With the spring rains and now the heat, many gardeners are having problems with perennial weeds in the flowerbed and garden like creeping Jenny (field bindweed) and thistles. The use of herbicides in the garden is not a choice, so…
Category: Gardening & Landscape
Planting a Tree
When planting a tree or shrub that is grown in a container, do not dig and amend a large hole. The tree thinks it has been transplanted into a larger pot. The roots will grow in the kinder soil and…
Backyard Tree that is Unsightly Underneath
Do you have a backyard tree that is unsightly underneath where no grass is growing? You can landscape to make the area look nice. The first thing is not to harm the tree. Never pile the dirt around the ground…
Hardening Off
Ever bought plants from a greenhouse and transplanted them to your garden just to have them die a couple of days later? The plants from a sheltered greenhouse were not able to withstand the full sun of drying winds, they…
Wind Spinners
Wind spinners can be a do-it-yourself project or a high-dollar piece of art. Using one in the backyard gives motion to the area giving a calm feeling. The wind or breeze is now something you can see. In the garden,…
Neem Oil
There is a “new” product making its way to the garden shelves called Neem oil or Neem oil extract. Actually, Neem oil has been around for thousands of years, however, is entering the garden area. It comes from the Neem…
Two Shrub Pests
Last year there were two shrub pests and now is the time to control them. One is the honeysuckle aphid, a small black and white aphid that attacks the plant early and leaves twisted leaves and dead twigs. The damage…
Good Shade Tree
Looking for a good shade tree for the backyard without any hassles? There are many proven trees that you can grow starting with the common hackberry. A medium-growing shade tree getting around 55 feet tall and 35 feet spread. The…
Spring Blooming Dutch Bulbs
The earliest flowers in the spring are the spring blooming Dutch bulbs. Many blooms thru the snow. Snow crocus have already bloomed and now to the jumbo crocus, early tulips, and snowdrops. While many of these flowers are small, they…
Season Extenders
I used to plant everything in the garden the second week in May. Trying to get everything done in May was impossible. So, lately, I have started to plant much earlier. Last weekend I planted radish and spinach seeds. These…
Any type of Container will make a Flowerpot
Any type of container will make a flowerpot. The bigger the better because the soil will not dry out as fast. The trend is to use old farm containers like buckets and wringer washing machines and plant flowers into them.…
Get the Lawn Looking Nice
What do I do to get the lawn looking nice this spring? If you have thatch (a layer of dead material beneath the grass on the ground over ½ thick), rake the dead material up and remove it. You can…
Pruning Shrubs
Let us talk about pruning shrubs (multiple stemmed woody plants). There are two types of shrubs: ones that bloom on old wood (lilacs) and ones that bloom on new wood. For the ones that bloom on old wood (usually early…
Several Types of Peas
Soon we will be planting cold season crops like peas. Peas originated in southeast Asia went to China and was brought back to Europe thru trade. It was not until 1940 that peas become a staple in North America. But…
Remove Dead Branch of a Tree
How is the proper way to remove a dead, dying, or diseased branch or limb of a tree? It will take three cuts. The first one is to go around 2 feet from the trunk and cut ½ through the…