General Gardening
Ben Smith
Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary ...

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…

Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary Topic
Summer Gardening
Ben Smith
The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering

Summer watering is inevitable in the northwest if we want to keep our landscapes green and healthy…

The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering
,

Fatsia Japonica: a versatile evergreen shrub for the northwest

,
Fatsia Japonica: a versatile evergreen shrub for the northwest

When you are a plant nerd like me, there is no end to the list of plants that fall into the category of “most favorite”.  There are many characteristics that can make a plant qualify for that most coveted classification, such as….

,

Don't Panic, Seasonal Needle Drop Is Normal

,
Don't Panic, Seasonal Needle Drop Is Normal

In my front yard is a mature White Pine that currently looks like it is about to die.  The entire tree has a yellow cast to it caused by bundles of 2-year-old needles that have finished up their life cycle, have turned yellow, and are now dropping and blanketing my lawn.  If this were a different plant I might be concerned, but…

The Magic Of Fall Colors

The Magic Of Fall Colors

Albert Camus, the French philosopher that developed Absurdism once said: “Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.”  While Albert didn’t attach any meaning to this annual event (since according to Albert everything is meaningless), at least he recognized that fall color is a pleasant experience that reminds us of…

,

October In The Garden - Time to tuck and roll

,
October In The Garden - Time to tuck and roll

I am not sure what happened to “Fall”.  It seems like in September we went from summer to winter in a matter of just a few days.  The current cool and rainy days feel more like November than September and I can only wonder what the month of October will be like.  I am hoping for a few more balmy, sunny days with some spectacular fall color.  Whatever we get, it is important to…

,

Fountain Grasses - Late blooming accents in the garden

,
Fountain Grasses - Late blooming accents in the garden

I have written many times about the attributes of ornamental grasses in our landscapes… Their unique texture contrasts nicely against the coarser foliage of both broadleaf evergreen and deciduous shrubs.  Depending on the variety, they can function either as…

Fleece Flowers - long blooming and easy to grow perennials

I recently came across an article in my wife’s The English Garden magazine (September 2023 edition) in which the author was regaling the many attributes of one of my favorite perennials, Persicaria amplexicaulis, or Fleece Flower as it is known more commonly.  Turns out that…

,

It's Time To Change Out Our Containers

,
It's Time To Change Out Our Containers

There should be no question in anyone’s mind that September is a month of change in the garden, where the jubilant floral displays of summer give way to tired, gone-to-seed perennials and parched foliage starting to show us glimmers of fall colors.  Even with…

The Curious Case Of The Crooked Conifer

The Curious Case Of The Crooked Conifer

Here we are, the last week of August.  The summer season is coming to an end, the kids (if you have any) are going back to school, our veggie beds and flower containers are winding down (although my overwintered geraniums seem to be just reaching their stride), and our lawns are parched (unless like me you are willing to spend your children’s inheritance to water it).  That is all about to change…

Latest post from “The Golfing Gardener”:

The Golfing Gardener

Trevor Cameron

Featured
The Dilemma of Dormancy
The Dilemma of Dormancy

Winter may have just begun, but it has been a strange one for us thus far.  We were blessed with a few frosts last week, but really have had minimal cold weather invade our corner of the PNW.  No arctic blast came in November, just copious amounts of our signature liquid sunshine.  I know I speak for everyone when I…

Read More →