Cinco de Mayo is a holiday celebrated in the United States and some parts of Mexico to honor the military victory at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. Celebrating in the United States, usually involves families and friends gathering together to eat some delicious Mexican foods. What better way to celebrate than with fresh salsa grown in your very own garden. Salsa gardens are fairly easy to grow and can be an enjoyable activity for the whole family. Nothing beats fresh vegetables and herbs used to create your favorite salsa. Concerned about having room for your salsa garden? You can […]
Category: Gardening Tips
Cool Season Crops: Growing Tips
Plucking a bright red, plump, and juicy tomato off the vine with the warm summer sun beating down on the back of your neck is the type of pleasant act most folks associate with gardening. There is no question that warm weather crops like sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, and watermelon are some of our favorite and most recognizable types of produce that we love to harvest out of our gardens. However, the other half or more of the veggies we love to grow are known as cool-season crops. What Are Cool Seasons Crops Cool-season crops prefer to grow in temperatures […]
Tree Pruning Techniques & Best Practices
The best time to prune fruit trees is when they are in a dormant to semi-dormant state in late winter to early spring. It is important to do tree pruning during late winter while trees are not actively growing, and neither are disease pathogens. Remember, pruning stimulates growth, if done too early in winter and severe cold weather ensues, trees can be damaged or even killed. Do not rush it. As long as the tree buds have not broken, the tree is dormant enough for pruning. The pruning process is basically the same for ornamental trees as it is for […]
Winter Rose Care
There are multiple methods for providing winter protection to roses. These guidelines provide an overview of the options and include enough information to successfully winter rose plants in cold climates. Rose Hardiness Roses vary quite a bit in their cold hardiness across different rose classes and even among different varieties in the same class. Gardeners in cold climates should take care to choose varieties appropriate for their hardiness zone, to minimize the need for too much extensive winter protection. All but the hardiest shrub roses may require protection when grown in cold climates where winter temperatures fall below 0°F (zone […]
Gardening Tips for Winter’s Early Arrival
When you have had 10 days or more of below 30° degree nights, what could possibly be left to do in the garden except dispose of dead plants and flowers. Oh, don’t you worry, we’ll find more work for you. Frost Loving Vegetables Perhaps you are fortunate enough to be in an area where you are still babying a good flush of frost hardy veggies. Arugula, beets, broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, onions, radish, swiss chard, spinach, and turnips are all stalwart against early frosts. Kale, cabbage, chard, arugula, and brussels sprouts for sure, convert their bitter tannins […]
How To Care For Your Live Christmas Tree In 9 Easy Steps
‘Tis the season to be jolly. December is one of the most magical times of the year where we decorate our homes with lights, wreaths, stockings, and of course a Christmas tree. You can find many different shapes and sizes of cut trees at local garden centers. This year you might consider getting a live Christmas tree. These trees have the roots intact and can be planted after the holidays. A live tree takes a little more care but it is well worth the effort. Caring For Your Live Christmas Tree Step 1 Dig a hole now, before the ground […]
6 Tips For Storing Bulbs During Winter
Not all plants that grow from bulbs, tubers, rhizomes, or corms are perennial in cold climates of the U.S. However, with a bit of effort and proper digging and storing procedures, these plants can be lifted and properly stored for winter to be planted out the next spring. Engaged gardeners in USDA zone 6 and colder, have been doing this for centuries. It is necessary for cold climates unless you choose to plant them as annuals. Which Bulbs Should I Dig Up For Winter Storage? Alocasia & Colocasia – Elephant Ears Begonias, Tuberous Calla Lily Cannas Dahlia Gladiolus The Importance […]
Growing Holiday Herbs
There is nothing like the smell of Thanksgiving dinner filling your home. The comforting aroma brings back memories of holidays long past and creates an eagerness to share in a delicious meal. Whether it is an herb-rubbed turkey or parsley sprinkled mashed potatoes or sage and thyme stuffing; fresh herbs take your meal to the next level. They add fragrance, flavor, color, and make a beautiful garnish for a show-stopping feast. Instead of rushing to the market to find what you need, wouldn’t it be nice to grow your own indoor herb garden to use for Thanksgiving and many meals […]
Fall Composting For Beginners
Savvy gardeners know, the key to a great garden is healthy soil. Done correctly, compost is the magic potion that provides gardens with nutrients and valuable microorganisms. It makes it easier for soil to accept and retain water, helps stabilize soil pH, and can even protect plants against some pests and diseases. When compost is sometimes referred to as “garden gold” or “black gold”, it’s no exaggeration. Nature makes compost all the time – it is a natural method of recycling created by bacteria and other soil-borne organisms as they break down organic matter. Walkthrough any forest floor and scrape […]
How to Overwinter Perennial Mums
Updated: October 2, 2024 Garden mums, or Chrysanthemums, are the quintessential flowering plant that helps folks to usher in fall. They add a spot of hopeful color to the fall garden and provide grateful seasonal cheer to our home décor. Along with this seasonal cheer, mums also provide us with joy and positivity, which we can all use right about now. Many people treat their seasonal mums as a temporary decorative plant, only to dispose of it when their flowers finally fade. But know this, with some fall preparation and winter care, your mums can come back blooming year after […]