Last week we spoke on pruning fruit trees. Now let’s talk about pruning shrubs made easy (multiple stemmed woody plants). There are two types of shrubs: ones that bloom on old wood (lilacs) and ones that bloom on new wood.…
Pruning Shrubs Made Easy
Category: Gardening & Landscape
What is Espalier
An old way of pruning fruits against a wall, fence, or other flat area was called espalier. This French word means “something to rest on”. This art was a practice in Mt. Vernon and other spots in early colonial days.…
Prune Fruit Trees
This is now the time to prune fruit trees. Many people think this process is technical, however, there are 8 basic rules you can follow to make this process simpler. Remove any suckers growing around the base of the tree.…
Succulents
Succulents are mainly plants with thick water-filled leaves that store water. They have the ability to survive drought making them a good choice from busy people who forget to water the plants. There are many different varieties with different shapes…
A Study
I have just read a study that used two groups of people. One group had houseplants, bird feeders, a nice view of a yard or watch PBS garden shows. They were required to journal about these things of nature or…
Sunscald on Trees
I have noticed that there is a lot of sunscald on trees this year. Sunscald on trees usually happens on the south or south-west exposed bark where the sun’s warmth is stronger. The bark will die causing it to shed…
Fresh Kitchen Herbs
Keep your kitchen supplied with fresh herbs all year with varieties that thrive on a sunny windowsill or under grow lights. For good results, give each plant their own pot. That way they can grow more swiftly. Perennial herbs, such as rosemary, oregano, thyme, chives,…
Begonias make Excellent Houseplants
I’ve been personally perennializing my begonias for many years indoors. I can say from experience that it is super easy. Taking them in their pots in the fall, begonias make excellent houseplants. But before we get into the details, we…
Unusual Perennials
There are the usual perennials we plant in South Dakota, knowing the cold winters will not harm them. The standards, hollyhocks, hosta, peonies, etc. There are the unusual perennials than the standbys, try planting different kinds of perennials with their…
Breaking Winter
Breaking winter this weekend is supposed to get toward 60 degrees Sunday, and I am thinking of spring. Then looked at the forecast for next week, back down to 30 degrees. I guess spring will wait. But here are some…
Color Palette for your Home
How to create a color palette for your home. Having a defined interior color scheme for your home isn’t as intimidating as it may seem. The best place to start is with color. More specifically creating a color scheme for…
Boxelder Trees, A Native Revisited
Colorful Vegetables Add a Variety of Health Benefits
Bring some Flowering Plants into your Home this Winter
These flowering plants will bring color and warmth to your winter home this winter. Since Valentine’s Day is coming up, you may find these plants at florists shops or some retail stores. Coming home from the outdoors inside to some…
Unusual Vegetables you can Grow
Tomatillos Tomatillos are unusual vegetables you can grow, this fruit is nice to look at with their lantern-like papery covering. They’re very popular in Mexican dishes with a flavor that’s been described as a cross between a lime and a…