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Fall is the best time of year to plant new trees, from early September through late October. Fall's cooler temperatures and increased rain allow trees to establish their root systems quickly, giving them a jump-start on spring growth. Tree root growth continues late in fall, until soil temperatures drop below 40°F. But growing healthy trees,... Continue Reading →
Some insects only sporadically cause problems in lawns and landscapes. They are there, every year, but usually in such low numbers they can easily be overlooked. Fall armyworm is one such insect, but it appears they will not go unnoticed this year. There are actually several species of armyworm, including common and yellowstriped, but the... Continue Reading →
Most gardeners know food scraps contain nutrients that can be used to improve garden soils. The most common way of handling kitchen scraps is adding them to a traditional compost pile, but a less well-known composting method also works very well – pit or trench composting. This method is also called vertical composting and soil... Continue Reading →
The ground is still covered with leaves in many neighborhoods, but don’t throw them away - put them to work for you. Even if you only have a few leaves and little time, consider bag composting. Bag Composting Bag composting is perhaps the easiest composting technique. Its a passive method, so leaves break down slowly, but much... Continue Reading →
Beginning in late summer, most gardeners have an abundance of landscape waste; whether it's dead plants from vegetable gardens or ornamental beds, foliage and branches from pruning trees and shrubs, or fallen tree leaves. Why not make use of these great organic materials, instead of piling them into bags and hauling them off to the landfill? You can easily turn... Continue Reading →
“One touch of nature makes the whole world kin.” William Shakespeare It is clear that the world is a crazy place right now, and it often feels like every day brings another level of folly beyond our control. Although keeping up with the news is important, it’s also important to give ourselves time to... Continue Reading →
Every summer an unusual type of insect makes an appearance in many landscapes. Actually, there is a small group of insects, called twig girdlers or twig pruners, that cause similar damage in a variety of trees. But fortunately, these insects are not a serious problem and their activity doesn't have serious consequences for the trees. But... Continue Reading →
Maybe you’re like me, in that you work all day and aren’t around to enjoy your landscape and gardens much during the day. Or maybe you’re a night owl and, when the weather is nice, enjoy the hours after sundown in your gardens. Whatever the reason, there are ways to increase your garden’s appeal during... Continue Reading →
The best time to seed cool season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, is between August 15th and September 15th, so its time to start your site preparation. Getting your seeding done as early as possible is really important, because each week of delay in seeding translates into 2-4 additional weeks required for the grass... Continue Reading →
Finally, it’s tomato harvest season! You’ve tended your plants through cool, cloudy spring conditions into summer’s heat and they’ve done great. Now you finally have tomatoes ripening and ready for harvest. But wait – they have cracks, yellow shoulders and white spots; what is wrong now? It’s amazing how many problems can plague on our... Continue Reading →
One great way to get your child or grandchild interested in plants and gardening this summer is to help them create a miniature garden that’s all their own. In their simplest form, miniature gardens are small container plantings decorated in a way that appeals to your child’s interests. Let your young gardener build some... Continue Reading →
In our modern landscapes, trees often get planted as lone individuals surrounded by a sea of lawn. This is less than ideal for trees—and vice-versa. Trees typically grow in forests where little grass is present. When trees are placed in lawns and those lawns are excessively fussed over (and we Americans love to fuss... Continue Reading →
