There’s more to organic gardening than just swapping one kind of input for another. It in fact requires you to change the way you think about the soil, air and water, how your choices impact your local ecosystem, and how this way of growing affects the person who eats the plant. Which is usually you and your…
Planning Your Garden? Consider These Stunning, Award-Winning Flowers
This week, I received five gardening catalogs in the mail. I expect a few more will be coming soon. I also look online for new varieties of plants. One way that I know a plant could work well in my garden is that I look for the red, white, and blue logo of All-America Selections…
Winter To-Do List for Gardeners
The North American landscape is almost entirely dormant. Just because the landscape is dormant doesn’t mean gardeners have to be. Now is a good time to visit your local botanic garden’s greenhouse. It is warm and full of beautiful green plants. Many gardeners also love bird-feeding and birdwatching. Now is a good time to build…
Can Gardening Save Your Life?
A meta-analysis of studies on gardening shows that short-term or long-term gardening can reduce depression, anxiety, and stress, elevate mood, regulate Body Mass Index, increase the quality of life, provide a sense of community, and improve cognitive function. Every gardener knows how great they feel after being outdoors among nature and tending to their plants….
How to Clean Up Storm-Damaged Trees
Question: The recent storm winds blew lots of small dead branches off my soft maple. Should the tree be pruned? I did not think the tree was dying, but now I am wondering how healthy it is. Answer: Silver maples, honey locusts, and many other trees will lose a lot of small branches during a…
Gardening Resolutions for the New Year
Aren’t you glad 2021 is over? Hopefully, 2022 will be better. Gardening makes everything better, so let’s talk about how to make gardening better. Make a New Year’s resolution to learn more about gardening. Resolve to take a gardening class with your local extension office, which is part of your state university. All year long,…
Gift Books for Gardeners
If you have ever seen a hydroponic gardening system, especially a DIY project to build your own hydroponic system, you probably saw a lot of pipes and pumps. If you are not a plumber, you were probably not impressed. These systems tend to be ugly and only meant to be used in the garage or…
Smart Gifts for Gardeners
With the shipping problems across the country, many of us are looking for garden gift ideas closer to home. American-Made Outdoor Furniture If you are looking for outdoor furniture, check out Berlin Gardens LLC in Berlin, Ohio. They make a wide variety of tables, chairs, pergolas, and gazebos out of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). It is…
Winter Gardening: A Checklist for the Prepared Gardener
It may seem like there isn’t much to do in the garden over the winter, but here are some ideas that may keep you busy. For northerners, is your snowblower ready? Do you have the gas and oil it needs, or electrical cords that aren’t frayed? Make sure you have sand or salt and snow…
Fall-Blooming Rhododendron
Q: I have many native and hybrid rhododendrons. One of my hybrids is now blooming and covered in buds. The flowers are much smaller than usual, and this past spring it had hardly any blooms. Never have I seen this plant bloom at this time of year. Not complaining. Just confused. A: Your rhododendron is…
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