Home Works

By MELINDA MYERS Whether it is the hot weather, the age of your landscape or simply the need for change; a late summer makeover can help you increase your landscape’s beauty. Put the “wow” back into your garden with a few new plantings, garden art, or other simple improvements. Many established landscapes have a few or many overgrown plants. Sometimes the plants you purchase perform better than expected or oftentimes we try to squeeze too many plants into a garden or too large of plants into small spaces. Remove overcrowded … [Read more...] about Give your landscape a late summer facelift

By MELINDA MYERS You waited all season for that first red ripe tomato only to discover less-than-perfect fruit. Don't worry, you can still have a great harvest and improve things for next season. Blossom end rot is a common problem on the first set of fruit. The bottom of the tomato turns black. This is not caused by a disease but is the result of a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit. This deficiency is usually caused by fluctuations in water uptake by the plant. Fluctuating soil moisture, damage to the roots, excessive … [Read more...] about Tomato Troubles

By MELINDA MYERS Enjoy the spicy heat hot peppers add to your meals without concern for the many myths surrounding these garden vegetables. Here are a few you may have heard but are not true. Growing both hot and sweet peppers in the garden will not add spicy heat to the sweet varieties. Peppers are normally self-pollinated. If an insect happens to move the pollen from a hot to sweet pepper, it will not affect the flavor or heat of this year’s harvest. If you save the seeds from a cross-pollinated pepper for next year’s garden … [Read more...] about Debunking hot peppers myths

By MELINDA MYERS
 No fruit on your tomato plants is likely due to the weather. Tomatoes thrive in warm, sunny conditions, but temperature extremes can prevent otherwise healthy plants from setting fruit. When daytime temperatures rise above 90 degrees and night temperatures remain above 70 degrees, blossom drop, and poor fruit development can occur. Combine this with low humidity and the pollen is not viable. In hot and humid conditions, the pollen is too sticky and doesn’t move from the male to the female part of the flower. … [Read more...] about Healthy plants, but no tomatoes?

By MELINDA MYERS Keep your garden looking its best and reduce your workload by enlisting practices that provide multiple benefits. Your garden will flourish and you’ll have more time to enjoy its beauty. Put your yard waste to work in your garden. You’ll save time hauling plant debris to the recycling center and money spent buying bagged material. Use shredded leaves, evergreen needles, herbicide-free grass clippings or other pest- and weed-free organic material as mulch. Spread a one to two-inch layer of these materials over … [Read more...] about Keep your landscape looking good with less effort

By MELINDA MYERS Cleanse the toxins out of your body with the help of fresh vegetables. Cabbage, broccoli, and brussels sprouts are a few of nature’s detoxifiers. You can add variety to your garden and diet by including green, red or Savoy cabbage. It’s fun and easy to grow in the garden or a container and can be used in a variety of healthful dishes. There is still time to add cabbage to your garden. Cabbage grows best in cooler temperatures. Those in the northern half of the country can plant seeds directly in the garden in … [Read more...] about Bold, beautiful, and healthful cabbage

By MELINDA MYERS So, you filled your shopping cart and gardens with lots of new shrubs, flowers, and vegetables. Now what? Keep your plants looking their best with minimal effort so you can enjoy them and your summer even more. Watering is one task where I find even experienced gardeners struggle. Proper watering is key. Too much or not enough water can result in yellow, wilting and even death of plants. Check container plantings daily. Stick your finger into the soil and water whenever the top few inches of soil is starting … [Read more...] about 3 ways to help your gardens thrive with minimal care

By MELINDA MYERS You don’t need a prairie or large lot to attract and support pollinators. A meadow or informal, formal and even container gardens can bring in bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to help pollinate plants. It’s just a matter of selecting the right plants, adjusting your maintenance practices, and skipping the pesticides. Create your garden by converting a few square feet of lawn, garden bed or front yard into a pollinator-friendly garden. You may want to start by switching out part of an existing garden or … [Read more...] about Designing a beautiful garden for you and the pollinators

By MELINDA MYERS We’ve all done it…gotten overzealous in spring and overplanted or planted the wrong varieties for our tastes and needs. Make this the year you plan your garden for the best return on your investment. First, prepare a list before placing your catalogue order or making that first trip to the garden center. Without a bit of preplanning our carts end up filled with more seeds and plants than space available or varieties that are not suited to our growing conditions or our family’s taste. Make sure each plant you … [Read more...] about 9 garden planning tips for the greatest return