Early though it may be, spring is in the air. Take a look outside at your yard and you’ll be sure to find your bulbs sprouted, 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. [...]
With this year’s mild winter, our gardening season in the Pacific Northwest has gotten off to a much earlier start than normal. From lawns that needed a good mowing weeks ago to fields of tulips in bloom well before the height of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, signs of an early spring have been plentiful. As you prepare to plant your vegetable garden this year, here are four tips for [...]
So, how about that winter? For the last two months, I’ve cautioned against getting too excited about the spring-like weather we’ve enjoyed for fear that a good dose of winter could still arrive. Although a slim chance of winter weather still exists, with March quickly passing it’s time to plow full speed ahead with spring and all it involves. Are you ready? Given the non-winter we had this year [...]
We’ve all heard it a thousand times: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Nowhere is this truer than in gardening. From the basics of planting to proper nutrition to dealing with pests and disease—gardening is a hobby that is best enjoyed when done right. As you begin caring for your garden this summer, here are some tips to make the season enjoyable. After you’ve made your [...]
Last summer I published a blog post about water-soluble fertilizers versus slow-release options and which type would work best for your plants. I spent a fair amount of page space writing about care for your annuals and hanging baskets--but what about the shrubs and trees in your yard? The truth is, most plants--especially flowering types--will benefit from regular (even if only once a year) feeding to keep them looking their [...]
One of the most common questions I hear from customers at the nursery is, "Which fertilizer should I use?" Annuals, shrubs, perennials, trees--all plants need proper nutrients to keep growing and looking their best. So why the confusion? The fact is, you could probably go shopping for fertilizer and end up with a different product for each and every one of your plants. Discouraged by so many choices, many people [...]
I know I’m being repetitive when I say that I love this time of year. Look back at any column I’ve written in the past and you’d probably find some reference to how much I love the current season. The truth is, we live in a beautiful corner of the world and with our moderate climate we really can enjoy four seasons of garden interest. At the peak of summer, [...]
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