It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer. These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”. Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants. Here is why…
There is a surprising array of hardy herbs that we can grow in our northwest marine climate and not have to worry about replanting every spring. Many of them can actually be brought inside and placed on a bright window sill for the winter where sprigs can be plucked as needed. Left outside, many can even still be harvested throughout the winter. Here are several hardy options that I discovered while walking through our herb department this last week…
I couldn’t help but notice the other day while driving around town, that lavender was coming into bloom. That of course got me thinking about growing lavender, choosing varieties, and how to actually use the plant other than just to look at it. It turns out lavender has been in production for over 2500 years and there is quite a bit of info out there to share…
For generations of gardeners, and certainly for me, Rhododendrons represent the arrival of spring in our local landscapes. Everywhere you drive this time of year there is a stunning Rhododendron in full bloom to catch your eye. These flowering beauties come in all sorts of…