Gardening Advice

Libraries are not just for lending books. A rapidly growing trend is for libraries to offer seeds to their gardening patrons! You may be surprised to learn that there are a multitude of things available at your local branch beyond books. Depending on the need in your community you can borrow tools, appliances, medical devices including walkers, crutches, and blood pressure cuffs,…

Now that you have grown and harvested beautiful fresh vegetables from your garden, how will you store them? Not everyone has access to a root cellar. Here are other ways to store your harvest to keep your homegrown fruits and vegetables ready to eat through the winter months!In great-grandma’s day, most houses had a root cellar or a cold storage room somewhere in the house. Today’s…

Lavender grows best outdoors, but you can also keep these aromatic gems alive inside through winter. Plus, lavender is not only pretty—its scent also brings a sense of calm to every room. Here are some lovely lavender varieties and advice on overwintering lavender.Is Lavender a Perennial or Annual?A fragrant and colorful plant native to Europe and Western Asia, lavender is a sun-loving…

Here’s a fall vegetable garden cleanup checklist with 11 tasks to do before the weather gets uncomfortably cold. If you’ve ever forgotten to clean up in the fall, you’ll know it makes life much easier in the spring—and it’s also better to clean up for the health of your garden.When to Start Fall CleanupWhenever you see summer plants dying or diseased, remove them to avoid disease.…

Time to mulch! Most of us know the amazing benefits of mulch in the garden. But when should you mulch? How much should you mulch? Can you mulch too much? What type of mulch is best? See our guide on how to mulch your garden beds and plants.Mulch has been called the gardener’s friend—and for good reason. In the spring, mulch retains moisture, suppresses weeds, and prevents …

You can save seeds from this year’s pumpkins to plant next year! It’s fun to grow your own jack-o’-lanterns. Here’s how to store those seeds this fall and plant in the spring!You also save money by growing your own. Pumpkins are easy enough to grow and require very little pampering. And if you have a special heirloom variety, you can try to grow it again!Saving Pumpkin Seeds1…

One of the most magnificent garden mainstays is the common herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora). See reasons why peonies should be in your garden, plus 10 tips on planting and caring for these beauties. (Don’t forget to support their heads!)6 Reasons Why Peonies Should Be in Your GardenPeony plants are so long-lived that it is commonly said that peonies will outlive the gardeners who…

Some flower bulbs will not survive cold winters and need to be dug up and stored indoors over winter. Among these are cannas, elephant ears, gladiolus, tuberous begonias, dahlias, and other summer favorites. Many of these bulbs are expensive, yet they’re easy to keep, so it is worth it. Here’s how to store bulbs over winter.What Are Tender Bulbs?Unlike spring bulbs, your …

Bzzz… Here’s a secret: all “bees” are not created equal. Bees, wasps, and hornets may look alike and belong to the same order of insects called Hymenoptera, but they are different insects. How can you distinguish between a bee, a wasp, and a hornet? Let’s take a look!Bees and wasps took separate evolutionary paths over 100,000,000 years ago. Bees are vegetarians, collecting pollen to feed…

Who doesn’t treasure Hawaii? It’s a group of tropical islands filled with a stunning variety of flora and fauna! Say aloha to these 22 tropical beauties! (And, yes, you can grow some of these flowers for your own garden paradise!)Hawaii’s Floral DiversityAbout 1,000 species of plants are native to Hawaii, and about half of those are found nowhere else in the world. Sadly, almost one-…

Learn how to make your own soilless potting mix at home! Commercial bagged soils are pricey, and if you use a lot, can add up to significant costs. They also vary greatly in quality and, in some cases, their fertilizer strength can be toxic to plants and cause burns to plant roots. It’s satisfying to make your own mix to give your plants a healthy start—and it leads to fewer headaches. Here’s our…

We’ll let you in on a little secret that it takes many gardeners a few years to figure out: Late fall is the best time to prepare your soil for a great garden next year. Learn three simple ways to build soil health.Why We Prepare Soil in the FallSoil is the bedrock of any successful garden. Remember, soil is not dirt. Soil is live organic matter teeming with microbial life!Isn’t it…