Did you know that October is Bat Appreciation Month? Horror writers over the years have picked bats to play the villains in some of their books but, in reality, they’re heroes in the garden! Interesting Bat Facts Here are some interesting facts about these fellow mammals. Bats are the only mammals that fly. There are … Read more
DECORATING WITH PUMPKINS AND OTHER EXOTIC GOURDS FOR THE FALL SEASON Now that fall has officially arrived with cooler temperatures, it is time to evaluate your summer annuals and summer container gardens. Let’s get your creative juices flowing again with fall flowers and colors for your landscape, patio, porch, and containers. So, what’s trending now? … Read more
FALL IS OFFICIALLY HERE AND SO IS OUR COOLER TEMPERATURES Earlier this month, in my SEPTEMBER GARDEN TIPS, I mentioned that our weather is in the transition to shorter days and cooler temperatures and this is our signal to move all of our tropical plants indoors. We need to be serious about getting our tropical … Read more
“Roses, as big as cabbages,” said Marco Polo when he first saw peonies. Peonies are native to Asia, southern Europe, and the western United States. They have been cultivated in China for more than 2,500 years and are considered a symbol of good fortune. In Chinese, the word for peony is ‘sho yu’—meaning ‘most beautiful.’ … Read more
FALL IS FOR PLANTING!! Fall is in the air with shorter days and cooler temperatures. HERE ARE SOME KEY GARDENING CHORES TO BE WORKING ON THIS MONTH Keep in mind that our average first frost is around October 20. Right now our soil temperature is 62 degrees. Cooler days, timely rains and warm soils make … Read more
Everybody associates tulips with the Netherlands, but they aren’t native there. They’re actually native to the mountains of Turkey and Russia! Tulips were imported to the Netherlands from the Ottoman Empire in the 16th century. With Europe coming out of the Dark Ages, people were looking for the new, beautiful, and unusual. Tulips really fit … Read more
SO MANY HOMEOWNERS WANT TO STOP USING SO MANY CHEMICALS AROUND THE HOUSE Are you thinking of becoming more environmentally friendly when it comes to lawn care this fall? Good thinking! The time has come for all of us to think about what we are doing to our environment when it comes to the use … Read more
Tomorrow, September 22, is the Autumnal Equinox. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun is directly in line with the equator. On this day, day and night are of equal length. From now until the Winter Solstice on December 21, the hours of dark will be longer than hours of daylight. Right now, our day length … Read more
HEALTHY SOIL IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR LAWN With the hottest months of the year now behind us, there is no better time to work to renovate and reseed your lawn than right now. We had lots of rain in August that has put a lot of moisture in our soil. In my opinion, the first … Read more
Daffodils, Jonquils, in England “Lent Lilies”—whatever you call them, they’re still the quintessential flower of spring for many people. Daffodils are members of the Amaryllidaceae—the amaryllis family! Relatives include: Agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile) Hymenocallis (Peruvian daffodils) Sternbergia (Lily-of-the-Field) Alliums (onion family, including onions, garlic, chives, and ornamental onions) Lycoris (Naked Ladies, Spider Lilies, Surprise Lilies) and, Asparagus! … Read more
