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Plant bulbs now for spring color
Days grow shorter and evenings grow cooler as fall comes rolling down the hills and valleys, bringing color to trees and a slowing to the garden. Flowers begin to fade and green tomatoes, slowed by the...
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This means war! Some plants use chemicals to compete
A walk through the woods can be one of the most peaceful and calming experiences — a place where you can find quiet for reflection and marvel at the beauty of nature. Little do most people know that...
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Changing leaves means time to transplant trees and shrubs
The leaves still cling to the trees, immersed in the process of shedding their emerald green tones for the vibrant warm colors they don for the fall. The process begins as cooler weather and shorter...
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Fall Propagation: Semi-Hardwood Cuttings
As leaves continue to fall, most gardeners are putting their gardens and landscapes to bed. Plants are being cleaned up, leaves and debris raked up, and late season flowers such as mums and pansies are...
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Garlic: Prepare your garden for vampire invasions
Halloween is just around the corner, so you should definitely be on the lookout for any number of frightful half-human creatures. Chief among the terrifying hordes are vampires, though they seem to...
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Requiem from the Garden
Many plants have a message. No, I’m not talking about plants actually speaking to deliver some sort of imagination. I’m talking about symbolism — a thought or emotion conveyed by certain members of the...
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Make sure your garden tools are the sharpest in the shed
The leaves fall, the plants wither, and the earth prepares for its winter’s rest. By this point in time, most gardeners will have all the planting done, perhaps save for a few last minute...
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The First Thanksgiving Feast
It is a holiday that is quintessentially American (or North American, since our Canadian friends also have their own Thanksgiving). A commemoration of not only the arrival and survival of the pilgrims...
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Think local and homemade food for holiday gifts
Now that we are in the season of giving, what do you give the person who has everything? Or how about someone you know little about? Or the host or hostess who has invited you to a celebration? I’m a...
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Selecting a Live Christmas Tree
‘Tis the season to deck the halls and trim the tree. Tree sellers are popping up in local markets and parking lots, and many folks are picking out the perfect Christmas tree. Last year 26 million real...
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Poinsettia: More than Meets the Eye
More often than not, you’ll find poinsettias — hopefully real ones — among the decorations of the holiday. This plant is a standout in the mostly weed-filled and much-maligned spurge family...
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Extension Service calendars offer knowledge, recipes for new year
Amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, and my work preparing my year-end review reports, something very special happens in my office. At some point in December case upon case is delivered...
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Simplify the Holidays: Give the Gift of Gardening
The clock is ticking down the days, hours, and minutes to the celebration of Christmas. Hanukkah has come and gone. Kwanzaa will make an appearance, as well as the Solstice, Yule, and Saturnalia. And...
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Garden Trends: Balancing technology and environment
As we say farewell to 2015 and greet 2016 with open arms, let’s take a moment to look at what is happening in the garden world. Every year, a company called the Garden Media Group publishes a list of...
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Wacky Winter Weather Wreaks Havoc on the Garden
Temperamental and unpredictable — two good words to describe the weather this winter thanks to El Niño. While the term El Niño (meaning The Child) may have come about as reference to this weather...
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Trend: Decorating with houseplants for well-being
Just about everyone can remember his or her grandmother having a windowsill full of plants — African violets in the kitchen window, common houseplants crowded together in front of a south-facing window...
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Trend:Environmentally friendly gardening
For centuries, many gardeners and farmers have worked under the theory that nature is something to be tamed or controlled. Humans have bent the natural world to our will. We select which plants we like...
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Gardening for Man’s Best Friend
We love our pets. Surveys indicate that around 65 percent of American households have pets. In 2015, Americans spent an estimated $61 billion on their pets. By category, it is second only to Christmas...
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The dawning of the digital age of gardening
I look at my phone. The screen says “Need Watered” in an angry red text. No, my phone isn’t demanding a drink of water (which would not mix well with its electrical components), nor is it some online...
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Start your seedlings well
So we made it through “Snowpocalypse” and have continued our pattern of wild and wacky weather swings. Who knows when spring will actually arrive, but I know I’m ready for it. Of course, one of the...
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