Celebrate Farmers markets and some tips for shopping


Mon. Aug. 7, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Celebrate Farmers Markets and some tips for shopping

It’s National Farmers Market week!  What a wonderful opportunity for those who LOVE fresh produce but don’t have a vegetable garden, or room to plant all the veggies they want, or like me, have had their produce poached by Peter Rabbit and his pals!

 As you wander the rows of fresh produce, you can’t help but have a different sense of where your food comes from and a connection that  … [Continue reading]

Wandering through your gardens and the thing you discover!


Fri. Aug. 4, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Wandering through your gardens and the things you discover!

I do love touring my gardens, checking to see what’s going on.  Even though I know what’s supposed to happen, I always feel really delighted when it does!  Like seeing my lemon yellow lilies blooming outrageously or my new Hardy Hibiscus!

yellow lilies 2016

 

And then there’s usually some unwanted stuff hanging out in the garden! The picture below is of a Japanese beetle on my canna.  I took the shot  … [Continue reading]

What goes with who?


Wed. Aug. 2, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  What goes with who?

Recently I posted on Facebook that I’d like to hear from YOU on what topics you’d like me to cover.  I got some great suggestions including what plants get along and what plants might not…  First thing that comes to mind are invasive plants.   Monarda and Obedient Plant are at the top of the list, as is Lily of the Valley for shade.

IF you want don’t mind a plant creating your garden,  … [Continue reading]

Read the plant label


Tue. Aug. 1, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio feature:  Read the plant label

Sounds simple doesn’t it?  Well…..

Let’s take Viburnum for instance.  This group of shrubs consists of more than 150 species and cultivars.  Light preferences can vary from full sun to shade, heights vary from 2 feet to 30 feet and, some berries are edible while others are not!  You really need to know what cultivar will fit your needs.

The Viburnum called ‘Highbush Cranberry’ is known as Viburnum Trilobum in latin.  This bush will  … [Continue reading]

August to-do’s


Mon. Jul. 31, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show;  August to-do’s

There are still plenty of things to do in the garden as we wait for those mouthwatering tomatoes to really start producing and I can start roasting!  But that’s another Garden Bite.

Now’s a good time to deadhead those flowers.  I really went after my Blue Salvia.  It was flopped open…

When you deadhead, you’ll cut the flower off, generally speaking, at the first set of healthy leaves.  What happens is you stop the plant from  … [Continue reading]

Allergy “free” garden


Fri. Jul. 21, 2017

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show:  Allergy “free” garden

AHCHOO! Runny nose, runny eyes don’t make for a fun day in the garden. If you’re a sufferer, there are some plants that are less problematic!

  • Lilacs
  • Dogwoods
  • Daisy
  • Hardy geranium
  • Hardy Hibiscus
  • Roses
  • Tulips
  • Irises
  • Cherry, Pear and Plum trees

Plants to nix for the nose due to their “Achoo” factor:

  • grasses
  • Maple
  • Oak
  • Birch
  • Juniper
  • Cedar
  • Cottonwood

Some tips to silence the sniffles are to wash your hands often and rinse your eyes  … [Continue reading]

My butterfly garden and other natives


Fri. Jul. 14, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  My butterfly garden and other natives

I planted a butterfly garden earlier this year.  The rabbits got some of that too.  They’re prolific enough this year that I’ve contemplated severe measures, but I don’t think it’s legal in my neighborhood!  Anyway, there are some species growing as you can see!  I bought 48 plants from my County Soil and Water Conservation District.

Here’s a LINK to my May Garden Bite on the above garden with cost and exactly what plants  … [Continue reading]

Drought tolerant plants


Tue. Jul. 11, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Drought tolerant plants

It’s coming…  the “dog days” of summer.  90 some degrees will brings on crackling lawns and drooping flowers

Characterisitics of a drought tolerant plant:

  • fuzzy leaves – fine little hairs capture water
  • gray leaves – their light color reflects sunlight
  • large fleshy roots – below ground storage units
  • succulent leaves – above ground storage units

And one of my favorites!  Sea Holly

Sea Holly

While large fleshy roots hold water underground, succulent leaves like those on Sedums, hold their  … [Continue reading]

Host plants for butterfly larvae


Thu. Jul. 6, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Host plants for butterfly larvae

When I first saw the red long-horned beetles all over my milkweed plants, I freaked out and went on a mass killing spree.  And they’re back.  The jury is out on whether to kill them, they’re pretty easy to squish this time of year while they’re trying to procreate.   8e4d322d187aa233064841a784ea852f

As Milkweed are host to the Monarch butterfly larvae, I don’t want to use any chemical to rid the plant of those bugs!

If you like  … [Continue reading]

Mosquito Eaters


Wed. Jul. 5, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Mosquito Eaters

I get up very early and am on my way to work at about 4:45 in the morning.  It’s about the same time the bats are flying back to their homes after a grand night of feeding.  Let me introduce you to the Little Brown Bat.

Little Brown Bat

Little Brown Bat

This little fella can munch down 1200 mosquitoes in an hour and when you live in Wisconsin or Minnesota, you gotta give props to ‘em. They may not be  … [Continue reading]