Now that the weather is cooling off, spring and your favorite flowers might seem a long way off. However, the lushest and beautiful spring gardens are actually planned in the fall. Setting out spring bulbs for next year’s blooms might be the perfect family project, as it teaches kids about plant growth cycles. As a…
Now that summer has come to an end, and you’ve established your fall garden, what else is left to do? This October gardening checklist should help get you on your way! You could certainly rest and enjoy the fruits of your labor (perhaps literally), or you could get a jump start on preparations for spring….
For many of us, our minds associate Fall with hayrides, pumpkin patches, cooler weather, and glorious fall color. But as we know here in Southern California, many of those associations are in our minds! Most of the more dramatic changes that occur along with Autumn will happen on the East Coast and in the North….
Fall is only just beginning, and spring seems a long way off. So, you’re probably not thinking too much about spring planting! But, we have found that gardeners who tackle these three fall garden tasks find themselves much happier in the spring! In exchange for a little extra work now, you can save yourself hours…
If you’re looking for a full and dense fall bloom that comes in a variety of colors, we have the perfect perennial flower for you. Chrysanthemums reach their prime at this time of year, and they’re very easy to cultivate. Our quick guide will get you started. Consider size. Chrysanthemums are available in a variety…
Fall will arrive any day now and with it will come an array of colorful leaves. Are you ready to fire up your leaf blower? If you’re like most people, you have a leaf blower, or at least a rake, on standby to deal with all that fallen foliage. Then you will either bag them…
When you think of fall, gardening might not be the first thing that comes to mind. After all, many of us associate spring and summer as “gardening time”, and resign ourselves to viewing fall and winter as boring. That doesn’t have to be true at all! There are plenty of ways to create a stunning…
Don’t you just love relaxing on your porch or patio, enjoying warm summer evenings? Perhaps you enjoy entertaining outdoors, or maybe you’re more of an introvert who prefers solitude. But there’s just one little problem: As tranquil as the setting might be, you can’t really enjoy your garden in the dark. …Or can you? If…
Who doesn’t love a fresh bouquet of flowers on the dining room table, or displayed on the mantle? Of course, the downside of fresh arrangements is that they don’t stay fresh for long. You need to consistently replace them, whether with plants from your own garden or by purchasing fresh flowers. An alternative is to…
When time, money, or space are limited, you might feel tempted to put off any improvements to your garden or outdoor living area. However, there are many ways to add smaller, easy upgrades without investing a lot of time or money into the project. A vertical pallet garden is one such addition; it requires very…
As you plan your hardscaping project, you will discover that for just about any look or purpose you want to achieve, there is a way. Often, there are multiple options to accomplish your goals. Sorting through the different materials available to you will become one of your primary tasks, and though it can feel like…
Due to their striking beauty and ease of growth, daylilies are a common component of many gardens. You can certainly take the laid-back approach with these perennials, allowing them to do their own thing without any specialized care. However, they will bloom more weakly and die off more quickly if you go this route. By…
For most gardeners, summer is an exciting time of year. Many of your favorite flowers are blooming, and vegetable crops begin to produce. On the other hand, summer can provide perfect examples of “too much of a good thing”. When heat waves strike, your plants can suffer or even die. These tips will help you…
Nothing in the garden says “summer” quite like growing sunflowers. Most gardeners grow sunflowers purely for their cheerful, decorative appeal, but they do have additional purposes. The large, bright blooms will draw pollinators to your garden, which can be important if you also grow vegetable crops. You can also harvest the nutritious seeds, roast them,…
How is your garden looking this summer? At some point, you will notice that some of your flowers slow down or stop blooming. At that point, dividing Irises and Daylilies (as well as other rhizomes), to promote better health and prolific blooming next spring is the ticket! Perennials that spread through an underground root structure…