Love the idea of having a beautiful garden? Hold that thought! If you are fairly new to gardening you will need to know a few things that will help keep you out of trouble. Being a gardener means you will likely make a few mistakes, even armed with gardening know-how and well meaning advice, and that’s okay. Preparing the soil …
Pollinators
How to create a pollinator friendly garden What may seem like a small contribution — a tiny flower planted in a pot or the ground can actually provide a valuable place for pollinators like hummingbirds, bees and butterflies. Chances are you’re already taking steps to help pollinators and you may not even know it! Sometimes keeping your yard a little …
Gardening in the Shade
Every yard has its own special challenges, but it’s nothing a little pop of color can’t fix. There are many flowers that can grow and flourish in shade. A few shade tolerant flowers whether perennials or annuals, planted in the right places can bring color to a dark corner. Every plant needs water and sun to survive, but not all of them …
Plants that keep those pesky bugs away!
Summer is almost here, and you’ll want to spend more time outside and in your gardens. Unfortunately, so will those pesky bugs! Many aromatic plants can deter insects that might otherwise attack your plants. Fragrant herbs like mint, sage, and basil are useful for repelling insects. Planting herbs and certain flowers will help to repel those bugs, including irritating …
Zinnias
Zinnias are annuals, meaning that they go from seed to flower to seed in one growing season, so they will not come back up the following year. Zinnias like to be grown from seed right in the garden bed – but the seeds can also be started indoors 4-6 weeks before you’re ready to plant them outside. Transplant them while …
Lavender
Lavender can make a stunning addition to borders and perennial gardens, providing bundles of color and fragrant aromas from early summer into fall. With its green foliage, upright flower spikes and compact shrub-like form, lavender is ideal for creating informal hedges. You can also cut it for fragrant floral arrangements. Ensure that you purchase healthy plants for your garden. Provide …
Perlite vs. Vermiculite
Perlite & Vermiculite are both volcanic in origin and both are put into potting mixes to provide additional air space and to lighten things up so the soil is not too dense and heavy for the plants roots. Perlite does not provide any nutritional benefit and can collect fluoride if the water contains it. That means that flouride will increase …