If your clematis vine is growing but not flowering, there are several reasons (or a combination of them) that could be preventing your clematis from flowering. Improper Pruning Pruning plants is both an art and a science. We prune for the welfare of the plant and our own aesthetics. With clematis, you really need to know what you’re doing because it’s easy to accidentally remove... Read More
Having a lush, colorful garden where deer live is possible, if you choose plants with known resistance. Flowering Tobacco There are several different garden-worthy flowering tobacco species, cultivars, and hybrids such as Nicotiana. All nicotiana have tubular flowers adored by hummingbirds, and since the blooms emit their fragrance in the evenings, the primary pollinators you’ll spy feeding on them are nocturnal moths. Just keep this... Read More
Tomatoes are easy to love and easy to grow. Here are a few tips for planting them, getting you on your way to this summer’s bumper crop. Get Off to a Great Start Choose healthy starts. Grow your own from seed or pick them up at Creek Side Gardens offering small, medium, large and extra-large plant selections. Know where you’re going to plant and prep... Read More
Most insect-repelling plants do so with their natural fragrances, which keep annoying mosquitoes away and introduce wonderful scents throughout your garden. Place these plants in areas where you and guests will often be such as by a seating area or a doorway. Lavender Their lovely fragrance comes from its essential oils that are found on the leaves of the plant. This plant is very tough... Read More
Aromatic. Spicy. Versatile. Downright addictive. That’s what we say about the incredible herb, basil. Whether you’re making pesto or tea, Italian or Thai food, Basil is so easy to grow at home, that you can always have some on hand. Grow from Seed or Transplants There is a bit of a misnomer that basil is hard to grow from seed – that couldn’t be more... Read More
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
