Today’s Garden Ideas

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There are plenty of things that you can get a start on now as we see the loom of spring months ahead. There are some gardening chores that can be done outside now as well as some indoor activities that will help you maintain your sanity.
This is a great time of year to get outside and prune fruit trees, ornamental trees and shrubs. Prune to thin plants, remove dead wood, train growth, reduce size and rejuvenate declining plants. Limit the amount of material removed at any one time to 1/3 of the plants mass. Removing more is considered heavy pruning and can cause problems, although some situations require this type of pruning. (more…)

As temperatures continue to fall and snow is in the forecast, many of us with backyard ponds begin to worry about our friends under the water’s surface. It’s the snow, cold and ice that we need to prepare our fish and plants for, and with a few simple steps you can ensure the survival and health of your pond throughout the winter months. If you haven’t already, make sure that all of your plants have been cut back and put in the deepest part of your pond so their foliage does not continue to decompose causing gases to build up. All fish feedings should stop and not resume again until water temperatures reach 50 F. After all the fish and plants have been put to bed for the winter, most people wonder what is the best thing to do…keep their pond running all winter, or shut it down for the season. Either one will work fine as long as you take the right precautions. (more…)

Now is the time to be thinking about feeding the many beautiful, fine-feathered friends who remain in our area for the winter. Providing food and water will attract a variety of birds, delighting us with their beautiful colors against the snow and perching on barren tree limbs singing melodic tunes. We can enjoy their presence all winter while we are housebound. (more…)

The questions all of us have about this winter concerns how it will affect our gardens and landscapes. Are my trees and shrubs going to make it this year? Will my bulbs come up? Will my azaleas bloom? What will happen to my lawn? (more…)

It’s around that time buy a Christmas tree. But what kind should you buy? Artificial, fresh cut or live? And what variety? This depends on the length of time you wish to keep the tree inside. If you’re looking at more than three weeks to keep a tree inside, you should consider an artificial tree. If less than three weeks, a fresh cut tree is certainly an option; and if you keep a tree up for 10 days or less, you can consider a living tree. There are many varieties of trees you can choose when planning on a fresh or living tree. (more…)

Now is the time of year when we begin to see holiday plants and bulbs for sale all over the place - poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cacti, and others. Maybe you want to grow an Amaryllis bulb for bloom at Christmas, or perhaps you have a Christmas cactus that never blooms. We have talked about caring for pointsettias and the lovely amaryllis. Here you can learn how to care for your Christmas cactus. (more…)

Now is the time of year when we begin to see holiday plants and bulbs for sale all over the place - poinsettias, amaryllis, Christmas cacti, and others. Maybe you want to grow an Amaryllis bulb for bloom at Christmas, or perhaps you have a Christmas cactus that never blooms. Or do all of the leaves fall off of your poinsettia prematurely? Here are a few hints for caring for these plants. (more…)

The trees are bare and there is snow on the ground. This doesn’t mean that your garden has to become a winter wasteland. Evergreens can be quite stunning in the winter months. However, do not limit your landscape to these for winter interest. A well-planned garden should provide year-round interest and aesthetic entertainment. (more…)

When it comes to gardening, we like to carry this into every aspect of our life. And yes, that even comes to gift giving. So when we can’t be digging and hoeing and planting and pruning, we like to carry our love for the outdoors to our holiday season. There are many ways to enjoy gardening during the holidays, but one way you can take advantage of the season is to express your love for the living plant by passing them on as gifts. What plants then make the best holiday gifts? (more…)

Many gardeners use the winter months to plan and dream about their summer gardens. Since this is the season of giving, and not the season of planting, why not inspire some dreams for your favorite gardener this season. But what can you give the gardener who has everything they need? Here are a few hints in case your gardener is shy of dropping them themselves: (more…)