Spring done sprung, spongy soil on the way


Tue. Mar. 20, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Spring done sprung, spongy soil on the way

While it’s simply a day on the calendar to some, the Spring Equinox starts a new gardening season in the minds of many.  Some fun Farmers Almanac Spring Facts

Astronomically speaking, the Vernal Equinox will happen at 11:15 this morning in the northern hemisphere, central time!  The March equinox marks the moment the Sun crosses the celestial equator – the imaginary line in the sky above the Earth’s equator –  … [Continue reading]

Garden friend or foe


Fri. Mar. 9, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Garden friend or foe

Ingrid Hoff, an entomologist  gave a great talk at the Proven Winners Extravaganza about bugs to squish and not to squish!

The Lacewing larvae is like a little aphid-eating lion!  Do NOT squish this wonder bug.

Aphids - yellow

Aphids – yellow

Aphids come in a variety of colors and they are NOT our friends.

Another squishable is the Emerald Ash Borer which has destroyed multiple millions of Ash Trees.

It may be pretty but it is  … [Continue reading]

Toss and walk


Thu. Mar. 8, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Toss and walk

A friend of mine does this every year.  He tosses seeds of leaf lettuce, radishes and even brussel sprouts on his garden this time of year and walks away.  Toss and walk…..

radishesIf you cleaned up your garden last year, then toss the seeds willy nilly onto the surface, no rows, and let them be.  No putting more soil on top, no watering, just walk away.  Toss and walk…

Brussel sprouts - Octia
Brussel sprouts – Octia

Sometime this  … [Continue reading]

What’s in a bulb?


Mon. Mar. 5, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  What’s in a bulb?

What’s in a bulb? Is it really a bulb? Is it a rhizome? Is it a corm? Is it a tuberous root? And what’s the difference? Let’s start with what they have in common. They’re all underground storage units.

All the things they need to sprout and flower are stored in their fleshy structures underneath the soil.

 

Here’s another look from my friends in the U.K.!

Rhizome etc.

Bulbs etc. written

Once their leaves are up and at  … [Continue reading]

The Cut Flower garden


Wed. Feb. 28, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  The Cut Flower garden

Walking into your home and there on the kitchen table is a lovely vase filled with flowers from the local nursery.  

They’re wonderful, certainly, but have you thought about growing your own cut flower garden?  

This is the garden where you don’t feel guilty cutting that flower to bring inside!  It won’t ruin the “look” you’ve achieved in your landscape.  This garden should be in full sun at the rear of your property,  … [Continue reading]

GMOs vs hybrids


Fri. Feb. 23, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  GMOs vs hybrids

Hybridizing, genetically modified and genetically engineered.  Hmm, is there a difference?  Hooo, boy, this is a big topic and it won’t be answered here but there are distinctions on HOW plants are modified.

Modifications aka genetic mutations take place in every living thing naturally.  When 2 people have a baby, there’s some mutation going on.  Not sure that’s real romantic but, I hope, you catch my drift.

This tomato ‘Sungold’ was bred for disease  … [Continue reading]

Small space garden plants


Thu. Feb. 22, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Small space garden plants

A small space doesn’t mean you can’t have a garden!  I have a raised bed for my vegetables but I also plant in pots.

I like cucumbers but I don’t like the space they take up in my raised bed.

Cucumber ‘Patio Snacker’ is the perfect size to plant in a 15 inch pot with a trellis for the 3 to 5 foot vines to grow on.  It’s fruits are 6 to 8 inches  … [Continue reading]

Veggies in part shade? Yes


Wed. Feb. 21, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Veggies in part shade?  Yes

Most people believe you must have full sun (about 8 hours) to plant all veggies.  And while I agree that full sun is optimal, it’s not necessary.  So says Jeff Gillman (former U of M Hort Professor and currently Director of the UNC Charlotte Botanical Gardens in Charlotte North Carolina) in his book ‘Decoding Gardening Advice’.

I highly recommend this book!

Gillman says these vegetables/herbs need as little as 2 hours of  … [Continue reading]

Prepare to Prune


Tue. Feb. 20, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Prepare to Prune

Gardeners!  Prepare your pruners!

Cold temperatures provide the best time to prune because the plants are dormant, their sap flowing less freely and the insects are not a bother.  With this warm up, that changes things.  Never prune spring flowering shrubs now or you’ll lose any flowers.  What you CAN prune are dead or diseased branches.

Forsythia

This is also a good time to really look over your plants for any pests.

To prepare your  … [Continue reading]

Self-watering systems


Mon. Feb. 19, 2018

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Self-watering systems

Asking family and friends to take care of your place when you’re on vacation is always one of those tasks you sort of dread.  

Pick up the mail, stop by to see the cat, make sure it hasn’t shredded the curtains, flip the lights on and off and water the plants.  Some of this can now be don remotely, but not so much the plants.   Remember all those “As Seen On TV” ads for Aqua Globe?   … [Continue reading]