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…
Recently, I was browsing through my past columns looking for ideas when I came across my very first monthly check list, written in June 2001, 20 years ago. I have spilled a lot of ink since then, but the idea of a list of chores for every month of the year still seems useful. That being said, here are some thoughts to ponder…
Fall is in the air! The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler and the sun is moving farther south, creating longer shadows on the north side of the garden. These climatological events are triggers for the garden, to let it know that winter is coming and seasoned gardeners will respond accordingly. Here are some things they will be doing this month, that you should do as well…
Well, we’ve managed to survive one more month of “sheltering in”, and based on the increase in business at the nursery, I think it is a fair conclusion that many of you made the most of your time by working in your yards. Good for you! That time spent in April will save you lots of labor later in the year. That being said, there is never a shortage of tasks to be completed in our gardens, so here are a few ideas to keep you busy while we all figure out how to safely go back out in public…
It’s been a while since I have given you a concise, all-in-one-place list of chores for the month, so I thought it would be timely to do just that. There is always something to do in the garden, even if it is just walking around and observing what Mother Nature is up to. As stewards of the green spaces we call our gardens, here are some things to consider as we move into winter…
As much as I would love to talk about reblooming hydrangeas and other wonderful blooming plants, the fact is that the weather is finally cooperating for us gardeners to get a bunch of chores done and I fully intend to work myself into a state of blissful exhaustion. After the wettest March on record and a very cold and soggy April, it is time to get caught up - here is what I will be doing over the next 30 days…
I know it is probably raining in your garden and will be for at least another week, but I have to tell you that the last two weeks (particularly the weekends) were just amazing! I would sincerely hope that you all share my feelings. It just blows me away that even at the crusty old age of 70 I am still overwhelmed by the magic of spring. Perhaps it is just my inner child coming through, but there is not one day in the spring when I walk through my garden that I don’t find something that literally leaves me awestruck. Spring is truly awesome…
As we head into the peak spring season and the temperatures continue to rise, more and more of our landscapes are popping with spring color. Another shrub all gardens should contain is a deciduous Azalea. Us gardeners have plenty of evergreen options to help with our Azalea and Rhododendron addictions, but a deciduous Azalea specimen offers…