Container gardening is very popular, especially for gardeners with no yards or limited growing area in the ground. All types of plants may be grown in containers. Annual flowers, herbs and vegetables work very well because their growing will be over at the end of the summer season. Your containers can then be replanted the following season with a fresh planting. Perennials, shrubs and trees... Read More
Adding flowers to the vegetable garden not only adds colorful interest but will help your garden stay healthy by attracting beneficial insects or discouraging harmful insects. While there are many good reasons to go natural in the garden, the resounding reason that every gardener can get on board with is that it just makes gardening easier and more abundant. When flowers are coupled with all-natural... Read More
Mixed tactics work best Despite gardeners’ best efforts, deer will damage landscape plantings. The two questions most frequently asked are: “What can I plant that deer won’t eat?” and “How can I stop deer & rabbits from browsing on my favorite plants?” The simple answers are that there are very few truly deer-proof or rabbit-proof plants and that, if they are hungry enough, repellents, scare... Read More
“Hardening off” may sound like some sort of difficult preparation for a college exam. Take heart. It isn’t. It isn’t even hard! Hardening off refers to the process of acclimating plants from indoor temperatures to the outdoors. Because plants usually are grown in greenhouses (or, as seedlings in our kitchen window!), they’ve been pampered. They need to be introduced slowly to the elements of wind... Read More
Mulch is any material placed on top of the soil to suppress weeds, conserve soil moisture, add organic matter, and provide an attractive backdrop for plantings. Mulch can also reduce erosion, improve the soil’s structure and fertility as it breaks down, and stabilize soil temperature fluctuations. As you can see, there are so many good reasons to make mulch a part of your garden. But,... Read More
These are some favorite tea herbs that are easily grown in the home garden and the reasons why to consider growing them. When planning what you will grow this year, why not include some herbal tea? Bee Balm (Monarda) Brew the leaves into an aromatic, medicinal tea that tastes like mint but milder. It is purported to combat colds and flu, and the tea is... Read More
Are you interested in growing your own produce but don’t know where to begin? Some fruits and vegetables are easier to grow than others so are perfect for those just starting out. Avoid getting overwhelmed by keeping it simple and sticking to tasty varieties that give a lot for the least amount of effort. Many of them are perennial, which mean that they come back... Read More
Consider planting any of the following list of plants to supply Bumblebees with nectar throughout the year. From early in the spring through the summer and late into the fall season, Bumblebees are searching for flowers to visit. By planning a succession of blooming plants throughout the year in your garden, Bumblebees will be happy frequent visitors. Scabiosa – there are lots of different varieties... Read More
Winter doesn’t necessarily seem like the best time to be starting seeds outdoors in most of North America, but for one very valuable group of plants – the milkweeds – winter is the perfect time to get planting. In case you aren’t familiar with this particular group of plants, milkweeds are in the genus Asclepias, and they are the sole monarch butterfly host plant. Monarch... Read More
Many gardeners have heard that honeybees are in trouble. The best thing gardeners can do is to plant lots of pollinator plants in hopes of helping them. Native bees are also struggling, and many are much better pollinators than the non-native European honeybee. Here’s an easy project for gardeners of all ages and a great one for kids that will teach them about the importance... Read More
