Pruning a young or mature apple tree can seem daunting especially if you spend any time reading the countless books on the subject. As with all garden tasks, there are lots of nuances to fruit tree pruning that can be learned and mastered in time as you become a more…
Every year growing up my grandfather would plant amaryllis bulbs for the holidays. I loved as a kid watching the long stem emerge from the bulb. It seemed to grow inches a day. Soon one-by-one 3 to 4 flower buds would emerge from the center of the foot and half…
How do you know when to harvest potatoes in fall? Although you can harvest new potatoes a few weeks after the plants have flowered in late summer, spuds grown for winter storage should be harvested 2 to 3 weeks after the foliage has browned and died back to the ground…
How do you know when to harvest your squash? Harvest time depends on which varieties you are growing and how you want to use them. For starters, summer and winter squash need to be harvested before the first hard frost as the cold will kill plants and damage fruit. Although…
This last Tuesday was the autumn equinox and the official first day of fall. The equinox is a special time as day and night, warmth and cold come into balance before the light gives way to the darkening days that take hold for the remainder of the year. As mornings…
With the warm August days, it is hard to imagine eating fresh spinach out of your snow-covered cold frame right now. However, August and September is the time to plant cold frames in order to have a winter harvest. The idea is to get plants started in late summer and…
There is nothing more satisfying than getting your hands dirty harvesting fresh garlic from cool moist soil on a summer morning! Fall planted garlic is usually harvested in June or July. To know when your plants are ready wait for 3 or 4 of the lower leaves to dry while…
Wild VS. Cultivated Wildflowers There is a misconception about growing wildflowers particularly in the arid lands of the American west. Oftentimes, I encounter new gardeners who hope they can just sprinkle seeds around their garden. And voilà! A meadow of color will spring up effortlessly. I think the idea comes…
History of Lilacs French or common lilacs (Syringa vulgaris) bring a rustic elegance to the garden. These tough and long lived plants were originally native to southeastern Europe but have been widely cultivated throughout Europe since the 1500s. They were introduced to North America during the 1600s by colonial settlers.…
Transplants or seedlings started in containers are a great way to get an early start in the vegetable garden especially in short season climates. If you are ready to plant the transplants you purchased from a nursery or the ones you started on your own several weeks ago, watch my…