Gardening

By Kyle McCann | July 9, 2020 For all the time and energy you put into your garden, we want to help make those juicy, tender tomatoes worth it. That’s why, just for you, we have brought together all our gardening experts and created an essential guide to growing perfect tomatoes. In addition to a FREE step-by-step guide, easy to …

“I thought I spoke to a puddy tat … I did it, I did it!” I would just like to foreshadow what will surely be a tirade saying that I love animals of all kinds. I have owned dogs, cats, fish and amphibians and, if I could, I would have more living creatures under my roof. Having said that, I …

I prefer to maintain a healthy and natural ecosystem in my garden. I don’t like using pesticides and I prefer less harmful methods to protect my plants, such as encouraging predatory insects and using traps. So for me, a non-native parasite, like invasive beetles, is a real problem. The Japanese beetle has invaded the gardens of southeastern Michigan and has …

I live on the Columbia River Plateau – an area of ​​approximately 100,000 square miles of shrubby steppe that stretches from the Cascade Mountains to the Rocky Mountains. People think the Pacific Northwest is lush and green with a marine climate, but this is only the narrow strip that crosses western Oregon and Washington. Otherwise, the area is in the …

Some gardeners like it hot. I have friends who live more inland than me and love their summer weather of 90 degrees more. They certainly grow better and more tomatoes than those of the people on the coast, but that’s just a consideration. While some like it hot, I don’t. I like to be calm. Maybe it came from growing …

By Tonya Barnett | July 11, 2020 For many homeowners, a lush green lawn is the pinnacle of creating captivating charm. A well-kept lawn perfectly frames the house and is a point of pride. However, the process of creating and manicure these implants can be both costly and laborious. With water conservation an ever growing concern, people have begun to …

Creeping phlox (Phlox subulata) is a familiar spring-blooming creeping plant that is frequently seen in rock gardens, growing from crevices in stone walls, or planted as a flowering ground cover. Surely the best feature of creeping phlox is its flower production. The simple blooms are not only pretty, they’re also remarkably plentiful. The flowers are so densely packed that it can …

Autumn Blaze maple trees boast both beautiful fall foliage and a shapely form. The branching pattern is dense and ascending, and they sport a rounded to oval crown. Maturity comes quickly: They can grow as fast as 3 feet per year under the right conditions. They come into their own in fall, as their fall color is a brilliant orange-red. How …

By Mary Ellen Ellis | July 10, 2020 Drought conditions can really put your garden to the test. Whether it’s an unusual period of dry weather or repeated cycles of insufficient rain typical of your area, drought is a battle that all gardeners face at some point. If your local environment is dry or has a tendency to experience regular …

Coral bells (Heuchera) is a traditional foliage plant with many newer varieties available. Heuchera plants form round mounds with a woody rootstock or crown at their base. Small bell-shaped flowers on tall stems attract hummingbirds and make nice cut flowers. Their leaves are rounded, lobed, hairy, and evergreen—even when covered in snow. Besides traditional green-leaved coral bells, new varieties of heuchera …