This past Saturday, June 13th, was National Weed Your Garden Day. One of the most important things we can do as a gardener is to keep weeds out of our vegetable and flower beds. Too many weeds can crowd plant roots and force them to compete for water and nutrients. When a plant is “fighting”, … Read more
Last week, my blog was about feeding the butterfly babies (caterpillars). Now we want to attract the grown-ups. Good Butterfly Attracting Perennials The following is a list of good butterfly-attracting perennials, although there are lots of others. Note: Because butterflies prefer sunny areas, most of their preferred nectar flowers are also sun-lovers. Alliums Asters Bee … Read more
Caterpillars to Butterflies – How to Make the Magic Happen in Your Garden I had a customer, with a packet of milkweed seeds in her hand, ask me how to get rid of the caterpillars that ate these every year. My first reaction was amusement—I was sure she was joking. She wasn’t. I then looked … Read more
This Friday, May 30th, is National Water a Flower Day. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? Or maybe it isn’t. Improper watering is probably the number one killer of houseplants—and garden plants, too. We’re so concerned about keeping plants watered, that we often forget they also need air. Yes, plants do breathe! Let Your Plants Breathe … Read more
Is anything tastier or more essentially “summer” than fresh corn? Because the sugar in corn begins to convert to starch soon after picking, Grandma always said to get the water boiling then go pick the corn, but there are now sugar-enhanced varieties that hold their sweetness for a few days after picking. Still, fresher is … Read more
Are you planting your first vegetable garden this year—or have you gardened in the past but always seem to wind up with one problem or another? Unfortunately, our commonly grown garden vegetables are prone to certain problems. Tomatoes can get Early Blight, Late Blight, Southern Blight, Gray Leaf Spot, Septoria Leaf Spot, Verticillium Wilt, Anthracnose, … Read more
Ah, May. All danger of frost is past—mostly. Although we have had a frost as late as May 10th here (it was a LONG time ago), we’re pretty safe in considering ourselves out of the woods now. And I’m proving it by moving my orchids, citrus, and other houseplants outside for the summer. Here’s How … Read more
Some Like It Hot!!! From meatloaf to spaghetti sauce to salsa to salads, we certainly use a lot of peppers. And, there are so many peppers to choose from that it can be overwhelming to pick one. So what are the differences? Sweet peppers have a mild earthy flavor but no heat. Traditionally called green … Read more
Beautiful blooming hanging baskets are here. They’re perfect for porches, balconies, even a shepherd’s crook in the yard. And it’s about time for the birds to move in and make them their home for the summer. Every spring, I hang a beautiful hanging basket by my front door. And every year, I have little house … Read more
Tomatoes are native to the Americas, like peppers, and were grown by the Aztecs who called the fruits “tomatl”—meaning “plump thing with navel.” Tomatoes are botanically berries, believe it or not! I get a lot of questions about different tomato varieties so here is a brief description of the ones we’ll be carrying this year. … Read more
