I have a large beautiful strawberry terra cotta planter that I did not place away from the elements as well as I should have. So it has a small amount of damage. If I repair it now before out gardening season gets underway I may be able to save the planter.

photo credit: SuperFantastic

There are several ways to repair terra cotta. Depending on the pot and its sentiment you may wish to fix it. I myself think terra cotta is great and use these pots more than others.

My terra cotta strawberry pot is 3 foot tall. I have some of the terra cotta flaking off the one side. Here is one way to repair a terra coot pot.

Terra Cotta Repair for Glazed or Unglazed Garden Pots

• Clean off all dirt thoroughly. This means scrubbing and washing. If the pot is very dirty I use baking soda and a toothbrush. White vinegar will also clean pots. If the dirt is light regular dishwater will do the trick.
• Once the pot is clean and dry, pry open the crack slightly with a thin shim.
• Apply waterproof silicone caulk into the crack
• Next remove the shim and wrap a length of wire or cord around the pot to hold the crack closed.
• If you used wire twist the ends of the wires together with pliers until the crack is closed and held tight. Cord is a little trickier to get a tight close to the crack and enough pressure. It helps to have help so corner a family member!
• Let the silicone dry thoroughly. Instructions are on the tube for drying times.
• Remove the wire or cord when the pot is dry and set.
• Carefully scrape away any excess silicone.
• This will work on small to medium cracks

I will try this process if my terra cotta paste does not work.

Terra cotta paste

My problem is the terra cotta is flaking in a 3-inch spot on my pot. If its not fixed it will just get worse and the pot will be ruined. So I plan to take old terra cotta pieces I have from broken pots and grind it up into fine sand. Then I will add glue and make a thick paste I can smooth onto the pot.

I will smooth it into place and let dry for several days. If it works I will then sand it and add a sealer to this section to make sure the patch stays in place.

Hopefully it will work and save this wonderful pot. I’ll let you know how the project turns out.

PS: Terra cotta pots can be fun to decorate to match your patio, gardens or balcony. You can  create people and animals for garden art from them along with fountains and night lights.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, backyard projects, garden pots, repair terra cotta planters, terra cotta pots

Perennial flowers have an advantage over annuals if you’re looking for low maintenance gardens. I often place perennials in tucked away areas of the yard or on hillsides. I also find a perennial garden work perfectly for a small space garden.

photo credit: DubyDub2009

But just because a flower is a perennial does not mean they take no care. I also add a few annuals to a perennial garden area to fill in holes and give you those bright splashed of continuous color annuals are known for.

Perennial planting tips:

1. Perennial flowers are best planted in mid to late spring. This gives them time to adjust to their new home and get a solid roothold before the heat of summer.
2. Perennials are generally in a root ball form. You will not see many roots unless the plant is root bound and this will create problems with the plant growing properly. You may have to divide the plant to loosen the roots.
3. Plan ahead and count how many plants you plan on putting into the ground. If there are more than 5 medium sized plants, you want an area about 7 1/2 feet to plant in. Measure out the area of your yard that gets good morning light and evening shade. Perennials thrive in this lighting situation.
4. Find the area in your yard that will accommodate the area needed for your number and size of plants. If your perennials were bought in a store, refer to the tag as to how much water and light each plant will need. You may want to research the perennial plant varieties more to aid you in plant placement.
5. When planning your garden area create the garden in an oval or flowing shape instead of square or rectangular, unless you are setting up a formal garden look. Flowing lines create a more natural look.
6. Plant you perennials varieties in groups of 3, 5 or 7. Odd planting numbers look more natural.
7. Group perennial varieties instead of spacing them out one by one have a richer fuller look in the garden.
8. A good rule is for small plants are to plant them 6 to 12 inches apart. For medium plants, space them 12 to 18 inches apart and for large or tall plants 1 1/2 to 3 foot apart. This will give the plants ample room for roots to expand and grow.
9. Remember that if you plant your perennials too close, you will have to divide them up later so the roots do not become overgrown.  If you must divide, do so in the late spring and early summer with plenty of water available. As a rule of thumb most perennial varieties will need divided every 3 to 5 years.
10. After you have divided the plants move them to a portion of the yard that has ample light and room for the plants to grow. If you have more plants than you want you can always trade them with neighbors for new perennial varieties you may not have.
11. If you are planting seeds and have no plant tag, read the instructions on the seed pack for the type of flower you are raising or research online.
12. When I plant perennial seeds I always add annuals to the garden area. Perennials grow slow form seeds and will not be as showy the first year so annuals will add color and a full look while the new plants take root.

Each perennial has different specifications for light and water. Check with a local greenhouse for more information on specific flowers, or use the Internet to search your perennial plants needs.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, Perennial Garden, perennial gardening tips, perennial plant care, perennials, Small Space Garden

Any garden or backyard flowerbed needs good soil to give the gardens and floral display a lush and hardy look.

photo credit: doug_wertman

And if you are using raised bed techniques you often create most of your soil. So knowing how to identify your soil and make it healthier will benefit your overall garden and gardening experience.

The following you tube will show you more about good soil.

I tend to use lasagna gardening methods for soil. That is building the soil up on top of the soil. I don’t have to dig this way and I know my soil is health and will drain well.

I started using this method because I did not have a way to dig my garden and I had a lot of excess materials that could be composted.

Even if your backyard does not have a garden or flowerbed you often have shrubs, trees and areas that just may need additional soil.  Knowing good soil will help these areas. And if you have a small compost bin you can make your own soil or fill your own flower baskets and planters.

Technorati Tags: backyard gardens, gardens, good soil, lasagna gardening, make good soil

Are toads beneficial to the garden? Yes! They have a large appetite for bad bugs. And besides that they add laugher and interest to your backyard and garden areas.

photo credit: darrenlewis1984

I never thought that much about toads in the garden until one year when I grew a unique cucumber with spines on the exterior. This vegetable grew like crazy and the trellis I put up for the cucumber plants looked like a jungle. It was so full the cucumbers were hard to pick and the area was shady.

One day I noticed I had left a little clay pot near the bottom of the trellis. (I cover all small squash and cucumber seedlings at night when they are young. It protects them from squash bugs.) I was going to pick it up and put it away until I noticed a toad was using it for a house. The pot gave the toad a dark, moist hiding place during the day.

The toad seemed content to stay in the cucumber patch area. It would watch me, tucked away in the pot, work in the gardens.

The next year I put a terra cotta pot back in the garden in a shady area and the toad returned. Every night, toads will stalk and consume 50 to 100 unwanted pests including slugs, cut worms, and flies. So if you like natural insect control, the toad is your answer.

To attract toads to your garden or near your pond or water garden, find a location to attract toads. You are looking for a soft, moist area with as little wind as possible. You also need an area about one foot square in an area that you can leave alone.

Next, build your toad a home. Any form of natural, miniature cave-like waterproof sturdy shelter will do. The toad just needs to be able to move in and out freely, remain on cool, moist soil while inside, and are hidden from overhead predators and severe weather.

photo credit: mara

A favorite method is to lay a medium-sized unglazed terra cotta flowerpot on its side and sink part of it into the ground. Toads love to climb inside and the clay pot provides a moist climate. Stones or bricks can also be arranged into a permanent mini shelter, but they require more work to set up.

Some people recycle other types of old, broken heavy plant containers. They turn them upside down in the garden after breaking a large enough opening on the top edge as a doorway. By using a broken pot you have you can use colors that match your yard or plants. It can even be considered garden art.

You can even buy commercial toad houses in garden centers and garden supply stores. But why not have the fun of making the toad house yourself? And it’s a great children’s project.

The last step is to protect the surroundings. Place the pot in a place that has some privacy. And make sure the area has little or no chemicals that would hurt a toad. Those who attract toads for garden pest control usually use natural methods in their gardens, so toxins in the garden are probably not a concern. A pool area might have toxins though.

You can further attract toads by providing a flat stone for a sunning area that gets sun, but is also somewhat surrounded by vegetation or natural shelter. This will give them protection and a feeling of security.

Toads don’t need as much water as frogs; you can provide water by setting a shallow waterproof tray with pebbles and stones on the ground. A gradual edge works best, and no deeper than an inch or so of water is needed.

Note: Frogs and toads are disappearing, so when you attract toads, you’re also helping the planet.  And you are practicing natural garden pest control.

Technorati Tags: backyard gardens, natural insect control, toad houses

The backyard garden is a hot trend even more this year than last according to the orders from garden magazines and garden supply companies.

photo credit: Hair Squared
Growing your own groceries is taking over homes and communities. A recent survey by the National Gardening Association shows a 19 percent burst of new hobby country farms and urban edible gardens over the last year.

With this growing trend,  gardeners and small space backyards are coming up with new ideas to make the most out of their growing area. Rooftop gardens, fire escape gardens, and container gardening ideas are popping up in towns and cities everywhere. The use of vertical growing along walls and fences is becoming a common sight in busy downtown areas.

Many years back the garden was a mix of ornamentals and the edible – roses beside tomatoes, beds edged with herbs and veggies used as annuals. And many flowers were used as arrangements one moment and as salad decorations or spices the next.

As both parents went to work and more time was spent away from the home, gardening and the use of space were set aside. But times are changing.

With the trend towards “Going Green” lawns are being replaced with herbs, edible gardens and moveable gardens. With less emphasis on a green lawn there is a large decrease in the use of water, saving the family money and time. This is also  creating more growing space.

photo credit: woodleywonderworks

There is also a movement to turn the front lawn into vegetable gardens and rain gardens. This garden plan uses mulches and hardscape for the design and mixed planting of edible shrubs, herbs and plants for color and interest.

If your thinking of revamping your lawn to a more environmentally friendly garden area your local garden center will be able to help you select edible plants and shrubs.

Technorati Tags: Backyard Garden, edible gardens, garden trends, garden trends 2010, going green