Tag: Garden almanac

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 blooming in a lawn

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”

An overhead shot shows a dark grey or black woodlouse, also known as a roly-poly, crawling on a rough, light-colored stone or concrete surface. The woodlouse has a segmented shell with small yellow spots and is positioned vertically in the center of the frame. The background is a mix of small pebbles, dirt, and textured rock.

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

Prairie Golden Aspen

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

Pennycress weed with white flowers.

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

A metal bucket hanging from a maple tree with a spile, collecting dripping sap in a snowy environment.

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

A groundhog looking up saying he will tweet the forecast this year.

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.…

The Garden this Week (Sept. 19th)

We’re starting to see the Goldenrod Soldier Beetle showing up in the garden this week. Don’t worry—these little yellow-and-black bugs are actually helpful! They feed on flower pollen, and their larvae eat grasshopper eggs. So, no need to kill them.…

In the Garden this Week (Sept. 10th)

In the garden this week, we’re seeing more chlorosis showing up on trees and shrubs. That’s when the leaves turn yellow between the bright green veins. The stress comes from higher heat, lower moisture, and even smoke in the air.…

In the Garden this Week (August 25)

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.…

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…

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,…