Gardening Advice
April 8, 2020
Earthworms have been called “nature’s plows” for the way they dig through the soil. Their tunnels help aerate and loosen the soil, making it easier for plant roots to penetrate well below the surface, and along the way they drop their poop, a rich fertilizer called a casting. See how to attract worms to the garden!
When the frost leaves the ground, the earthworms start moving upward in the soil looking for mates. While you are cleaning up the leftover leaves and debris from your garden this... more
April 7, 2020
If you are itching to get your hands dirty but have few gardening supplies on hand and hesitate to head to the store, take a look around the house and yard. You may find many items that can be re-purposed into just what you need. Here are some cheap tips and tricks for house-bound gardeners!
Collect plastic and waxed containers to start seeds in. Mushroom boxes, clear salad clamshells, milk and juice cartons work just fine. Be sure to poke some drainage holes in the bottom before adding your... more
March 31, 2020
The fight against coronavirus has been likened to a war—some have even referred to it as “World War C”—and it looks like wartime Victory Gardens are making a comeback. Today, the goals are different but the interest in growing a little (or a lot) of your own food is still the same! Let’s talk about planting a Victory Garden in 2020!
During WWI, the National War Garden Commission promoted home gardening and food preservation. They inspired students—calling them “soldiers of the soil”—to help... more
March 24, 2020
With kids at home, harness a bit of their energy (and your own) by enticing them to help in the garden! Nature has not been canceled and there are lots of opportunities for hands-on learning experiences outside. Here are some ideas on what to plant in a garden for kids—and other fun activities.
Get Kids Into the Garden
As of this writing, one in three Americans are under orders to stay home and most schools are closed. This means that many students are at home engaging in distance learning via... more
March 24, 2020
Growing your own salad greens will put a world of fresh ingredients at your fingertips. Whether you are a gourmet salad lover who likes to experiment with interesting greens or someone who just wants to have your own homegrown lettuce, your choices are only limited by the seeds you can find and the space you have.
Types of Salad Greens
We always think of spinach and lettuce as the main spring greens, but there are many more to choose from. Look to the east—Asian greens such as napa cabbage,... more
March 19, 2020
It’s early spring! How do you get the garden ready? Which vegetables can be planted in early spring? Here are 15 early spring gardening tasks and tips to get you started on your season!
I spent the end of February in the Texas Hill Country where the gardens are at least three months ahead of mine in New Hampshire. The redbuds, irises, and poppies were in bloom and the famous bluebonnets were popping up here and there.
A Redbud in full bloom with yellow irises. The grass even needs mowing!... more
March 17, 2020
Coneflower, or Echinacea, is my favorite native American plant. This rugged pollinator magnet comes in so many colors, shapes, and sizes. Here are seven coneflower varieties that we have planted over the years with success.
I have been under the weather lately, and one of the only things that seems to quiet my cough is echinacea. It got me to thinking about how much I love these coneflowers!
I have always appreciated the plant for its durability, able to withstand hot dry summers but hardy... more
March 15, 2020
Annual flowers are like Rodney Dangerfield: They “don’t get no respect.” However, if you have no annuals in your garden at all, you are missing out on one of life’s joys and a whole lot of color. Let’s discover some of the best and easiest annual flowers—including beautiful pictures!
Annuals provide gardens with all-season color, but they have to be replanted every year, so they often get the cold shoulder. Perennials are the garden divas; they give one outstanding performance a year and retire... more
March 8, 2020
The earliest plants to blossom in my garden are the snowdrops. While they are a welcome sign of spring, the hellebores really steal the show as they poke through the last of winter’s snow. Learn more about growing these perennial flowering plants, specifically the varieties of Christmas rose and Lenten rose.
Hellebores bear glossy, evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers which bloom in winter or early spring. Though they are commonly called a “rose,” they are not in the rose family. Actually,... more
March 7, 2020
As a young girl, one of my first plants was a coleus grown from a cutting my grandmother gave me. I’ve been in love with them ever since. Discover the many colorful varieties of coleus which you can find today to add to shady beds, sunny borders, and containers.
Not only are coleus easy to grow, but also this plant gives season-long color and texture, and perform well in containers or planted in the ground. Plant breeders have come up with lots of new and different types of coleus that will... more
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Get inspired by Robin Sweetser’s backyard gardening tips and tricks. Robin has been a contributor to The Old Farmer’s Almanac and the All-Seasons Garden Guide for many years. She and her partner Tom have a small greenhouse business and also sell plants, cut flowers, and vegetables at their local Farmer’s Market.
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