Lighting your landscape areas gives you an interesting look at your back or front yards at night. It provides interest, security, and color. The easiest way to do this is to use solar lights. They do not cost anything to…
Lighting your Landscape
Category: Gardening & Landscape
Smoke Bushes
There are several types of smoke bushes (Cotinus coggygria) I grow. The green original variety is a large shrub going to 15 feet tall and 8 feet wide. Mine grows as a shrub but can be pruned into a small…
In the Garden this Week
In the garden this week: as it gets hotter, water your newly planted trees and shrubs more remembering they need more water than watering your lawn will give. For the first year or two most of the roots are contained…
Aphids are Becoming a Problem this Week
Aphids are becoming a problem this week. If the plants (vegetables or flowers) are becoming deformed, look underneath the leaf and see if you have tiny green, black, or reddish “bugs”. If so, use Neem oil or insecticide soap to…
This Week in the Garden
This week in the garden. There have been questions about why my vine crops like cucumbers and summer squash are blooming but not setting fruit. Vine crops have male and female flowers and only the female flower produces fruit after…
This Week in the Landscape
Where to look out for this week in the landscape: deadhead your spent flower heads, especially the ones in containers to keep them bushy and flowering. Fertilize every couple of weeks in those containers because of the limited root area.…
What is Happening to My Tomato Leaves
Last week there were a lot of questions about what is happening to my tomato leaves. To me, it seems that tomato diseases have become more prevalent due to warmer springs and longer dew times. One is an early blight…
Working in the Garden this Week
If you are working in the garden this week, here are a few things to consider. Crabgrass is now germinating and growing. If you have a lot of this grass, use a post-emergent crabgrass killer as long as the plants…
Things Happening this Week in the Landscape
Things happening this week in the landscape include the high number of moths flying around. There is not much you can do to eliminate them except for turning out any exterior lights and making sure there are no windows or…
Curb Appeal through Container Gardening
Admit it: your house might not be the dumpiest on the street, but it could probably use a little pick-me-up. It doesn’t take much to spruce up your house and add a little extra curb appeal, especially through container gardening.…
A Few Things to be Concerned about in the Landscape/Garden
A few things to be concerned about in the landscape/garden, starting with any shrubs or tree branches that have not leafed out should be pruned to a live stem or branch. If the shrubs produce canes, prune them to the…
Moonflower gardens are becoming more popular
Moonflower gardens are becoming more popular in the last few years, maybe we are spending more time at night in our backyards. But what is a Moon Garden? It is a group of white flowering plants that seemly glow in…
Time to Start Thinking about Gardening
Next week is supposed to have night temperatures above 40 for a change. Maybe it is time to start thinking about gardening. This weekend is supposed to be cold so maybe I will see if the mower and rototiller are…
Phases of the Moon in Gardening
I remember my mother would plant her garden by the phases of the moon. I have never been a convert for moon phase gardening. My method has been if I have time to plant between wind, snow, soil temperature, or…
Damage to Trees and Shrubs
When you are outside, look around to assess the damage to trees and shrubs caused by the heavy snow and rabbit damage. The biggest mistake is cutting at the point of the damage and leaving the rest of the stump.…