Quantcast
Gardening Advice | Almanac.com
For daily wit & wisdom, sign up for the Almanac Daily newsletter.

Gardening Advice

Bothered by bugs? Here are recipes for homemade bug repellents for your skin—and they take seconds to mix up for an effective everyday spray. Using witch hazel or other simple ingredients, these DIY bug sprays kick those pesky mosquitos and insects to the curb and keep you bite-free. If you prefer not to spray chemicals on your skin, check out these natural recipes using simple pantry …
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 to transplant young plants outdoors.Different plants need a different amount of lead time before they are ready to transplant into the garden…
We usually treat evergreen trees as background plants, quietly doing their work offstage where they offer cover and food for wild animals, provide shade, block the wind, or mark a boundary line. Cue the dwarfs! Like the Munchkins in Oz, these small evergreen trees will steal the show!What are Dwarf Evergreens?Like large evergreens, the smaller “dwarf” evergreens hold their green needle-…
There is no magic bullet for keeping your garden and indoor plants free from insect pests. Some tricks I have learned over the years are ways to cope with bugs without resorting to nasty chemicals. Here are my tips for pest control, including homemade insecticidal sprays (soap sprays).Pest Control Starts With YouBefore resorting to using pesticides (even organic ones), consider the…
Bzzz… Here’s a secret: all “bees” are not created equal. Bees, wasps, and hornets may look alike and belong to the same order of insects called Hymenoptera, but they are different insects. How can you distinguish between a bee, a wasp, and a hornet? Let’s take a look!Bees and wasps took separate evolutionary paths over 100,000,000 years ago. Bees are vegetarians, collecting pollen to feed…
Row covers not only are great for protecting your garden from frost but also they form an excellent, chemical-free barrier for excluding many insects that threaten crops. We cover almost everything in our garden at first for one reason or another. See the different types of fabric row covers and their many benefits.Row covers are fabric that protects your plants from cold…
Did you know that houseplants help purify the air in our homes? We’ve long known that indoor plants improve our mood and reduce stress levels, but improving air quality is an additional benefit! See the best air-purifying houseplants.During the colder months, we spent a lot of time indoors. Certainly, healthy indoor air is a top priority. Without proper ventilation, it doesn’t take long…
What is hugelkultur, anyway? When I first heard the word, I thought it must be a new kind of yogurt, but, no—it’s a type of raised garden bed! Hügelkultur can be translated as “mound culture”—in which plants or crops are grown on raised beds with a mounded shape and form. Many swear that this method takes raised beds to the next level. Find out why…What Are Hugelkultur Beds?…
Go for a walk in the woods to see the first wildflowers! Called “spring ephemerals,” these tiny flowers emerge in early spring and disappear when the tree canopies fill out! They have descriptive names: trillium, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, and Virginia bluebells, to name a few. Learn more …A sure sign of spring in my area is when the bloodroot blooms. Like other spring-blooming…
How do you start a garden in an apartment, townhouse, or condo without a proper yard? If you have access to a balcony, rooftop, terrace, or patio, you can still grow a wide range of veggies, herbs, perennials, flowers, and vines in containers! Here are 10 things to think about when diving into balcony gardening.10 Things to Consider When Balcony or Rooftop Gardening1. If you live…
Learn how to make your own soilless potting mix at home! Commercial bags are pricey, really add up in costs, and also vary greatly in quality, leading to fried plants. It’s satisfying to make your own to give your plants a healthy start—and leads to fewer headaches. Here’s our basic DIY potting mix recipe.Containers are great for a number of reasons, namely that they’re versatile, space-…
We love hummingbirds! Hummingbird nectar is simple to make at home, but you do need to use the right ingredients and know the right recipe. Learn how to make homemade hummingbird food and attract hummingbirds to your garden!How to Make Your Own Hummingbird NectarHelp these hard workers get a proper meal: nectar! Make your own “nectar” in just a few steps; it’s far less…
The Old Farmer's Store