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By MELINDA MYERS In just fifteen minutes you can plant a beautiful garden guaranteed to brighten your spirits and indoor décor this winter. All you need is a container with drainage holes, potting mix and some tulips, daffodils and other spring flowering bulbs. Once you have gathered the needed materials, you can get started planting. Select bulbs labeled for forcing, shorter varieties that are less likely to flop or bulbs that didn’t make it into the garden this fall. Plant a container of one type of bulb or use a combination … [Read more...] about Now’s the time to force a few spring flowering bulbs

  By MELINDA MYERS Prepare your evergreens now before winter weather takes its toll on your boxwood, arborvitae and rhododendrons. Winter wind, sun, frozen soil, snow and ice can wreak havoc on our plants, especially evergreens. Water plants, especially evergreens and new plantings, thoroughly before the ground freezes. Evergreens continue to lose moisture throughout the winter even when the soil is frozen or dry. Apply a layer of mulch to the soil under and around trees and shrubs or freshen existing mulch. A two- to … [Read more...] about 6 things to help evergreens through winter

BY MELINDA MYERS Short or tall, big or small, ornamental alliums are a treat for flower gardeners and for butterflies, bees and other pollinators. Plant the bulbs in fall and enjoy months of colorful spring and summer blooms – this year, and for years to come. Just like their relatives, onions and chives, ornamental alliums are easy to grow and trouble free. Pest, diseases and even deer don’t bother them. Most types are reliably perennial and winter hardy in zones three to eight. Alliums prefer well-drained soil and full sun, … [Read more...] about Bold and beautiful alliums for every garden

By MELINDA MYERS There’s no doubt that managing critters in the landscape can be a challenge especially as food supplies start to dwindle. If you are battling with rabbits, deer, groundhogs or other wildlife, don't let down your guard as the growing season begins to wind down. Be proactive. Start before they get into the habit of dining on your landscape. It is easier to keep them away than break the dining habit. Fence them out. Fencing is the best defense against most wildlife. A four feet tall fence around a small garden … [Read more...] about Protect your winter landscape from hungry wildlife

By MELINDA MYERS Pick a few pansy flowers and add a smile to any occasion. No matter where you live, pansies provide color, and in some cases, fragrance to the garden and containers during the cooler months of the year. Pick a few flowers and freeze them in ice cube trays to serve in your favorite beverage. Or float them on top of your favorite seasonal punch. They will brighten any occasion, especially when snow is in the forecast. Set a few flowers on a bed of greens for unique flavor and added color. Or garnish your … [Read more...] about Pansies add color and interest to every occasion

  By MELINDA MYERS End the growing season with an extra burst of color and nutrition with a few fall containers. A pot of mums or asters can add color to your front steps and a container filled with kale and greens adds fresh flavor to your fall meals.  But don’t stop there. Create attractive potted gardens by combining asters, mums, grasses, cool weather edibles and other fall beauties. Spruce up an existing container by replacing weather worn annuals with fresh fall favorites. Pansies, sweet alyssum and dianthus are … [Read more...] about Plant a few edible and decorative containers for fall

By MELINDA MYERS You have waited all season for that first red ripe tomato only to discover less-than-perfect fruit.  But don’t worry, you can still have a great harvest this year while improving things for next season. Blossom end rot is a common problem.  It’s due to a calcium deficiency often caused by fluctuations in soil moisture, often seen on the first set of fruit and those grown in containers. Adjust your watering and mulch the soil to help keep it consistently moist. Have your soil tested before adding any calcium … [Read more...] about Tomato troubles

  By MELINDA MYERS Don’t let fall or potentially frosty temperatures stop you from enjoying garden-fresh produce. Extend the nutritional value and homegrown flavor into your fall and early winter meals with the help of short season crops and season extending strategies. Lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips, and beets are quick to mature from seed to harvest.  Plus, the cooler temperatures enhance their flavor. Simply count the number of frost-free days left in your growing season and compare it with the number of days … [Read more...] about Strategies for growing edibles later into the season