In July of 2003, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proclaimed July National Blueberry Month. 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, and rhododendron! The silvery/whitish film found on blueberries is called a “bloom.” This is … Read more
IF YOU HAD ISSUES WITH JAPANESE BEETLES LAST YEAR, MORE THAN LIKELY, YOU WILL AGAIN THIS YEAR The best defense in fighting Japanese Beetles is knowledge. The best strategy in eliminating, or at least reducing the damage done by Japanese Beetles, is through learning the life cycle and applying control measures at the appropriate times. … Read more
You know keeping your vegetable garden watered in the heat is important. What you might not know, however, is heat can cause an array of problems you may not be aware of. Powdery Mildew Powdery mildew loves hot humid weather and can be a big problem—particularly this time of year when our young vegetable plants … Read more
JUNE IS PERENNIAL GARDENING MONTH You may be asking yourself, “What are Stepables and what does this have to do with June being Perennial Gardening Month?” The quick answer is that Stepables are a series of hardy perennials that tolerate foot traffic. To give you a little background information, the Stepables series was started over … Read more
This past Sunday, June 20 was the Summer Solstice—the first official day of astronomical summer. South of the equator, it is the first official day of winter. On the other hand, meteorologists consider summer as beginning the first day of June and ending the last day of August. Origin of the Term Solstice Solstice comes … Read more
TIPS ON KEEPING YOUR FLOWERING HANGING BASKETS THRIVING AND BLOOMING FOR MONTHS Over the past six weeks, so many of you came into the garden center to purchase a beautiful, flowering hanging basket. I give a shout-out to our buyer, Kathy Madsen, for keeping up with the demand and keeping us in stock as we … Read more
One thing I get asked a lot is about edible flowers. I’m usually too busy growing, weeding, watering, and feeding mine to think about eating them—but I do have a few that I have been known to nibble from time to time. Some are used more as edible garnishes while others can be candied or … Read more
THE PERENNIAL PLANT ASSOCIATION ( PPA ) ALSO SELECTS A “PERENNIAL OF THE YEAR” The PPA has selected the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. This year the PPA is promoting Calamintha nepeta “Cat Mint” ‘CAT’S PAJAMAS’ as the 2021 Perennial Plant of the Year. Each year PPA chooses a perennial to honor that is … 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
SUMMER OFFICIALLY STARTS THIS MONTH AND WE HAVE PLENTY OF IMPORTANT CHORES TO DO THIS MONTH Before we get into June I want to do a little re-capping of the weather we had in May. Last year we gardeners complained about too much rain that kept us cooped up inside. This year we are complaining … Read more
