The expression; “out of sight, out of mind” could easily apply to mistletoe, since it thrives in the tops of the dense tree canopies of its host. Therefore, it’s rarely […]
Articles on Seasonal Gardening
Put Fall Leaves to Work to Improve Any Soil in 3 Simple Steps
I think it’s fairly safe to assume most people dread the mess and work involved in cleaning up all those fall leaves that blanket their yards each year. Call me weird, but […]
Preparing The Garden For Spring
Preparing for spring; What to do Now in the Garden and Landscape There’s nothing like the kickoff of spring to motivate us to get out in the garden. Yet savvy […]
What to do With Your Christmas Tree After the Holiday
The disposable cut Christmas tree of yesteryear is today a valuable addition as organic material used for mulch, compost and soil improvement. Gone are the days when trees were simply […]
Tips for Owning a Hobby Greenhouse (from 13 Years’ Experience)
The following greenhouse tips were provided by Sheri George, our guest host from Episode 203: Greenhouses for Year-Round Growing. See also Sheri’s Greenhouse Do’s and Don’ts, and More About Hobby […]
Traditions of the Christmas Tree
Did you know the Christmas tree tradition dates back to Western Germany in the 16th century? They were called “paradise trees” and were used to celebrate the annual feast of […]
Selection and Care of Live Christmas Trees
Over the last several years, the popularity of live or living Christmas trees has been on the rise. But many of these trees don’t survive the holiday season. Knowing how […]
7 Ways to Kill a Houseplant
Want to know how to kill a houseplant in any one of seven easy ways? Here you go: 1. Over water it. It’s the number one contributor to houseplant death. […]
Why Leaves Change Color in the Fall
Even if you live in the most tropical of climates, where summer is your only season, you still can’t help but marvel at the splendor of a brightly colored autumn […]
Why do Leaves Shed in Fall?
Wouldn’t it be nice to enjoy those brilliant autumn leaf colors all year– rather than for a few short weeks? Maybe so, but the changing leaf color each fall is […]
Soil Prep for the Vegetable Garden
True gardeners rarely refer to soil as simply dirt. They understand the difference between the stuff you dig up in your backyard versus the “black gold” that consist of compost, […]
Proactive Care in the Fall for Healthy Plants and Trees
Fall is such a productive and important season in the garden. It’s the ideal time to plant and an essential time to clean up and clear out. With that in […]
Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs in Fall for Best Results Next Season
Now that fall is here, I think a lot about planting and garden maintenance. Wait a minute, when don’t I think about that! One of the classic gardening activities this […]
Dealing with Drought; Sooner or Later, the Well Dries up
As I travel the country, I’m hearing more and more about the shortage of water and seeing the toll it’s taking on lawns and gardens. As their way of dealing […]
Drip Irrigation: A Smart Way to Help Plants Survive Summer
In my neck of the woods, it’s been about two months without any measurable rainfall. I decided several years ago, most plants in my garden were on their own for […]
Garden with the Next Season in Mind
As we begin putting the garden to bed, I would like to focus on two strategies that will help ensure your success for the following year and subsequent seasons. I […]
Extending the Season
There is a season for everything. In life, as with gardens, we know this vividly and yet how often we try to defy the odds and accelerate the beginning of […]
Restoring a Poinsettia to its Christmas Color
Interesting facts Today, the poinsettia is the number one potted plant sold in the United States. And, that’s over a very small six-week window! It is thought that Franciscan monks […]
What is the ‘Greener’ Choice in Christmas Trees, Real vs. Artificial?
For the first twenty something years of my life, real Christmas trees were the only option I ever knew. And frankly, artificial trees were so depressingly plastic-looking back then, I’m […]
Steps to Creating Great Soil and a Healthy Garden
Starting a garden from scratch or improving and existing one can seem a bit intimidating. But I’ve done both many times and have learned quite a few valuable lessons along […]
10 Tips for Buying Seeds Online and in Catalogs
Question from Lisa: I’m getting flooded with seed and gardening catalogs now that the holidays are over. I don’t even remember signing up for most of these. Although I must […]
Poinsettia Facts Maybe You Didn’t Know
Here is an interesting fact: The poinsettia, a member of the Euphorbia family and native to Mexico, is the number 1 potted plant sold in the United States. And, that’s […]
Fall is the Best Time to Garden
Wow! Every week in October and November is my favorite gardening week. There’s so much to do. No bugs, no heat, no sweat. Any person with a gardening or landscaping […]
Winter Gardening Activities with Children
During the holidays while your children are home and looking for something fun to do, here are some winter gardening activities you can enjoy with your children: 1. Plant a […]
Putting the Garden to Bed
Some gardeners will do whatever it takes to keep their gardens growing as long as possible. With the right combination of techniques, one could potentially garden year round, even in […]
Feeding and Care of Birds in Winter
Millions of people put bird food in feeders or plant their yard to attract birds each year. Unfortunately, far less continue supplying food through the winter months when natural food […]
Gardening Solo is Much Better Than Eating Alone
Gardening is one of those activities that is just as rewarding when doing alone. Then there are times when sharing the experience with someone else is even better. And sometimes […]
Selection and Care of Live Christmas Trees
Over the last several years, the popularity of live or living Christmas trees has been on the rise. But many of these trees don’t survive the holiday season. Knowing how […]
Who Among us has Prunaphobia?
Many people fear pruning, simply because they don’t understand the concept of cutting something back to help it grow more! It’s counterintuitive, and it was that way for me, too. […]
Creating Winter Interest
I relish the opportunity to study a garden in the winter. When trees and shrubs are void of leaves and groundcovers have died back until spring, we are able to […]
Over-wintering Non-hardy and Tropical Plants
There’s nothing like a cold north wind and fast moving front in late October to signal me that I’m out of time to get those tender plants and tropicals off […]
Seed Catalogs Offer the Perfect Winter Diversion
“Twas the week after Christmas, and all through the mail, The catalogs started arriving, on schedule, without fail… Nah…I could go there but I won’t. Though I must admit, I […]
Seed Catalog Buying Dos and Don’ts
Now that we have all those newly-delivered, luscious seed catalogs staring us in the face, what are we going to do with them? For many, the answer is nothing. They’re […]
The Pleasure of Gardening is in the Process
I’ve had a fascination with consumer trends in gardening for several years. I think it’s because I’m so involved in what people are doing in and around their gardens. It […]
Gardening & Parenting – Passions Similar in Many Ways
I love to garden. For most of my life, it’s been my favorite way to relax, to create and to feel one with nature. On the weekends, I’d be up […]
Why an Eco-friendly Garden is Good for All
As I sat down to write the introduction to my latest book: The green Gardener’s Guide; simple, significant actions to protect and preserve our planet, I realized that this relatively simple […]
