JansPlantNursery

Garden Terrace finished. Potting shed roof on.

2009-09-07T21:29:00.006-04:00

TWO projects checked off the list.
At long-last the triple terrace is finished!
And the potting shed now has a sheet-metal roof!

These two projects have been hanging on for months as we chipped away at them a bit at a time.
Today, a land-mark day, they are both done. This is a real benefit to our little Just Plants nursery.

The potting shed got started over a year ago and we have been using it, even tho the water leaked all over us when it rained. Now, with the tin on the roof, we will stay dry this winter. We will still have to get some Cool Seal and mop that on the roofing, but for all practical purpuses the roof is done.

As we ship plants all over the USA, we have to shake most of the potting soil off the roots. This leaves us with wheel barrow loads of left-over potting mix every week. We have been dumping it into a reserve pile while we built the terraces. Now, with the terraces done, we will begin dumping all our left-over potting mix into the terraces.

The terraces will become the home for many of our 'mama' plants, stock plants we will use for propagation in the future. We frequently end up with a plant or two left from a sale and rather than try to advertise them again we plan to tuck them into the terrace. Soon, we will have lovely specimen plants to show our customers who drop in and want to know what 'it' will look like when it grows up.

This hillside where we built the terraces is full of weeds and trash plants. As we have fill dirt ready to use, we lay down a layer of cardboard, newspaper, or shreded paper and then dump the fill dirt on top. It is making weeding so simple I don't know why I haven't been doing this for years! It is called Lasagna Mulching and so much better than trying to kill out weeds any other way. Plus, the added mulch really cuts down on the water requirements.

I managed to keep going on all sorts of other chores and ran out of daylight before I got any photos taken today. I'll get them in the next day or two and post them on our website. www.justplantss.com

Have a great evening.
I hope you got as much accomplished over the Labor Day holiday as we did.

Senior citizens and the dating game

2009-06-26T14:19:00.002-04:00

Where do Senior Citizens go to find a date? That question came up this week and I've been wracking my brain to think of an answer.

When I take into consideration that a generation or more of time has passed since I last dated, the whole world has changed in the meantime!

Going to church is one of the suggestions. Well, even when I was going to church on a regular basis, I was not into the social cliques there, so going back will not improve my outlook in any manner.

I've never been a party person, so the nightclub scene is out.

I like an occassional drink of wine, but don't appreciate the atmosphere of a bar. So, singles bars are probably a last resort. Plus, I don't tolerate cigarette smoke.

There are many cultural events I'd like to attend. I'm sure there would be neat folk to meet at such events. I have a problem. I don't like to go alone. Catch-22. How can I meet people to go out with if I don't have a date to get me there?

I love to camp and do so all alone. I've been told that camping is a good place to find others. Well, I'm alone and they are in family or couple groups. Where do the singles go camping?

Emotional support basis are not easy to build. I'd like to broaden mine.

Any suggestions?

Who Cares?

2009-06-26T14:10:00.003-04:00

Who cares for me?
I spend my life caring for others.
Now, in the later years of my life, there is no one to care for me.
How do I change this?
Be more social, I'm told. Well, I'm not social! I love my solitude!
But....I'm lonely.
My social circle is very limited.
Is that what is happening to you, too?
Where do you turn to find more friends and broaden your social connections?
Church, clubs, interest groups, dating services?
Well, some of that might work.
Why not? Give it a try. Step out of my box and adjust my sights on something further from home base.
Scary? You bet!
I've lived all these years in my little isolated world and now you expect me to venture out into the great black unknown?!!
Yes, I need more people in my emotional support group. I provide that benefit for others, now it is my turn.
Come join me!

Eat from your garden the year around

2009-02-04T10:55:00.005-05:00

Eating out of the garden all year is my constant goal. Some years I manage at least 10 months. Some years the frost gets me and I only manage 9 months.

I live in the upper part of South Carolina. Technically in Zone 7b, but we do get some unusual weather here that is more like Zone 6 at times.

I plant 3 gardens every year.

My first garden goes into the ground from the middle of February to the end of March.
This is when I plant potatoes, peas, onions, greens, carrots, & beets.

My second garden is for the warmer season vegetables. I plant these from mid-April through May.
Beans, cantaloupe, corn, cucumbers, herbs, okra, peppers, squash, & tomatoes.

Then, when it seems that nothing will grow in the heat, I plant my 3rd garden in August. I have to pay attention to keeping things watered, but it is well worth the time and effort.
I put in second plantings of such things as beets, cabbage, carrots, greens of all kinds, onions, peas, and of course, radishes.

I love the results! My frig stays stocked. Nothing beats the flavor of fresh vegetables, right out of the garden.

I've posted a more complete planting list on our website. www.justplantssc.com
Enjoy.

When To Plant Evergreen Trees or Shurbs

2008-11-29T11:33:00.002-05:00

Fall is the best time to plant Leyland Cypress and other evergreen trees and shrubs
Protect your new plants from heat and drought

Plant trees and shrubs in the fall to take advantage of good root-growing weather. Newly planted trees like cool weather. As long as the ground is not actually frozen, trees and shrubs are setting on new roots.

Here in South Carolina, (Zone 7) we experience a lot of open weather in the fall and winter. The ground seldom freezes for more than a few days and then, only down a few inches. This is ideal for new plantings to settle in and put out good root systems.

Leyland Cypress especially enjoy the benefits of fall or winter planting. The long months of cool weather gives them time to become established before hot weather hits. Add a good layer of mulch around your plants and give them even better survival chances next summer.

Affordable landscapes

2008-11-29T11:31:00.001-05:00

Do you need to landscape your yard, but are on a tight budget? Here is a way to do it for less. Buy smaller plants. No, I don’t mean that you should look for types of plants that grow small. I mean, look for plants in smaller containers.

Who says your landscape has to look fully grown when you plant it? Remember, that little starter plant is going to grow, too, and will fill your yard with beauty. Yes, it may take an extra year, but your pocket book will love you.

Explore plant stores and nurseries and find starter plants in small containers. Ask about ‘liners.’ A liner is a young plant that has been grown in a small container and is ready to ‘line’ out in rows. Large nurseries start thousands of plants in cell-flats and when these starts are well-rooted, line them out into the ground to grow larger before selling the bigger plants to you.

Naturally, the larger plant is going to cost the nursery more money and they pass that cost on to you. Short-cut the extra expense and buy liners for your landscape. They frequently survive better than larger plants and give you the same landscape satisfaction as larger plants if you are willing to wait that extra year. They make exactly the same growth in your yard as they would in the nursery field and you don’t have to pay the difference.

More Compost Pointers

2008-11-29T11:30:00.005-05:00

More compost pointers
Remember, you do have junk mail! Newspapers. Cardboard.
Use it!
Works wonders for long-term soil recovery. Keeps down weeds. Holds moisture.
Gets rid of land-fill.....and so many other good things.
Grass clippings do marvels. If you have any lawn to mow, get a grass-catcher for your mower.
All the leaves you rake in the fall are pure gold.
You may not have a large amount of any of the above, but pick a spot and start building one small area at a time.
Years ago, my hubby used to go out early in the morning, ahead of the trash pick-up truck, and gather up bags of grass clippings and leaves. We turned a garden that looked like cement into deep, fertile soil in 2 seasons.
Roam around the country side and spot old bales of hay rotting in the field. Ask. You might get a bargain. It does help to have a pickup or a utility trailer.
Check out the land-fill. Do they have a recycle center for yard waste. Some municipalities have free or inexpensive mulch.
Hair from the hair salon will compost nicely in your garden.
You name it, if it will eventually break down, use it in your composting projects.

Never Build Another Compost Heap Again!

2008-11-29T11:28:00.002-05:00

Quick Compost
Never build another compost heap again!

There are many ways to build up the fertility of your soil. Some of them are very time-consuming. Short-cutting the compost pile and going directly to the soil builds fertility just as well and takes much less time and energy.

Here are several short-cut methods that have worked well for me.

1) If you live out in the country, raise chickens and throw your kitchen garbage into their pen every day. They will love your veggie scraps and give you beautiful eggs in return. Clean the chicken pen now and then and apply the results to your garden or flower beds.

2) Spread leaves and grass clippings directly on the garden. Time will compost them for you and you never have to touch them again. An added benefit is weed-control. Fresh grass clippings are Nature’s manure. Spread them only about 6 inches deep or they will get too hot as they compost and you will loose much of the value of their nutrients.

3) Dig a short trench in your garden (several feet long). Only the width of your shovel and no deeper than the shovel blade. Lay the dirt you dig right beside the trench. Every day, bring out your kitchen garbage and dump it into the beginning of the trench. Dig the next shovel full of dirt from the far end of the trench and use it to cover the kitchen scraps you just emptied into the trench. The garbage rots right where you need it.

4) After every meal prep, put all your veggie peelings into the blender or food processor. Use enough water to allow the blender or processor to chew up all those scraps. Pour the resulting slurry directly on the area you want to enrich. You may need to throw a bit of grass clippings, leaves or other mulch over the veggie water to discourage flies.

Reminder: Please do not use any meat scraps or left-over meat in your compost. It attracts too many critters you don’t want in your garden.

Your ground loves you! You have eliminated smelling land-fill garbage. You have better soil. And best of all, No Back Ache!

Beat the Heat. Save Your Plants

2008-11-14T19:05:00.002-05:00

Cheap and easy way to protect your landscape plants from hot, dry weather

Here in the Upstate of South Carolina, we are experiencing severe drought conditions.
Plants are dying for lack of moisture.
With the information below, you can now put out new plants with confidence and know you are not wasting your time or your money.

What I am about to show you is a very simple way to help your plants stay moist.
You will use this method to keep down a lot of the weeds and not have to mess with groundcover cloth.
Using this simple technique, you promote good growth, too.
And best of all, this is FREE!

Let me show you how to build layers of water-saving mulch to save your plants.
While you are saving your plants, you will be doing yourself and everyone else a recycling favor.

If your home or business is anything like mine, you generate loads of junk mail, phone books, catalogs, cereal, cracker and cardboard boxes every day.
By recycling these valuable resources, you will save your plants.

Some folk call this method Lasagna Mulching.
Here at Just Plants Nursery we call it recycling, too.

Just Plants Nursery has a paper shredder and we put all our junk mail and used computer paper through the shredder and out under our permanent plantings. It really works!

If it is made out of paper, it will bio-degrade! Keep it out of the landfill. Why buy bagged soil amendments when you are hauling mulch home in every grocery bag and picking it up by the handful from your mailbox every day?

Here’s how you do it:
1. Use a shovel and loosen the soil in a small area around where you want to put your plant.
2. Wet down the ground
3. Set your plant in the ground. Set it high in the hole. Leave some of the potting mix showing above the ground to start with.
4. Wet down the ground
5. Dip newspaper sheets in a bucket of water. Place at least 10 layers of wet newspaper all around the plant. Don’t crowd the wet paper up too close to the plant. Mice might like to chew on the paper and enjoy your tree, too.
6. Wet down the newspaper again.
7. Flatten out a large cardboard box. Cut a hole about 3-6 inches larger than your plant.
8. Lay this cardboard around your plant to hold down the wet newspaper.
9. Wet down the cardboard.
10. Mulch over the cardboard and up around the new plant. (Bark or pine straw mulch, leaves, grass clippings, anything that will eventually rot down, but will hold moisture now.
11. Wet down the mulch as you put it down so it is nice and damp.
12. Inspect you tree now and then to see if it needs anything else.
13. Fertilize in the Spring.
14. Renew the mulch as needed.
15. If the grass and weeds really take over, put down more layers of wet newspaper and cardboard and mulch.
16. This method will help hold moisture for weeks at a time during dry weather and discourage weeds.

Brought to you by Just Plants Nursery 475 Babb Road Campobello, SC 29322 (864) 895-9660

www.justplantssc.com

jmyers61@bellsouth.net
Janice Myers

World's Best Plant Adoption Agency

2008-06-18T21:59:00.003-04:00

At Just Plants Nursery in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, we like to think that we are finding good homes for our plants.

We jokingly label ourselves the World's Best Adoption Agency for Little Plants.

I know it sounds humorous, but plants like you or they don't like you.
Have you ever heard folk say they kill plants by looking at them.
Don't laugh! It happens. Some folk just don't vibe with plants and the plants let them know how unhappy the person is making the plant feel.

I happen to have a green thumb. Actually, it is not green at all, but very brown.
I like plants and they respond by growing well for me.
I also like to see our little plants find good homes.
I don't send out a plant caseworker to visit your home before I'll ship you a plant, but you get the idea.

Our plant adoption agency is open for business 24/7. Go look. Enjoy all the lovely plant photos. Pick out a few plants you'd like to adopt and send us an email.
Even if you don't plan to adopt right away, bookmark our site so you can find us again.

If you are just learning about plants and how to care for them, be sure and click on the link in the left-hand margin and take a look at all the free information Mike offers. Or click it right here and come back to our website later.

Shipping Plants and the high cost of freight

2008-06-17T23:55:00.004-04:00

On May 12, 2008, the US Postal Service took postage rates to a new high!
At Just Plants Nursery in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, we ship plants all over the United States.

We endeavor to keep our plant prices low, and depend on volume to make up the difference. Postage is a huge part of the costs we must ask our customers to pay.

Do you ship your merchandise/products/materials to your customers?
What are you doing about postage in your business?

I'd really hate to have to go back to the 'horse & buggy' days, but postage is really getting out-of-sight. Someone needs to come up with an alternative.

Any ideas?
I'm ready for some.
Let's discuss this and see what we can come up with.
Carrier Pidgeons are extinct. What do we have available in the 21st Century?

Free plants earn me an income

2008-06-14T17:35:00.004-04:00

I go out with a sissors or a clipper and cut sticks off plants.
These pieces of plants I poke into flats full of sand.
Set under a series of misting sticks, the cuttings take root and produce plants for me.
As these new little rooted cuttings grow, I sell them to landscapers, nurseries, and others who are seeking to beautify their property.
You can do it, too!

You can do this in your own back yard, just as I am doing.

My website will show you what I do.

http://www.justplantssc.com/