Gardening Advice

Dry shade is one of the most difficult planting situations that any gardener faces. Think of areas under trees or eaves, or at the edges of walls and walkways. Here’s how to deal with this challenge as well as the best native plants that truly thrive in dry, shady areas (and we’re not talking about lush hostas). Dry Shade Under Trees Large trees, especially maples, have…

A few years ago I was given a beautiful bonsai container and decided to try my hand at growing a compact plant to fit it. I had an old azalea growing in a too-small pot that I thought would be perfect for my experiment. Here’s what I learned about bonsai, a living art form! I envisioned my pretty pink azalea looking something like this What Is Bonsai? Bonsai is said…

All “bees” are not created equal. Bees, wasps, and hornets may look alike and belong to the same order of insects called Hymenoptera, but they are different insects. How can you tell the difference between a bee, a wasp, and a hornet? Let’s take a look! Bees and wasps took separate evolutionary paths over 100,000,000 years ago. Bees are vegetarians, collecting pollen to feed their…

For years of blooms with little work, choose plants that reseed themselves! Here’s a list of 20 annual and perennial flowers that are self-sowing. As you are busy deadheading your flowers, take a closer look at the seed heads you are cutting off. Toward late summer, allow some of the seed heads ripen until they turn brown and split open. Your Self-Seeding Garden The seed heads…

Every year, I am faced with the same dilemma: how to tell if a watermelon is ripe. Muskmelons are easy—they will slip right off the vine at the peak of perfection. However, watermelons remain firmly attached even when they are overripe. I am no good at the “thump” test. Old-timers swear that they know when a watermelon is ripe just by rapping it with a knuckle. If the sound is low-…

Daisy-shaped flowers are the cheerful workhorses of the flower garden. Daisies remind of the sun and have an energizing effect on us. Since the daisy family, Asteraceae, is one of the largest plant families, there are more daisy-shaped flowers to choose from than any other shape! Let’s explore the different kinds of daisies from the classic to the colorful!  The name daisy comes…

What are the easiest and quickest fruit to grow? Here are five “fast fruit” shrubs and plants. We especially recommend berries for beginners. While fruit trees may sound tempting, they take many years to harvest and a lot of care, so try your hand at something a little simpler first! Growing Fruit Trees Years ago we planted a small orchard of mixed fruit trees—with mixed results…

Gardeners are often given the advice to sprinkle diatomaceous earth (DE) around plants to deter pests. Unsurprisingly, we're often asked, "What is diatomaceous earth, exactly?" Well, here's your answer... What Is Diatomaceous Earth?  Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the fossilized skeletons of microscopic single-celled aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a…

Add vibrance to your garden with orange flowers! I didn’t expect to be an orange fan, but these bright beauties lit up the dark or drab corners of the garden and made me smile. Plus, they’re hummingbird magnets! See my top orange flower picks. I used to be a snob of sorts when it came to my garden palette, preferring cool blues and purples mixed with pinks, white,…

I say “tomayto” and you say “tomahto,” but however you say it, tomato time is here! Along with the luscious fruits that we gardeners await, we have the tomato disorders and diseases that the flesh is heir to—tomato flesh, that is. Blossom-End Rot In my area, we have had enough rainfall this summer so no problems with blossom-end rot this year. This usually begins as a sunken…

“Garden thugs” are plants (not weeds) that quickly get out of control in the garden. They can really run amok and hog all the room if they’re not judiciously pruned, dug out, cut back, or thinned in midsummer. Here’s how to keep these bullies from taking over! Last week I was making iced tea and wanted to add some spearmint to the brew. It grows in a flowerbed near the kitchen…

For many gardeners, the 4th of July is a sort of seasonal deadline to get a bunch of garden chores done. From cutting back perennials to replacing early crops, see what to do in the garden now! (I realize that every region has a different schedule! I’d really love to hear what you’re doing in your garden now in the comments!) Cut the garlic scapes! Mine start…