Category Archives: Gardening Basics

Plant division, the importance of understanding your plant’s needs

Let’s start with plant division. This is a process where a mature plant is separated into smaller sections, each with its own roots and stems. This practice is beneficial for a multitude of reasons.  It helps control the size of the plant, preventing it from becoming overcrowded.  It also allows for the creation of new […]

Growing and Containing Rampant Spreaders

What do you do when you fall in love with a plant but you know it spreads and could take over your entire garden? You don’t have to give up your hopes of nurturing this plant, you just have to learn how to contain it securely without destroying its beauty. Favorite Spreaders Many different plants […]

Determinate Versus Indeterminate Tomatoes

Halleluiah, it’s tomato-planting time again! If you’ve grown tomatoes in the past, you most likely have your favorites. If not, just ask! You’ll find some pretty strong opinions regarding tomato choices.

General Soil Amendments

The number of soil amendments sold in garden centers often confuses gardeners. These products fall into two categories, inorganic and organic.

Edging and Trimming

Edging and trimming the lawn is like having a manicure after cutting your fingernails…everything is just more perfect!

Growing Grass in the Shade

Cool season turf grasses prefer to grow in the sun. To establish a thick, healthy lawn of Kentucky bluegrass and perennial rye, you will need at least six hours of full sun daily. Fine and tall fescues are more shade-tolerant and require a minimum of four hours of full or eight hours of filtered sun […]

Green Gardening

Planting a vegetable or flower garden seems like the perfect thing to do when you are looking for ways to adopt a greener, more environmentally-friendly lifestyle. Some traditional gardening practices, however, may not be quite as “green” as you might think. Planning your gardens with the environment in mind and choosing some practices that maintain healthy […]

Conserving Water Through Proper Planting

Worried that you may have to give up color in your landscape to save on maintenance and water? Afraid that watering restrictions in your area will put a damper on your colorful flowerbeds, borders and shrubs? It doesn’t have to be that way! Many brightly-colored trees, shrubs and flowers don’t require as much water once […]

Jump Start Your Pond

Are you ready to get your pond started up for another beautiful spring and summer? It can be a big job to rejuvenate such a large water feature so it remains balanced and healthy after a long, harsh winter, but with a few careful steps, your pond can be back in shape in no time. […]

Planting Basics – Trees & Shrubs

Are you ready to add trees and shrubs to your landscape? You don’t necessarily need to hire professionals to do the planting when you learn the basics of doing it the right way yourself. Soil Preparation Minimizing planting stress is the goal of proper planting. This will affect how quickly and how well trees become […]