Gardening & Landscape Articles

In the Garden Consider joining us for two classes to get you growing this month: July 5: Purposeful Pruning: Join Master Gardener Michael Klepp to learn proper pruning techniques to increase food production, reduce disease, help habitat and more. Also, find out the best ways to care for your tools...

Wait for Warmer Weather Soil temperatures also need to rise a bit before we can get seeds for beans, squash, zinnias and other warm-season plants in the ground. They germinate best when the soil temperature is above 60°F. You can move houseplants outdoors for the summer when night temperatures are...

Spring Clean-Up and Set-Up Get a jump on weeding. Because weeds can germinate and grow quickly, the sooner they’re pulled, the better. Need help identifying possible weeds? Check out this handy weed ID tool for some ideas. Refresh or expand your garden borders. Reset any edging materials, or re-cut...

Ease into Your Spring Clean-Up Start with the areas nearest your front door. The prospect of cleaning up the whole yard can be overwhelming, but starting with your most-traveled and viewed area will help relieve some of that pressure. And remember, gardening is more about progress than perfection...

Houseplants Let your poinsettias thrive by placing them near windows that face south, east or west. Be careful of drafts and cold, though, which may cause premature leaf drop. Water when the soil surface feels dry. For care of other holiday plants, check out these tips. Keep your other houseplants...

Seasonal bloomers that more closely match their use as a potted plant are easier to add in a home garden. A plant that is forced to bloom by creating optimal conditions is more challenging. Think of the Christmas poinsettia, which has very specific needs! Gardeners can achieve a rebloom but must...

Set Up for Success Plan the day ahead, just what you want/need to accomplish. Take a walk through the garden to review what the needs are. Sometimes, the night before, I will make a list of what needs the most attention. That's when I can sit and think without the day’s routines distracting me. When...

Choosing the Right Gloves Gloves come in a variety of materials to suit different tasks, and it’s important to choose the right gloves for the best protection. Here are some examples: Fabric or coated fabric gloves: These are great for weeding and other light gardening jobs. Special coatings can...

In the 1930s, W. Ray Hastings, president of the Southern Seedsman’s Association based in Atlanta, proposed a cooperative endeavor to test and evaluate varieties. The mission statement set the goal: "To promote new garden varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North...

An Ombrotrophic Peatland A peat bog, an ombrotrophic peatland, has a high water table without mineral nutrients and with low oxygen. It is hard for plants to survive in this type of environment, but sphagnum moss thrives there while also acidifying the water. 1 There are around 160 species of...