YET ANOTHER PERENNIAL TO HIGHLIGHT Here we are in the last days of June with July coming later this week. I guess I can’t get enough of June being the Perennial Gardening Month and wanting to highlight yet another wonderful and beautiful perennial. Coneflower is such a beautiful and hardy perennial. They come in so … Read more
Our garden vegetables are prone to certain diseases. Our best defense is knowledge and good cultural practices. Learn About Vegetable Garden Diseases Diseases are opportunistic—tending to attack stressed plants. Starting with healthy organic-rich soil is the first line of defense. Make sure plants are in the correct amount of sunlight and water when needed—but do not … Read more
JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDENING MONTH I am going to continue spotlighting a perennial this month and take advantage of the fact that June is Perennial Gardening Month. My perennial pick is ASTILBE! Astilbe, sometimes referred to as False Spirea or False Goat’s Beard (don’t ask me why because I don’t know—does anyone know why Astilbe … Read more
Today is the first day of Summer—depending on who you ask. Meteorologists consider June 1st as the first day of summer. Astronomers consider June 20th (or 21st/22nd depending on the year) as the first day of summer based on the position of the earth to the sun. It’s the longest day of the year. Every … Read more
AND THE WINNER IS: Schizachyrium scoparium, or Little Bluestem Grass Schizachyrium is better—and easier—known as Little Bluestem grass. To be honest, it has taken me some time to be able to enunciate the botanical name correctly. I embarrassed myself while on TV stumbling with the enunciation. The Perennial Plant Association selects a different perennial each … Read more
It is midsummer and insects are out, setting their sights for your garden. Here’s what you need to know. As much as I love my vegetable garden, there are nasty little pests who like it just as much. Here is a list of some of the more common vegetable pests and some suggestions as to … Read more
THE PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION HAS DESIGNATED JUNE AS PERENNIAL GARDENING MONTH AND FOR GOOD REASONS. The main reason why the PPA has selected June is that so many beautiful perennials are in bloom in June. Secondly, June is a great gardening month for planting perennials. Planting perennials in June couldn’t be better. May was a … Read more
Is anything more “summery” than that first bite of a “home-grown” tomato? So here are a few facts: Tomatoes are native to Peru and were an important food crop of the Aztec Indians. The Aztec name for tomato is “tomatl” meaning “fat thing.” The botanical name is Solanum Lycopersicum, meaning “wolf Peach.” According to Wikipedia, … Read more
SUMMER OFFICIALLY STARTS LATER THIS MONTH. HERE ARE SOME TIMELY GARDENING TASKS FOR JUNE Gardening never comes to a complete standstill. But, gardening does slow down with the summer months and the heat upon us. So people may ask if it is too late to be doing any planting. The quick answer is no. You … Read more
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 plants and force them to compete for water and nutrients. This competition means your plants have less energy to grow or bloom. Weeds can also provide hiding places … Read more
