One disease making an appearance this week in the garden (July 9, 2026) is fire blight, especially on apple, pear, and crabapple trees. Fire blight is a bacterial disease that causes young shoots and leaves to suddenly wilt. Then turn…
In the Garden
Tag: Garden almanac
The Garden this Week
In the garden this week, if you’ve spent any time outside lately, you’ve probably noticed one thing, they’re everywhere. Grasshoppers are having a banner year, especially in rural areas. They seem to be chewing on just about everything from flowers…
In the Garden this Week
One of the more noticeable insects in the garden this week is the soldier beetle. If you’ve been seeing large numbers of them moving from alfalfa fields and pastures into flower beds and vegetable gardens, don’t be alarmed. These are…
In the Garden this Week
In the garden this week, received some much-needed rain last week. With that, some people received some hail. With it being early in the garden season, I would just replant those annuals and garden plants that got hit. It is…
Time to Thin Fruit
If you are lucky enough to have fruit showing up on your fruit trees this year, now is the time to thin the fruit out a little. It can feel wrong to remove perfectly good fruit, but your apples, peaches,…
In the Garden this Week
In the garden this week is planting time. When you’re planting flowers, it’s a good idea to pinch off any blossoms before putting them in the ground. It feels a little backwards, but it helps the plant focus on what…
This Week in the Garden
This week in the garden (May 7), after a couple of hard freezes this week, the garden season can finally start rolling. The soil is warming up enough now for cool-season crops, so it’s a good time to get radishes,…
This Week in the Garden
This week in the garden (May 1st) is starting out pleasantly after the rainfall. There have been several questions lately about rhubarb bolting so early this season. What you’re seeing is the plant sending up seed stalks, and it’s mainly…
Dandelions are Popping Up
Dandelions are popping up and blooming early this year, and honestly, it’s not much of a mystery. A milder winter and warmer spring gave them a head start. If you’re looking to keep them in check, spot spraying with a…
Little Gray “Bugs”
You might be noticing a bunch of little gray “bugs” with lots of legs hanging out in your basement, under mulch, or around old wood. Those are sowbugs or pillbugs. Fun fact: they’re not actually insects at all, they’re crustaceans……
Temperature Swings in the Landscape
With all the temperature swings in the landscape we’ve been having lately, it’s no surprise our plants are a little confused. Those warm days get things growing, and then a cold snap comes right along and nips them back. It…
Closer Look at your Trees and Lawn
With these temperatures bouncing all over the place, it’s a good time to take a closer look at your trees and lawn. One thing to watch for on evergreens is pine needle scale. They show up as hard little bumps…
In the Garden this Week
In the garden this week, it looks like the trees and shrubs are coming to life with their swollen buds. The spring bulbs are coming up, and the ticks are coming out. Now’s the time to get your lawn and…
Tapping a Maple Tree
Tapping a maple tree is a straightforward process if you follow the right steps. First, choose the right tree. Ideally, it should be at least 10–12 inches in diameter at chest height. Only tap healthy, strong trees, and stick with…
Garden Season Hits and Misses
Every garden season has its hits and misses, and this year was no exception. One of the bigger disappointments was the cauliflower. It bolted in August during the heat, which meant it only formed tiny heads and never really matured.…