Companion planting


Tue. Jan. 28, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Companion planting

Gazing out at a winter wonderland, I’m making soup using herbs from last year.  They are a wonderful family of plants. They offer fragrance, taste, medicinal properties and they repel some pests.

They offer fragrance, taste, medicinal properties and they repel some pests.  While not always substantiated by University based information, there are a number of books and articles, as well as old gardeners around that swear by the use of herbs and companion planting.

So  … [Continue reading]

Bunnies – the bad and the good? Monitoring your plants


Mon. Jan. 27, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Bunnies – the bad and the good? Monitoring your plants

It’s always a good idea to monitor your shrubs and newly planted trees this time of year to see if there’s been bunny, vole or deer damage.

If you wrapped the new trees with hardware cloth or put chicken wire around your shrubs, then good for you, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about!  I’ve lost a few shrubs by not paying attention.

Hardware cloth comes in a  … [Continue reading]

Native grasses


Fri. Jan. 24, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Native grasses

I think it’s safe to say we’ve established the fact that native plants offer more than just beauty

such as:

  • wide diversity – with an established track record
  • don’t require a lot of extra attention – just the right sun/shade and soil
  • environmentally friendly – they belong here, or there, depending on where you live!

We are so fortunate to have some fantastic native grasses that are hardy to zone 3!

Prairie Dropseed is a favorite  … [Continue reading]

2020 Vegetable introductions


Thu. Jan. 23, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2  min. Garden Bite radio show: 2020 Vegetable introductions

I talked this week about vegetable garden cost comparisons and the fact that, just being outdoors is a huge return on investment, and also gave some information on the terms used in plant catalogs that are quite helpful.

Today I want to talk about more 2020 vegetables to let your mouth water over! One of them is a sprouting burgundy broccoli! Called ‘Burgundy Hybrid’, it’s florets are purple on top of pale green stems. … [Continue reading]

Plant catalog terms – it can be another language


Wed. Jan. 22, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Plant catalog terms – it can be another language!

As you all know by now, I could spend countless hours curled up on the couch with a good plant and seed catalog!  I know, I live on the edge!   While many gardeners already know what many of the terms used in the catalogs mean, others might not be so familiar.  So today’s garden bite is an effort to clarify some of those terms for you.

A mini glossary  … [Continue reading]

Vegetable garden cost comparison


Tue. Jan. 21, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Vegetable garden cost comparison

I’ve talked about this many times before and continue to get the question…

Do you really save money planting your own vegetable garden?   That depends.  Things to consider:

  • how much effort will you put into creating your garden
  • how much you spend on seeds and/or plants
  • are you buying soil?  amendments?  fertilizer?
  • your time spent watering, weeding and harvesting
  • will you be building a raised bed
  • do you need to buy equipment

Your first  … [Continue reading]

Orchid care


Mon. Jan. 20, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Orchid care

Did you receive an orchid as a gift this season?  Phalaenopsis orchids are the most popular indoor houseplant gift.  Catching your eye in the produce aisle of the grocery store or in local garden centers, they can often be an impulse buy.

The good news is they are relatively easy care. Light and watering, however, are always an issue with houseplants.

The American Orchid Society recommends using a pencil or wooden skewer to determine whether an  … [Continue reading]

More 2020 AAS winners


Fri. Jan. 17, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: More 2020 AAS winners

 As cold winter winds whip, (currently 3 below zero “feels like” temp) it’s a wonderful time to peruse more 2020 All America Selections winners!

There’s a gorgeous new coleus! I know, you’re thinking there are already a lot, but this one, named ‘Main Street Beale Street’ is an outstanding variety with deep red foliage that holds its color extremely well, not fading, bleaching out or getting spotty as the season moves into late  … [Continue reading]

A googling we will go and the importance of Days to Harvest


Thu. Jan. 16, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: A googling we will go and the importance of Days to Harvest

Last week I was floating in a sea of plant catalogs.  If you’re like me, you were too. Now that you’ve catalogued numerous hours selecting plants to purchase, might I make a suggestion?

Jump on the internet and do some googling. There’s a wealth of information out there on seeds and plants.  DO check your sources, as we all know there’s a lot bunk out  … [Continue reading]

Rusty patched bumble bees and renovating your lawn for natives


Wed. Jan. 15, 2020

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Rusty patched bumble bees and renovating your lawn for natives

 I’ve talked about the Rusty patched bumble bee before but it bears repeating! RPB bee, as I’m calling him, has declined by 87 percent in the last 20 years. The species is likely to be present in only 0.1% of its historical range.

There are many potential reasons for RPB bee decline including habitat loss, intensive farming, disease, pesticide use and climate change. With the odds seemingly stacked  … [Continue reading]