Garden Gate January/February 2023

Gardening can be a solitary experience. Nongardeners don’t always understand that it’s actually relaxing to tune out the rest of the world and take on a big weeding or pruning project. The unique combination of physical activity, mental focus, fresh air, soil and plants has so many benefits. But gardening is a good way to connect with others too. Have you ever seen a new acquaintance’s eyes light up when he or she discovers that you’re both gardeners? All of the sudden you’re looking at phone pics, exchanging deer-proofing spray recipes and sharing favorite spots to buy plants! Last year Garden Gate organized two tours of gardens in England, and our photographer Jack Coyier and I were lucky enough to host these trips. Yes the gardens were beautiful and awe-inspiring, but…

How to Grow Ranunculus Flowers These showy flowers make great early spring container plants. We’ll show you how to save money by starting the tubers yourself, as well as tips for keeping them blooming longer. GardenGateMagazine.com/articles/flower-plants/ Does Your Orchid Need Repotting? If your orchid pot is jam-packed with roots, it may be time to repot. Watch our video to see how it’s done. GardenGateMagazine.com/articles/how-to/ Seed-Starting Setups Anyone can start seeds! Let us show you the secrets to success, whether you’re starting with a budget-friendly homemade setup or have invested in a system with more bells and whistles. GardenGateMagazine.com/articles/how-to/start-seeds/…

Stabilize Your Miniatures Lee Wikoff, MN Frustrated by a fairy garden that doesn’t stay in place? Lee has a miniature landscape in one of his gardens, and unfortunately, the items are easily knocked over by the wind and scurrying critters. So he picked up some galvanized roofing nails (the longer the nail, the better), which have a large, flat head, and glued them to the bottom of his miniature garden items using construction adhesive. Now they stay in place, no problem! A Feeder Fit for Hungry Orioles Cheryl Abernathy, OH If your oriole feeder isn’t keeping up with the birds’ appetites, listen up: Cheryl decided that instead of refilling her small feeder with jelly twice a day, she would craft a larger feeder that could hold more. She set a round butter dish lid into…

Rhizosphaera Needle Cast Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii Appearance Rhizosphaera needle cast is a fungal disease that causes the needles of spruce (Picea spp.) trees to fall off. The infection begins on the bottom branches, and older needles turn brown in late summer and fall while new needles at the tips remain green. Without control, the infection can continue up the tree to infect more branches. Spread You might spot the fungus spores, which look like tiny black dots, on the fallen needles. They spread by splashing water from rain or a sprinkler during warm, wet weather. Multiple spruce trees planted close together or trees that have poor air circulation and aren’t able to stay dry are at risk. Control First, send a sample of the needles to your local extension office to confirm the type of needle cast. Fungicide…

Out of space on the windowsill because you have too many little jars of plant cuttings? For some of us, it’s a problem! Here’s an idea to get those cuttings off the sill or kitchen counter and looking cute while they root. KEEP GLASS CLEAN A vase or jar used to start cuttings can get dirty with bacteria and mineral deposits. Here’s a florist trick to clean your glassware: 1. Fill the vase with hot water. 2. Drop in a denture cleaning tablet (or two, depending on the size of the glass) and let it fizz. 3. When it is done fizzing, dump the water and use a bottle brush to wipe out remaining residue. 4. Rinse thoroughly and dry. From mops to props You may already have just the thing for this project in your closet: A…

Taking photos of your plants, produce and flowers is a great way to share your garden with others and keep a visual reference from year to year. But sometimes I’m disappointed that my images don’t look like what I see with my eyes. With that in mind, I asked Garden Gate’s senior videographer and photographer, Jack Coyier, to share a few tips from his decades of experience photographing plants and gardens. He says that you don’t need professional photography equipment to get a great shot. If you start by learning the features and functions on your specific smartphone, then take these suggestions, you’ll have plenty of tools for capturing beautiful photos. Let’s take a look at a few of Jack’s professional tips. PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIGHT Experiment with different types of…