Recovering From a Wicked Winter’s Wreckage
Written by admin on April 1, 2011 – 9:20 am -Homeowners' To-Do Lists Grow as Snow and Ice Retreat, Revealing Damage to Yards and Gardens After a season of record snowfalls and lengthy cold spells in many parts of the country, homeowners are finding their houses and landscapes unusually battered. Blizzards, wind and errant snowplows have conspired to make this spring one of long recovery, leading to an early sales uptick for the yard and home-repair industry. "Many people will see the worst lawn this spring and summer in the history of their lives," says Jackson Madnick, founder of Wayland, Mass.- based Pearl's Premium Inc., which packages and sells its own grass-seed blend. Looking at ornamental-plant damage over the past 15 years, this winter ranks in the "top five," says Doug Erickson,... more
Tags: Lawn Care
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Spring Garden Tasks
Written by admin on March 26, 2011 – 10:59 am -Spring is a time of renewal and new life. The small tender shoots of new plants are making their way through the damp earth. The air is getting warmer and the days are getting longer. Spring is a wonderful time to get out in the garden and dig in the dirt. There is nothing like spending a day working in the garden to help you recharge after a long winter! Spring is a time for preparing the yard for the coming garden season. If you want to have a beautiful and fruitful yard and garden you need to start working on it as soon as the weather permits. You don’t want the leaves and decaying plants from last fall to hinder the new growth of the spring flowers! The first thing you will want to do is remove all the debris from your yard and garden... more
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Amending Soil Naturally: Organic Soil Preparation for Spring or Fall
Written by admin on September 7, 2009 – 12:58 am -By Ellen Russell Adding general organic soil amendments, such as compost and other organic matter, to your gardens and flower beds in the fall or spring prevents soil compaction and replenishes nutrients used by the previous year’s plantings. What’s more, Fall and Spring cleanup projects, lawn mowing and leaf raking, provide an abundance of free organic material that is ideal for use in organic soil improvements. Your gardens will thrive with a boost from organic amendments at either time of year (or both!). Periodic organic soil improvements are needed to continuously meet your garden’s demands for nutrients. Without adequate soil nutrition, the health and yield of blooms, vegetables and fruits will suffer. Additionally, organic soil... more
Tags: gardening, Lawn Care
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Garden shortcuts that save time and energy
Written by admin on August 18, 2009 – 4:51 am -Yard and garden shortcuts can deliver the fastest route to that hammock Jeff Bredenberg, author of several books on saving time and energy gardening, shares some garden cheating gems: 1. If he had to pick one favorite that captures the spirit of the book, this is it: When planting a tree, you need to "face" it, meaning that its best side is facing forward. But it's hard work to keep moving it around until the designated director approves. The solution: Before dropping the tree into the planting hole, fill the hole two-thirds with water. The combination of buoyancy and lubrication from mud makes it easy to spin the tree until the right position is found. Plus, you give the tree a nice start with a big drink of water. 2. Make sure your garden... more
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USDA Master Gardeners Available to Help Americans Grow Safe, Healthy Food
Written by admin on July 13, 2009 – 10:12 pm -USDA Offers Free On-the-Ground Resources for First-Time Growers Washington, D.C. - infoZine - Looking for some free gardening advice? Has your well-intentioned 'green thumb' resulted in your garden looking a little brown? USDA has a cadre of volunteers who provide free gardening tips and have a wealth of science-based research to answer your questions. Trained by USDA's Cooperative Extension Service, Master Gardeners provide information in all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia. To find a local Master Gardeners, visit www.extension.org/pages/Extension_Master_Gardener "Master Gardeners are a valuable resource for people who want to get some tips on gardening and growing their own food from a real expert," said Agriculture Secretary Tom... more
Tags: gardening, gardening tools, Landscaping
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Secrets of tomatoes supergrowers
Written by admin on July 8, 2009 – 1:24 pm ---Don't overwater. Triton College horticulture instructor Ken Benson says that if the ground is wet 3 inches down, you shouldn't water. Another supergrower waters her plants thoroughly every three days. --If you want to prune your plants -- and not all supergrowers do -- Benson suggests leaving only two to three flowering stalks per stem. (Pruners contend that fewer tomatoes mean better tomatoes.) --If you're expecting torrential rains around harvest time, which can cause tomatoes to split on the vine, pick your tomatoes early and allow them to ripen inside. --Want tomatoes on your patio or balcony? Consider containers. Barbara Peterson grows full-size plants in 20-gallon Smart Pot tubs (smartpots.com), which are made of rigid fabric. Read More →
Tags: gardening
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