Flower Tip I Learned Today

Are you still enjoying your outdoor summer garden? If you are looking to replace your tired-looking planters, like mine,  you can  find a few annuals and planters, (amongst the mums), that are still full and gorgeous by taking a trip to your local garden store: Each of these planters above, there are two, were originally priced at $35.00 each. The store sold them to me for only $10.00 each! They are practically giving them away if you are looking for a little late summer sunshine on your porch. Petunias are still going strong here in NH: While I was at the garden store, the owner asked if I knew the correct way to deadhead petunias. Now I am not a master gardener, but I thought I knew the correct way to break off the dead flower: I always pinched it like this at the base of flower: Well, that answer is wrong. I learned the correct place to snap off the spent flower is at the base of the stem it is on. Like this: That way you do not end up with seed pods growing. Like this: I am sure some of you already knew this. But I received so many letters after I wrote about not throwing away those dead orchids here: I was not the only one who did not know that flower fact! The orchids are again re-blooming and are beautiful! Hopefully I taught you a new trick with your petunias also. I hope you all had a chance to read my interview this week on Maria Killam’s blog, Color Me Happy here. It was so exciting for me to be featured. She is like a color superstar! :) Have a great Holiday weekend everyone! Kelly