When we think of eating healthy, we may think about eating organic produce or fresh home-grown organically grown vegetables. Mainly because we may prefer to know where our food comes from and that it has not been sprayed with chemicals. But this notion of organic gardening does not fully encompass the full scope of what organic gardening really means. Organic definition: 1a) relating to or... 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
Are you planning to build and/or install a raised bed? Raised beds can go anywhere that gets six to eight hours of sunlight a day. And they can be any size you like. This article is mainly about the standard rectangular raised beds that are generally built from untreated wood or concrete blocks, as well as what you might want to think about when preparing a raised... Read More
A little understanding of our weather conditions and working in our dry, limiting soil properties will help you improve your garden soil and make smart plant choices this gardening season. Soil is a fascinating mixture of microscopic to larger forms of life (earthworms are good), plus varying amounts of air, water, decomposing living matter, aka organic matter, and different-sized soil texture particles or pores (there... 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
After doubling our average snowfall for February 2020, we certainly are having some pretty nice weather right now. Typical Rocky Mountain Spring. But what does that mean? For all of you that have lived in this area for some time, you know what that means. There is still more cold, snow, rain and freezing temperatures on their way. So, what do we early gardening enthusiasts... 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
What the Best Houseplants for Apartments have in Common Apartment plants are relatively low-maintenance, meaning they don’t require much care beyond watering and fertilizer. Houseplants for apartments are very forgiving and bounce back quickly if you forget to water them. Indoor plants for small apartments don’t drop leaves everywhere and make a mess. Apartment plants are hardy and long-lived. Houseplants for small spaces are fairly... 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
