The date was April 22, 1970 and this gardener was one month away from graduating from the University of California, Davis with a degree in Environmental Horticulture (yes, I graduated from college 50 years ago)…
Tips For Making Your “Victory Garden” Victorious
Whatever your reason is for feeling moved to plant a vegetable garden in these times of turmoil, it’s a good idea. It is good to get out in the fresh air, get some exercise and any time spent in the garden can be therapeutic. Good intentions are all fine and good, but without positive results it might leave you hesitant to try growing your own food again in the future. All it takes is some effort and a few tips will help too. That being said, here are some tips to help your veggie growing efforts turn out successfully…
This Is The Perfect Month To Dethatch Your Lawn
Hunker Down With These Perennial Veggies
You Too Can "Bee" A Pollinator Gardener
Unless you have been living under a rock, you should be aware by now of the importance of bees (and insects in general for that matter) on our ecosystem. They are our chief pollinators, along with wasps and flies, some moths and butterflies, and even hummingbirds and bats. In the early season, one can observe our native mason bees and bumble bees working over early blooming shrubs, bulbs and perennial and later in the year, the honey bees are the dominate species in the garden. There are several things that home gardeners can do to encourage bees and other insects to come into their yard. Here are some things to consider…
The Joys Of Growing Your Own Veggies
Escape Into The Garden, It May Be One Of The Safest Places To Hang Out
Sometimes I feel like the world is spinning out of control. There is all the fear over… If you are feeling a bit overwhelmed, I think I have the solution for you: spend more time in the garden! The sunshine will do you good, working in the dirt will help you build up immunities, breathing the fresh air will clear your lungs, and just communing with nature will clear your mind. Here are some things you can do while you are decompressing from all that life is currently throwing you…
Wallflowers - So Much More Than The Name Implies
When I think of the word “wallflower” or “shrinking violet” for that matter, I conjure up an image in my mind of a timid plant that is shy and socially challenged. It is not very flashy and prefers to grow in an obscure location where it will be barely noticed by the passing visitor. In reality, nothing could be farther from the truth when we are talking about wallflowers….
Belarinas - Not Your Grocery Store Primroses
There is no doubt in my mind that spring has sprung. This indisputable fact lies in the discovery this week of the first white blooms on a wild plum tree that lives down the street from the nursery… The proverbial dam of winter has been breached and I, for one, am more than ready to start basking in the glow of spring floral color…
It's Time To Plant Roses
It’s that time of year again when garden centers fill their benches back up with a whole new crop of bare root roses. Our crews have spent the last several weeks carefully pruning and planting several thousand of them so they can be taken home and lovingly plunged into your gardens. Please remember that roses are seasonal and they are only ordered once a year, so when they are gone, they are gone until another year comes along. Here are some tips on how to grow fabulous roses in our maritime climate…
We dove into oxygenating our indoor spaces with houseplants a couple of weeks ago, and now let’s continue our indoor discussion by investigate some superior pet-friendly options. As the weather continues to cool and the wind and rain ramp up, it becomes easier and easier to garden indoors and work outside a bit less. Many of us have…