Stockings are put away, cookie tins hold little more than crumbs, and the Christmas tree has literally been kicked to the curb—once again, the holidays are past and we look ahead to the broad horizons of a new year. In this season of rest for gardening, now is the time to dream and to plan for a successful year of growing once again. First, January is a great time of [...]
To people who don’t live in the Pacific Northwest, it almost sounds unreal to say our summers are dry. So stereotyped is our corner of the world as an always-drizzling moss-covered region that many don’t realize how dry it can be from July through September. One look, however, at the heat-stressed pots on your patio reveals the truth: summer is dry! To keep your hanging baskets and pots going [...]
Summer is in full swing in the Pacific Northwest, and with long days and warm weather, you’re likely finding yourself spending more time outside than in. As you enjoy evenings on your deck and weekends in the garden, here are a few tips to keep your plants looking their best. First, midsummer is the time to start keeping a close eye out for pests and disease in the garden. Up [...]
Late summer is upon us, and with it, the joys of eating dinner on the deck and relishing the last weeks of warm weather before autumn arrives. Besides back-to-school shopping, late summer is the perfect time to schedule some preventative insect control for your lawn, prune some shrubs, and show your flowers and hanging baskets some extra love. First, now is a crucial time to apply grub killer to [...]
With summer in full swing, now is the time of year we can really enjoy the beauty that the Pacific Northwest has to offer. The flowers you planted in May and June are in full bloom and your vegetable garden is beginning to offer its bounty. Maybe, however, all is not perfect in paradise—whether insects, fertilizer deficiency, or disease issues, any number of problems could put your garden’s beauty [...]
To be fair, most of us living here in the Pacific Northwest have chosen our lot in life, but let’s be real—the last six months have tested even the most rain-loving among us. With blue skies finally arriving with some regularity, it’s now time to start planting flowers, vegetables, and other plants around your yard. As you relish bringing color back to your hanging baskets and planters, here are some [...]
Last month I wrote about how much I love winter—and don’t get me wrong, I do!—but this year, we've had seemingly more than our normal share of winter weather and frankly, I’m ready to scratch my spring itch. Thankfully, the weather is improving and spring is beginning to arrive, so it’s time to make your early spring gardening to-do list. Gardening in early spring is very weather-dependent, especially when [...]
Welcome to late summer, that magical time of year when your garden looks the best it has all year…or doesn’t. Early heat in spring pushed gardens in our area into overdrive, and while the rest of summer has been more seasonable, your plants may be looking worn. To keep your plants going strong into fall—or for some ideas of replacements for your containers—here are some suggestions. If you grow flowers [...]
After yet another mild winter and warm start to the spring, one thing is sure: bugs will be a problem in your garden again this year. As you tend to your plants, keep a close eye out for any deformed new foliage or damage to your plants caused by aphids or other damaging insects. Sprays and systemic insect control products are effective methods for dealing with garden pests, but maybe [...]
Early though it may be, spring is in the air. Take a look outside at your yard and you’ll be sure to find your bulbs sprouted, trees and shrubs starting to bud and life bursting forth throughout the garden. As you start your spring clean-up around the yard and make the first gardening to-do lists, here are some early-season jobs you’ll want to accomplish. First, it’s time for spring pruning. [...]
