Category Archives: Gardening Basics
Winter Warmth with a Chimenea
Is it just a bit chilly to sit outside and enjoy your fall or winter garden? Hundreds of years ago, Mexicans had the same problem. They solved it by making chimeneas and using them for heat and cooking. Will a modern chimenea help you enjoy your outdoor living space even as the weather turns cooler?
Tulip Time
It’s finally here, that time of year that we’ve all been anticipating – fall! And, you know what fall means? Tulip time! The cooler days of fall entice us back into the garden that the August heat forced us to abandon. This is when your garden retailer is brimming with fresh, new, seasonal plant material […]
Building A Simple Raised Bed
It’s a bittersweet time of year. Frost has put to rest another growing season. It is a time for endings as we clean up the garden and jot down this year’s successes and failures. It is also a time for new beginnings, such as planning and anticipating next year’s garden. For those who love gardening, […]
Ornamental Cabbage & Kale
Looking to add extra appeal to the fall and winter landscape? This year, try ornamental cabbage and kale! Planted alongside chrysanthemums and winter pansies, ornamental cabbage and kale add distinctive bold texture and vibrant seasonal color to the late-season landscape. Foliage not Flower Frequently called ‘flowering’ cabbage & kale, these fall favorites are not flowers […]
Soil 101
How well do you understand your soil? It’s more than just dirt, and the more you learn about soil, the better you’ll be able to care for it to ensure a stunning landscape, healthy lawn and productive garden. All About Soil The four elements of soil are minerals, water, air and organic matter. Different combinations […]
What is “pH?” Why Is It Important?
Devised in 1909, the pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The scale ranges from 0-14. Pure water is “neutral” and has a pH of 7, midway between 0 and 14. If a solution has a low concentration of hydrogen ions, the rating will be a higher number and is considered […]
Get Started Composting
Fall is an excellent time to start a compost pile with all of the leaves falling, and if you develop compost now, you will have a rich source of organic material for your garden and flowerbeds in spring.
Healthy Soil: Winter Cover Crops
It’s fall and our annual and vegetable gardens are winding down for the season. Now is the time to invest a little extra time and effort to prepare your soil for next year. Whether your garden is large or small, all annual planting beds will benefit from the addition of a winter cover crop.
Winter Pond Prep Checklist
As winter approaches, certain steps should be taken to ensure plant and fish survival.
Acid-Loving Plants
Soil pH is a critical factor for gardening success. Some plants thrive in neutral soil while other plants prefer soil on the acidic side. The difference lies in the plant’s ability to use nutrients present in the soil. For plants that prefer an acidic soil a critical nutrient is iron. Iron is most easily available […]
Problems With Your Compost Pile? Fix Them!
A compost pile should be part of every gardener's yard, since it adds so many benefits for recycling and providing organic material in the garden.
Bulbs: Increasing Your Yield
When you visit our garden center, you'll find an incredible variety of autumn "bulbs." Although they may look strange at this time of year, these "ugly ducklings" will become beautiful swans in your spring garden.
Fall Lawn Care
Fall is the best time of the year to overseed your existing lawn or establish a new lawn. If your lawn is a bit thin, has bare patches or needs good care, now is the time to take care of it so it can become thoroughly established before warm temperatures arrive in spring.
Repotting Houseplants
Fall is an excellent time to repot many houseplants. Potted plants that have been growing outdoors during the summer have probably grown quite vigorously due to the high light levels and greater humidity.
Bringing Your Tropical Plants Indoors for the Winter
As the summer comes to an end and autumn approaches, the days get shorter and cooler temperatures signal the time to ready your plants for winter. How can you protect your treasured tropicals from winter damage? Overwintering Tropical Plants Don’t wait until frost warnings or freezes occur to bring tropical plants inside, especially since these […]
Getting Tools Ready for Spring
Did you clean your gardening tools last fall when you stopped gardening? Hopefully, you did and don’t need to read this article. However, if you didn’t, it’s now time. After all, spring is just around the corner! Let’s get this done and be ready to jump in when spring arrives.
