New gardeners often ask me how it’s possible that the flowers, vegetables, fruit, and herbs grown here at our farm are 100% organic. Most people ask because they are interested in how they can avoid synthetic chemicals in their own gardens.
Read More →8 Strategies to Successful Organic Gardening
A few years ago, I saw pictures for a gutter garden online. I was instantly smitten with this industrial vertical planter — first, because I love repurposing materials; and second, because I’m always looking to add dimension to my garden with vertical elements. So recently, we decided to create our own version of the Gutter […]
Read More →DIY SUCCULENT GUTTER GARDEN
I have a good sized vegetable garden at the very back of my 1-acre property where I grow all manner of edibles, but I don’t always want to trek more than ½ acre to harvest some herbs for dinner. So I created a kitchen herb garden off of my back patio — this is an […]
Read More →Kitchen Herb Garden
If you’ve ever been on a garden tour with people from various locations, you’ll eventually hear someone say, “Oh, I wish I could grow blue hydrangeas like that. Mine are always pink.” I know this because I’ve said it myself. If your hydrangeas (which actually prefer acidic soils, but are very adaptable) naturally bloom pink, […]
Read More →Growing acid-loving plants in an alkaline garden
Pruning can be intimidating, even for experienced gardeners. Where to make the cut, when to make the cut, and how to make the cut are all factors to consider and it is often different, depending on what you’re cutting back. The reasons for pruning can be as varied as the methods, but it helps if […]
Read More →Help for floppy perennials
If you grow azaleas and camellias, at some point you’ll need to prune them. Azaleas are universally viewed as hardy, easy-to-grow plants. Camellias, for some reason, have the reputation of being delicate flowers. That is hardly the case. Unless it is a variety that stays small (and there are a few of those) a happy […]
Read More →How to Prune Azaleas and Camellias
Fertilize spring-blooming shrubs such as azaleas and camellias right after they finish flowering. The plants have just used a lot of resources to produce flowers, and both azaleas and camellias push new flushes of leaves immediately after they bloom, as well. By the time they’re finished with all of that growth and activity they can […]
Read More →How to Fertilize Azaleas and Camellias
This is where I let all of my dirty laundry hang out to dry. Here’s the thing: I have a garden that brings me immense joy, even when it is over-run with weeds and looks, well, not photo-studio ready. I take a lot of pleasure in walking around the garden, looking at individual plants blooming, […]
Read More →How to Revitalize a Mixed Garden Border, part one: Decision-making
Spring bulbs such as daffodils, crocus, grape hyacinth, and tulips are in full bloom from March through May (depending on where you live). The most critical care time for bulbs is right after they finish flowering, so enjoy the display, and get your ducks in a row to give these plants a leg up on […]
Read More →How to Fertilize Spring-Blooming Bulbs
Truth be told, I’m somewhat of a new vegetable gardener. I’ve only been growing edibles for about 4 years now, and I’ve learned a lot about what works and what doesn’t — like squashes, for example. We are a big squash family. We love all of them, the summer squashes and the winter squashes. But […]
Read More →SQUASH TUNNEL