Create a Pollinator-Friendly Meadow Garden

Create a Pollinator-Friendly Meadow Garden

Support Pollinators All Season Long You may have heard that pollinators are in decline across the world, so how can we help? Consider growing a meadow garden. With the right mix of plants, these types of gardens bloom all summer long, while providing food and shelter for bees, butterflies, and other types of wildlife. Let’s check out the steps to make these gardens a success! Choosing Types of Plants Most gardeners look for plants that bloom all season long and are a food source for birds and pollinators. To get that long bloom time, you’ll want plants that flower at […]

Read the full post

Keep Your Edible Garden Producing Throughout The Year

Keep Your Edible Garden Producing Throughout The Year

1 in 3 U.S. households now grow their own food, and it’s easy to see why. Fruit, vegetables, and herbs that come from your own garden are superior in virtually every way: they’re more flavorful and nutritious than store-brought produce, and can even slash grocery bills. On average, a 600-square-foot garden yields around $600 of produce per year. But while summer may be the prime harvesting time, that doesn’t mean your garden has to go dormant come fall. With some careful planning — which includes smart planting strategies and sowing a nice mix of perennials and cold-season crops — you […]

Read the full post

How To Propagate Shrubs & Perennials

How To Propagate Shrubs & Perennials

It’s no secret that gardeners love plants, but there’s something else we love. More plants! The good news is many of our garden favorites can be propagated to fill in other areas of the garden or share with friends. Let’s explore some popular methods to propagate shrubs and herbaceous perennials. Types Of Propagation Cuttings This type of propagation is great for woody plants, including shrubs. A cutting is a piece of a branch (often the tip) that is removed from the main plant and placed in soil to grow roots and form a new plant. One advantage of cuttings is […]

Read the full post

How To Identify & Control Jumping Worms In Your Garden

How To Identify & Control Jumping Worms In Your Garden

In my first job after college, I was working in someone’s garden and noticed something odd. The soil in their garden resembled coffee grounds and had an unusual, soft texture. Eventually, I found the cause of this mystery: Jumping worms. Like other worms, jumping worms play a role in the health and structure of soil. However, their vigorous diet is causing problems in gardens across the eastern U.S. With their large appetite, these worms remove organic matter from the soil and reduce the amount of nutrients available for the plants. In the forest, areas with jumping worms often have bare […]

Read the full post

Growing Smarter: Understanding Zones, Soil, and Microclimates

Growing Smarter: Understanding Zones, Soil, and Microclimates

In 2023, the USDA released a new hardiness zone map for the U.S. What does this mean for gardeners? First, we must examine why these zones are important. They measure the lowest average temperature in winter, which helps us decide if a plant will survive in a specific area. But that’s only part of the puzzle since other factors play a role in the success of a plant. Let’s dive deeper! It’s easy to think of these growing zones as telling us the climate of a given location. However, they only focus on winter temperatures, and not the whole climate. […]

Read the full post

Raised Beds 101: Planning, Building, & Planting

Raised Beds 101: Planning, Building, & Planting

As a new gardener, I was eager to have a bumper crop of veggies. But there was a problem. The soil in my yard was heavy clay, which caused drainage problems. Raised beds made it easy to control the soil in the garden and have a good harvest each year. And it’s not just better soil. The elevated beds reduce the amount of bending needed to work in the garden. These beds have many benefits and can be customized to fit your needs. Smart Garden Planning Before you create raised beds, think about the goals for the space. These questions […]

Read the full post

Seasonal Gardening: How To Have A Lush And Beautiful Landscape All Year Round

Seasonal Gardening: How To Have A Lush And Beautiful Landscape All Year Round

It’s every gardener’s dream to have a garden that looks vibrant and healthy throughout the year. While most gardens look their best during the spring and early summer season, it’s a different story once winter comes. But what if you can maintain a pretty landscape all year round? If you know the ins and outs of seasonal gardening, you can have healthy crops, colorful blooms, and robust trees throughout all four seasons.  Spring is the best time to prep your outdoor space since it sets the foundation for gardening success, so if you’re just about to start a garden, plan on […]

Read the full post

Designing a Sensory Garden: A Guide to Engaging All Five Senses

Designing a Sensory Garden: A Guide to Engaging All Five Senses

Are you looking for ways to make your garden more accessible? Sensory gardens use plants that stimulate our five senses. These areas often have containers, raised beds, and other features that make it easy for everyone to enjoy the plants. Sensory Garden Design Tips Plants are the central part of a sensory garden, but other objects can be used too. Check out these design tips! Using Your Five Senses In The Garden As you think about plants to grow, here are ideas for each of the five senses. Sight With so many options for sight, we’ll focus on a few […]

Read the full post

10 Steps to Creating a Productive Vegetable Garden

10 Steps to Creating a Productive Vegetable Garden

Do you want more control over where your food is coming from? Are you looking for a way to spend more time outdoors and get some exercise? Vegetable gardening is a fun and rewarding hobby that benefits your physical and mental well-being. Follow these 10 steps to create a garden that will provide your family with fresh produce you can enjoy all season long. 1. Start Small If you are new to gardening, start small. Tasks such as planting, weeding, watering, disease control, and harvesting can quickly become overwhelming. Limiting the size of your garden and the number of crops […]

Read the full post

Garden Myths vs. Facts

Garden Myths vs. Facts

With so much information at our fingertips, it’s easy to find advice. However, this also makes it easy for myths to spread. A wide range of gardening myths have been around for a long time. And while these myths are common, the horticulture industry continues finding answers to these claims. Let’s dig in! Myth: You can add pebbles or rocks to the bottom of a container to help with drainage. Truth: At first glance, this idea sounds good. During the last 100 years, studies have shown the extra material makes it harder for water to move through the soil. There […]

Read the full post