April is National Gardening Month. No wonder–Forsythia, redbuds, Bradford pears, daffodils, and tulips are blooming everywhere you look. Right now my own yard is a riot of color—the lush rose pink of the redbud, the sunny yellow of the forsythia and daffodils, the little patches of rich blue muscari and light blue starflowers, and the … Read more
Living with a forty foot tall maple in the front yard, a huge redbud on one side and an entire hill of oaks and maples behind, I’ve become (out of necessity) a fan of shade tolerant flowers. I thought I’d share with you some of my favorites—annuals, perennials, bulbs. Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis): Dainty nodding bells will … Read more
The quickest cause of plant failure is insufficient or incorrect watering. With my blog last week I discussed the sunlight requirements of plants and how choosing the right plant for the right location is so important. Now, once the correct plant is chosen and properly planted, the cultural care of the plant is also vital … Read more
I know…you are thinking “here goes Doug again getting on his soapbox talking about choosing the right plant for the right location”. But, in my defense, with working at a retail garden center and working with customers for so many years, this question about light and proper choosing of plants is more of a challenge … Read more
This past Saturday was St. Patrick’s Day. Did you get a “shamrock” as a gift? I already have a couple. They’re easy and fun to grow. To get the best out of yours, while it’s blooming, keep it in bright light—several hours of direct morning sun or afternoon sun (before 11 a.m. or after 2 … Read more
Everyone knows and has heard of mulch. But, how many of you are familiar with the product PREEN? There are a few good reasons why we mulch our garden beds. One is simple. We like the fresh look of mulch on our gardens. Another good reason for mulching is that it aids in the health of … Read more
What vegetable is low in calories, high in fiber, a rich source of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, was grown by George Washington at Mt. Vernon and by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello—and tastes delicious? Asparagus, of course! The Roman emperor Augustus actually had an Asparagus Fleet—a fleet of ships whose job was to locate and bring … Read more
Like me, many of you may have read the most recent news article claiming that the active ingredient in the widely used weed killer Roundup can cause cancer. Some studies have shown that there is a higher risk of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma for people exposed to glyphosate-based formulas. Conversely, there are many studies –scientific and medical – which … Read more
Yes, it is Strawberry season—the plants are now available for you to start your own strawberry patch. So how do we do that? Strawberries are perennials so choose a permanent sunny place where they can stay. Strawberry plants come in little bundles of “crowns”. A crown is the growing point of the plant with … Read more
I know it is only the beginning of March. Spring is not officially here for another two weeks. And, yes, I realize that we could still have more cold days and snow this month. But, have you spent some time outside lately to take advantage of some of these spring-like days? I sure have. And, … Read more
