Grape hyacinths are a group of plants in the genus Muscari of plants native to Eurasia, and they are some of the earliest blooms in spring. Planted as bulbs both in lawns and flowerbeds, grape hyacinths produce spikes of blue flowers resembling bunches of grapes. These vibrant blossoms have a lovely fragrance.
Surprisingly, grape hyacinths are not actually hyacinths at all, but are actually in the Lily family. They make good companions to Daffodils, Tulips, alyssum, candytuft, and most spring plants, and they tolerate most soils well. They thrive in full sun to part shade and are a good choice if deer are a problem in your area.
One species of Muscari bulbs, βολβοί (meaning “bulbs”) in Greece, and lampascioni, lampasciuni, and lamponi in the Puglia region of Italy are pickled and eaten. Yum.
 GARDENING TIPS
April is a beautiful time in Taos, and there is a lot to do in the garden. So put on those gloves, bust out those garden tools, and dig in. Fertilizing, pruning, and planting, oh my!
Fertilize
Now is the time to feed all your hungry trees and shrubs, your lawn, and your bermuda or warm season grasses. Don’t forget to fertilize your broadleaf and needle leaf evergreens by lightly spreading a high nitrogen fertilizer around their bases.
Prune
April is a great time to prune those conifers that need it. Remove all the dead or diseased wood, as well as any undesirable wood, but be careful not to go too far. Wait until your Forsythia finishes flowering before pruning, but you can go ahead and cut back any oleander now.
Planting and More
It won’t be long before you can plant just about anything. Are you excited for those new tomato plants, flowering shrubs, and bulbs? Go for it! Be careful to keep any transplants well-watered during our Taos dry spells, though. Consider planting a special tree on Arbor Day this year, too. As soon as all frost danger has passed, go ahead and move any stored geraniums, fuchsias, and other plants back outside. Prune them as needed, feed them, and check to see if they need to be repotted. Once they are situated, water them well.
"I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature's rebirth?"
- Edward Giobbi
Enjoy |
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april calendar
1 April Fool's Day
2 First Photograph of the Sun Taken, 1845
5 National Read a Road Map Day
6 New Moon
7 World Health Day
10 National Sibling Day
13 Thomas Jefferson born, 1743
15 Leonardo da Vinci born, 1452
20 Full Moon
22 Earth Day
25 Arbor Day
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MULCH : Put a layer of mulch around the bases of all your trees and plants. These chunks of peat moss, bark or gravel will reduce evaporation and the plants will require much less watering.
CHOOSE PLANTS WISELY : Plant a sustainable lawn and choose your plants wisely. You don’t have to plant Cacti to have a nice yard that doesn't require watering.
RECYCLE GRAY WATER : “Gray water” is the wastewater from anywhere in your home, except your toilets. Water from dishes, showers, sinks, and laundry makes up as much as 80% of residential "waste" water. Gray water is basically used water containing small bits of compost and is ideal for garden and landscape irrigation. Check out www.graywater.net for more information.
INSTALL A CISTERN : Cisterns are an easy way to collect rain, gutter water, and other runoff for later use. Not just for the off-the-grid folks, cisterns can be the size of a barrel at the end of your gutter, or they can hold thousands of gallons and support huge gardens or groves of thirsty trees. Several folks at YART have cisterns at their homes, so feel free to drop in to find out more.
LET YOUR GRASS GROW : If you have a lawn, avoid cutting it any shorter than three inches high in order to minimize the amount of water needed by the roots. Longer grass keeps the soil cool and slows evaporation, so you won’t need to water as often. |
Dear Soup,
Why do dogs like to lick their, uh, hindquarters so much? Is there a way to train our dog to not do this so that our toddler will stop trying to master this trick?
Sincerely,
Frazzled Mom 
Dear Frazzled Mom,
Oh, we dogs like to lick there simply because we can, and humans only wish they could have such versatility. Eventually your toddler will realize that she cannot accomplish this feat of brilliance. Please send her my condolences. Soon, however, she will move on to chewing shoes and lapping her food out of a bowl. It is only natural that she look up to the canine in her home. Embrace it.
Namaste,
Soup |
Many bird enthusiasts in Taos and elsewhere enjoy putting up birdhouses and nesting boxes specifically designed for the bluebird. To deter predators and ensure that the nestlings will be able to get out when they are ready, it is important to have the correctly sized hole in the nesting box. A 1 1/2" entrance hole is needed for the Eastern Bluebird and Western Bluebird, while 1 9/16" is the ideal diameter for the Mountain Bluebird.
For more information about bluebirds and recommended plans for their birdhouses and nesting boxes, visit the National Bluebird Society online at www.nabluebirdsociety.org.
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Amaryllis Series : Photographs on Canvas
by Jane Glenn
a new exhibition at YART
we don't see things as they are,
we see them as we are.
anais nin
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Editor/Writer : Whitney Glenn
Layout : Emily Bakko |
