Gardening Advice

In late winter, the earliest of spring bulbs pop their heads out of the snow, bringing a smile to our faces. See seven flowers which will be up and blooming long before other plants have begun to stir!Snowdrops (Galanthus)January’s birth flower, snowdrops are the first to appear in my yard, even though they have to push the top crust of snow up and away as they reach for…

Here are some tips on which perennial flowers to plant in your yard to keep constant color all summer! Whether you live in the South, Northeast, Midwest, or West, here are a some long-blooming perennials for gorgeous garden displays wherever you live.Perennials That Bloom All SummerNonstop bloom is easy to create just by planting the right varieties for your location. Try some of these…

When do you plant flowers in the garden? It depends! Is it a perennial flower, annual flower, or bulb? Is it frost-sensitive or not? As with vegetables, there’s a right and a wrong time to plant your beloved blooms. Here’s when to start seeds and when transplant young plants outdoors.Different plants need a different amount of lead time before they are ready to transplant into…

Before you pour salt on your driveways to melt snow and ice, consider the impact it has on your plants, pets, pavement, and water quality. Explore seven less harmful ways to melt ice—as well as ways to use less salt!Rock salt (sodium chloride) has been the conventional choice to melt ice on driveways and sidewalks as salt has a lower freezing point than water. Rock salt is effective to…

When there's snow on the ground, it's easy to see who has been visiting the garden when we're not looking. This week, we discovered a number of white-tailed deer. Here are tips for identifying your winter visitors and coexisting with wildlife. Deer are on the move. The first inkling we had that they were in our yard was when the seven-foot-tall plastic mesh fence surrounding the vegetable…

When planning your garden, don’t forget that flowers feed the soul (and the pollinators)! There are many new ornamental plants coming to a garden center near you in 2023. Here are just a few of those eye-catching annual and perennial flowers!2023 New Annual FlowersLet’s start with two colorful, heavy-flowering annuals!‘Hula’ begonias are a unique “spreading” type of begonia…

Start an indoor herb garden! Even just a few pots of herbs grown on a windowsill or under grow lights can supply you with wonderful flavors at your fingertips year-round. Just be sure to select the right herbs that grow indoors in winter. Here’s how to get started! Many indoor herbs prefer the same temperatures that most people do—around 65 to 70 degrees F—so it’s a cozy …

If you’re going to grow and eat healthy vegetables, why not consider which ones are nutrient-dense? So, which veggies are the nutritional stars? Here are the top 10 healthiest vegetables and fruit that you can grow at home—plus advice for growing a healthier garden. We all want to provide our families with the freshest, most nutritious meals we can and if you are growing your…

Succeed with seeds! Here are my 10 tips and tricks for starting your vegetable seeds indoors. Over the decades, I've learned some valuable lessons—from when to start seeds to avoiding common mistakes. The Hindi word for seed is " bija" which translates literally as "containment of life". An apt description for these tiny miracles that contain everything needed to make a new plant. This…

If you are itching to get your hands dirty but have few gardening supplies on hand, take a look around the house and yard. You may find many items that can be repurposed into just what you need. Here are some cheap tips and tricks! Collect plastic and waxed containers to start seeds in. Plastic clamshells that greens come in make great community pots for starting seeds. Mushroom boxes,…

Just when you think there is nothing new under the Sun, along come the seed catalogs to tempt us with the latest varieties to grow in our gardens. Here’s a short list of the new and notable vegetable seeds to look for—from a fingerling tomato that’s perfect for dipping to a snack-size sweet pepper! There are so many new plants for 2023 that I’m going to focus on vegetable…

One of the most frequently asked questions by houseplant lovers is, “Why are my plant’s leaves turning yellow?” To determine what is ailing your plant, take a close look at those yellowing leaves. The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. Houseplant leaves turning yellow can be caused by several things. Random leaves that are yellow or have yellow patches on the…