In the midst of the winter cold and piles of snow outside, you might not be thinking about your garden chores. Most of them have been put on hold till the snow melts away. However, the snow may have many fruit tree owners thinking about their annual winter pruning. Yes, even with snow on the…
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When we think of President’s Day, we often think of history, politics, independence or freedom, but did you know many United States presidents were also avid gardeners and plant lovers? This goes back to our very first president, George Washington, who never lived in the White House, but who oversaw the development of Mount Vernon…
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If you haven’t started already, now is the time to begin planning your garden for the growing season. You’ve probably already begun receiving plant and seed catalogs in the mail and if you are anything like me, you’re getting the gardening itch. Though as you peruse the catalogs, you may feel overwhelmed by the sheer…
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The holidays are over. Now your mailbox is full of seed catalogs, and your local nursery is displaying racks and racks of seeds. It’s time to start planning the garden for next spring! But the seed packets and catalogs have terms you’ve never heard of before. What do the terms mean? You may have heard…
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The growing season is winding down, and we are putting our gardens to bed. However, growing your own food doesn’t have to be over. There are many kitchen scraps from your fridge that you can regrow to have freshly grown produce in your own home, including and not limited to romaine lettuce, cabbage, bok choy,…
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It was a long hot summer, and the crisp, refreshing fall air is finally here. Now it is time to change over the decorations, break out the scarves and flannel, and find uses for those pumpkins you have been nurturing. Pumpkins, sometimes known as winter squash, come in beautiful colors often associated with fall. Those…
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The rewards of homegrown garlic can be delicious. Homegrown garlic has a better flavor profile than what you find in a grocery store. I had a few cloves leftover from my last grocery run and wanted to find out if they would grow. As a beginning gardener, it can be easy to get excited and…
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From bountiful gardens of vegetables and fruits to edible landscapes filled with berries, the idea of growing your own food sounds easy. The first step towards success is making the right selection to start with. If you are new to the world of fruit gardening, it is a different environment. Gone are the days of…
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When you search online for vegetable gardening information, you are inundated with numerous blogs and articles with planting tips and tricks. Unfortunately, much of what is written is not supported scientifically. One of these topics is the concept of plant enemies. Plant enemies, as described by bloggers, are plants that harm other plants either by…
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Many of us add compost and till our vegetable garden beds in the spring. This is a time-honored practice. But did you know fall is also an excellent time to add organic matter? Soils are made up of sand, silt, clay and organic matter. Good, productive soils contain 5 percent organic matter. Our native soils…
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