Early spring is here, and along with it comes the perfect time to plant fruit trees in your your garden for a great harvest in the years to come. At Vander Giessen Nursery, we carry a great selection of fruit trees ready for transplanting into your yard. Most of the fruit trees we carry are dwarf varieties, meaning that while they'll bear a full crop of fruit, they won't [...]
It’s been said that March is “in like a lion, out like a lamb,” and thankfully--at least for a few days each week--the latter half of this month has proved the axiom somewhat true, with pleasant weather and sunny days. As we inch toward warmer spring gardening weather and with daylight hours rapidly lengthening, there are some key tasks to accomplish outdoors this in these first weeks of spring—all of [...]
After a cold start to winter, our weather has moderated to more normal conditions for our area, with milder temperatures and regular rains. While we’re not out of the woods just yet—winter often returns in late January or February around here—with a new year upon us it’s time to start getting ready for a new year in the garden. Here are a few gardening tips to start the year off [...]
A map I recently saw showed that the northern latitudes of the continental United States gain an average of 100 minutes of daylight over the course of the month of March. That statistic begs the question: what are you going to do with that extra hour and a half of daylight each day? Of course, if you’re reading this, chances are you’ll spend a good portion of that time [...]
After a challenging start to winter here in the Pacific Northwest, it’s beginning to look like we may escape the cold, snowy weather that February has offered in recent years. Although we still may get some winter weather in March, the chance of anything severe or long-lasting decreases with each passing week, so I feel somewhat safe in embracing the spring weather we’re enjoying! As you begin to get out [...]
Like most Washingtonians, I love a good rain—at least the first few of the season. But frankly, I think even the most enthusiastic pluviophiles among us (extra points if you don’t have to look it up!) are ready for a good stretch of sunny, dry weather. As you gear up for early spring in the garden, here are a few can’t-miss tasks to make time for this month. First, before [...]
Although it’s the shortest month of the year, this February just as well could have been the longest, with seemingly endless wind, snow and bitter cold putting a hard stop to most outdoor activities. Now, with spring weather here, it’s time to get on with early spring tasks around the yard and enjoy some fresh air and the warmth of sunshine on your face. First, if you haven’t already, [...]
As a gardener, I’ve learned to cherish each of the four seasons for the changes they bring to the yard and garden. With the plants around your yard starting to grow once again, now is the time to begin rejuvenating your lawn, feed your plants, and discover the benefits of beneficial pollinators for your fruit trees and bushes. First, March is the ideal time to get started on lawn [...]
With gradually-improving weather and daylight hours getting longer, spring is in the air. Look outside and you’ll be sure to find your bulbs growing, trees and shrubs starting to bud and life bursting forth throughout the garden. As you start your spring clean-up around the yard and make the first gardening to-do lists, here are some early-season jobs you’ll want to accomplish. First, it’s time for spring pruning. Keep [...]
A year ago, we ended a warm, dry summer with a splash of sorts—October’s arrival brought a drastic change in the weather that began one of the wettest winters on record in our area. This year, we’ve once again experienced a dry summer and pleasant early fall, and while rainy weather is arriving, it's now the perfect for getting some extra lawn and garden projects done. Here are a [...]
