe we should try growing rice! All kidding aside; we have lucked out with another “easy” winter. We can only hope this coming summer won’t be as hot as the last one.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
It was great while it lasted!
Here we are, at the end of another growing season. It was certainly “different” this year. The heat arrived so early. We had our first 90-degree day in early June and it just continued on from there. If we’d only known, we could probably have grown bananas!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Indian summer has arrived
Do you get the feeling that we’re living on “borrowed time?” Now that we are well into October, the end of our growing season must be very near. As of this writing, we’ve had no frosts...yet. That could change by the time this hits print.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
How many 'dog days' have we had this summer?
It's kind of hard to call this August the "dog days of summer." Seems like we've been having them over and over since early June. You are to be congratulated if you've managed to keep all your growing things green this summer. Give yourself a big pat on the back! …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The 'ping pong' weather continues
I hope your plants are getting used to the "ping pong" weather we've had all summer. Bouncing back and forth from the low 70s to the high 90s is just hard on everything, including us. This weather is very unusual for our neck of the woods. We had a record …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Iced tea, anyone?
I hope all you gardeners have managed to keep your plants alive. With all the unprecedented heat, day after day, it hasn't been easy. Even the supposed "heat lovers," such as tomatoes, have been affected as they do not set new fruit when the temps stay above 90 degrees. They …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
The heat is on ....
I was hoping that by the time this hits print, the hot spell would be over. Sadly, the forecasts don't look favorable. Records are being set right and left ... and not the good kind.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Summer starts today
To have 90-degree-plus temperatures here in early June is just about unheard of in our neck of the woods. It felt more like July than June. Did we lose a month somehow? After surviving that nasty early heatwave, maybe we can get back to enjoying spring. (Oops, I mean summer, …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Summertime and the livin' is easy?
I don't know how "easy" it is, but we sure had a nice May. Planting was possible earlier than usual. If only that happened every year, we'd have a nice long growing season.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
May flowers came early this year
May is flying by. Every time we walk out the door, we see jobs everywhere that are waiting to be done. Sitting in the shade is going to have to wait a while, I'm afraid.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Are you doing the 'happy dance?'
I don't know about you, but when I can finally turn the calendar to May, I am indeed doing the happy dance. Even though this was an extremely mild winter, it seemed to go on way too long.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
There's always room for more bloom
Believe it or not, planting time is, at least partly, here. Late April is when we plant things like pansies, snapdragons and primroses. Note that these are all actually perennials. Very few, if any, annuals like cold soil and air temperatures.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 9 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Time to get to work
April 1 marks opening day for most of our local greenhouses. It's great to have places where we can buy plants that are grown for our area. Too often the big box stores have plants for sale that are either offered too early in the season to survive here, or …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS AGO
Planting season is fast approaching
The good news is that we're past the official first day of spring; March 20. The bad news is that we still have six weeks left before we can actually plant most things. May 15 is the official "kick-off day" in our area. That's when we can (usually) safely plant …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS AGO
March came 'In Like a Lamb'
With the terrific warm weather we've been having lately, it's hard to realize that we still have two months to wait before we can go out and plant things. There are a few exceptions, but not many.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Is winter really over?
Hibernation seems to be over. I say "seems" because you never know. The calendar may say that March is here, but some winter may still be lurking. This was an extremely mild winter here. We had one very cold night where the temperature neared zero, but that was about it.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Sayonara, aloha and arrivederci...
So far, so good, (meaning no frosts). Of course, I'm writing this far ahead of publication, so yards may be full of black plants by the time this sees print.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Days are getting shorter, nights are getting longer
I hope you enjoyed our short and HOT summer. When you think about it, it still beats our long and COLD winters.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Say goodbye to September
I hope your yard hasn't been visited by frost yet. Mine hasn't and hopefully won't be for a while yet. The term "frost" refers to temperatures right at or just below 32 degrees. A "killing frost" means the temperature is 28 degrees or below.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Soon it will be time to rest up
Kopper King is what they call a "hardy" hibiscus. Tropical hibiscus plants won't survive our winters, but these will. The plants are slow to come up in the spring but when they do, they grow quickly. The blossoms are worth waiting for as the flowers are huge.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Say goodbye to summer (sniff)
We were treated to a fascinating talk by a butterfly expert at our latest garden club meeting. Most of us gardeners hold a special affection for these delicate creatures. Unfor-tunately, they have declined in number recently. There are two major reasons for this. One, being the loss of habitat and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Hot dogs and hot people
This summer has flown by and now we're in the infamous "Dog days of summer." The name has never made sense to me as no dog I know of likes hot days. That may be because they can only sweat through the bottoms of their feet and pant. My little …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Who's winning, you or the bugs?
I don't know about you, but this see-saw weather is about to do me in. I don't know how to dress in the morning. Do I wear summer clothes and sandals or woolies and mukluks? Some days it feels more like October than late July and early August.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
The heat is on ...
It seemed like the minute the calendar turned to July, we hit the 90s and have stayed there. (Of course, I'm writing this a week ahead of publication, so things may have changed by now.) Average temperatures for early to mid July are in the low 80s. I don't know …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Fun in the sun
Hooray, summer is here and so are the toasty days. These are great in some ways, but not so great in others. Under "great" comes a long list of enjoyable outdoor activities such as biking, picnicking and swimming, etc. Under "not so great" is another list. This one has things …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Saturday was the longest day of the year
We are now, (finally) into summer as Saturday was the official first day. Luckily, we have already been blessed with a lot of nice warm weather, unlike some other springs.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Summer has arrived!
Immortality represents a new type of bearded iris. These will bloom the first thing in the spring and again the last thing in the fall. In our area, it is best to plant these where they receive a bit of protection from both late and early frosts.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Are you going to pot?
Yes, I said "going to pot." And no, I'm not talking about the kind people smoke!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Happy Mother's Day!
All you mothers have earned a special day. If you get the chance to be waited on hand and foot, take it. Those chances don't come around very often.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Planting season still a few weeks away
A lot of you have recently acquired a nice blooming Easter lily. These can be planted outdoors and will live for years to come. Don't get in a big hurry as "planting season" here is still a few weeks away. In the meantime, you can put them outside during the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 10 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Let the 'fun' begin
I hope you've had good weather at your house. I've been lucky to be able to get into the yard and managed to get a lot done.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS AGO
Don't be fooled!
Time for April Fools' Day. Remember, there are lots of ways to be "fooled." At this time of year a lot of us are getting itchy fingers to start planting outside. In most cases, this is a mistake. Remember how early it is. Normal planting time for our area is …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS AGO
Are you wearing green?
And a happy St. Paddy's day to you all! I'm not Irish, but it's always fun to wear the green and pinch those who forgot.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Closed for the season ... reason: freezin'
I hate to say it, but we've come to the end of another garden season here in North Idaho. The good news was that we had a nice spring ... unlike the previous two which stretched cold and wet all through June. The bad news was that we didn't get …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Hoping for some Indian summer
I hate to say it, but winter is fast approaching. This is a good time to do a reassessment of your garden and yard. Write down what worked, what didn't, what to do in a different way next year, etc.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
It's flannel sheet time
Summer may be over ... too bad the work isn't. As usual, we have plenty to do in the yard and garden.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
Fall has arrived (sniff)
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but according to the calendar, the first day of autumn is almost here ... Sept. 22.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The first frost is fast approaching
Another summer has bit the dust as we cruise into September. We enjoyed a nice long fall last year and hopefully will again. Keep your fingers crossed.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Be sure to enjoy these summer days
Is it just my imagination or has this summer flown by? We need to remember to enjoy every minute of every day. Try to take some time to sit in the shade every morning or evening and just savor the birds singing, the sound of the breeze through the trees …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Give those trees a drink!
I'm seeing a lot of dry spots in lawns. With a week and a half of over 90 degree days, it is understandable. If there are no nearby trees, some extra water will usually bring the lawn back. But, if there is a large tree near the spot, suspect it. …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Ping-pong weather
Every time we get used to the weather, it changes ... drastically. One day the high is in the 70's, the next day it hits 90, then back again. If people are having a tough time adjusting, it must really be hard on plants. No wonder some are struggling to …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Everything's coming up roses ...
I hope July doesn't fly by as quickly as June did. Some nice long relaxing summer days would be such a treat. We can only hope.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
June really is bustin' out all over!!
First of all, we would like to thank all of you who made purchases at the annual plant sale put on by the River City Gardeners Club of Post Falls. We had a very successful sale and will soon be making donations to local charities.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
At long last ... summer has arrived
By now you've probably got the rest of your vegetable garden planted. It got so cold the week before Memorial Day that most of us were still toting the tomato and pepper plants in and out daily.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Thyme begins in a garden
The "May Menace" has arrived. You know ... that nasty yellow powder that's currently coating everything in sight. This is pollen from the Ponderosa pines. Like the constantly falling needles, this is another price we have to pay for living among these beautiful trees. Luckily, it doesn't last long and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Grow baby, grow!
First of all, I want to wish all the moms a Happy Mother's Day! I hope today is a special one for each of you.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Don't jump the gun!
I know it's tempting. We're seeing blooming annuals in so many of the stores. This does not mean it's safe to plant them now. Unfortunately most stores have corporate headquarters who send these out to all the stores in the country at the same time.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 11 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Bring on those April showers
Those days of 70 degrees were wonderful, but we knew it couldn't last ... and it didn't. Soon we were back to cool, wet weather. With any luck, the snow won't be back. Next December is soon enough.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
Happy Easter!
Here it is, Easter Sunday already. It seems like it was just Christmas! Today will be a busy one for most folks, what with church and then a big dinner. The bigger your family the better. Since the little ones have grown up, our Easter egg hunts continue with the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS AGO
Are you wearing green?
Yup, today is the day to wear green ... unless you want to get pinched! I've always had an ace in the hole if I forget the green as I have green eyes. That's probably cheating, I know.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Let the fun begin...!
Happy (almost) Spring! It's time for us to get started gardening again. Although we can't actually go outside and start planting things, we can "make do" indoors.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
It's almost time to hibernate
This will be the last of my garden columns for the year as another growing season has drawn to a close. The weather we had was very similar to a year ago with a long and very wet spring followed by a dry summer with some hot days. Once again …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
If you think you're seeing things - you are
Like it or not, our growing season has about come to an end. When the leaves change colors and the birds head south, it's time to go indoors and take a rest. I'm sure all you gardeners have been busy getting things finished up in the yard.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
3 Cheers for Indian Summer
I hope Jack Frost hasn't visited your garden yet. In my area, he came very near the night of Sept. 11. Luckily, the warmer weather returned the next day ... for how long is anybody's guess. Things could certainly change for the worse by the time this hits print. Speaking …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
It looks like our (gardening) days are numbered!
Although this column won't see print for another week, I'm writing it on Sept. 1 and trying to come to grips with the fact that summer is basically over. Since it really only lasted for two months, that's a tough one to swallow.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Gardeners know the best dirt
Where did our summer go? It seemed awfully short, probably because it took forever to get here. With any luck, we'll get a long warm fall to make up for it.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The heat is on
As I'm writing this, we're enjoying a couple of perfect summer days with highs of about 80 degrees. Tomorrow the heat returns, with temps in the 90s. This will be a real test of our dedication to watering. Those hanging baskets may need it twice a day. By the time …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
July is flying by
My computer died this week, so I wasn't sure I'd be able to get this column written in time for the deadline. Whew, made it, but it is kind of sad that we've become such slaves to technology.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Happy days are here again!
It looks like summer has finally arrived ... and ALL AT ONCE! I guess we should have been careful what we asked for.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Believe it or not, it's now officially summer!
Yes, the official first day of summer landed on June 20 this year. But, it looks like dear old Mother Nature did it to us again with another cold and wet spring. Several records were broken as it rained 11 of the first 13 days in June. It didn't stop …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Did you know that 'iris' means rainbow?
As the old song goes, "June is bustin' out all over !" It is too. Everything is growing like weeds ... especially the weeds!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Time to 'Spring' into action
Believe it or not, spring planting season is here. Finally. The date of the last average killing frost in this area is May 15. Time to get busy and start gardening. Of course, at this time of the year, we do it with one eye on the weather forecast and …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Thou shalt not feel silly talking to thy plants
I hate to say this out loud, but I think spring is really here! We have had some really nice warm days lately. (We won't mention the rainy ones.)
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 12 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Thou shall not plant it if thou cannot spell it
This planter has a variety of early spring bloomers ranging from yellow wall flowers to fuchsia aubretia.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
April 1 is opening day for most local nurseries
It felt great to turn the calendar over to April though I'm not sure I'm so tickled with it being April Fool's Day. The practical jokers will be having their usual field day so don't be gullible like me. I usually fall victim at least once.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS AGO
Looks like we made it
Here we are, past the mid-point in March. Looks like we'll soon be seeing winter in the rear view mirror! We sure lucked out with such a mild one this time. The first day of spring is only two days away......March 20.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
March Fourth - (the only day that gives a command)
Now that March has arrived, it's time to get back to work. The years seem to be flying by. It's hard for me to believe that today starts the fifth year of writing this column. As they say, "Time flies when you're having fun."
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Another summer comes to an end
As hard as it is to accept, another gardening season has come to an end (sniff). It was anything but an "average" summer with the long cold spring that didn't let up until late June. Perhaps Mother Nature took pity on us as we enjoyed a gorgeous warm fall. The …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Time to kiss those summer annuals goodbye
So far, I've had no frost in my yard in SE Post Falls. Of course, I'm writing this a week ahead of publication, so I could be all wet by then!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
How can it already be October?
Here we go again with a brand new month. Too bad it's October instead of July. Guess we'll just have to hope for a long Indian Summer with no freezing temperatures for many weeks. The autumnal equinox, aka the first day of fall, was on Sept. 23. It sneaked up …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
A gardener's work is never done!
This sure has been a crazy summer, hasn't it? Usually we get ONE 90 degree day in all of September. I've lost count how many we've had this month, but its been a lot more than that. Our weather has been a month to six weeks behind since spring, so …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Late summer is upon us
I don't know about you, but I'm in complete shock. How can it already be Labor Day? We must have had a really enjoyable summer considering the old saying, "time flies when you're having fun."
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
The 'dog days of summer' are nipping at our heels!
Sadly, I couldn't find anyone who could slow the days down, so here we are in the latter half of August... already! Sad, but true. In order to savor all the summer you can, be sure to spend as much time outdoors as possible. I have a swing in my …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Feed those hungry annuals... now!
Although it may be hard to believe, we are now in early August, so its time to feed all those hungry annuals. Even if you started out by adding those long lasting fertilizer granules, they are probably gone by now. Plants in pots or hanging baskets need at least a …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
How do we put the brakes on?
Now that summer is finally here, wouldn't it be nice if the time slowed down - just a little? At the rate it's going, we'll be shopping for Christmas presents in no time.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Do you have a green thumb?
Have you ever had someone say to you that they can't grow anything because they don't have a green thumb? I guess they think that its something you're born with. Not. As all you longtime gardeners know, a green thumb has to be earned. We can acquire one only by …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Are we done with the June gloom?
Here we are, in late June and STILL waiting for our first 80-degree day. Normally, the first one is June 13 or earlier. Of course, I said that word "normally." So far this year, nothing much has been normal. As I write this, there IS a slight possibility we could …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
We may NOT have to plant rice after all!
Wasn't it a great feeling to turn the calendar to June? Maybe summer is here NOW. We can only hope. Several local areas set records for the wettest ever March through May. Some also set records for the coldest ever during those months.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Mother (Nature) may I?
That title tells it all, doesn't it? Is it safe to put the rest of the plants in the ground? You know the ones I mean: peppers, tomatoes, impatiens, coleus, etc. The really tender ones that show damage long before the thermometer actually hits 32 degrees. I forgot to bring …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
At last... zone 5 is coming alive!
Believe it or not, spring seems to have finally arrived. At least for a day here and there. After last month turned out to be the coldest April on record, no wonder it's taking a while to warm up. Most of our local area is USDA zone 5. We may …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
OK, we're ready, bring on all those 'May flowers'
Here we go with a brand new month. Now we finally get to enjoy all those May flowers which all those April showers created. Right? Should be a bumper crop as it seemed to rain every day in April.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 13 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Riddle: What hums but can't sing?
If you guessed hummingbird to the riddle, that's right. Hummingbirds are extremely poor at singing. But, think about it. If they could sing, they'd have the rest of the bird world way too jealous. They are already gorgeous, can hover and even fly backward for a bit. It wouldn't be …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Coming soon to your town: Tulip Time
I'm not sure whether March came in like a lion and went out like a lamb or vice versa. Seems we just got a lot of rain showers with a snow flurry or two thrown in. Then there was the Ides of March on March 15. I'm always cautious that …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS AGO
Do you have ants in your pants?
I'll bet you do! No, I don't mean those tiny black creatures that scurry around on the ground. This is a different type of ant altogether. It's called anticipation. Some of the things I anticipate NOT missing are: shoveling snow, driving with white knuckles, walking on ice, and bundling up …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Life's a holiday on Primrose Lane
Hi there to all my gardening buddies! I trust you survived the winter OK. Speaking of winter, I'm sure you heard what our groundhog friend, Punxutawney Phil had to say on Feb. 2. Since he did NOT see his shadow, that means an early spring. What a treat that would …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 1 MONTH AGO
Even the trees are crying!
As this very short growing season comes to an end, even the trees seem to be crying as their leaves slip off and drift to the ground. A lot of us "growers" feel the same way. As gorgeous as this fall has been, we are all too aware of what …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
It's bulb digging time
As I'm writing this, I'm remembering the nasty surprise Mother Nature gave us just a year ago. Starting on Oct. 10, we received three nights of the coldest early freezes ever in Coeur d'Alene. The worst was on Columbus Day, the 12th, when the early morning temperature went down to …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 5 MONTHS AGO
Moose on the loose!
If you live in the vicinity of Kiwanis Park in Post Falls, chances are you've seen the visiting moose. He was pictured in The Press twice in recent weeks. As exciting as he was to see, I was tickled that he wasn't in MY yard ripping up plants and damaging …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 6 MONTHS AGO
If you blinked, you missed it!
I'm sure you know what I meant with the headline. If not, I'm referring to our summer. Kind of like Mickey Rooney... very short! Pretty sad when you have to put away the tank tops and sandals in August and get out the sweatshirts and socks.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Just who are you calling nasty?
One of my favorite annuals is the nasturtium. These are easy to grow and do best if the seeds are planted directly where you want them to grow. Having large seeds, they're fun and a cinch to plant. Even kids can do it. These were one of the first New …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 7 MONTHS AGO
Picasso's answer to Van Gogh's irises
This brand new petunia variety is called "Pretty Much Picasso." It has very unusual blossoms of a bright magenta with a definite lime green edge around each petal. One plant covers a whole lot of territory. I had a hard time finding it this year, but hopefully, it will be …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
A rose by any other name...
Hi all. Summer sure is flying by, isn't it? Hard to believe it is already August! We're going to need a nice long fall to make up for the nonexistent spring.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 8 MONTHS AGO
Bloomin' fools!
Summer took long enough to get here, but when it finally did, we sure knew it! The Fourth of July seemed to be the turning point as it was downright chilly up until then, but shortly afterward, the heat descended. Boy, did it!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Hope you have a rootin' tootin' Fourth
Happy Fourth of July to all of you! It looks like summer has finally arrived. After getting torrential rain on the official first day of summer, June 21, I was beginning to wonder if we were going to see any warm weather this year.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 9 MONTHS AGO
Nothing like perennials for real flower power
Before I forget, I want to wish all those dads out there, a Happy Father's Day! I hope you don't get stuck cooking on the grill while everyone else lounges in the shade!
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Flowers to banish the June gloom
This appears to be a great year for irises. I have more varieties than I care to admit, but love them all. They are doing an extra special job of blooming this year. Just gorgeous. I have a lot of miniatures which started blooming in early May. They're cute, but …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 10 MONTHS AGO
Who needs a florist?
We made it! Finally got past May 15 and can plant away. The stores are full of annual flowering plants, vegetable starts and perennials. Also lots of trees and shrubs. You name it; they've got it. Just be careful when you're buying perennials. Read the labels to be sure the …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
Time to tiptoe through the tulips!
Some of the early perennials are in flower now. I'm enjoying a nice big clump of "Jack Frost" brunnera. The blossoms are similar to the sky blue flowers of forget-me-nots. This plant has beautiful variegated foliage which stays nice all summer. Another favorite is bleeding heart. These are full of …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 11 MONTHS AGO
If you hang them, they will come!
Hang them? Of course, I mean hummingbird feeders. I put mine up on April 15, as I usually do. (That seems to be a good time here in Post Falls). Anyway, I was rewarded with the first hummingbird chug a lugging the very next day! Some years they don't appear …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 14 YEARS, 12 MONTHS AGO
Two springs are better than one
I have a confession to make. I cheated and have already seen spring. Actually, I just returned from a two-week trip down south. As we drove through Utah, spring began to appear in the form of big clumps of daffodils and lots of flowering trees.
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO
Spring has sprung!
Happy Spring, everybody! Sorry to use such a "bad" picture, but it's a bit too early to be taking pictures of flowers, etc. I don't know about you, but I wasn't one bit sad that we had such a "non-winter" this year. We got enough cold and snow the past …
COEUR D'ALENE PRESS | UPDATED 15 YEARS AGO
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