Raised beds and containers expand our planting options. They allow us to grow edible and ornamental plants even where there is no plantable space to garden. Use them to make planting, tending and harvesting convenient by bringing the garden to your back door. And fill them with pollinator-friendly plants to enjoy the colorful hummingbirds and… Continue reading Reduce Maintenance and Increase Success with Self-Watering Gardens
Category: Hobbies
Container Gardens for Every Occasion
Make every occasion special by designing and growing containers for summer holidays, weddings, anniversary parties or other special celebrations. Pick a color scheme appropriate for the occasion or a variety of colors and shapes sure to add a festive touch. Look for opportunities to include edible and flower filled planters. Set containers at your front… Continue reading Container Gardens for Every Occasion
Simple Strategies for a Larger Tomato Harvest
Nothing is more frustrating than investing time, money and energy in planting and growing tomatoes only to watch them succumb to disease. We can’t change the weather conditions that support disease problems, but we can tweak our growing strategies to reduce this risk. Select and grow the most disease-resistant varieties suited to your growing region.… Continue reading Simple Strategies for a Larger Tomato Harvest
From Garden to Bouquet – Growing Your Own Cut Flowers
Keep your flower vases filled all summer long with beautiful blossoms picked right from your own garden and containers. Growing seeds, plants and tender bulbs that can double as cut flowers makes it easy to create casual, fresh-cut bouquets for your dinner table, guest room or to share with family and friends. For early spring… Continue reading From Garden to Bouquet – Growing Your Own Cut Flowers
How to Brighten Your Home with Houseplants that Bloom
Brighten your indoor décor with plants that bloom. Whether growing traditional favorites, flowering tropical plants, or annuals moved inside for winter; their colorful flowers are sure to elicit smiles and months of enjoyment. Just provide the right growing conditions and sufficient light and you will be enjoying months of indoor color. You may have enjoyed… Continue reading How to Brighten Your Home with Houseplants that Bloom
Dahlias Bring Diverse Shapes, Sizes, Colors to the Garden
Dahlias have been a fixture in summer flower gardens for generations. But it may be time to update your idea of dahlias! With hundreds of varieties to choose from in a fabulous array of colors, shapes and flower sizes, it is no surprise the National Garden Bureau has declared 2019 the Year of the Dahlia.… Continue reading Dahlias Bring Diverse Shapes, Sizes, Colors to the Garden
Houseplants 101
Lift your spirits and improve your indoor environment by taking part in the indoor gardening movement. An apartment or home filled with tropical, succulent and flowering plants can provide beauty, extend your garden season, improve air quality and create a peaceful environment to de-stress. Though some may find indoor gardening a bit intimidating, don’t let… Continue reading Houseplants 101
Plant Indoors Now for a Fragrant Start to the New Year
Plant away the stress of the holidays and add some fragrance to the new year by growing paperwhites. Just plant the bulbs, no cold treatment needed, and watch them grow into their blooming beauty. Purchase firm healthy bulbs from your local garden center or an online bulb nursery. Ziva is the most common paperwhite variety… Continue reading Plant Indoors Now for a Fragrant Start to the New Year
Five Steps This Fall to a More Beautiful Landscape
Don’t let a busy schedule stop you from creating a beautiful landscape. Incorporate a few of these changes into your fall landscape care. You’ll create beautiful results with a limited investment of time and effort. Cut the grass, recycle fall leaves, and improve the soil with a pass of the lawn mower. Shred leaves and… Continue reading Five Steps This Fall to a More Beautiful Landscape
Plan and Plant this Fall for Three Months of Spring Color
It’s time to think spring and get busy planning and planting for months of colorful blooms. The key to getting a continuous parade of spring flowers is to plant bulbs that bloom at different times. Include some early, mid and late spring bloomers. You’ll enjoy the burst of color and sustained beauty that spring-flowering bulbs… Continue reading Plan and Plant this Fall for Three Months of Spring Color
Start an Indoor Garden with Kitchen Scraps
The pantry is full of fall favorites like squash, onions and potatoes, but busy schedules may have you finding a few things growing in the back of your cupboard. With little effort and a pinch of creativity you can grow these into a very imaginative indoor garden. Kids and adults love to watch kitchen discards… Continue reading Start an Indoor Garden with Kitchen Scraps
Colorful Vines and Groundcovers for the Fall Garden
Create a colorful and fragrant fall finale in your garden with groundcovers and vines. Blanket the earth with hardy groundcovers that add seasonal interest. Then direct your eye skyward with vines climbing on trellises, fences and arbors. Add a cloud of fragrant beauty with the white flowers of sweet autumn clematis. This vigorous vine quickly… Continue reading Colorful Vines and Groundcovers for the Fall Garden
Harvest and Dry Flowers for Year-Round Enjoyment
Enjoy your flower garden’s beauty all year long. Harvest and dry a few flowers to use in flower arrangements, craft projects or as gifts for friends and family. Pick the flowers when they are at peak bloom and blossoms are dry. Cut flowers for drying mid-day when they contain less moisture in order to reduce… Continue reading Harvest and Dry Flowers for Year-Round Enjoyment
Plant Now for a Beautiful Garden Next Year
Don’t let the summer heat keep you indoors. Now is a great time to dress up those garden beds in need of a facelift. Always start by calling 811 and they’ll contact all the appropriate companies who will mark the location of their underground utilities in your work area. This helps eliminate the danger and… Continue reading Plant Now for a Beautiful Garden Next Year
Harvest Cucumbers for Slicing and Pickling
It’s all about timing when harvesting cucumbers for eating fresh or preserving as dill or sweet pickles. Picking these low-calorie vegetables ensures the best flavor, greatest nutritional value and suitability for pickling. Harvest cucumbers based on how you plan to use them. Pick the fruit when it is 1½ to 2½ inches long if you… Continue reading Harvest Cucumbers for Slicing and Pickling
Create a Healthy Foundation for Fall Plantings
Fall is a great time to start a garden or renovate an existing planting bed. The soil is warm while the air is cool – a perfect combination for establishing new plantings. It is also a great time to prepare gardens for the next planting season. Investing time up front to create a healthy foundation… Continue reading Create a Healthy Foundation for Fall Plantings
Harvest and Preserve Herbs for Flavorful Meals Year-round
Add a flavorful boost to any meal with garden-fresh herbs. You’ll quickly discover the difference fresh herbs make when preparing any meal or dessert. Harvest herbs whenever you need them for cooking or garnishing a favorite dish. Adjust the quantity of herbs used to allow for variations in flavor intensity and your family’s preference. In general,… Continue reading Harvest and Preserve Herbs for Flavorful Meals Year-round
Manage Water Where It Falls for a Healthier Landscape and Environment
Too much, not enough, and never when you need it. This is a common complaint of gardeners. Keeping and using water where it falls is the first step in managing this precious resource. Planting and maintaining a healthy landscape is a good place to start. Trees, shrubs, groundcovers and other plantings improve water quality and… Continue reading Manage Water Where It Falls for a Healthier Landscape and Environment