At last, flowering trees and spring bulbs are in bloom, lawns have reawakened, and new life is bursting forth everywhere—spring is here! Amidst April showers, this month is an exciting time to spend outside in the yard, tending to your lawn and garden and discovering exciting new plants to replace those killed or damaged by winter’s cold and desiccating winds. First, April is the perfect time to apply preemergent weed [...]
After a hot, stressful summer for our yards and gardens here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn has graciously settled in, bringing cool mornings and colorful leaves. As you begin to wind down your gardening projects for the season, here are a few tips to make the most of autumn’s cooler weather. 1. Now is the time to divide and transplant many of your spring- and summer-blooming perennials. Perennials like hostas [...]
Summer is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest, and with long days and warm weather, you’re likely finding yourself spending more time outside than in. As you enjoy evenings on your deck and weekends in the garden, here are a few tips to keep your plants looking their best. First, midsummer is the time to start keeping a close eye out for pests and disease in the garden. Up [...]
With summer just around the corner, it’s prime season for working around the yard. June’s long days are ideal for tending to the yard and landscaping around the house. Whether you’re working to ensure a healthy lawn through summer or planting shrubs and trees around your home, here are a few tips to ensure success in your endeavors. First, June is the perfect time to feed your lawn before summer. [...]
As a lawn and garden enthusiast, I find spring particularly invigorating—new life is bursting forth throughout the garden, shrubs and trees are in bloom and the lawn is waking up from a winter’s sleep. As you start to tend the yard and work up your flower beds again this spring, here are some tips to keep things looking their best as well as a few of my favorite new plants [...]
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 [...]
After a seemingly-interminable dry streak, we’ve finally been blessed with rain again here in our corner of the Pacific Northwest, and with it, the transition to a new season. With autumn here, now is the time to once again begin planting shrubs and trees, rehabilitating your lawn and sprucing up your containers for autumn. Even though it can still feel like summer in the afternoons, step outside early one [...]
Late summer is upon us, and with it, the joys of eating dinner on the deck and relishing the last weeks of warm weather before autumn arrives. Besides back-to-school shopping, late summer is the perfect time to schedule some preventative insect control for your lawn, prune some shrubs, and show your flowers and hanging baskets some extra love. First, now is a crucial time to apply grub killer to [...]
Spring is a time of renewal in the yard and garden, and that’s never been truer than this year. Whether you’re looking for a shrub to replace one damaged or killed this winter, want to plant something new and exciting to lift your spirits, or need help continuing to repair your lawn, here are some of my top suggestions for this month. Each spring brings about the introductions of [...]
With the return of rainy, cool weather, autumn is in full swing here in the Pacific Northwest. And while it’s not always the most fun to work outside these days, the fact is, it’s perfect weather for planting and taking care of some important yardwork. So, here’s what’s on my gardening to-do list this month—grab your raincoat! First, it’s time to replace your summer flowers with two types of flowers [...]
