Double the Delphiniums

Gorgeous spires of blossoms in pinks, purples, blues, and whites emerge in early summer bringing butterflies and hummingbirds with them. To encourage a repeat performance it's essential to remove spent blossoms. Here's how to to bring back your blossoms.

Remember to wear gloves when handling delphiniums since they contain alkaloids that can cause skin irritation. We absolutely love Atlas nitrile gloves. They are super slim, and perfect for light pruning. Plus they come in a bunch of fun colors!

Once blooms have faded, grab you Felco pruners and trim stalks about 3" from the ground. Remove any damaged or yellowing leaves as well. To kick start a second round of color, apply a water soluble fertilizer weekly. Enjoy double the delphiniums!

Woman's Work and Gloves

The sun beckoned me to the yard today. Okay, let's be honest...it wasn't that tough of a job for the sun. Today I grabbed one of my favorite pair of work gloves and my hand pruners and I spend a good portion of the day offering a bit of life support to a few areas of the yard. First, let me say a few words about these gloves. Most importantly, they fit like a glove. :)
That being said, I love them because they are so soft and they move with my every movement and, being made of leather, they have given me good years of service. They are Womans Work gloves and you can find them online at www.womanswork.com. I can't say enough how much I love these gloves.

Once I was all gloved up I took to the flower bed near the back of the house and starting cutting back the coneflowers. I am ashamed to admit that this things should have been done in the fall so I am tardy. My only excuse is that we were in football playoffs? Luckily coneflowers are not very temperamental which is one reason I love them in my garden. When cutting back a coneflower you should trim it all the way to the ground. No need to leave any of the woody stocks as the plant will send everything anew each spring.

All in all it was a good day in the yard. I find that having the right tools and a pair of gloves that I love always makes for a more enjoyable experience. I hope you are enjoying your Spring Cleaning as much as we are!