In fifth grade, I spent hours looking at a beautiful picture of a farm that was in my social studies textbook. Fifth grade was when I learned about things like crop rotation, strip cropping and contour plowing. Not being from a farm family, it was all new and interesting to me, but I didn’t [Continue]
The weather this spring has been a challenge for gardeners. Temperatures in the 80s in March and April fooled some people into planting too early and the frosty temperatures over the last two weeks found them regretting their early enthusiasm. There is nothing we can do about the overeager fruit trees, strawberries and grape [Continue]
Little red buds are appearing in the rhubarb patch. It will be another month or more until it is ready for harvest, but now is the time to divide it if you haven’t done so for several years. Dividing rhubarb keeps it producing well. If the stalks are getting spindly, it’s time to divide. [Continue]
Have you ever bought a packet of special seeds, maybe something a little unusual or more expensive than you’d normally buy, only to plant them and find that not one seed germinated? Some seeds, especially those of prairie plants, woody perennials and trees and shrubs, need help in breaking dormancy before they germinate. This [Continue]
One frigid winter night I stepped out the door carrying a beautifully blooming kalanchoe houseplant loosely protected with plastic, a housewarming gift for my neighbor. Ninety seconds later when I arrived at my new neighbor’s door, the kalanchoe was dead. The lesson here is that most houseplants originate in tropical regions and cannot [Continue]
Last winter the rabbits did a lot of damage to landscape plants. The only sure way to protect your landscape from hungry bunnies this winter is by fencing. Simple chicken wire fencing is easy to use and relatively cheap. Use a wire cutters to cut the length you need, place it around the plant [Continue]
Take the time now to prepare your yard and garden for winter. When spring comes you’ll be glad you did. Cut the grass short to discourage voles and mice from making nests below the snow. Rake leaves out of areas where they pile up and shred them with the lawn mower for free lawn [Continue]
Garden supply stores have row upon row of handy tools for the gardener and mail order companies have whole catalogs of gardening tools. But if you need a tool to do something right now and don’t have the time or inclination to run to the store to buy it or to the internet to order [Continue]
Do you routinely fertilize your lawn or garden? How do you know you are giving your plants the right kind or amount of fertilizer? You can save money, improve the health of your plants and protect the environment from fertilizer run-off by doing a soil test that will tell you exactly what your landscape [Continue]
The recent rains have been like a mega-dose of multi-vitamins for flower and vegetable gardens. Unfortunately, the weeds have taken the vitamins also and are proliferating. The good news is that weeds pull easily from rain-soaked soil. Spend the time in June to keep ahead of the weeds and you can relax in July and [Continue]