There are dozens of different types of plant diseases that can affect vegetable gardens from coast to coast. Plant diseases should not be a mystery to most gardeners, and yet… all types of gardeners struggle with them every season. Solutions are obvious, but understanding is the first step. Plant Disease Diagnosis Plant disease management starts with proper disease diagnosis. Just like a clinical physician, the doctor will ask, “What symptoms do you have?” In the garden, we must ask, “What symptoms does the plant have?” Nowadays, you may be able to narrow down the possibilities by looking for examples online […]
Author: Jaclyn Johnsen
Protect Your Garden From Unwanted Animals
As a young man, I often visited my grandparent’s cabin in northern Wisconsin. The cabin had abundant wildlife, including a large herd of deer. While fun to observe, the deer would decimate the hostas in the landscape every year. After years of frustration, I replaced the hostas with plants deer prefer to avoid. You’ve probably experienced similar problems in your garden, whether you encounter deer, rabbits, or other types of animals. Animal pests can wreak havoc on plants, from veggies to trees. Fortunately, there are ways to minimize damage to the plants. Deer Deer may be the most damaging animal […]
6 Tips For Keeping Baby Copperheads Away From Your Garden
Gardening is an experience that typically brings a lot of wildlife to your front door. In most cases, this is seen as a positive thing; however, when one of those animals, such as the infamous Copperhead, is a venomous snake, it’s easy to see why most people would love to keep them out. With so many places to hide in, Copperheads typically go unnoticed until you happen to walk upon them one day, something that almost everyone wants to prevent. So, to help, here are six tips on keeping these slithery unwanted guests away from your gardening space. Don’t Make […]
8 Patriotic Plants: Gardening with Red, White & Blue Foliage
There are many ways to celebrate the 4th of July, from fireworks to parades. Many gardeners like to commemorate the holiday with red, white, and blue flowers. Another way to add patriotic colors to your garden is by growing plants with red, white, and blue leaves. Modern breeding has led to creating plant varieties with uniquely colored foliage, giving us even more options to add color to our gardens. Many of these plants can be used in shady landscape areas to make them brighter. Here are a few plants that will add a patriotic touch to your garden. Forever Red […]
6 Tips For Perfect Plant Pairings
Designing your garden can be a fun and creative experience. There are many things to consider during the planning phase. We have put together six tips to help you get started pairing your plants perfectly. Choose Wisely, Pair Creatively To have success with gardening we must make solid logical, thoughtful decisions, but don’t let those limit your expression of creativity. For artistic and auspicious plant pairings, first, do your homework. Observe, study, and learn about the plants you have and those plants you want to have. Be playful and relaxed about what plants you pair together but choose wisely. Work […]
Prevent 4 Common Potato Plant Problems
Potatoes are some of the easiest crops for home gardeners to grow, but this does not mean that they can’t have problems. Just like most garden vegetables, the best potato tubers come from the healthiest, well-cared-for plants. Don’t let common garden problems get the best of your potatoes. Be prepared and practice proper prevention to harvest some pretty potatoes this year. Skip The Scab Scab is probably the ugliest named garden disease, and it happens to affect several root-type veggies, but potatoes are impacted most. Scab is caused by soil bacteria called Streptomyces. There are several different pathogens but it’s […]
Summer Herbs Garden Guide
Herbs are a perfect addition to the garden, offering a combination of fragrance, flavor, and aesthetics. These plants are easy to grow and can be used in various garden settings, like containers and landscape beds. Herbs are normally used to add flavor to food, but many of them offer medicinal value as well. Growing Container Herbs There are numerous benefits to growing herbs in containers. Herbs tend to stay small, making them easy to grow in compact spaces. Consider mixing different herbs to add interest to your pots. For mixed herb pots, it’s good to use plants that have similar […]
8 Easy Tips For Growing Succulents
Have you forgotten to water your plants? Most of us can remember when we neglected a houseplant, only discovering it was too late to save it. Succulents are plants that thrive on neglect, making them easy to grow and maintain. This group of plants has the unique ability to store water in their leaves, allowing them to go without water for extended periods. Drought tolerance is only one feature of these remarkable plants. Succulents come in various shapes, sizes, and colors, ideal for gardeners with different preferences. Growing succulents is easy, but there are a few things to consider before […]
Grow A Vertical Vegetable Garden
Vegetable gardening is a great way to access healthy food, but many of us have limited space, making it difficult to grow our favorite produce. One way to address this problem is to grow vertically. You can train many veggies to grow upward instead of outward. Vertical growing conserves space and improves plant health, leading to a bountiful harvest. Whether gardening on a balcony or a small yard, growing vertical offers options to increase your yield and be creative. Benefits of Growing Vertically Space I enjoy growing cucumbers, but they occupy too much space in my small, raised beds. One […]
Grow Your Own Cucumbers – 3 Types For Your Garden
Cucumber breeders have been busy, in the last few decades, trying to limit bitter taste, increase yields, and breed more disease resistance into their plants. There are now three cucumber varieties commonly available; Monoecious, Gynoecious, and Parthenocarpic. Each has its own specific qualities that will appeal to certain kinds of gardeners and growers. Monoecious What Are Monoecious Cucumbers? Monoecious types are plants that produce both male and female flowers on the same plant. Monoecious Varieties Examples of monoecious Jung Seed Co. cucumber varieties are; ‘Homemade Pickles’, ‘Muncher’, and ‘Spacemaster 80 Bush’. Most heritage and heirloom-type cucumber varieties are monoecious. They […]