How to Scarify Annual and Perennial Seeds
Karen Have you every bought a packet of seeds that recommended nicking the seeds or soaking them overnight in water before sowing? Morning glory, moon vine, and lupine seed need this…
How to Make Root Cuttings
When you have a plant you love you may want to produce more of them to use in your own garden or pass on to friends. There are many ways…
Quick Tip for Transplanting Perennials in Fall
On a recent trip to the local big box store during early November I found a nice little New York aster in the bargain bin. It had already finished blooming…
How to Plant Spring Blooming Bulbs
The bulb catalogs start coming by the beginning of summer and there is a good reason why. Spring blooming bulbs should be planted in the fall and you need time…
How to make Garden Stakes that will last forever
Chuck Many years ago in our Annapolis garden we used wooden stakes to keep plants orderly and standing upright. However, the stakes only lasted one season because the termites ate the…
Winterizing Plants: Using Anti-Transpirants To Prevent Water Loss
In our North Carolina formal garden we grow boxwood plants in large concrete pots. Although these plants are hardy in this geographic area they are susceptible to winter damage when…
How to Select the Right Mulch
There are many reasons to use mulch and many kinds of mulch from which to choose. The mulch you select should be related to the purpose(s) you have in mind…
Shearing Plants for Rebloom
Any plant growing in my garden has to earn its keep. Some bloom for a long time, some have beautiful foliage after the flowers fade, others disappear entirely after blooming…
How and What to Deadhead to Prolong Bloom
Many gardeners find deadhead a boring, mundane job but I always like it. It gives me the opportunity to enjoy plant plants close up, touch them, smell them, and inspect…
Facts about Thrips that Eat Roses
There are many different kinds of thrips; some are beneficial (can you believe it?) others are not, and this post is only on the destructive kinds, that feast on rose…