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Gardening Advice
I confess to being a lazy cook. For example, the idea of peeling, coring, and slicing apples makes me a reluctant pie maker. But the right tools get your apples ready to bake in a pie—or your fruit and tomatoes strained for sauce—in no time. See three of my favorite kitchen tools. Processing Apples, Tomatoes, and PearsIn past years, after spending a few of the most…
Is soil alive? Yes! In fact, over half of the known species on Earth live in the soil. And all of life depends on the hidden world that exists beneath our feet. Let’s stop treating soil like dirt. Here are five tips.From microbes to mammals, soil is home to more than 59% of life on Earth; soil is as biodiverse a habitat as a rainforest! And like the rainforests, soil is subject to damage…
Wondering which landscaping shrubs are best for the front of a house? To hide a foundation or thrive in shady spots? Bring in more pollinators? Find the right shrub for the right purpose! Here are some of our ideas on choosing shrubs.The gardening adage of choosing the “right plant for the right place” is extremely important for shrubs. There are too many beneficial shrubs to list in…
Before cold nights arrive, bring tender perennials and tropical plants indoors to help them survive winter. Learn when to move them, which plants are worth saving, and how to manage light, watering, and pests until spring.When to Bring Plants InsideTrue annuals and plants that we grow as annuals (considered tender perennials in southern regions) cannot survive cold winter…
Dry shade is one of the most difficult planting situations that any gardener faces. Think of areas under trees or against the walls of a house. Here is advice on how to deal with this challenge, as well as the best native flowers and foliage plants for dry, shady areas.Dry Shade Under TreesLarge trees, especially maples, have tough, fibrous roots which form a dense, tangled mat that is…
Want to brighten up a shady spot? Coleus is a fantastic plant with colorful leaves. There are varieties that grow in the shade as well as sunny spots. Plus, coleus grows well in pots and hanging baskets or in the ground with color and texture through the fall. Discover the many varieties of coleus!As a young girl, one of my first plants was a coleus grown from a cutting my grandmother gave…
What’s the difference between topsoil and potting soil? The choices can get overwhelming at the gardening center, but it simply boils down to what you’re using it for. Do you want fill in a hole? Do you have clay soil? Are you growing in a container? Learn more.We run a greenhouse business. This past spring, due to supply chain issues, we could no longer get the excellent compost-based potting…
Normally, I don’t go looking for trouble—but what are those bite marks, sticky leaves, or chewed-up stems? In the garden, spotting these signs early is the best way to head off potential problems before they get out of hand. While you’re weeding or watering, keep an eye out for telltale clues like holes in leaves, egg masses, or webs that reveal common garden pests at work. In this guide, we’ll…
I have a love/hate relationship with roses. If it isn’t the deer eating them from the top down, it’s the voles eating them from the roots up … and then there are the diseases. Here are the top 10 rose diseases, including pictures to identify what’s wrong—as well as advice on treatment.Roses seem to be afflicted with more than their share of maladies. In terms or prevention, you can avoid a lot of…
Keep plants pumping out the flowers and fruit with midseason fertilizing. But if you just can’t afford another trip to the garden center for yet another bag of fertilizer, here are 10 natural fertilizers, many of which 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 all season and it is…
Help kids grow! Gardening gives children a hands-on way to learn where food comes from, explore nature, and get their hands dirty. Start with easy seeds and a small garden space, then try fun projects at home or in a school garden.Being outside gives kids time to cut loose and burn off some steam. Your garden can serve as an outdoor classroom for showing your kids how and where we get our…
Need a fence to keep animals out of your garden? Build the fence to fit the animal—be it deer, rabbit, or groundhog! We’ll explain what type of fence you need, how high it should be, and other tips to protect your vegetables from being eaten.In the poem Mending Wall, Robert Frost said, “Good fences make good neighbors,” but they also make good gardens.Know Your EnemyFrost also…
