Gardening Advice

Keep plants pumping out the flowers and fruit with midseason fertilizing. But if you just can’t afford another trip to the garden center to purchase yet another bag of overpriced fertilizer, here are 10 natural fertilizers, many of wish you may have right on hand. If your plants are beginning to look a bit shabby and tired you can’t really blame them. They have been working hard for you…

Asian greens are the stars of many fall vegetable gardens. If you’ve never grown tatsoi, pak choi, or other Asian greens, give them a try because they will germinate fast in warm, late-summer soil. Turn over a new leaf and learn more about types of Asian greens! Way down south, August means planting another round of warm-weather crops, but where temperatures aren’t so…

One way to protect your plants from insect attack is by using a trap crop. What are trap crops? Learn about how trap crops work, examples of trap crops (such as nasturtium, marigolds, and dill), and which beetles and insect pests they control. What is a Trap Crop? Basically, a trap crop consists of sacrificial plants that draw the harmful bugs away from the plants you want to keep…

Grab the bounty of fresh herbs while you can—and let's dry those leaves for tea. It's simple. See both how to dry your herbs and also how to make a good cup of herbal tea! Grow Your Own Herbs for Tea If you grew some of the plants mentioned in this Calming Herbs post, hopefully you have been enjoying them in iced and hot teas this summer. Even though fall is on the horizon, the party…

We should always consider our feathered friends! Making your garden bird-friendly takes more than just hanging a feeder or two. Here are five tips for making your backyard more welcoming to birds. Why Help Our Birds? Just being outside in the garden surrounded by birdsong is a wonderful way to spend the day. Listening to the chirping chickadees and loud laughing call of the pileated…

By midfall, most plants have stopped flowering. However, if you’d like an autumn bloomer, look no further than the hardy hibiscus and beautiful Rose of Sharon. Discover varieties of hibiscus flowers and planting tips! Rose of Sharon Rose of Sharon (Hibiscus syriacus) is one of my favorite late summer shrubs. Hardy hibiscus is so tough the plant will come back…

What do we do with all those fresh tomatoes of summer? Whether your tomatoes split, are green, or just need to get picked before frost, I’ll show you how to roast tomatoes and other delicious ways to use your tomatoes! Rescuing Imperfect Tomatoes Tomatoes do not need to be those perfect, round (and often tasteless) specimens you find in the grocery store. Don’t throw…

Imagine how many more vegetables you could grow if you just had a few more weeks of warm weather. That’s what season extenders are for. From plastic tunnels to floating row covers, here are my favorite ways to get a jumpstart on spring planting to lengthen the growing season! In many areas of the country, the gardening season is in full swing, but spring is so fickle! While I…

A quintessential summer flower, the sunflower has so many amazing uses—from cooking to crafts! They are not only pretty, but also entirely edible! See lots of great ways to make the most of sunflowers. A Pretty Native American Plant Honored as the state flower in both Kansas and Nebraska, there are about 70 species of sunflowers. Most are native to the Great Plains, Mexico, and…

If you spend time outside or have pets that go outdoors, it’s important to be aware of ticks! Here’s a primer on types of ticks, Lyme disease symptoms, how to prevent tick bites, and how to remove ticks—plus, what to do with a removed tick! What Are Ticks? Ticks are small bloodsucking parasites. Although people assume ticks are insects, they are actually arachnids (…

Monarch butterflies are officially endangered, which means that they’re at a real risk of extinction if we don’t take action. One thing we can do is to plant native milkweed. Not only does it provide nectar for the adult butterflies, but also it is the only plant on which they will lay their eggs. Learn more about which milkweed varieties are best for Monarchs…

If you like to garden, be careful in extreme heat. Here are seven sensible tips to keep in mind during hot and humid weather. Whether you like it hot or not, it is important to take care while working outside.  Gardening in the Heat I like hot summers, but I know that my opinion is in the minority when I hear my fellow gardeners complaining about the heat and humidity. Here…