Archive for May, 2007
Make More Plants with Softwood Cuttings
May 30th, 2007 | 
Author: The free plant guru, Mike McGroarty, has a ton of information on his site on something you should be doing right now: making plants with softwood cuttings. I grew quite a few of my own plants using similar methods and reading books, with plenty of trial and error.
Now, this video gives you a step by step demonstration of making softwood cuttings.
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PayPerPost Direct – a New Way for Gardening Product Companies or Sites to Get a Review
If you are looking for a way to get people blogging about your garden related product or service or you are a blogger who would like some compensation for all of those in depth reviews you write, you won’t want to miss the newest service PayPerPost offers. PayPerPost is a company that helps bloggers and potential advertisers connect easily. Bloggers write a post that includes a link to that advertiser’s site and receive a bit of revenue to help offset all of the costs of having a blog. However, this didn’t work for everyone, especially those bloggers that really wanted to keep blogs on topic or were more interested in offering actual reviews as a service for companies that were trying to make products better. This is where PayPerPost’s new product comes in.
* PayPerPost Direct provides a way for bloggers to write in depth reviews. The special thing about this – companies can make that request for a review right from the blogger’s site, using a PPP Direct button that opens up a small form right at the site when you click on it.
* You may be wondering how this differs from other review site services out there. Well, for one thing, bloggers can earn more money and reviewees can save a bit of money because PPP Direct only charges a 10% fee for handling the transaction. Other review sites take a much bigger chunk of review fees, with a markup of up to 100%. I don’t know about you, but for me the difference means a bigger pile of mulch and manure in my garden!
* PayPerPost Direct protects the blogger and the person or company requesting a review by escrowing the fee until the post is written. As a freelance writer, I know how important this service is.
Seen in the Garden Today
I absolutely love this rose, but I lost its tag, so it will remain nameless.
Ms. Robin was incredibly busy getting worms. I think she has some little mouths to fill nearby.
Every year, I swear I will finish identifying stuff and map the garden beds. Ummm…maybe next year. This is a lovely, nameless clematis.
I don’t feel bad about this one. It’s about 50 years old and came with a house I bought about 8 years ago. I took divisions when I moved. I have no idea what the real name is, but I call it the Lark Peony.
Why on Earth Do You Blog Meme
Liz Strauss started a meme on “Why on Earth do you blog?†Gayla from MomGadget just tagged me with the meme and it is an interesting one, so I’m going to respond.
Why I blog:
1. Sharing my love of gardening – I want everyone to realize how fun and relaxing digging in the dirt can be.
2. Finding an outlet for my writing – I love to write about gardens and gardening and this is a fun way to do it.
3. Networking with other gardeners – I’ve met so many new gardening friends through my blog.
4. Learning new things – If I don’t know something someone asks about, it motivates me to do some research so I can give an accurate and useful answer.
5. Earning a bit of cash – Hey, mulch and seeds are expensive! I don’t expect to retire on the few dollars I make from advertisers on the blog, but it is nice when it pays for its own hosting costs and a packet or two of seeds.
Now that you know why I blog, I’d love to know why Rhanda, Home Office Woman, Mrs. Pickel, Phil and Doris blog.
Tags: blog memes, blogging, weblog
Protecting Gardens from Hurricanes
1. Check trees for dead or damaged limbs. A weak tree branch can become a deadly missle in heavy storms, so it is best to prune trees now. Ask your local arborist to limb up and shape trees with heavy foliage so that the trees will catch less wind. Have any diseased trees cut down now so that they do not fall the wrong way during the storm.
2. Also, call your local utility company and ask them to send a truck out to prune branches that are hanging over electrical wires to lessen the likelihood of a power outage.
3. If you have recently transplanted top heavy grasses, perennials or shrubs, their roots may not be well established. You may want to prune these plants back to avoid having them lift out of the ground during the storm. (I learned this from experience after a recently transplanted grass fell over during a hurricane.)
4. Bring potted plants indoors or place them on the ground, preferably tucked beside porches or next to house walls.
5. Collapse all outdoor furniture and store it in the shed. If you cannot store it, lay it flat on the ground next to the house.
6. Don’t forget your garden ornaments. If possible, store them in your basement or shed. If there is no room, make sure you place items such as gazing balls and bird bath tops flat on the ground in a sheltered spot. Don’t forget to look up as you are collecting ornaments. Wind chimes and bird feeders may not be able to withstand the strong winds.
7. Collect seeds or take cuttings from prize plants in case they do not survive the storm.