dig the dirt blog

How to keep your grass green this growing season.
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How to start a butterfly garden
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Check out our new Pinterest boards
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Many varieties of hedges, Bee Balm and Beard Tongue went in to the database last week. Check these out! If you live in a temperate climate, Autumn can be a wonderful time to plant perennials.
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Autumn is a fabulous time to plant perennials in many areas.
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And the votes are in! The three 2012 American Garden Award Winners!
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Many very interesting plants went into the database this week - some familiar, some foreign.
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As we begin to transition from Summer to Autumn - here are some late summer blooming additions to the database. Put them on the planting list for next spring!
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Lots of pecan trees, cherry trees and interesting perennials were added to the database last week. Here is a sampling. Consider planting some of these this Fall, if you have room!
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Plant some romance in your garden with fragrant flowers. With planning, any gardener can experience sweet scents year-round-indoors and out. <br/>
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Pre-order some of these deliciously scented plants for your garden from your favorite direct plant catalog!
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Winter is the quiet time in most gardens. Although gardeners savor the pause for reflection, we rarely become inactive. Indeed, come late winter -- when green thumbs start getting itchy -- it&#x27;s time to grab the pruners and the Bos Bag, saunter out to the yard and have a look around.
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Some gardeners are leery of pruning. But don&#x27;t worry! Although there&#x27;s a prime time to prune deciduous plants, and certain steps to follow, you&#x27;ll be whacking away confidently in no time. Just use these simple guidelines and have faith that you&#x27;re doing a good deed for your garden. There are many benefits from pruning: your plants will be tidier-looking, pruning stimulates new growth, and it helps prevent disease spread and insect infestation.
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Even the tiniest urban backyard can become a full-fledged fruit factory when you grow strawberry and raspberry plants in your garden. Neither plant requires a lot of space, yet both produce masses of delicious berries that always seem to hit the spot on a warm summer morning. Here&#x27;s how to grow these reliable favorites.
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Few fruits are as delectable as a strawberry grown to perfection from your garden and picked fully ripe. Strawberry plants are easy to grow and they will reward you quickly, bearing fruit the same season they are planted. The June-bearing types should form strong plants their first season and fruit the following year. Regardless of the type of strawberries you grow, expect a quart of fruit from each plant.
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Where better to get your tips on bare root roses, but from David Austin Roses, one of the best rose companies in the world.
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David Austin Roses will ship your bare root roses to you at the right time for you to get your roses in the ground for your zone.
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Tomatoes suitable for staking are the so-called indeterminate types. These varieties form fruit clusters at intervals along their ever-elongating stems. Determinate varieties, by contrast, fruit at the ends of their branches and thus are not suited to staking. The pruning required by staked tomatoes would reduce a determinate plant to a single short stem with little or no fruit.
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We all love pumpkins and the autumn tradition of carving and decorating with pumpkins. Imagine growing your own giant pumpkin this year for a maximum wow-factor!
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Potatoes are one of the first food crops you can plant in spring. Like peas, spinach, and onion sets, they are planted as soon as the ground is dry enough to dig. If your garden is slow to thaw, don’t worry. As long as you get the crop planted four weeks before your last frost, it should do well.
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Planning and laying out a flagstone path is a large project to undertake, but can be done by the average backyard gardener with a little bit of forethought and a little bit of sweat!
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Raising your own fruit is immensely satisfying. Imagine, for instance, eating a truly ripe peach, one that makes you jut your head forward with each bite just to keep the juice from dripping down your shirt.
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Use these five tips from Renee&#x27;s Garden for growing a great garden in containers. It is really all you need to know!
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Container gardening is one of the easiest ways to garden. Thank you to Renee&#x27;s Garden for all these tips!
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You will be inspired by this backyard gardeners vegetable and fruit garden! Learn about how she and her family eat most of their food right out of their garden...
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Wonderful recipe from Renee&#x27;s Garden!!!
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Many a savory winter soup begins with a shivering dash to the garden to pick a wrist-thick leek from its sheltering bed. The ever-ready fortitude of the leek in winter is our reward for giving it garden space and occasional attention during its long, slow (up to 130-day) growing season.
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Here is a great Q &amp; A with the indoor garden(er)!! He is growing all kinds of stuff inside....
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Amaryllis bulbs should be able to re-bloom after a dormant period. Follow these directions so you don&#x27;t have to buy amaryllis bulbs every year.
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Storing your amaryllis bulbs is an important step in the process of growing and blooming amaryllis plants. Make sure that you have a cool dry place to store your bulbs while they are dormant.
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This is an easy and cheap way to grow seedlings for your garden this year. There is nothing required except for a can from the pantry, newspaper and some masking tape!
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Planting a tree in a container is a good way of controlling the size of the tree and placing it in a spot that does not necessarily have good soil! Check out this video on how we planted an olive tree in a container.
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Keep your amaryllis alive longer by trimming your amaryllis plant back after the bloom has dies. Here is a short video on how to do this!
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The Square foot Gardening method originated by Mel Bartholomew is one of the most tried and true ways to plant your raised vegetable bed. Here we have a video tutorial on how to create a Square foot salad garden for you to try!
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Hybrid Tea Roses are some of the most elegant roses a garden can have, but if temperatures drop below 15 degrees in the winter you will have to winterize your hybrid teas to make sure they come back in full bloom for the spring.
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Winterizing roses- Your roses may have to be protected in the winter if the temperatures drop significantly. Below you will find all of the steps you need to take to make sure your roses come back in full bloom!
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Winter is the best time for tree pruning! If your trees are looking overgrown or out of control, you can start this winter to get your pruning done yourself. Below you will find some great tips for pruning your trees.
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The ever-energetic Ciscoe takes us on a backyard garden tour of some of his favorite plants.
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The best way to harvest and store onions: There are a number of important steps to storing onions that will lengthen their keeping time. With a plan of timely irrigation, harvesting, curing, and storing, you can have onions from the garden year round.
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Storing onions indoors after harvesting onions is relatively easy and always adds great flavor to your recipes. If you grow onions in your garden this is an important part of the process to keep enjoying onions long after they have been harvested.
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Urban gardens are easy if you just have a small space, a little sun, and some basic materials. This is an easy way to create a space for your very own urban vegetable garden! Get out your hammer and nails and make it yourself!
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Indoor gardeners should mix their own potting soil for a number of reasons. Because most houseplants tend to outgrow their pots and must be moved to larger ones, or their soil becomes worn out, indoor gardeners regularly need new potting soil. The temptation is to step outdoors and dig some topsoil from the garden, but that’s a bad idea. Soil from the garden may be infested with weed seeds and disease spores as well as other unwanted substances, and sterilizing it is a nasty chore.
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Houseplants bring a touch of the outdoors into our homes—an especially welcome addition in the depths of winter. Assuming we water and feed them correctly and place them in a suitable location, they should be free of insects and healthy most of the time. However, even the best-cared-for houseplants are sometimes attacked by pests that fly inside on their own or hitchhike in on newly acquired plants.
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Repotting an orchid or transplanting it for the first time can be daunting. Although it isn’t a difficult task, it is sufficiently different from repotting other kinds of plants that you may be inclined to put it off. Don’t. An orchid that is allowed to remain in the same pot too long will flower poorly and may even die.
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This technique was popular among Victorian gardeners, who knew that a moss basket’s permeable skin guarantees perfect drainage while allowing air to reach the plant’s roots. The moss also acts as a reservoir, absorbing excess water and releasing it back into the soil as needed. Even the water that evaporates from the moss’s outer surface is not wasted.
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Starting lettuce seeds indoors has several advantages over sowing them directly in the garden.
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Classic holiday greenery and old standards made lovingly with innovative materials will give your holiday decorating a new look and perhaps begin traditions of your own. Here&#x27;s how some of our most treasured traditions got their start.
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Bring your love of gardening to the table this season!
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How to build a raised vegetable garden bed on a hillside | we are sharing with you our video on how to build a raised vegetable garden bed here and if you click on the link below there is a step by step guide with pictures that can be printed out!
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The rich perfume and exquisite sweet flavor of ripe pears heralds the end of the summer harvest season. Like apples, pears are fall fruits that can be stored for longer enjoyment than the fragile stone fruits of high summer.
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Forcing bulbs is perfect for all ages and for all levels of gardening experience-forcing bulbs is one way to grow a no-fail flower garden in the classroom or at your home. This is a perfect winter time project for kids to see the magic of watching a bulb turn into a flower! <br/>
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Many bulbs that are forced can actually be planted out in the garden the fall after they bloom indoors. Most likely they won&#x27;t flower again the following year, but they will grace the garden with blooms for the years to come. The exception to this rule is tulip and paperwhite narcissus; once these bulbs are forced, they should be tossed. Follow our tips to produce an indoor floral extravaganza.
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Why wait for spring to enjoy sweet-scented hyacinths? With a little planning, you can bring their beautiful touch of cheer indoors this winter and brighten the dreariest of days.
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The benefits of garlic are many and growing and harvesting garlic in your kitchen garden couldn&#x27;t be easier! Garlic cloves grown in your own garden and properly stored has a fresh pungency quite unlike the musty odor and bitter flavor too often present in cloves that have been sitting on a grocery shelf. Fortunately for those who enjoy cooking with it, this bulbous herb is easy to grow and requires very little space in the garden.
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Bulbs planted in large informal drifts create a lovely, natural-looking springtime scene. And with only a little attention on your part, a planting of bulbs will multiply, increasing the display year after year. You can naturalize bulbs in a grassy meadow, under fruit or other deciduous trees, at the edge of a woodland, or on a steep bank. Choose a semi-wild area so that the foliage can wither away undisturbed after the plants are finished blooming. Naturalized plantings are usually deemed too untidy for beds or borders close to the house.
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If you live in a particularly wet area of the world do not despair! There are bulbs made just for you and your soggy garden.
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For spring of 2011, David Austin offers five beautiful new varieties. Each rose has the full, fragrant old-fashioned flowers and full bushes that David Austin Roses are known for! Use them as long-flowering landscape shrubs, as climbing roses or in beds, borders or large pots.
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A stroll through the garden or the countryside will likely yield a bunch of the pretty plumes that ornamental grasses produce at this time of year. Gather the subtle, feathery flowers after morning&#x27;s dew has dried. Then follow the directions below to make a fresh, free-standing bouquet that will dry gradually and last for weeks.
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Just because you live in zone 9 or 10 doesn&#x27;t mean you can&#x27;t have the joy of blooming bulbs. You just have to trick them into thinking they&#x27;ve spent the winter up north! There is no magic involved in this, just a refrigerator.
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Bulbs are a pretty forgiving bunch. All you really have to do is dig a hole, toss them in, and replace the soil. But to keep your bulbs happy and healthy for years to come, use our top ten list of care tips!
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Spring&#x27;s lush scenes of stately tulips and sunny daffodils get their start this fall, when bulbs are snuggled into planting beds for a long winter&#x27;s nap. Best of all, planting bulbs is really one of gardening&#x27;s easiest, most sure-to-succeed chores. So roll up your sleeves, grab your trowel, and get planting!
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Storing onions doesn&#x27;t have to be boring! Make them into a braided rope for great storage and impress your friends with your old school style....
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It wasn&#x27;t long ago that we didn&#x27;t have a Target on every corner and we used herbal remedies right from our garden for minor cuts, scrapes and bites. Check these remedies out! They are oldies but goodies....
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Thank you to Renee Shepherd for this fresh from the vine recipe!
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Thanks to Renee Shepherd for this tasty recipe from the garden!
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Another great article on veggies and recipes from your garden from Renee&#x27;s Garden!
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Grow vegetables in cool weather by starting your planting in late summer!
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Hydrangeas are some of the most beautiful flowering shrubs that come alive with their bright blue blooms all summer long. Using hydrangeas in flower arrangements is easy, versatile, and so rewarding.
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There are so many different ways to grow your potatoes but some space saving ways can help make the process a little easier. Whether you are using grow bags from commercial stores or jute coffee bags from a coffee supply company, you will have lots of potatoes to use in all kinds of great recipes even after the growing season has ended.
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While water lilies float serenely on the surface of a water garden, it&#x27;s the backdrop of cattails, pickerel rush, and iris that weave drama and movement into a liquid scene. These marginal plants, with their lush foliage and dramatic blossoms, earn their name because they thrive in the shallow water and moist soil found at the edge of a pond.
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Releasing fish and scavengers into your pond <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/> <br/>butterfly koi <br/> Before adding fish, make sure to dechlorinate your water and treat your pond for bacteria and parasites before adding new fish. Follow these steps to unpack and release your fish into
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Oxygenating plants <br/> <br/>parrot&#x27;s feather <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/> These plants are usually supplied in unrooted cut bunches tied together. They may floated or secured on the bottom of the pond by a rock. <br/> 1. Plant the bunches in a cluster <br/> <br/>do not untie <br/>plant in shal
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Planting bog plants <br/> <br/>umbrella palm <br/> <br/> <br/>iris, &#x27;black gamecock&#x27; <br/> 1. Partially fill your planting container with heavy garden soil. <br/> <br/>allow three quarts of soil per bog plant. <br/> <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>2. Gently arrange the roots on the soil of the partially-filled c
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Planting submerged plants <br/> <br/>primrose creeper <br/> <br/>brazilian pondweed <br/> 1. Fill planting container with sand or heavy garden soil <br/> <br/> Allow 1 quart of sand or soil per bunch of submerged plants. <br/> <br/>2. Arrange stems in the planting container. <br/> 3. Pack remai
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&amp;nbsp; <br/>planting a lotus in your water garden <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/> <br/> <br/>use these plants to stock your water garden <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/> <br/>diagram of a lotus plant <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>1. fill your container with soil <br/> <br/>fill it three-quarters full <br/> <br/>2. feed the plant <br/> <br/>insert a f
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planting water lilies <br/> <br/>stock your water garden with these plants for a beneficial ecosystem&amp;nbsp; <br/> <br/> <br/>water lily diagram <br/> <br/> 1. keep lilies wet <br/> <br/>while preparing for planting this is important so as not to allow the leaves to dry out. <br/> <br/>2. your plant
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This cold tolerant plant can handle a mild frost if mulched well!
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This easy to grow cool season crop is a must have in every vegetable garden, and the harvesting couldn&#x27;t be easier. There is no guesswork in harvesting spinach and all you need are your hands to pick the spinach leaves right from the ground.
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This is a heat tolerant radish great to grow in the summer.
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Don&#x27;t let the name put you off! This delightful vegetable looks and crunches like a bean but has the spicy bite of a regular radish. Harvesting this radish is not unlike harvesting a bean right off the vine. Gotta love it-easy to grow, easy to harvest!
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Crunchy snow peas are easy to grow and an amazing addition to any salad or stir fry!
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Both shelling peas and snap peas can be harvested this way.
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These sweet and nutty root vegetables are a wonderful addition to your garden for a late fall and winter harvest.
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Onions are an amazing vegetable to grow as they store well and are an easy addition to your garden.
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These easy to grow onions are a hearty addition to your vegetable garden.
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These tender greens are easy to grow and easy to harvest.
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These crunchy, yummy, spicy vegetables are a great addition to salads. Or you can pickle them or eat them straight from the garden!
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Just gaze into a pond filled with water lilies and you can feel your blood pressure dropping. Happiest in calm waters, these bathing beauties float their large, round leaves placidly on the water serving as resting spots for toads and frogs and landing pads for butterflies and dragonflies. <br/>
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Rising from the water like a beautiful serpent of the deep, the buds and blooms of the water lily (Nymphaea) have captivated gardeners for centuries.
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Adding fish and scavengers to your water garden help balance out it&#x27;s ecosystem!
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Create a self-sustaining eco-system in your water garden with the right combination of plants and fish.
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A tub water garden is perfect for the less-experienced gardener or for water gardeners with space limitations.
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You can get a manufactured pond or dig your own hole for a DIY project... here are some ways to do either one!
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Weather you are creating an in-ground water garden, or creating one that is free standing, you will need certain things to make this successful.
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From large ponds to small tub gardens, creating a watery wonderland (and a glorious aquatic ecosystem) is simple and satisfying.
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This tender and soft lettuce is such a great addition to your salad garden!
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This is a great crop even if temps get down to 25 degrees F!
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Make sure to harvest this plant before it gets too tough.
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This is a cool weather crop that likes a nice little frost to make its leaves sweeter.
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Harvest this cool weather crop before it gets too hot!
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&amp;nbsp; <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>HARVESTING CELERY <br/> <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>How long does it take t grow? <br/> <br/>7- 8 months.&amp;nbsp; If seeds are planted in Spring harvesting should begin in late September thru November.&amp;nbsp; <br/> <br/>How do I cut it? <br/> <br/>When the plant is 6&quot; tall you can cut it
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Harvest time!!
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This is for savoy cabbage that you plant in the spring for a fall harvest!
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<br/>It is actually hard to space out carrot seeds- any ideas of how far apart they should be?
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Answer this &raquo;

If you beds are a little deeper the roots of the carrot can really spread out and grow sweeter by the day!
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This is a great crop to grow for an addition to summer salads and coleslaw.
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This hearty plant can survive temperatures as low as 10 degrees!
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Answer this &raquo;

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Answer this &raquo;

Cages, netting, trellisses???&amp;nbsp; Which way do you grow?
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Answer this &raquo;

What is the easiest variety that has worked for you?
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Answer this &raquo;

This entire plant is edible and great for you, so don&#x27;t forget the stems!
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When your bok choy has matured it is time to cut it down and use it is a stir fry!
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Beets (roots) are best when they are smaller in size, so don&#x27;t let them get too large!
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This green is a great addition to many dishes and is high in vitamins A and C
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&amp;nbsp; <br/>
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Answer this &raquo;

Artichoke harvesting- if you are wondering how many artichokes you will get with each plant, here is your answer!
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Answer this &raquo;

Pick your vegetables at the right time to get the maximum flavor from your garden.
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These delicate shimmering jellies are delicious condiments. Their sweet and savory flavors really sing of summer with jewel-toned colors that are appetizing and beautiful. Herb jellies are wonderful with cream cheese and crackers or bagels. Use the lighter flavors to glaze pies, tarts, and cookies. For main dishes, melt them in a sauce pan and mix in a little dijon mustard to make an outstanding glaze for poultry of all kinds or oven roasted ribs.
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Enjoy this delicate treat over waffles, muffins, or pancakes.
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This sumptuous treat is heavenly on scones or can be used as a glaze for fruit pies.
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When your rose bushes are in full bloom, take advantage of their fragrant (and flavorful) blossoms by cooking them into something delicious. Everything&#x27;s coming up roses in the kitchen!
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When your rose bushes are in full bloom, take advantage of their fragrant (and flavorful) blossoms by cooking them into something delicious. Everything&#x27;s coming up roses in the kitchen!
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When your rose bushes are in full bloom, take advantage of their fragrant (and flavorful) blossoms by cooking them into something delicious. Everything&#x27;s coming up roses in the kitchen!
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When your rose bushes are in full bloom, take advantage of their fragrant (and flavorful) blossoms by cooking them into something delicious. Everything&#x27;s coming up roses in the kitchen! This is great for a garden party...
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When your rose bushes are in full bloom, take advantage of their fragrant (and flavorful) blossoms by cooking them into something delicious. Everything&#x27;s coming up roses in the kitchen!
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An easy recipe with many ingredients right from your garden!
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These simple to make sticks are scrumptious snacks or appetizers. Everyone loves them and I usually end up doubling the recipe!
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This dish is perfect to serve to your vegetarian friends as an appetizer!
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Serve these crunchy herbed crackers with cheese and chilled white wine.
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This dish tastes sinfully rich, but it&#x27;s not in the least, so enjoy!
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This herbed sauce is lovely on pasta with the bright colors of the petals and squashes.
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Open-faced finger sandwiches that offer a handsome smorgasbord of colors and flavors. Decorate each sandwich with several savory edible flower petals and herb blossoms and serve. Expect to be applauded for your artistry!
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After starting your seeds for your kitchen garden, you will need to transplant your seedlings. Your kitchen garden is on its way once those seeds sprout, so look below to find how to transplant those seedlings into the ground. You can also thin out your seedlings and transplant them to bigger pots!
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A great way to cut down on costs is to use old newspapers to make pots to transfer your seedlings. They are economical and easy- a great after school project for you and your kids!
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Once your seedling are looking a little crowded it is time to thin them out. Follow these extremely simple steps and you will have your seedlings looking great in no time!
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<br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>Any advice on how to plant a new tree?
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Answer this &raquo;

Most gardeners think of spring as the ideal time for planting, but autumn has many advantages.
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Stick to these simple steps and your groundcover will flourish!
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Groundcovers are dependable plants that gardeners everywhere count on to blanket the soil with a fairly uniform canopy of dense foliage. Using groundcovers such as creeping sedum or creeping thyme can help control weeds, and offer new textures in your garden.
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A list of some of the many helpful articles for you to browse through on perennials. Enjoy!
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In order to divide perennials in your garden, you need some essential tools
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Bulbs won’t tell you they need division until it’s too late. Come spring, they’ll boycott blooming, making your spring a pretty drab one. Don’t risk the trauma of a spring without bulbs and divide this fall.
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Perennial division isn’t just a great way to get more plants--it’s also the best method to keep your perennials in top shape. That’s because most perennials need to be divided every several years in order to bloom to their full potential. For spring- and summer-blooming perennials, autumn is the optimum time to divide.
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Perennials serve as the backbone for borders and add seasonal interest to all gardens.
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about perennials | read more about perennialspacking and unpacking | choosing a site | planting your perennialsperennial-care tips | dividing perennials&amp;nbsp; <br/> perennial specifics| dividing bulbs |tools of the trade <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>Perennial S
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You may receive plants that are actively growing or plants that are dormant. Dormancy is part of a perennial&#x27;s life cycle. Due to shipping, some leaves may appear yellow. They will be fine with proper care. <br/> <br/>Your plants will arrive potted, bare root, or in some cases root-wrapped (unpotted). You will need to treat these forms of plants slightly differently when unpacking.
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The plants that divide best are those perennials that grow in big clumps with fleshy root stocks such as daylilies and peonies. Other good division candidates include tuberous plants, such as irises, and perennials that develop crowns, such as heuchera and ajuga. Here are 10 easy steps to perennial division:
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This is a floral force to be reckoned with! Juliet and Sierra of POPPIES &amp; POSIES a boutique floral and event design firm in NYC, share with us their favorite tips and unique designs.
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These simple steps will help get your perennials off to a great start!
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One of the many rewarding aspects of perennial plantings is that they come up year after year with no help from their gardeners at all. Therefore, locate them where the view from a window, patio or deck will include them. Perennials grow well almost anywhere that meets their requirements for sun, moisture, nutrients, drainage and air circulation. These requirements must be taken into consideration when planning your perennial locations.
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Good gardening practices will keep your perennials in good health and make them more resistant to disease. The following simple procedures will give your perennials the help they need to thrive. You&#x27;ll be rewarded with an abundance of blossoms year after year.
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Although you can attract birds by building them a little house in your yard, you can also bring them to your garden by planting certain flowers.
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Marigolds are pretty little flowers that are great to have in your garden for a whole host of reasons!
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Welcome our newest Dig The Dirt contributor! This guy has a serious gardening habit and we are not going to try and break it!
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People were just starting to get their plots in gear last weekend at this enormous park!
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Ever wonder what to do with those herbs once you have them grown and dried? Well Kristie from Spirit Horse Herbals does!
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These jewels of the garden make you look like you know what you are doing!
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a walk through the woods of Oregon brings up some cool spring time wildflowers thanks to our member BOOK WORM!!!
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Cool, blue shades are a welcome addition in any landscape. The deep blue colors will remain true in deeper shade and cooler temperatures. Bright light will fade the color to green. Nestle blue hostas next to gold blossoms or foliage, or pair up a puckered variety with pink impatiens.
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Hostas are one of the most satisfying plants to watch emerge from the ground. In the early spring, hostas send up green rocketlike shoots. Then, almost as if captured in time-lapse photography, a few warm days coaxes them into unfolding their large, heartshaped leaves.
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Sometimes you see things in the garden that are so pretty, you wish you could put them in a picture. Well guess what? Lots of times you can! Look for plants with cool shapes or colors. Ferns have super delicate leafs called fronds. Hostas have leaves with really neat colors and patterns.
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They share the same surname. But many gardeners are surprised to find that these two lovely ladies of the garden are not sisters--or even cousins. In fact, these two similarly named plants are totally different species.
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Use these specific varieties of Daylilies to bring joy to every type of garden!
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A small tip to keep your beautiful daylilies looking crisp in a summer bouquet.
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This blooms will brighten up any garden and can be used as accents or as the main attraction in your garden.
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Before getting your daylilies in the ground follow a few simple steps to keep your blooms come out just right!
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Definitely giving your garden some much needed texture with ornamental grasses is the way to go. Use these grasses to mix it up with your perennials.
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Are plants sexy?
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Here is a list of grasses that are best used to screen out areas of your garden or to keep those nosy neighbors out of your business!
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Ornamental grasses celebrate everything that&#x27;s great about gardening. Grasses weave threads of color, motion, texture, and sound to planting beds. Clumps of ornamental grasses form living screens, tufts of grass bubble along bed edges, and mounds of grass froth in fountains of foliage in perennial beds.
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Some gardeners say that ornamental grasses are too much work to maintain; others claim they are carefree. But the gentle sway of ornamental grasses are perfect for any garden.
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Often called the Queen of flowers, roses have played a starring role in gardens for centuries. But, contrary to what you may have heard, many roses don’t require royal treatment to keep them in top form. In fact, it’s really easy to create a rose garden that blooms all summer with only minimal attention from you. Here are some tips to get you started.
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Even though these beauties are not difficult to grow, you should follow a few guide lines to make your blooms last as long as they can!
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Peonies will show up at your door usually looking like a big stick with little pointy crowns at one end of it. Make sure to be fairly gentle with the crown side of your brand new peony.
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I am trying to compile a list of farmer&#x27;s markets all around the country and give them links so you can find them!
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These are some of the most beautiful flowers you will find in any garden or flower arrangement. Follow these guidelines to make sure you are planting your peony correctly.
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Of all garden bloomers, peonies easily give some of the longest, splashiest rewards for the most minimal care. These fragrant beauties are mostly pest- and disease-free. The most common complaint that gardeners share is that plants fail to bloom. If that’s the case with your garden’s peony patch, troubleshoot the issue with our help.
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The opening of the first peony bloom is the official beginning of summer. All of a sudden, it’s as though a game of floral dominoes has started: The opening of the first peony triggers a second and then a third…until the entire garden is filled with their huge flowers and luxurious scent.
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Peonies are one of the most beautiful plants you can add to your garden. Their delicate and vibrant blooms will give you joy and fragrance galore!
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Starting broccoli for your kitchen garden is one easy way to add some crunch to your salads! Of all the brassicas, or members of the cole family (Cruciferae), delicious, tender broccoli is the easiest to start indoors. But you must start it early, as the heads need time to mature before hot weather arrives.
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Soar to new height with flowering annual vines! They defy gravity and add instant architecture to your garden.
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Some gardeners are leery of pruning. But don&#x27;t worry! Although there&#x27;s a prime time to prune deciduous plants, and certain steps to follow, you&#x27;ll be whacking away confidently in no time. Just use our simple guidelines and have faith that you&#x27;re doing a good deed for your garden. There are many benefits from pruning: your plants will be tidier-looking, pruning stimulates new growth, and it helps prevent disease spread and insect infestation.
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David Austin Roses has come out with 5 new releases. David Austin is a family owned business in Albrighton, Wolverhampton in the Shropshire area of England.
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You can safely plant and grow vegetables for your kitchen garden in containers as long as you give your plants the essentials: well-drained soil, good air circulation, and full sun. Using containers for your kitchen garden is always a good way to make sure your veggies stay on track.
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Follow these 12 steps to plant your seedlings and you will be growing in no time!
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Introducing your vegetable seedlings to their new home is a fun and exciting way to start off the season. Use this as a guide to make sure that your site has a few specific requirements.
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I don&#x27;t like to kill, but I hate these things! <br/>&amp;nbsp; <br/>
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I&#x27;m worried about infections of diseases when my seedlings are just getting going... any preventitive steps?&amp;nbsp; <br/>
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What is happening?
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They look so thin, like they won&#x27;t be abe to withstand a light wind!
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Although you don&#x27;t need a lot of tool to help you plant your seedlings, this list may help you get your materials together before you begin.
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If you buy your seedling or have started your own from seed, you need to know what to do with them. Here is a basic care guide for your vegetable seedlings to make them as successful as possible.
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Prepackaged salads are all the rage in grocery stores these days. Little plastic bags packed with shreds of lettuce, cabbage, carrots, and other assorted greens. These instant salads are definitely convenient, but are they worth the price, considering how easy it is to grow your own fresh salad greens (that probably taste a lot better) right at your back door?
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Kitchen Gardening: Planning a productive, fuss free kitchen garden is a lot easier than you think. With a little careful planning you can create an easy care garden that provides you with armloads of delicious cherry tomatoes, greens and root vegetables from spring till fall.
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A guide to getting started with planting your seeds. There are a few requirements to get those seeds on the right track!
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Gathering herbs from your kitchen garden for drying is one of midsummer’s most pleasant tasks. Using the heat of the season to preserve some of this herbal bounty always makes one feel in tune with your garden.
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&amp;nbsp;They do just fine outdoors. What can I do?&amp;nbsp;
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Growing herbs may attract certain pests.&amp;nbsp; Any ideas for controlling these pests?
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How better to really enjoy herbs than to pot up an herb garden that you can set on your patio, porch, or outdoor dining table. Not only will it bring amazing aromas to your patio, but it will also spice up the kitchen!
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Herbs can be part of any garden or landscape as long as their specific planting requirements are met.
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A helpful guide for planting herbs for your garden.
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As fall days wane into winter’s frosty prelude, saying farewell to summer’s garden pleasures is hardest in the herb patch. If the thought of months without garden-fresh flavors like basil, rosemary, and thyme is more than you can bear, take heart. Herbs take happily to the indoors and will reward you with leaves to snip and stew all winter long.
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Tender perennials are plants that can live for several years but are not frost-tolerant.
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Perennial is a relative word, and a plant that is perennial in Dallas, Texas, may be treated as an annual or tender perennial in Des Moines, Iowa. Use this guide to help you figure out what type your herb is.
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Annuals herbs are those plants that complete their entire life cycle in one year or growing season.
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Herbs have been cultivated for thousands of years for both their culinary and medicinal purposes. These fragrant and flavorful plants still play an important role in every kitchen garden. Even a tiny plot can provide you with enough herbs to use fresh, frozen, or dried.
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This year plant an array of amazing companion flowers to set off and compliment your rose beauties.
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Growing your own vegetables this upcoming season is an economical way to get all your vitamins! Building your own raised bed is an easy and fun DIY project.
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Expert gardener and horticulturist, Robert Bowden, has written an easy-to use guide to fruit and vegetable gardening in Florida.
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These tools made in the United States are such a great addition to your gardening toolbox.
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Brighten up the side of a house, or trellis by training your roses to defy gravity.
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Roses, as well as other deciduous shrubs, fruit and shade trees, and vines are available as dormant bare-root plants in late winter and early spring.
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Try these simple steps to keep orchids blooming.
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Don&#x27;t grab your pruners too soon- wait and see what happens.
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If you enjoy robust flavors with a lot of spirit, join me in growing a crop of broccoli raab this spring. Also known as &quot;cima di rapa&quot; or &quot;rapini,&quot; this rich tasting Italian vegetable is a fast growing early spring bonanza.
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If you love fresh spinach salad, early spring is the perfect time to grow the best leaves.
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Greens are a great way to celebrate the spring gardening season. Get some Chard into your vegetable beds for a true spring awakening.
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This is your basic beginner&#x27;s guide for starting your seeds. It is a cheap and easy thing to do for the beginning gardener.
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Starting coleus from seed is a great indoor gardening project if you&#x27;re looking for something to get your green thumb revving this winter.
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A book that gives great ideas on how to keep your budget down and you garden growing.
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Come on and share... we want to know what your favorite gardening tool is!
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With so much information out there, it&#x27;s nice to have these experts keeping it in one place.
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There is nothing better than a ripe tomato straight off the vine.&amp;nbsp; What&#x27;s you favorite?
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Let us know what types of things you&#x27;re doing to green your lifestyle.
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It&#x27;s about that time that they are flooding the mailbox... what is your favorite seed catalogue?
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Need great recipes for your amazing vegetable garden? This companion book to the best selling gardening book ever tells you how to get the most out of your veggies!
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It time for the Holidays! Keep up with your Holiday giving lists with this simple and affordable gift idea!
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Planting paperwhite bulbs are the perfect way to brighten up your home for the holidays? Paperwhites make an amazing fragrance and a burst of classic holiday style.
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Yep, sorry to say it folks, but size does matter when it comes to amaryllis bulbs.
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Kid-friendly project: yes! Amaryllis are one of nature&#x27;s no-fail flowering jewels. For young math scholars, plant a yardstick in the pot (or simply attach it to the pot) with your amaryllis. Then measure flower stalk length every other day and graph to observe the rate of growth over time.
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After your amaryllis blooms, there are little tricks and tips to keep the blooms going. So check out our tips below and keep those beautiful blooms longer!
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Getting ready for some holiday blooms? Try planting an amaryllis bulb. It&#x27;s fast, it&#x27;s easy, and the colors are dynamite! Here are some basic tips on getting those bulbs in containers and eventually into the ground.
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Reap a harvest of dried flowers, and make bouquets or wreaths that testify to your garden&#x27;s glory long after your summer flowers have faded.
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Fresh--and dried-flower bouquets--what a luxury! And they can be yours all summer (and on into the winter) when you plant a cutting garden of easy-to-grow annual and everlasting flowers.
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Tip for growing vegetables in small spaces.
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A great tip on how to keep weeds out of your vegetable garden!
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Start those cool weather crops for crispy veggies early!
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From herbs to vegetables this will add spice to your recipes.
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Long before grocery stores and mega markets offered produce for sale, kitchen gardens fed the world. On small homesteads, the garden was located right outside the kitchen door, where ripe and shining vegetables were just minutes away from a boiling soup or a simmering stew. Because of their utilitarian nature, garden designs were simple: rows of beans, potatoes, and tomatoes were laid out for ease of care and harvest. The choices of produce were tried-and-true varieties that yielded delicious, nutritious, and storable food.
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There&#x27;s nothing better than freshly picked jewel-toned tomatoes. Their mouth-filling, tangy sweet flavor is one of the main reasons to grow a summer vegetable garden!
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