Ewwww ….!! It’s an earwig! Or what some people call “one of those pincher bugs”! A balance of earwigs in your garden can actually be beneficial as they will eliminate other pests such as aphids, mites and insect larvae. Earwigs can look frightening, but they are pretty much harmless to us. In the garden though, an abundance of earwigs can …
Watering Tips
After all the trips you’ve made to the garden center, and all of the flowers and vegetables have been planted into the garden, many gardeners feel that their work is done. Now is the time to sit back and enjoy all your hard work. Yet, when Mother Nature turns up the heat in your garden, it’s time to get watering! …
Heat Stress on Plants
When temperatures in the summer start creeping up, you’re not the only one who can get stressed. A lot of plants will suffer when the weather turns hot out. Irreversible damage can occur to the plant with decreased functions in growth, failure to flower, or failure to produce seeds. However, with adequate care, outdoor plants in the extreme heat, and …
Marigolds in your Garden
Marigolds are an excellent plant to grow. They look lovely in planters or as ornamental beds and borders. But they can also be an excellent addition to your vegetable garden. Many gardeners don’t think to plant flowers in their vegetable garden, but by doing so will help increase the diversity of plants and wildlife, attract more pollinators, increase resilience, protect the …
Growing Asparagus
As a perennial vegetable, you’ll be able to look forward to its early appearance each spring. Once your plants are established, you don’t want weeds getting the best of them. Clean the weeds away by hand, taking care to not disturb the roots will encourage vigorous growth. The size of the garden bed is at your discretion and depends on …
Sun, Shade or Something in Between
One of the most basic questions on gardening is whether you are looking for a sun plant or a shade plant, or maybe something in between. This simple idea can be difficult to define if you don’t understand what constitutes full sun, full shade, and partial sun/shade. If you’re looking at a plant tag and it tells you your plant …
To Deadhead or Not?
First, what exactly is deadheading? This gardening term simply means to remove the old spent blooms including any developing seed from a plant to help keep it blooming longer. Why does a plant bloom more if you remove old flowers? Flowers are a means to ensure the continued survival of the plant and the next generation as well. In some cases, …
Making Mistakes
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 – you can …
Fertilizers
Fertilizing your plants can sometimes be a bit overwhelming if you are unsure of what to use. It is essential though to use fertilizers when you are looking to get the best out of your plants, as most soils will not provide the essential long term nutrients needed for full plant potential. Whenever you see a fertilizer product, it will …
Herbs
Growing herbs is a simple way to add edible plants to your garden. Most herbs are very versatile, and grow well in the ground or in containers. They also mix nicely with either perennial or annual flowers in your garden. A few square feet given to growing herbs outside the back door or along the patio can also serve the needs …