By nearly every measure, summer has arrived. Never mind that June has felt cooler and more spring-like than May--kids out of school and over 16 hours of daylight can only mean that summer is here! As you wrap up your spring checklist of filling planters and beds with colorful flowers, it’s time to shift into summer maintenance mode. Here are a few tips to ensure a thriving lawn and [...]
At last, flowering trees and spring bulbs are in bloom, lawns have reawakened, and new life is bursting forth everywhere—spring is here! Amidst April showers, this month is an exciting time to spend outside in the yard, tending to your lawn and garden and discovering exciting new plants to replace those killed or damaged by winter’s cold and desiccating winds. First, April is the perfect time to apply preemergent weed [...]
Although it’s the shortest month of the year, this February just as well could have been the longest, with seemingly endless wind, snow and bitter cold putting a hard stop to most outdoor activities. Now, with spring weather here, it’s time to get on with early spring tasks around the yard and enjoy some fresh air and the warmth of sunshine on your face. First, if you haven’t already, [...]
With the sun hanging low in the southern sky and frost beginning to appear more regularly on roofs and lawns, autumn in the Pacific Northwest is gradually eroding, soon to be replaced with winter. As your garden goes to sleep for winter and you prepare to store your tools for a season’s rest, here are a few final tasks to accomplish around the yard this month. First, it’s not too [...]
After a hot, stressful summer for our yards and gardens here in the Pacific Northwest, autumn has graciously settled in, bringing cool mornings and colorful leaves. As you begin to wind down your gardening projects for the season, here are a few tips to make the most of autumn’s cooler weather. 1. Now is the time to divide and transplant many of your spring- and summer-blooming perennials. Perennials like hostas [...]
This summer’s long stretches of hot weather, little to no significant rain, and days of heavy forest fire smoke have made it a season for the record books. Now, with relief here in the form of cooler temperatures and more regular rain, it’s time to transition to a new season. Here are a few tips to get your yard and planters in shape for autumn. First, now is the [...]
With summer just around the corner, it’s prime season for working around the yard. June’s long days are ideal for tending to the yard and landscaping around the house. Whether you’re working to ensure a healthy lawn through summer or planting shrubs and trees around your home, here are a few tips to ensure success in your endeavors. First, June is the perfect time to feed your lawn before summer. [...]
As a lawn and garden enthusiast, I find spring particularly invigorating—new life is bursting forth throughout the garden, shrubs and trees are in bloom and the lawn is waking up from a winter’s sleep. As you start to tend the yard and work up your flower beds again this spring, here are some tips to keep things looking their best as well as a few of my favorite new plants [...]
As a gardener, I’ve learned to cherish each of the four seasons for the changes they bring to the yard and garden. With the plants around your yard starting to grow once again, now is the time to begin rejuvenating your lawn, feed your plants, and discover the benefits of beneficial pollinators for your fruit trees and bushes. First, March is the ideal time to get started on lawn [...]
Although we’re officially only halfway through autumn, the weather we’ve experienced in the last couple of weeks has felt decidedly like winter. And, if long-range forecasters are correct, this could be just the beginning of another long winter here in the Pacific Northwest. This month, take some time to wrap up the last of your yard projects for the season and prepare your lawn and garden for the wintry [...]
