September 23 is the Autumnal Equinox. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun is directly in line with the equator. On this day, the day and the night are of equal length. From now until the Winter Solstice on December 21, the hours of dark will be longer than the hours of daylight every day. … Read more
I’m one of those people who believe that onions and garlic make everything taste better. If a recipe calls for half an onion, I figure adding the whole onion will make it better. Same with garlic. And since fall is a perfect time to plant onions and garlic—and we just got fresh garlic and onions … Read more
Our fabulous assortment of spring-blooming bulbs just came in and I’ve already had a lot of questions. Here is What You Need to Know Buy bulbs now for the best selection but hold off on planting most bulbs until October. The exceptions would be bearded iris rhizomes, fall-blooming crocus, lycoris and colchicum which should be planted right … Read more
Fresh German bearded iris rhizomes just came in so here are a few interesting facts about these beautiful perennials. The word ‘iris’ come from the Greek word for ‘rainbow.’ Since iris come in such a wide variety of colors, that‘s pretty appropriate. There is a Fresco painting of iris on the island of Crete that … Read more
Fall is less than a month away! (Gosh, I feel like summer just got here–) It’s time to begin thinking about how to get the most from your fall garden. Here are some suggestions. Plant pansies and violas: One of the most popular cool-season flowers, they’re available in a wide range of colors. They’ll bloom most … Read more
My blog last week was about Milkweeds—a host plant for Monarch butterflies. I had several questions this past week about other host plants so thought I’d repost this blog from a couple of years ago. I get so many questions about what flowers to plant for a “butterfly” garden. Well, if we don’t start planting … Read more
Did you know the Monarch butterfly population has declined 90% in the last 20 years? The destruction of native prairies and grasslands, as well as the widespread use of commercial weed killers, has decimated the population of native milkweed—the only plant Monarch butterflies will lay eggs on. You can help. By incorporating milkweed into your … Read more
Is anything more summery than watermelon? I can remember as a kid sitting on the patio surrounded by family with watermelon juice all over my shirt and face laughing while spitting seeds in the backyard. The only thing even remotely close to the sheer deliciousness was my grandma’s homemade peach ice cream. Yesterday, August 3rd, … Read more
This time of year is a perfect time to think about your fall garden. What are you going to do when the tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans give out? Do you let your garden just sit over the winter or do you get excited about a whole new garden season? If you’re going to let … Read more
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
