The Latest
- The Bee-Friendly Garden, by Kate Frey and Gretchen LeBuhn. Ten Speed Press, 2016Did you know that there is a bee called the polyester bee? I didn’t. Upon reading the name, I didn’t know if the little critter made poly cocoons that were unwound like some silk substitute, or if their bee dance was disco. Turns out...
- Straight vinegar weed killer outshines glyphosateDo yourself and the environment a favor. Stop using everyone's go to toxic weed killer for your rocky areas and sidewalk cracks. Straight, white vinegar works much better than glyphosate based weed killer. Plus, it's harmless to pets and...
- Greenhouse preparing during summer vegetable growingGreenhouse gardening with vegetable growing on the top shelf of your greenhouse. Cucumbers and eggplant is the highlight for this week in vegetable growing. When preparing the seeds for eggplant growing the best is to count how many eggplants you...
- Garlic scapes a growing trend for gardeners and farmer's marketsNow coiling up in your garden or showing up at your farmer's market, garlic scapes are a growing culinary trend. The curly stalks, leaves and flower-like heads are edible -- and delectable. Garlic cloves can -- as any foodie knows -- pack an...
- Garden BattlefieldWhen it comes to planting a garden, sometimes it will take more than one try to get it right. The first year it is planted, it may do well but the next, it may not. So what to do? Just keep trying. Research how to prep the soil before planting or...
- Growing fruit in pots in the Rogue ValleySome people speak of “guilty pleasures.” Others speak of “affordable luxury.” When those words are used, they are often meant for fancy clothes or cars. In my opinion, one of the most affordable luxuries we can give...
- A few good shrubs for the desertSelecting shrubs for landscaping in hot, dry areas can be challenging, as plant nurseries carry exotic plants that look great in the nursery, but once you bring them home end up dying the first year (or sooner) from unknown insect pests and...
- Growing artichokes in DenverGrowing artichokes in Denver is difficult but not impossible. It takes some special consideration. For instance, you may need to utilize a heated greenhouse or a sunny home window as winter storage for artichoke plants. They are perennials but don...
- Finding heirloom plants in old cemeteriesHundreds of small, old cemeteries, some private, some public, dot Michigan’s rural areas. Some are abandoned, some still well cared for. Larger, older cemeteries exist in many cities. Many cemeteries, both modern and ancient, have beautiful...
- Gardeners guide to creating family cemeteriesDrive through rural Michigan and you will frequently notice small cemeteries along the country roads. They are old township cemeteries and family cemeteries. Family burial grounds were once common and even today some people still develop family...
- The gardeners guide to a good burialGardeners are probably more tuned into the cycle of life than people that don’t garden. Gardeners know that every living thing returns to the soil after it ceases to live where it then decomposes and supports new life. Ashes to ashes, dust...
- Drought Tolerant Annuals for the Summer GardenYou have worked to get everything in place and your flowerbeds are looking fantastic. Then, here comes the glaring summer sun, draining your beautiful flowers of their food and water. The local meteorologist says there is no rain in sight; a...
- 2016 Spokane in Bloom garden tourOn Saturday, June 18, 2016, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., The Inland Empire Gardeners are presenting the annual Spokane in Bloom garden tour. This year the gardens are in the Spokane Valley, and all five are gorgeous. This year’s theme is ‘A...
- Attracting beneficial insects to your gardenIn most gardens, bugs have a bad reputation: We call them pests, curse them when we find our crops eaten and sometimes even consider poisoning them with chemical pesticides. Yet, more than 97 percent of insects and spiders in home gardens and...
- How to grow Bristly Locust, an underused native shrubIf you want a shrub or small tree that will turn heads when it’s in bloom and that’s very easy to grow why not try a Bristly Locust, (Robinia hispida)? This lovely plant is unusual, pretty in bloom and not very utilized in American...