Celebrating motherhood is a historical tradition dating back almost as far as mothers themselves. A number of ancient cultures paid tribute to mothers as goddesses, including the ancient Greeks, who celebrated Rhea, the mother of all gods. England's "Mothering Sunday," begun in the 1600's, is closer to what we think of as "Mother's Day." Celebrated on the fourth Sunday of Lent, "Mothering Sunday" honored the mothers of England.

In 1907, Anna Jarvis started a drive to establish a national Mother's Day. In 1907 she passed out 500 white carnations at her mother's church in West Virginia--one for each mother in the congregation. In 1908, her mother's church held the first Mother's Day service, on May 10th (the second Sunday in May). That same day a special service was held at the Wanamaker Auditorium in Philadelphia, where Anna was from, which could seat no more than a third of the 15,000 people who showed up.

By 1909, churches in 46 states, Canada and Mexico were holding Mother's Day services. In the meantime, Ms. Jarvis had quit her job to campaign full time. She managed to get the World's Sunday School Association to help; they were a big factor in convincing legislators to support the idea. In 1912, West Virginia was the first state to designate an official Mother's Day. By 1914, the campaign had convinced Congress, which passed a joint resolution. President Woodrow Wilson signed the resolution, establishing an official national Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.

Many countries of the world now have their own Mother's Day at different times of the year, but Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Japan, and Turkey join the US in celebrating Mother's Day on the second Sunday of May. Britain still celebrates Mothering Day on the fourth Sunday of Lent--but they now call it Mother's Day. By any name, and at any date, it's a special day to honor a special person.

Having trouble thinking of a gift? Why not do something a little different for Mother's Day? Instead of giving her a bouquet of roses, plant her a rose garden! If she already has a rose garden--add to it! If she lives in an apartment, consider a potted rose plant--many roses will do quite well in containers (ask us for suggestions).

Why give one bouquet that will soon fade away, when you can give years of pleasure from living roses instead?

1. Plant irises, canned roses, tropicals and tuberoses.
2. Transplant potted bulbs into the ground.
3. Replace cool-season bedding flowers with summer-season flowers.
4. Plant zinnias and other heat loving flowers.
5. Plant morning glories.
6. Plant warm-season lawns.
7. Continue to plant summer vegetables.
8. Replace parsley if you haven't already done so.
9. Plant a giant pumpkin for Halloween.
10. Purchase, plant, and transplant succulents.
11. Stop pinching fuchsias if you did not do so last month.
12. Thin out fruit on deciduous fruit trees.
13. Pinch dahlias back when the plant has three sets of leaves; tie the plant up as it grows.
14. Continue to pick and deadhead roses.
15. Divide and repot cymbidiums that have outgrown their containers.
16. Cut off bloom spikes from cymbidiums after flowers fade.
17. Prune camellias if you have not already done so.
18. Clean and prune azaleas.
19. Divide and mount staghorn ferns.
20. Prune winter- and spring-flowering vines, shrubs, trees and ground covers after they finish blooming.
21. Continue to tie up and sucker tomatoes.
22. Remove berries (seed pods) from fuchsias after flowers fall.
23. Pinch back petunias when you plant them.
24. Continue to prune and train espaliers.
25. Feed citrus trees, avocado trees.
26. Feed fuchsias, azaleas, tuberous begonias, water lilies.
27. Feed roses, ferns, flower beds, camellias after they bloom.
28. Fertilize lawns.
29. Side-dress vegetable rows with fertilizer.
30. Feed all container-grown succulents with a well-diluted complete liquid fertilizer.
31. Fertilize peppers when flowers first show.
32. As the weather becomes drier, be sure to water most garden plants regularly.
32a. Do not water succulents.
32b. Taper off watering those California native plants that don't accept summer water.
33. Control rose pests and diseases.
34. Spray junipers and Italian cypress for juniper moths.
35. Control mildew.
36. Control pests on vegetables.
37. Control weeds among permanent plants by mulching or cultivating.
38. Control weeds among vegetables and flowers by hand-pulling.
39. Keep bamboo from running into your neighbor's garden.
40. Harvest vegetables regularly.

By Tamara Galbraith

There are few downsides to owning an aloe. It is beautiful, easy to grow and, of course, handy in emergencies. Certainly, no kitchen should be without an aloe plant. If you've ever suffered a burn and used the plant's gel to treat it, you already know how well it works to reduce the pain and speed healing.

In fact, hospital trials have been underway for several years to study the usefulness and safety of an aloe-based liquid as a blood substitute in cases of extreme blood loss.

For the home gardener's use, an aloe plant will be very happy in a bright kitchen window. Plant it in a container with a good potting soil. Let the soil dry completely between waterings; when the pointed, fat leaves of an aloe plant droop slightly, it's usually time to water. Root rot can be a problem, so err on the side of caution and don't overwater.

If you'd like to encourage flowering of your aloe plant, gradually acclimate it to full sun outdoors once the threat of frost has passed. The orange-ish flowers appear on long growth spikes, are attractive to hummingbirds, and are even edible. However, the famously helpful gel shouldn't be eaten.

There's nothing that says summer like the sweet, succulent flavor of melons. What a refreshing, tasty warm weather treat! When plucked fresh from the vine at the perfect ripeness, they have a flavor that brings a smile to everyone. A slice of melon makes the perfect ending for any summer picnic or barbeque.

The most important factor in growing melons is heat. The hotter your climate, the better melons will grow. In warmer climates you can grow seed directly in the ground starting in early spring. However, where the growing season is shorter you will need to grow fast maturing varieties and plant starter plants from seed grown early indoors. You can also lay black plastic over the soil around the plants or cover with a floating row cover until the plants start flowering.

Make sure to sow seed or starter seedlings after the soil has warmed to at least 60 degrees. If you grow vegetables in raised planter beds, the soil will warm up faster than on flat ground. If you must plant on flat ground, make sure the area has good drainage. Always prepare all sites by adding an organic soil amendment, such as E.B. Stone Organics Earthworm Castings, and a good starter fertilizer, such as E.B. Stone Organics Sure Start.

Plant your starter plants (or two or three seeds in one hole, thinned out later if needed) at least two feet apart or grow vertically on an arbor or trellis. Melons take up a lot of room, so plan accordingly. Make sure to avoid planting near cucumbers, or the cross-pollination can create undesirable flavors in both fruits.

Try to avoid overhead watering at all costs, because that can make melons more susceptible to mildew and other diseases. Using drip irrigation or a soaker hose will help to avoid wetting the foliage. Water often enough to keep your plants healthy. Once the melons have reached full size (check label or seed package for size)--but before they have fully matured--cut back on watering to avoid bland flavor and splitting of the fruit.

When melons are fully ripe, they slip off their vines quite easily. Harvest honeydew types when they turn color or when the leaves where the fruit is attached start to turn yellow. We have a great selection of melons in seed and starter packs, so hurry in and get started today. You'll soon be on your way to a great crop of delectable, sun-sweetened summer fruit.

Bringing the outdoors inside is beneficial not only to one's senses, but also to one's health. NASA has done extensive research on the efficacy of plants at absorbing contaminants in the air, while converting carbon dioxide into oxygen.

We're going to take a look at some of the plants that provide pollution-free homes. By incorporating these plants into your home, you will be improving the quality of the air that you breathe, which will in turn make you feel better, perform better, and generally enjoy life more. These plants can also be easily moved outdoors; imagine a spring afternoon on your rocking chair front porch, surrounded by the very plants that offered so much pleasure inside throughout the colder months.

Philodendrons were determined by NASA to be among the best house plants for removing toxins from the air. They love temps from 60 to 72 degrees, and do not require a lot of light. Occasionally treat them to a "bath" of soapy water to remove dust and control insects. When the temps turn warm, bring them outdoors, placing them in shade, of course always ensuring that their feet rest in rich, moist soil containing a good supply of organic matter. Well-rooted plants should receive diluted applications of a liquid fertilizer every week or two.

Ferns, which in the language of flowers mean sincerity, magic, fascination, confidence, and shelter, have a lot in common with dinosaurs. They co-existed in the Mesozoic era, and even predate dinosaurs. Dating back 300 million years, they are among the world's oldest living things. With approximately 10,500 species, ferns grow in the wild as well as in landscaped gardens on every continent in the world. Perennials, they can be either evergreen or deciduous. They dislike strong sunlight, high wind, and dryness at the root zone. Astute gardeners will be able to find the perfect fern for their needs, ranging in size from the Wall-rue at 2" to the tree ferns of New Zealand that reach heights of 30'. For indoor plants, consider incorporating Boston ferns in your clean-air indoor garden; they are full and lush and work equally well in pots or hanging baskets. As the maiden-hair fern thrives on high humidity, it's the perfect choice for placement in a bathroom. While the asparagus fern is not really a fern at all but rather an actual asparagus, it is a delicate, fern-like plant that grows well indoors, and also loves being taken outside when the weather is warm. Just remember to keep your ferns in indirect light, whether inside or out, and place their containers in pebble-filled trays, adding water into the tray until it just covers the pebbles; do not over-water.

In the language of flowers, the spider plant represents an offer of elopement. An amazingly easy-to-care-for plant, it takes a lot of effort to kill the "airplane plant". Yet another of our clean air plants, the Chlorophytum comosum has proven quite effective in the absorption of chemicals that include formaldehyde, xylene, benzene, and carbon monoxide. It likes medium to bright light, isn't fussy about excess humidity, and prefers cool to average temps, even while tolerating warmer conditions.

Another indoor plant that does equally well outside when the weather warms up, it's perfect for a hanging basket. This fast-grower sends out "babies", or spiderettes, which are plantlets on long stalks. To propagate set the plantlet, while still attached to the mother plant, on the surface of a pot filled with a soilless potting medium, using a bent paper clip to hold it in place. Once it begins to root, sever it from the mother plant. If plantlets on your spider have already begun to develop roots, sever and pot them in soil. One mother plant will lead to many other plants!

Golden Pothos, aka Devil's Ivy, is practically impossible to kill. It will grow under nearly any conditions, either as a climber when trained around a wooden stake, or in a hanging basket. You have probably seen it trailing along the perimeter of office cubicles, where it thrives with only fluorescent lighting. Another of our favorite air purifiers, it removes formaldehyde from the atmosphere, and sets the standard for neglect-tolerant plants. In fact, about the only thing that will kill a pothos is over-watering; a shallow root system makes it susceptible to root rot. This in a way is somewhat ironic, as your home can sport a plethora of pothos by simply placing clippings in water, and in about a week roots will begin to form. When fully rooted, pop into a pot of loose, well-draining soil, and keep it evenly moist.

We've started you out with some of the most reliable houseplants that will not only provide you with healthier air, but are also easily moved outside during warm weather. Now it's up to you to exploit these easy-to-grow beauties so that you may find yourself forever surrounded by a garden.

What is the best way to get rid of slugs and snails?

Answer:

First, make sure you have slugs and snails, not earwigs (pincher bugs). The best way to tell is if you see shiny snail trails around the garden.

Sprinkle pet-safe snail bait such as Sluggo Slug and Snail Bait around the plants you want to protect, or create a barrier between where they hide during the day (under decks, dark places, and leaf matter) and where they feed at night.

You can also place a bowl of beer out to attract them (stale beer works best). This way they'll have quite a party before they fall in and drown. (Probably won't feel anything either.) Just remove the bowl in the morning so the neighbor's pets don't get drunk.