Wide row gardening is a technique that I have been using for years. I got the idea from a book called the Victory Garden. Basically, rather than doing skinny row planting, you sow blocks (mine are about 2 ft by…
Wide Row Gardening
Category: Gardening & Landscape
The Right Bug Light
Bug lights, although most of us want to avoid attracting insects to our light bulbs for mostly selfish reasons (insects = annoying). Overall, incandescent light bulbs pulled in the highest number of insects, followed by CFL, halogen globes, and cool-colored…
Popular Lawn Ornaments
America began copying the lawn ornaments of wealthy Europeans around the 1870s as front yards and lawns became a middle-class thing. Gnomes showed up in the 1700’s in Germany, they began invading Europe. The most famous gnome is the Travelocity…
Gardening by the Moon
The basic idea behind Gardening by the Moon is that the cycles of the Moon affect plant growth. Just as the Moon’s gravitational pull causes tides to rise and fall, it also affects moisture in the soil. Therefore, it’s said that seeds will…
Pruning Shrubs this Spring
Pruning shrubs is easy, even to rejuvenate an old one that has lost its desire to bloom. You want to thin out the stems of your shrubs each year, so they do not get raggy looking. Start by removing an…
Pruning Trees (fruit and shade)
You do not need a BA degree in pruning trees either fruit or shade trees. Most trees do best when pruned and trained to a central leader tree (one main stem). This type of tree has a pyramidal shape with…
Cold Frames (Season Extenders for Gardens)
I have used a cold frame for years to grow and harden off my plants before placing into the garden whenever the temperature cooperates. It started off as a 2 X 12 box with a fiberglass top. I have tried…
Terrariums
I have been thinking about terrariums lately. My terrarium happens to be a large vessel with a narrow throat I received for Christmas. The biggest point depending on the success of these types of container gardens is providing for good…
Buffalograss
Buffalograss, is a perennial grass native to the Great Plains from Montana to Mexico. It is one of the grasses that supported the great herds of buffalo that roamed the Great Plains. Buffalograss also provided the sod from which early…
Fungus Gnats
Been getting questions on fungus gnats which are small fly-like insects that may be noticed flying around houseplants. They are commonly associated with over-watered houseplants or those grown in poorly drained potting mixes. If a houseplant pot is harboring fungus…
Types of Bird Feeders
1. Hopper If I were only able to have one bird feeder in my yard, then I would choose a hopper style. Hoppers are perfect for holding a general mix of bird food that appeals to a wide variety of…
Mandarins, tangerines, clementine
A mandarin orange is a slightly smaller relative of the standard orange. The tangerine and clementine are varietals of the mandarin, much in the same way gala and fuji are apple varieties. Mandarins originated in China, hence the name. China is…
Light and Houseplants
Determining the light and houseplants you can grow can be daunting. The amount of light each plant needs varies and depends on the time of the year. So where as some plants will be quite happy with semi darkness permanently,…
Emerald Ash Borer
The City of Sioux Falls is dealing with the emerald ash borer, found in parts of the city in 2018. As a result, there is an emergency quarantine for Minnehaha and parts of Lincoln and Turner Counties, where wood cannot…
Rabbit Damage
Due to the excessive snow and cold temperatures, many of our beautiful shrubs are not looking their best and little rabbits are to blame. Rabbit damage is now showing up in the country or in town. Rabbit damage has been…