Whether you live where it rains or where it pours, there’s a great, easy way you can conserve water for garden use.

Where I live (Calif.) that’s a very big deal, as we Californians head into a third consecutive drought year.

Rain “harvesting” isn’t a new concept, but let’s just say this oldie is a goodie.

It’s as simple as setting up a simple capture system to redirect rainwater off the roof to a barrel.

Collecting Water - photo by Prem Anand

Whether you use a wine barrel to collect rainfall from your rooftop or recycle waste water from household sinks, bathtubs, showers and washing machines, you’re doing your water bill and the planet good.

If all this sounds like too much work, there’s always a very easy way to save–turn off the sprinklers during the winter, sunless it’s really dry and windy, in which case run them every so often. Get to know your sprinkler system and learn how to turn it off.

According to local experts in my hometown, Sacramento residents devote 60 percent of residential water use to their outdoor irrigation, and of that, 40 to 60 percent is wasted, as most homeowners over water by 200 to 300 percent.”

You can buy rain barrels here. Or buy a whole rain water collection system here. Or, take a baby step and turn off your sprinklers in the winter time.

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Winter is tough on plants, which are often exposed to hard wind, rain and freezing temperatures, not to mention snow.

Luckily, there are ways to protect the pants in your garden and yard from frost. When the temperature drops to freezing, or 32 degrees, frost damage can be minimal and only affect a leaf or two. But if the temperature continues to drop, plant cells will freeze, and non hardy plants will die.

Of course the best way to protect your garden from frost is to only grow plants that can withstand the frost. Ask a qualified local nurseryman what plants are suitable to grow in your area.

If the forecast calls for frost where you live, cover your garden plants before dusk. Use newspaper, cardboard, plastic tarps, bed sheets or any other lightweight material to create a tent of protection. Remove the covers in the morning after the frost has thawed.

Potted plants can be brought indoors overnight, or brought under cover on a porch or patio.

If despite your best efforts, frost damage occurs, leave the dead or damaged parts intact, as they will provide limited insulation from further frost damage.

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Believe it or not, winter is the perfect time to prune fruit trees. According to certified arborist Michael Farmer, who resides in Sacramento, Calif., pruning fruit trees in the early Spring allows wounds to heal, and also allows you to see the buds to avoid.

Fruit tree pruning is beneficial in that it promotes fruit tree health, disease management, and better fruit yield. In addition, fruit tree pruning helps control the size and shape of your tree.

There are three types of fruit tree pruning, and each is conducted according to the type of tree in question.

The Central-Leader System
Apple, pear and sweet cherry trees rely on a “central leader”, or a main stem or trunk of the tree from which other lateral branches develop. These trees are pruned by thinning the lateral branches.

The Open-Center System
Peach, plum, nectarine, apricot and sour cherry trees rely on this system, as there is no dominant, vertical trunk (central leader). For these trees, pruning is based around three or four main limbs set at wide angles with about five lesser branches on each.

The Modified-Leader System
Nut, apple and pear trees can be pruned using this method, which is based upon giving the central leader and three or four lateral branches equal importance.

For specific instructions on fruit tree pruning, click here. http://www.lawn-and-gardening-tips.com/fruit-tree-pruning-instructions.html

For a more detailed description of fruit tree pruning, click here. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/ag29.html

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The next time you’re at the nursery, or browsing for seeds online, be sure to check out where you are on the USDA Hardiness Zone Map, which divides North America into 11 separate zones.

Each zone is 10°F warmer (or colder) in an average winter than the adjacent zone.

When you see a “hardiness zone” in a catalog or plant description, it’s most likely referring to this USDA map.

To find your USDA Hardiness Zone, enter your zip code here. You’ll also find a regional report, public gardens in your zip code, plants in your zone, and local events of interest.

I’m in Zone 8A. What’s your zone?

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For new gardeners, those hanging baskets can be a little overwhelming.  On one hand, everyone would love to have a hanging basket or two, or three, but for many, that is a big investment to make on a basket.  of course, anyone can make a hanging basket for a lower price but as a new gardener, it can be a little daunting and most are left with the certainty that they would never be able to produce the same effects as the garden center.

But that is not true and even new gardener’s can create a beautiful hanging basket. All they need to do is follow this step by step how to guide.

What you need:

• Large bucket
• Wire Basket:  You can pick these up at craft and garden stores.  They don’t have a solid bottom but instead have a wire frame instead.
• Peat Moss:  If you don’t want to use peat moss, you can use black plastic instead.
• Potting Soil
• Plants
• Watering Can
• Gardening Gloves:  This is important if you are using peat moss but using gardening gloves will protect your hands for all your gardening projects.

Directions:

1. Place the hanging basket frame into the large bucket so it is resting on the top. This is to provide you with a workspace so the basket doesn’t shift as you work.
2. Take the peat moss and line the bottom and sides of the frame.  If you are using the black plastic, simply line the basket with the plastic.  Do not trim the excess plastic until later.
3. Using the potting soil, fill half of the hanging basket.  Make sure that you fix the plastic so it is not bunching at the sides and the bottom.  You will want as clean a surface as possible.
4. At this point, you can either fill the basket with flowers or you can have planting holes in the sides of your basket.  To do the latter, simply cut a small hole in the peat moss or plastic and carefully insert the roots of a plant through the holes.  Make sure you pack the soil around the roots to prevent slipping and to ensure the best growth for the plant.
5. Once you are done with the side plantings, fill the top of the basket with your plants.  You do not need to dig down into the soil to do this, simply arrange the plants and that is it.
6. After the plants are in place, take more potting soil and fill in around the plants.
7. Pack the potting soil down and bring the level of potting soil to just below the rim of the hanging basket.
8. Trim away the excess black plastic so it is even with the rim.
9. Repack any of the soil that may have come lose when you were trimming and make sure that the soil is firm around the plants.  Add more potting soil if you need to to ensure that the plants are in firm soil.
10. Water the hanging basket and then hang it in the place where you would like it to go.

And once you are done, you will see how easy it can be to create your very own hanging baskets.  The only problem you will probably have is making too many.

Sirena Van Schaik

Hanging Basket on Light Post Credit: © Tektite | Dreamstime.com

Hanging Basket Photo Credit: © Ulga | Dreamstime.com

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