Aster yellows is a prevalent plant disease in the garden this week, caused by phytoplasmas. This bacterium exhibits viral-like behavior. It is spread by little insects called leafhoppers that suck sap from one plant and carry the disease to another.…
Category: Gardening & Landscape
In the Garden this Week
In the garden this week, many people are wondering why their vegetables, like tomatoes and melons, have not set much fruit. Also, why are they not ripening evenly? Why are the melons not sweet? Why do I have hollow areas…
🐞 The Garden this Week (August 12)
There are a few pests making the rounds in gardens and flowerbeds in the garden this week. First up — flea beetles. These tiny black beetles hop when disturbed, and they leave little holes in plant leaves that look like…
In the Garden this Week (July 30)
In the garden this week, you’ll start hearing the buzzing sound of summer. Dog Day cicadas are about to emerge from the ground! Once they hatch, they’ll climb up trees and start their loud, raspy mating calls. Thankfully, these guys…
This Week in the Garden 🐞
🌿 This Week in the Garden (July 22): Bugs, Blight & a New Trend 🐞 A few bugs are making their presence known this week! First up is the picnic beetle—a tiny black beetle that loves overripe fruit. Think melons,…
In the Garden this Week (July 17)
In the garden this week, sometimes insecticides and fungicides do not work well this time of year. The use of a surfactant helps the pesticides cling to the plant. The same with herbicide use in the fall. A few pictures…
This Week in the Garden (July 10)
This Week in the Garden (July 10)🌱 There are a lot of little grasshoppers hopping around in the grassy areas right now, and keeping them out of the garden is a real challenge. The best defense? Mow a 6-foot-wide strip…
In the Garden (June 27)
If you’re seeing small grasshoppers in the lawn, keep an eye on your flowerbeds and veggie patch—they like to wander. Lawn insecticide might help in town, but it’s usually less effective out in rural areas. If they’re creeping into the…
This Week in the Garden (June 11)
It’s that time of year when herbicide damage starts to show up—something that’s, unfortunately, pretty predictable. If you’re noticing cupped or distorted leaves, especially on tomatoes or peppers, there’s a good chance it’s from herbicide drift. The good news? If…
This Week in the Garden (May 20th)
This week in the garden, there is a hard lesson to learn when buying transplants: to remove the flowers or any fruit from the plant. This puts energy into the root and leaf growth for a stronger plant down the…
This Week in the Garden (May 12)
This week in the garden, you may have heard the term “drought cold tolerance” floating around in garden circles lately? It’s basically about how winter damage can be worse when we don’t get enough snow to insulate plants and provide…
This Week in the Garden
Found the first ticks of the year this week in the garden on the dog Magdelin, I mean Her Royal Highness Queen Magdelin II Regent (and yes, she thinks she is). Time to take her in to get her tick-prevention…
This Week in the Garden (April 8th)
Spent last weekend clearing the asparagus bed and spot-spraying the bromegrass growing in it. This is a great time to tackle unwanted grass in rock beds or perennial gardens. Products like Weed Be Gon work well — just be sure…
Flipping through Seed Catalogs
Every winter, when my garden is just a sad, frozen patch of dirt, I like to curl up with a hot drink and flipping through seed catalogs. There’s something magical about those glossy pages promising lush tomatoes, towering sunflowers, and…
Let’s Talk Shrubs
Last time, we covered the latest tree varieties for 2025—now let’s talk shrubs! If you’re looking for cold-hardy options, Hydrangea paniculata ‘Snow Blaze’ is a showstopper. This beauty thrives in Zone 3, producing massive, cone-shaped white blooms that slowly blush…