Garlic is a popular perennial often used to add flavor in cooking and are easy to grow. Although there are hundreds of varieties of garlic, we’ve chosen our favorite most popular garlic. Interested in learning about how to grow and care for garlic? Be sure to check out our Garlic Growing Guide. Popular Garlic Varieties German Porcelain Garlic Type: Porcelain Hardneck Hardiness Zone: 3 – 8 Storage: Up to 6 months. Description: One of the best hardneck garlic for flavor and keeping. It has very large bulbs containing 4 to 5 huge cloves. The wrappers are splashed with purple and […]
Author: Jaclyn Johnsen
Six Tips To Create The Perfect Dog-Friendly Garden
There is nothing like spending time with your dog, especially when that time can be spent in the sunshine! However, just like puppy-proofing your home, it is important to make sure that your garden is also safe for your dog. Your garden can be an oasis to spend your time together – or a potentially dangerous place of worry for your dog. By employing a few simple tips and tricks, it is very easy to turn your garden into a doggie paradise! Tip #1 – Buy Robust Plants Does your dog love to dig and chew? – if so, your […]
Iris Growing Guide
Irises are popular, easy-to-grow “old-fashioned” perennials. They are attractive plants for beds and borders but also make lovely cut flowers. Irises attract pollinators such as butterflies and hummingbirds. Learn more about growing and caring for your iris flowers. Types of Irises There are a number of different types of Iris with a dizzying range of colors, flower forms, and heights. The most familiar type is the bearded iris. Depending on the type of Iris, they grow from either a rhizome or bulb. Dutch Irises are considered bulbous types. Rhizome Irises The stems of the rhizome iris grow horizontally just beneath the […]
Horticultural Oil For Pest Control
Gardening can be a rewarding experience. An important step in gardening is pest control. Without it, your crops could be destroyed. There is a wide variety of pest control products available which can create some confusion. Here are some things to know when deciding if horticultural oil is the right choice for your garden. Pesticide Categories Horticultural oils fall under the category of a pesticide. Pesticides are defined as any product used to kill pests. Pesticides fall into four categories, based on the type of pest they target: Insecticides – target insect pests Fungicides – target diseases Herbicides – target […]
Deer-Resistant Gardening Tips
When you stop and contemplate how amazingly successful and adaptive deer have been in our urban environments, you have to simply admire them. They are even more adaptive than we are. The first element for us to recognize is that our homes, neighborhoods, and developments have encroached on their habitats and not the other way around. Deer are not coming into our yards because they like our company, they are searching for a tasty meal that we’ve unintentionally provided. We, as gardeners and indeed humans, are forced into the awkward and embarrassing position of having to become smarter than they […]
9 New Bulbs to Plant in Fall – Best Bulbs for Spring Flowers
Remember last spring when you spotted beautiful beds of spring tulips, daffodils and hyacinths blooming and you vowed to plant some in your yard? Well—now is the time to decide what you want and get those beauties planted. Actaea Daffodil Zone: 3 – 8 The Actaea Daffodil is an heirloom daffodil. It has a wonderful, sweet fragrance. The flowers are brilliant white with petite yellow cups that are rimmed with red and accented by green. Blooming in mid to late spring they are the perfect addition to your flower garden. British Gamble Daffodil Zone: 3 – 8 The British Gamble […]
4 Tips for Improving Garden Soil
Healthy soil results in healthy plants. Plants growing in a healthy soil ecosystem have easy access to air, water, and nutrients and are less prone to disease and pest issues. With our helpful information below, a little work, and patience, you can achieve healthy soil, no matter what type of soil you are starting with. Tip #1 Organic Matter The best way to improve any soil, whether a heavy clay soil or a well-drained sandy soil is to amend it with organic matter. What is Soil Organic Matter? Soil organic matter is the organic matter of the soil. It is […]
Gardening with Chickens – Why Chickens and Gardens Just Make Sense
Keeping chickens can be very rewarding and make a wonderful addition to any garden. They supply you with fresh eggs, provide garden fertilizer, help control pests, and make lively pets. Chickens Help With Pest Control Chickens will make a meal of common garden pests, including beetles, cabbage worms, slugs, caterpillars, and more. When allowed to roam freely, chickens will happily pluck insects from your garden. One chicken can easily debug around 120 square feet of land per week. Chickens Are Great For Composting Chickens serve as great composters for your kitchen scraps, weeds, and rotted garden fruits. Feeding chickens your […]
Why Won’t Fruit Grow on My Trees?
Fruit (& nut) producing trees and shrubs are an exciting thing to plan for, and then care for, so when they fail to produce according to our expectations, it can be frustrating and of course disheartening. Fruit trees will grow very similarly to other ornamental plants. However, when it comes to actually bearing fruit, fruit and nut trees and fruiting shrubs will require more time, attention, and specific care regimens to perform well, in order for them to produce to our gardening expectations. How Long Does It Take For Trees To Produce Fruit? The first basic truth to know is […]
Rose Pests – Identification & Solutions
New and experienced rose growers know, there are a number of insect pests that are attracted to roses. These pests may affect flower development, the foliage or overall quality of a rose bush. These pests are not likely to destroy an entire plant, but they can severely damage or stunt parts of the plant. Any cosmetic damage done to your rose bush is unwanted! Regular inspection of your roses is important in order to minimize any damaging effects of insects. You may find evidence of leaf chewing, damage from piercing and sucking insects or other suspicious damage to a plant. […]