This time of year, I tend to get bogged down in details: squash bugs showing up on my watermelon vines; tomato blooms that won’t set fruit because the temperature is 95 degrees; trying to keep everything watered (including me!) in unrelenting heat. I ask myself “Why the heck did I plant so much?” Last Thursday … Read more
IT’S JULY / IT’S SUMMER / IT’S HOT – BUT, CERTAIN PLANTS CAN BE PLANTED NOW THAT OUR CATERPILLARS AND BUTTERFLIES LOVE I know it can be a struggling time for gardeners with this heat and humidity. This is why timing is everything with planning our gardening activities. Early in the morning or late in … Read more
In 2003 the United States Department of Agriculture established July as National Blueberry Month. Nice to have a whole month dedicated to one of my favorite things. So here are a few interesting tidbits about these delicious berries. Blueberries belong to the family Ericales. This makes them related to cranberries, Brazil nuts, persimmons, camellias, azaleas, … Read more
LATELY, HOMEOWNERS AND APARTMENT DWELLERS ARE LOVING THIS PLANT Growing up, I remember both of my great-grandmothers having this plant in their homes. To this day, I still don’t know why I remember such a trivial fact with my great-grandmothers unless I was just intrigued by the plant at a very early age. Today, the … Read more
You can find lists everywhere about which plants are toxic for cats/dogs/small children but what’s harder to find is a list of plants that are safe. Here is a list of houseplants known to be non-toxic. Do understand that a child or pet could still have an allergic reaction, however. Whenever there is any question, … Read more
My neighbor gets home from work at about the same time I do. He nods his head and hollers, “Hot enough for ya?” I grin, and then roll my eyes. At least I can go to a nice cool house. Our garden plants can’t. Powdery mildew loves hot humid weather and can be a problem—particularly … Read more
SUMMER IS OFFICIALLY HERE AND SO IS VACATION SEASON Here we are in late June. School is out. We are now entering the “dog days of summer” where our weather can be scorching and dry. And, we have a planned vacation scheduled. What do I do with all the outdoor plants that I have made … Read more
June is National Pollinators Month. To honor this special month, it’s a great time to highlight some of the other insects that pollinate flowers. Honeybees and butterflies seem to get all the press, but there are other pollinators also doing important work. These include: Flies Yep, the same insects that annoy us by flying around … Read more
JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDEN MONTH and ECHINACEA (CONEFLOWER) IS MY CHOSEN PERENNIAL TO HIGHLIGHT LET’S GO CONE CRAZY!!! Most people who come into the garden center will ask for coneflower and not use the botanical name, Echinacea. So, I will continue this pattern with this blog. Every perennial has its own personality and requires different … Read more
There are a lot of pests and diseases—even nutrient deficiencies–just waiting to pounce on our vegetables/flowers/trees/shrubs. It can be overwhelming to know what to do. So here are some things to keep in mind. Identify the problem If you are not 100% sure what the problem is, bring a sample to a reputable garden center … Read more
