Workshops – Make and Enjoy! What’s Coming UP.

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Posted on February 2, 2016

I promise to get back to posting about plants very soon! But, I want to take a moment to let you now of the workshops on the 2016 Calendar. They are listed below.

We kick off the year with Floral Design scheduled for this Saturday. Can’t wait. I will share photos of our floral creations the week following.

After that, I will be at a local bookstore for an Authors & Artisans’ Event in Broad Brook. See the date and link below. Garden journals and mini plants will be available for purchase, plus floral arrangements by JEM’s. Swing by to see this quaint bookstore on Main Street and visit with local small business owners. Learn about their services and more.

However, the pace doesn’t stop there – Next is the Hartford Flower Show. If interested in car pooling from Broad Brook on Saturday, February 20th, reach out. We have a small group forming. It helps with sharing parking fees and we learn from each other as we walk and talk the flower show floor.

That’s the start of the year in February, but – wait there’s more. My annual workshops kick in from there where we “learn – make – and celebrate combining nature with art”.

For photos of prior workshops, visit my Pinterest board. We hope you will join us this year – we love meeting new friends at these events and classes.

WORKSHOPS BY DATE

February 6, 2016 – Saturday – 11 am to 1 pm
FLORAL DESIGN with JEM’S HORTICULTURE AND FLORAL DESIGN
$45 pp

February 13, 2016 – Saturday *
Authors & Artisans Valentine’s Shopping Event
Book Club Bookstore & More in Broad Brook, CT
10 am – Free to Attend

February 20th – Saturday *
Group Meet Up: Flower Show in Hartford – 9 am
Meet in Broad Brook; Car Pool

May 14, 2016 – Saturday, 11 am to 2 pm
CONTAINER GARDEN WORKSHOP – Edibles, Herbs, Veggies, and More!
$15 pp (plus cost of plant purchases at class)

May 21, 2016 – Saturday, 11 am to 2 pm
CONTAINER GARDEN WORKSHOP AT STRONG FAMILY FARM, Vernon, CT
Registration Fee TBD

May 28th – Saturday *
CONTAINER GARDEN TALK – HOW TO’S AND DESIGN TIPS
Ellington Farmers Market
Free to Attend – At the Gazebo at the Market

July 23rd – Saturday, 11 am – 1 pm
NATURE WITH ART CLASS PROGRAM with TIMEFLIESBYLAURALIE
Theme: Working with Wine Bottles! More Details Soon.
Registration Fee TBD

October – Date to Be Announced
PUMPKIN CARVING & PUMPKIN STUFFING WITH FLOWERS AND SUCCULENTS
Stay tuned!
Registration Fee TBD

October 15, Saturday, 11 am – 12 pm
OVERWINTERING TROPICAL PLANTS
$15 pp

December 3rd, Saturday, 11 am – 2 pm
THE 7TH ANNUAL KISSING BALL & HOLIDAY CREATIONS WORKSHOP
Fresh Mixed Greenery, Wreaths, Kissing Balls, Candle Centerpieces
$38-$40 pp

December 7th, Wednesday, 5 pm – 7 pm
WEEKDAY WORKSHOP: KISSING BALL & HOLIDAY CREATIONS WORKSHOP
$38-40 pp

***

All workshops are located in Broad Brook, CT unless otherwise noted above.

*The items listed with asterisks are not workshops, but special events of interest.

And see our Side Bar menu on this blog for Garden Talks at various garden clubs in our surrounding towns too.

Thank you – Cathy Testa

What a Month!

And what a year ahead…

2016 will be filled with exciting new workshops and garden talks, but I have to comment on what a wonderful past month or so it has been installing container gardens for business clients with greenery and festive fun, holding the big “Kissing Ball and Holiday Creations” workshop with 35 attendees this month, and making wreaths, kissing balls, evergreen garlands, candle centerpieces, swags, and more for clients all month long.

These photos of my Instagram feed say it all.

It’s been a pleasure serving you and I’m looking forward to the new year!

Thank you again everyone, and have a Festive Holiday and Christmas.

Only two more days to go!

Cathy T

Making Your Own Evergreen Creations – This Saturday at the Mini Workshop!

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Posted on December 7, 2015

Just a quick heads-up – If you missed the big Holiday Evergreens Creations Workshop this past Saturday, there are other opportunities to make your own evergreen creation – via appointment this week or attend the Mini Workshop on Saturday, December 12th, 11 am.

(Note, the start time is 11 am but if you prefer earlier in the day, or later, just let me know – I realize everyone has super busy holiday schedules right now – we are flexible).

To attend Saturday’s class, email containercathy@gmail.com or call or text me at 860-977-9473. Payment in advance is not required – You may pay at the class, but a confirmed headcount is needed, so sign up by Thursday of this week if you wish to join the Mini Workshop on Saturday.

We have fresh beautiful greens to make a Kissing Ball, Candle Centerpiece, Wreath, or Candy Cane Wreath.

Here’s more details!

Open Studio Days – The week following the Big Class, if you prefer a one-on-one instruction by appointment, you may contact Cathy T to book a date and time – any time of day the week of Dec 7th, Monday through Dec 11, Friday. This is convenient for those having time during the day or prefer to make an item after work or even before work.

Saturday’s Mini Workshop

Saturday, December 12th, 2015 – The Mini Workshop: This session is perfect for anyone, nice for mothers and young daughters, or anyone that could not make the Big Class. It is quieter, no festivities other than making your beautiful evergreen holiday items with more one on one personal instruction directly since it is not a big crowd. You will learn the techniques and tricks to making gorgeous greenery arrangements and take home your holiday creation.

Cost: $37-$40 based on item you elect to make.
See the menu bar for descriptions.

Location: 72 Harrington Road, Broad Brook, CT 06016

I hope to hear from you! Cathy Testa

860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

Photos by Bonnie of the Home Place Blog. That’s her on the top left in pink! She is wonderful and shares posts about food, events, and fun happenings in Connecticut. Check out Bonnie’s award winning blog for more on her amazing topics about places to eat and enjoy in Connecticut.

Keeping Holiday Greens Fresh after Assembly

2 Comments

Posted on December 2, 2015

Hello Everyone,

The temperatures are getting a little colder here in Connecticut and the misty rain is making things outdoors a bit damp, but it will not dampen my spirits – In fact, it will make them even brighter.

As my big Kissing Ball and Holiday Evergreen Creations class is approaching – in only 3 days – I welcome the colder temps and feeling of winter – It also helps me to maintain the goodness of my specially ordered mixed evergreens for this weekend’s class.

This year, we have lots of newbies in my workshop. Some of them seem a little nervous, saying or texting things like, “I’m not crafty” and “I want to sit in the front of the class,” but I believe they will surprise themselves.

All my attendees end up making something amazing and they impress me every year with their talents as they decorate the kissing balls and wreaths. I learn from them as well.

Kissing Ball with Bow Created at ContainerCrazyCT Classes

But after the class, they may be wondering, how do I keep everything fresh?

For starters, the cold weather really helps – and it best for them to keep their newly made holiday arrangements with fresh evergreens outside.

The natural moisture from misty winter rains and upcoming snow falls outdoors keeps the greens just right. Colder is better to retain needles.

But, the type of evergreen also determines how it will fare in the weather after being cut and inserted into the mechanics.

For example, fir and balsam trees cuttings last very well for a long time. Their needle retention is pretty good – that is why people like them for Christmas trees.

Keep Your Holiday Creations Outdoors

It is also important or helpful, but not mandatory, to keep your wreath or kissing ball out of direct sunlight and wind. The wind may dry out the needles somewhat faster than if located in a protected place outdoors.

You may hang your kissing ball indoors – like from a ceiling fan or chandelier, however, it will dry out faster in a warm house. If you really want to do that for décor during your festivities later in the month, a good tip is to hang it outside the weeks or days before so it stays cold, and move it to your indoor location a couple days before your holiday event.

And be sure to keep any holiday arrangements with fresh greens away from hot rooms heated by wood stoves. That will surely dry them out.

I also recommend any candle centerpieces are kept in the coldest room possible before you display them at your holiday dinner table.

Fake Red Carnations on a Regular Sized Evergreen Kissing Ball

I find my kissing ball, hanging outside by my steps lasts all the way into February with no problems at all. I remember one year, it was hanging there on Valentine’s Day covered with snow and red fake carnations but it was soooo beautiful even then.

Pick Them Fresh

It also helps if the greens are purchased or picked fresh of course, which is one of my goals every year for this workshop. Timing is everything.

If you get greens from your yard, wait until you are ready to arrange them to cut them from your branches, or do it the evening before if possible, and take them when it is cold outside (not warm). Also, I recommend you cut them before any major wet type freeze falls on leave leaves or needles – so be sure to watch your weather forecasts.

Regular Size Boxwood Kissing Ball – Color Lasts a Long Time!

Other types of evergreens which last and have a nice color in mixed arrangements are juniper, incense cedar, white pine, and as noted above, fir and balsam. The white pine may dry out a little quicker than the others, I have found but no worries, all will be fine.

Hemlock branches are very pretty and they tend to arch which I like in container gardens outdoors for holidays, but they will loose their needles a little faster than other types.

Yew, with its dark green needles, is a great candidate and lasts. For some reason, it is not as popular but I think it looks marvelous and adds a layer of texture in the arrangements.

One new item this year at my workshop, which will be a surprise to my attendees unless they are reading this blog post today, is berried Eucalyptus. This has a beautiful blue coloring and texture – and I’m excited to share it with everyone on Saturday.

Boxwood is another excellent, quality green in arrangements for the holidays. One big benefit is they have no sticky sap and they maintain their dark color even if they get a little dry over time. I absolutely love the classic look boxwood cuttings give to kissing balls and wreaths.

Boxwood along with Pine may be soaked in water prior to your day of arrangement – if needed to re-hydrate, but often it is not required.

Holly can be a little tougher to work with because those spines are SHARP. And holly may turn black if it gets wet and then freezes, but I don’t see this situation too often.

By the way, this year, we have variegated Holly – wait til you see it – oh, la, la, fa, and la-lah. Its gorgeous.

One year, perhaps next year, we will add magnolia leaves to the mix – they have shiny tops and brown undersides to their leaves, and it adds a really nice texture to holiday evergreen arrangements, especially on wreaths.

There are anti-desiccant type products you may spray on your greens to help retain moisture, but to be honest, I don’t bother with that – and everything has lasted well for the holidays.

Bow on top of a Kissing Ball

Last but not least, cutting the ends of your greens from fresh branches with “good sharp pruners” is important. It not only helps with the insertion into your kissing ball mechanics, but allows water uptake if you set your greens in a bucket of water the night before or if you are using hydrated floral foam.

Timing is Everything

Timing is probably the most important of all (along with cold temperatures).

Everything is timed in the background – lots of busy growers, distributors, and buyers do everything they can to time the harvesting of greens at the right time to shorten the length it sits out – and if too early, that’s not good – if too late, not good either. It has to be just right.

I do my best and feel like Mrs. Kissing Ball Clause as I prepare all for holiday workshops – I feel this magical spirit as I get everything ready – maybe that is what drives everyone in the business of selling Christmas trees, making wreaths to sell at stores, and arranging workshops. They end up working outdoors in the cold or rain but keep on. We are those elves doing whatever it takes to make all merry.

See you soon,

Cathy Testa
www.ContainerCrazyCT.com
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

Container Crazy CT has Gift Cards Available – See the Menu Bar above – A Great Gift Redeemable Towards Future Workshops!

We have many exciting new workshops in 2016 – See “February’s Floral Design Class” with two experts in the horticulture business of floral design. See “April’s Art class”, and also May for the “Container Gardening workshops” – All hands-on and fun, educational, convenient. Classes fill up early too – so gift cards are perfect to give to someone who will enjoy this type of event at Container Crazy CT located in East Windsor/Broad Brook, Connecticut. And they may be used, of course, for next year’s holiday workshops. We hope to hear from you! Cathy Testa

Why I love (and I mean LOVE) Container Gardening!

Search Terms – A Look at Last Week’s

3 Comments

Posted on November 16, 2015

I thought it would be fun to share some of the search terms which were received last week on Container Crazy CT’s blog. Search terms are words or phrases people use on search engines like Google to find posts on my blog. The terms are not visible to the general public but can be seen via stats and such on the blog’s background pages by the blog owner only. I would never reveal anything private and luckily all of the searches are directly related to plants and, as you can see, decorating for the holidays which is appropriate for this time of year.

People are definitely searching for holiday decorating ideas, and many are asking about how to use mesh ribbon. Then there are the plant related searches, and last week, people were looking for information on Kalanchoe ‘Fantastic’ and Petasites japonicus, for example.

Some were looking for information on gardening techniques, such as “how to dismantle a garden” or “where to find Gingko trees in Connecticut” and information about “overwintering plants in the basement.”

Hopefully, they found what they were looking for, but if not, I thought I’d add some additional information here on some of their specific search terms:

The “mesh ribbon” search

As you can see, many folks are looking for information and ideas on how to use mesh ribbon.

Mesh ribbon has become super popular for its ease of use in the decorating world. It can be used to make a big, puffy, large show on a variety of crafting projects. With a couple of twists and turns, mesh ribbon makes quite the festive creation as it is added to wreaths, arches, and anything you can think of. I love using it.

I think the only downfall with mesh ribbon is when exposed to sunlight over a long period of time it fades. Otherwise, it is perfect and reusable each year so it doesn’t get wasted or tossed out – it can be disassembled as easily as it can be assembled and stores well in boxes after the holiday season is over.

Mesh ribbon comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns and can be found practically anywhere. It comes in every color imaginable. I’ve used it on the Fourth of July, Halloween, St. Valentine’s Day, and St. Patrick’s Day – it is easily attached to container gardens to add some bling.

One person searched the question on “if you can cut mesh ribbon?” And yes, you certainly can but be sure to use a very sharp pair of scissors.

For assembly to wreaths, I use zip ties to gather and pinch sections of the mesh ribbon together or you may use green florist wire. You may see how I did this on the following posts:

Three Easy Ways to Use Mesh Ribbon

This post above has been viewed quite a lot this month. People new to mesh ribbons are searching on how to use it, how to attach it, and looking for creative ideas.

You should also check out how I use zip ties to attach mesh ribbon to various crafting projects. Remember to use green or a dark colored zip tie so it doesn’t show between your decor, etc.

Using Zip Ties to Attach Mesh Ribbon

This post shows how I attached the ribbon on wreaths and other holiday decorative items. I find gathering it in spaces between each puff is easily attached when using zip ties. They are so handy on crafting projects and I attempted to show what I mean in the post above.

The “overwintering plants in basement” search

I hope the person looking for this information was able to locate it on my blog because I’ve written and spoken about how to store tender tropical plants many times, but I think maybe the general nature of the search term words used implied they may be looking for what is needed in a basement to keep your plants there over the winter?

For starters, most basements are dark with very little natural light, so for plants that go dormant naturally in pots, a basement is a well suited location to move your plants in the winter. Canna and Colocasia (elephant ear plants) may be allowed to go dormant in their pots, and may be moved to the basement if your basement is frost free, stays cool, and you have some space to put them.

If you have plants which require a period of dormancy in order to bloom, along with some darkness and reduced watering, such as Clivia (which comes to mind because a nurseryman gave me one recently) or Amaryllis (Hippeastrum species) which is sold around this time of year and forced into bloom in time for the holidays, the basement is a good place to place them for their resting/dormancy period.

In addition, some bulbs, corms, tubers store well in dark, dry areas of the basement. It is important to note some underground storage organs like conditions a bit on the damp side, while others like it dry. Look up your type of storage organ (Dahlias, Canna, etc.) for which you are storing in the basement to determine which they like – dry and dark, or damp and dark.

By the way, Amaryllis do not technically require a resting period in order to bloom, but to control the blooming, many people will bring the plant inside after the summer season and store them in the basement. The plant should not be watered, as is with the case of Clivia, for a period of time before you bring it back out into a warm sunlight area in your home. So basements are perfect for plants like these two examples.

Basements typically remain cool but do not go below freezing which is another reason why they are so handy for plant storage. I put my boxed up Canna rhizomes by the basement door corner area on shelves and they seem to like this spot best (the sweet spot). Also, if you heat your home with a woodstove which is located in the basement, this can make the basement too warm for storing conditions, so bare this in mind. Or keep the boxed up underground storage organs far away from where your woodstove is located.

In the fall, I showed my workshop attendees exactly where I stored my boxed up storage organs so they got a feel of what I mean – each home is different, so you need to determine what you have and work with that (such as a cool basement, a cool closet or room in the home that is not heated fully in winter, a sunroom that is not heated, maybe your garage, garden shed, etc.). They need to be a place where it does not go below frost but is not too warm for growth.

The “how to winter a maurelli abyssinian banana” search

Oh gosh, I hope the person searching this topic found what they were looking for on my blog because I’ve documented the steps I’ve used which have been successful for many years on storing the Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’ plant (red banana). Here are the links where you may find this information:

Storing My Big Red Banana Plant

This post above has the step by step process with photos. Storing takes place in late October or early November.

Overwintering Red Banana Plants

Red Banana Plant Revived Again

What should I do with my Container Gardens and Patio Pots?

In the fall season, workshops on the ‘how to’s’ are offered in my area of East Windsor, Connecticut. Each steps is demonstrated and step-by-steps workshop handouts are provided, especially useful for the attendees of my May Container Garden Workshops as a follow-up when the season comes to a close.

Plant Searches

It was interesting that Kalanchoe ‘Fantastic’ showed up twice in the same week. I’ll have to look around to see if the nurseries are offering it right now – This could be why there has been an interest in learning more about this plant known as a paddle plant. This variety has a fantastic coloring pattern to it of light green, creamy off white, and pink. Maybe folks are seeking it out because it is so pretty inside the home, and this plant makes a nice houseplant because of its look, easy care, and light watering routines, especially this time of year in winter.

Other plant searches were on Petasites japonicus, which is one I’ve written about due to its huge round leaves which are very showy in container gardens, and by the way, it can be overwintered in a shed. I’ve done it many times by moving the pot with a Petasites in it into the unheated shed before winter with success. This is a perfect plant for container gardens because they are a nuisance in the ground – aggressive spreaders. So in containers they are contained and controlled, plus their tough nature makes them easy to overwinter – they make it in an unheated shed every year. See Troublemakers Turned Stars post for more about aggressive plants which are stars in containers and patio pots.

The other plant searched for was a Salix (willow) which I don’t believe I’ve written extensively about on this blog – looks like it is time to do.

Of course, as I mentioned above, I would not share any searches which seemed private in nature. There was one odd one, and let’s just say, I’m glad it was not about me! It had the words: Crazy + Cathy. I’m crazy alright but only crazy about plants, container gardens, art, and of course – holiday décor this time of year. It is time to deck the halls…

Enjoy your week everyone,

Cathy Testa
www.ContainerCrazyCT.com
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

The Complete Search List from Last Week as typed by the searcher:

How to transport a tree in a pickup
Salix purpurea ssp. Lambertiana
Cans recycle garden
How to use mesh ribbon
Meshribbonrubanemaille
Dismantling a garden
Christmas decorating with mesh ribbon
Kalanchoe thyrsiflora fantastic
Can you cut mesh ribbon
Uses for buffalo snow
Christmas mailbox swags
How to assemble a fresh herb wreath
How to decorate with mesh
How to decorate a Christmas wreath
Instead of a traditional Christmas wreath
Overwintering plants in basement
How to make barbed wire wreaths
Fantastic kalanchoe
How to winter a maurelli abysinnian banana
Decorating with mesh
Nurseries in CT that sell ginko trees
Petasites japonicas
20 facts about the coneflowers
What is the herbal plant that can cure
Decorating with wide ribbon
Petasites japonicas

A Walk in the Garden – A Blog to Follow

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Posted on November 13, 2015

John Viccellio from Stallings, North Carolina is the author of a blog titled, “A Walk in the Garden.” I never met John in person, but I’ve been enjoying his blog posts for quite some time.

He regularly posts photos of cut flowers collected from his gardens which are arranged in vases. Actually, I believe his wife is behind the vase selection and arrangements. He refers to her as his Arranger, and she does a wonderful job.

In addition to the various vase photos on his blog, John writes about plants growing in his North Carolina gardens. From time to time, I’ve admired the plants he is growing which I wish I could grow here in my Connecticut yard.

However, John’s planting zone is a tad bit warmer than mine. He is in a zone 7 area, and I reside in 6a. But not is all lost, as some of the plants he can grow easily in his area are candidates for container gardens or patio pots in mine if they are not winter hardy here.

Vitex agnus-castus (chaste tree)

One day, I spotted a gorgeous photo of a chaste tree growing in John’s gardens via his blog posting. He had them ‘arranged’ in a vase and the soft blue to violet colors of this plant, along with its long narrow blue-green leaves situated like fingers from a central point, caught my attention and admiration. I don’t know why, but plant lovers just fall in love with certain plants, and this is one I’ve always liked.

I don’t see this plant (technically a deciduous shrub which can grow to the size of a small tree) offered for sale here in Connecticut often. They are hardy to planting zones 6 to 9 (or zones 5-9 depending on which plant reference you look up), so they are considered, what I call semi-hardy in our planting areas because they do not hold up well during harsh winters.

If the winter is not harsh, I guess your chances are better. Also, where they are planted matters in regards to the soil and exposure because they prefer full sun and well-drained soils. Bottom line is the plant will die back (dies to the ground) in severe winters. Its roots may survive to regrow the following season if all goes well.

Chaste Tree Cuttings by A Walk in the Garden blog

The only other time I’ve seen a beautiful specimen of the chaste tree was when I toured a Connecticut garden via the Connecticut Horticultural Society’s programs. It was growing in Steve Silk’s amazing gardens amongst other trees and shrubs on his property in Farmington, Connecticut. Steve is a former newspaper photographer, travel writer and was managing editor at Fine Gardening magazine. He held the role of President for the society for several years.

Steve also has cool tropical plants in container gardens staged in various areas on his property, which is why I was happy to be seeing his gardens that day during the tour. But as I walked his yard, I remembered spotting the chaste tree and running my fingers along the plant’s foliage, again thinking how I wish I had one of these trees. I should have asked Steve how he managed to keep one growing in his garden due to it being a bit sensitive to our winter climate.

Of course, an alternative option, when desiring a specimen that is not totally cold hardy here is growing them for enjoyment in your container gardens during our summers and then overwintering them if possible in frost free places in the fall and winter. Many times semi-hardy plants will survive this way.

I can envision this chaste tree right now growing in a large container garden, and would pair it up with other plants showing off soft color tones, like pink, soft yellow, or other blue to violet flowering plants. If you browse John’s blog, A Walk in the Garden, you will see the other color of flowering plants he put near his chaste tree in his garden, some were hot pinks which worked well.

This deciduous shrub is a long summer bloomer, and as John noted on his blog post, it can be deadheaded for re-bloom later in the season, which he has done for twenty years on his plant. It was a grown from a second generation cutting from its parent at his Aunt Martha’s home in Chatham, VA.

Muhlenbergia capillaris (pink Muhly grass)

Then there was another day when John posted the pink Muhly grass photo from his gardens. Oh my God, I thought. I just LOVE that grass, and wish I had one here. The photo was especially beautiful because of how the sunlight captured the bright to soft pink colors of this fine textured ornamental grass in his garden, and I especially like how delicate this perennial ornamental grass looks and feels. Again, depending on which source you look up this grass, it is hardy to zone 6 or zone 5.

John noted that its a native, so his climate is ideal for its growth.”In October it was glorious,” he wrote, “…as the sun seemed to ignite its pink seed clusters.” I couldn’t agree more, it is electric – Just look at his photos!

Photo by John Viccellio

Ah, I thought as I read his words and admired the photos he posted, I can imagine this vision on a fall day. Selecting a spot where the sun would hit it would be ideal in the landscape or garden, or again – in a container garden or patio pot. I can envision it in a cobalt blue pot, can’t you?

One day, on a day which some bloggers call, “Wordless Wednesday” – John posted two photos of his pink Muhly grass with no words or text because, it was “wordless” Wednesday, and it was enough to see just the photos, let me tell you – this grass is captivating.

A Walk in the Garden blog shares beautiful photos of the grass growing in their gardens.

John has been kind to follow my blog, and I follow his – but I really don’t remember who discovered whose blog first. So, recently I asked him to answer these following questions as a fellow follower – and wanted to share his blog site with my readers so they may enjoy his gardens too.

Why do you blog?

“I started the blog almost two years ago coincident with my self-publishing of my first (?) garden book (Guess What’s in My Garden!) in hopes that it would spur sales of the book. Over time, however, I began to respond to a number of garden memes out there (and photography), and that has been pretty much the direction I have been going. It is fun, and am getting to know folks all over the world. I have been thinking a lot about how I can get more info about the book into the posts and perhaps spur a few more sales. I have spoken at several garden clubs this past year, and that has gained me some blog followers and a few sales. I love the involvement I have now with fellow gardeners and fellow bloggers around the world.”

What attracted you to Container Crazy CT’s blog?

“I was attracted to your blog for several reasons. I realize you are using it as a vehicle to support your business, and I have enjoyed seeing your business related posts. It’s just a bit far for me to sign up for some of your workshops. I also have liked your hands on posts (e.g., pot arranging, etc.). Your warm personality shines through what you write and present…I can sense your smiling.”

What is your favorite plant or way of gardening?

“I have lots of favorite plants…particularly iris, peonies and azaleas…but my favorite way of gardening (because of our soil) is raised beds. I also very much enjoy creating things for the garden…stone walls, trellises and clematis poles that I have designed and constructed.”

Thank You for Your Service

And by the way, John Viccellio is a retired U.S. Navy Veteran – so, in addition to thanking him for his online contributions, gardening style, and demeanor expressed on his blog regularly, I’d like to pass on a sincere thank you to John for his service to our country in honor of Veteran’s Day which was two days ago on Wednesday.

Cathy Testa

www.ContainerCrazyCT.com
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

Be Thankful. Be Creative. Be Colorful, and Just Be! Giving Thanks.

2 Comments

Posted on November 9, 2015

Thank You to All Followers

November is the month of being “thankful” for all we have in our lives. I would like to express here my heartfelt thanks to you, my fellow followers. To the friends and family who inspired me to follow my dreams, to the bloggers out there reading and liking my posts and sharing their passions, to the mysterious rocks stars (fake or not) taking an interest in little ol’ me, and to the people in the plant world providing me with great networking opportunities, and to the artists offering their talents as guest speakers, and to many, many more, I say today, Thank you. Thank you also for posting your reviews and testimonials.

Current Followers

This morning I was looking over my stats on my blog. Currently, I have 73 WordPress followers, a total of 522 Facebook Friends liking my pages, 60 email followers, and 197 Twitter followers. It wouldn’t be right to say I have a total of 852 followers because some are the same people on one or the other platform, but roughly its somewhere about 600+ people.

I’ve always said too, it’s not the number of, but the passion of the followers which truly counts – and people who follow this site enjoy container gardening, art, and plants probably as much as I do. Each and every one of them is important to me because of their similar passions and interests.

Followers of this blog receive an update in their WordPress Reader (which is a special background page for WordPress users), via email, or both depending on their settings each time a new post is added. For social media, they are notified of posts in their feeds.

Getting new content quickly (as it is posted) is beneficial, especially for hot topics and new workshops on the horizon being offered by Container Crazy CT.

WordPress Followers

WordPress followers have a blog of their own on WordPress, as opposed to followers which may be from Facebook or Twitter. As noted above, they get notified in their “reader” when they follow another WP site.

Sharing is caring in the world of bloggers and blogging, so one of my goals is to share posts by my fellow WP followers on this blog on a routine basis to spread the love and the information, as they share similar knowledge, ideas, interests, tips, and more. Thank you WordPress Followers – I’m following you too!

Facebook Followers

For my connected social networking services (such as Facebook or Twitter) through my blog’s publicize feature, it shows that I have 301 followers on my Facebook page for Cathy T’s Landscape Designs page, which means there have been a total of 301 Page Likes for it.

Cathy T’s Landscape Designs’ page is where I originally started my business about container gardening and garden designs, among other services. It is the official name of my business, but over the years, my services focused on all things container gardening and exotic tropical plants, and a bit less on landscape designs.

This is why I also have a Container Crazy CT Facebook page, which more suits what I currently offer in the world of container gardening and hands-on workshops. This page has a total of 221 Page Likes as of this writing, and seems to be growing.

If I could only merge the two Facebook pages together for a total of 522 Page Likes! Some are the same people, but no matter, it is all good – and it warms my Facebook soul to have them participate on my posts with their comments about their container gardening passions too.

Thank you Facebook Friends – Love hearing from you and seeing you every day.

Email Followers

Currently, my Container Crazy CT site has 60 email followers. These primarily consist of clients, workshop attendees, artists or bloggers, networking contacts, and anyone else out on the web that came across my blog and decided they wanted to keep in touch by receiving a post each time it is published.

If you want to receive instant notifications as they are posted, this is a great way to not miss a thing, especially upcoming speaking engagements at garden clubs and the workshops offered related to combining nature with art or container gardening.

Thank you email friends – I know how email can pile up – and I hope you enjoy receiving the updates regularly!

Twitter Followers

As of today, I have 197 followers on Twitter. A big thrill was when Martha Stewart started following my Twitter feed last winter. And, recently, Dr. Allan Armitage started following me too. Both are rocks stars in their field of work and study.

While it may not be the “real” Martha, and maybe Dr. Allan Armitage has a helper for his social media feeds, it is cool to me – especially because Martha is in the world of all things fun for design and crafts, and the Dr. Allan Armitage is a Horticultural specialist. These two facets are what I love in my world of business offerings, that is combining nature with art.

If it isn’t really them, I still will enjoy fantasizing that it is. If it is really them – Thanks!!!!

Sincerely,

Cathy Testa
www.ContainerCrazyCT.com
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

To see more reasons why you should follow this blog, check out this former posts on “Five Reasons Why You Should Click Like, Share or Comment.“

Oh and Don’t forget my Instagram and Pinterest pages. More on these later!

https://instagram.com/cathytesta/

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Ways to Decorate Containers for Autumn and Halloween

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Posted on October 22, 2015

Wait – Don’t put your container gardens and patio pots away too fast – They may be used in Autumn to serve as a place to add fall and Halloween decor for the month of October.

Autumn Installation for Store-Front

In the photo above, mesh ribbon, fake leaves, and various decor were used to fill the top of these barrels. Handy tools to get this done: Staple gun, wooden stakes, and creativity!

This cast iron urn is wonderful because it can stay outside year round. In the fall, I took out the plants, left the soil, and added the black fabric webbing and a skull. The skull is attached to a square piece of Styrofoam by some heavy duty glue. First, a piece of black landscape fabric was used over the foam to hide the white of the Styrofoam block, then I glued the skull on top, added moss pieces and glow-in-the-dark worms. To insert it into the pot, use some larger type wooden skewers and push them into soil, then into the base of the square foam – simple and fun. And don’t forget, leave the soil in there when you disassemble this decor because it will be used to hold the winter evergreens when it is time to dress it up for the holidays in December.

The plant on the side (vines) is from a climbing spinach plant which worked out nicely because it has black berries still clinging on – so it worked well with the black fabric webbing.

A spooky baby head is tucked under a Carex grass. Picked up this “baby” at a antique fair of all places. Knew I’d find a use for it.

The Carex grass is perfect because it was flopping anyhow as Autumn arrived, and the Delosperma below, hanging over the pot, is still tough outside right now. So. I added a cool Owl using the same technique noted above: Square Styrofoam block, black landscape fabric over the block, glued the decor on and staked the owl with wooden skewers into the soil.

On my Mum-mmy pot, I added some plastic creepy hands found in a Halloween shop – all I did was use heavy duty wooden skewers in each finger and pressed it into the soil.

My Castor Bean plant got hit by frost and all the foliage was toppled over, so I decided to remove all the side branches, foliage and kept the main stem and branches on the plant, which I then covered with the fake white webbing found in Halloween shops this time of year.

After Halloween is over, I will chop the whole plant down, and save the soil in this big pot for stuffing with evergreens for the December holiday season.

This is a photo of the spiny seed pods of the Castor Bean plant which I’m saving to use for next year’s plants – For more about this plant and its spooky features, read this post:

CASTOR BEAN POST

A week before, I dismantled my big black pot – which kind of looks like a witches kettle, and removed the big red banana plant for overwintering. Well, I could not leave the pot un-decorated.

I took old stalks of perennials and glued mini skeleton hands on the top and tore some black landscape fabric to add, then just inserted them into the soil. The witches broom was added to keep you thinking – what else will be added to her witches brew?

After fooling around with all this Halloween fun, I got serious and planted 50 tulip bulbs into my big cement planter and enjoyed the rest of the warm day. Remember, your container gardens and patio pots can be maximized during special holidays before they are moved inside for the winter season.

Cathy Testa

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Overwintering Red Banana Plants – Ensete ventricosum ‘Maurelii’

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Posted on October 8, 2015

Hello Visitors,

Every year, several tropical plants from my container gardens and patio pots are overwintered. In this post, you will see how I helped a client, Laurie, who attended my May container garden workshops, dismantle her pots in September. She did an amazing job with watering and care all summer. Her plants grew very large and were extremely healthy, and now she knows how to store the root bases to attempt regrowing them next season. By the way, she wanted to dismantle her pots early because she was ready for the fall season and putting out mums on her deck. This process can be done much later however (end of October or early November) depending on how you wish to overwinter the plant.

A Client’s Container Garden with Red Banana plant as a thriller

As you can see, her red banana plant in this pot grew quite large. It started as a small plant in May. This is a plant for planting zones 9-10 so it is not hardy in Connecticut but it is a great specimen to grow in pots – it grows large fast and the root base can be stored over the winter.

Take note the other plant on its left side is an Asclepias (Butterfly Weed) and during the summer it bloomed orange red flowers next to the rich red coloring of the big banana plant. The height of the butterfly weed worked well next to this very big red banana plant.

By this time in September, the Asclepias formed seed pods. The blooms on this plant are a major source of food for Monarchs.

Cathy T uses a bow saw to say “Timber!”

You will see how I used a bow saw to cut off the top of the plant. It’s pretty straight forward, make a clean cut, do it about 15″ from the base, and let it fall. The hard part is making the cut because the plant is so beautiful. A bow saw works terrific for this – it slices thru just like you would a giant stalk of celery which is how this plant grows, pushing through new shoots/stalks of leaves from its center. Don’t cut it down too low – this can damage that growing center. Some people will make the cut even higher, more on that in the Oct 17th demo (see info below).

Top Removed

Even though I am smiling for the photo, my client was not. She cringed. I asked if she was okay and she said it is so hard to see it taken down. I don’t blame her. She did a great job of watering and watching her plants.

Red banana root base

Can you guess what this is? It is the root base of the red banana plant. It was a bit of a job to get it out of the soil but after we did, we put it upside down to allow excess water to drain from it. The water collects in the center, and this root base is quite fleshy too. You want to air dry it a bit (few hours or 1/2 a day) to get a lot of this moisture drained out – but you do not want it bone dry either. Then it gets stored in peat in a box. More on that to be shown later.

Laying down a tarp or old blanket is a good idea when you do your work of dismantling your container gardens because there will be a lot of foliage to take away to your compost bin.

Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet)

Next was the Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet) which is another beautiful, fast growing, showy tropical plant with 6-10″ gorgeous trumpet shaped flowers, also hardy to zones 9-11. It must be dealt with “before frost” in the fall. However, as noted above, the red banana plant may be left out until frost hits it if you store it as shown above.

Brugmansia with Coleus

This picture doesn’t do it justice. For a first time container gardener, my client did an amazing job with this plant too. She and her husband enjoyed the highly scented pink trumpet shaped flowers in the evening. You have a few choices with this plant in regards to overwintering it in Connecticut. You may take it inside (if you have space) and treat it as a houseplant. Or you may store it in your unheated basement that remains cold but not below freezing. It will drop leaves and look unsightly, but rest assured, when you take it back out next season, it will boom again. You may also cut back this plant hard too if you wish to reduce it in size for space considerations. However, if you leave it tall, you have the added bonus of it being much taller next season. We decided to cut Laurie’s back a bit.

Brugmansia trimmed back with loppers

Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet) is a plant which can grow to the size of a small tree in the right conditions in the ground. It will bloom all the way into November if you wish to keep it going. It will grow a bit smaller in containers, or a big bigger in really big pots. It’s a keeper on my plant list.

Canna on deck

Next was the beautiful pot of two Canna plants on her mini deck. Her husband graciously carried the pot to a better working location for us after we cut back all the stalks. Again, Laurie whimpered as we did so. The next photo shows what the pot looked like after all was cut off.

Canna with tops off

Her blooms were rising so high which is something Laurie commented about as we worked. She was impressed, and did see hummingbirds visiting the blooms this summer. And again, the plants were stunning. It was sad to see them go but the plus side is after storing the rhizomes, they will be ready to be regrown next season.

Rhizomes removed from Canna pot

Here’s a test for you? How many rhizomes do you see above?

I count 17 at least – this means she now has 17 new plants from one potting!

Private Sessions

It took some time to dismantle three large container gardens but we enjoyed every minute. This service of showing you how the process is done and working with you is available up until our frost date, so if you wish to hire me for a private take down session, send me an email soon at containercathy@gmail.com or fill out the contact form below (private sessions are $25 and held at your home).

Castor Bean at End of My Driveway

To close today’s post on overwintering plants from container gardens and patio pots, I’m sharing a photo of my castor bean plant at the end of my driveway (noted in yesterday’s post). It is Giant Zanzibariensis and provides quite a show – it grew to a monster size. The seeds are collected as a way to regrow it next season. More on that later.

And lastly, I wanted to share a photo of my Crocosmia since I referenced it yesterday and planted it into the ground this week from my blue pot. The best thing about this plant is how the hummingbirds visited it often. They loved the red blooms and would chirp away. It was replanted in a very large container which is almost the size of a smaller garden bed for next year’s enjoyment – so this year on the deck, next year in the garden – recycling the good way.

Crocosmia

Overwintering Demo

On October 17th, Saturday at 10:30 am, the overwintering process will be demonstrated. If interested in attending, see the links on this blog under the “Nature with Art Programs.”

Workshops and Classes

Every season, Container Crazy CT offers workshops and classes. Some are plant related, some are arts related. This spring, we had a wonderful windchime making class. This May was repeated Container Garden Workshops. And every winter is the annual Holiday Kissing Ball and Evergreen Creations workshop where you may learn how to make them with fresh evergreens! Don’t miss out – we are always adding programs.

Red banana plant in my backyard

Cathy Testa
http://www.containercrazyct.com
860-977-9473
containercathy@gmail.com

About this blog:

Container Crazy CT is about sharing the passion of growing plants in container gardens and about combining nature with art. Cathy Testa offers classes and workshops and regularly shares information about growing plants in pots. She is located in the Broad Brook section of East Windsor, CT. To learn more, click the tabs on the top of this blog site. Cathy Testa also speaks at garden clubs, women’s groups, farmers markets, and special events. See Garden Talks above if interested in having her speak to your group.

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And what a year ahead…

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It’s been a pleasure serving you and I’m looking forward to the new year!

Thank you again everyone, and have a Festive Holiday and Christmas.

Only two more days to go!

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Saturday’s Mini Workshop

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But after the class, they may be wondering, how do I keep everything fresh?

Keep Your Holiday Creations Outdoors

Pick Them Fresh

Timing is Everything

Container Crazy CT has Gift Cards Available – See the Menu Bar above – A Great Gift Redeemable Towards Future Workshops!

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Brugmansia (Angel’s Trumpet)

Private Sessions

Overwintering Demo

Workshops and Classes

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