Plant Care

It’s Time to Treat Your Spring Fever

When our son was three, he used to get excited when he would hear a “fever bird”—chickadee, to the rest of us—singing its spring melody. With a call that to the anticipating ear does sound like a sweetly-spoken “fee-ver,” the chickadee’s song reminds me now each spring of the excitement I feel as the new season arrives. As spring begins, let’s consider a few of the tasks to get started [...]

2025-03-20T14:03:28+00:00March 20th, 2025|Container Gardening, Fertilizer, Hot Plants, Plant Care|0 Comments

Getting A Start on a New Season

As the snow of the last two weeks begins to melt and we slowly return to a normal weather pattern for February with rain and milder temperatures, it’s time to start thinking about early spring. Indeed, prior to the recent cold snap, the early signs of a new season were beginning to appear, and as the days get markedly longer and the ground begins to thaw, spring will be here [...]

2025-02-13T04:52:15+00:00February 13th, 2025|Annuals, Plant Care, Pruning, Winter|0 Comments

Almost…But Not Yet

January in the Pacific Northwest can present a challenge for gardeners caught in the “almost, but not yet.” As is often the case, we’re sitting square in the middle of a mild stretch of weather—not spring-warm, but not winter-cold, either. Lest we forget, though, winter in western Washington often arrives later in the season—so often, February brings cold and snow. As you anticipate the coming season, here are a [...]

2025-01-12T03:50:27+00:00January 12th, 2025|Garden Tools, Perennials, Plant Care, Pruning, Winter|0 Comments

Winter is Coming—is Your Garden Ready?

As the last of autumn’s beauty succumbs to the effects of time and weather, we’re reminded that once again, the seasons are changing. With short, dark November days upon us, it’s time to wrap up the work around the yard and put your garden beds to sleep for the winter. In the short hours of daylight we have to work with this time of year, here are a few things [...]

2024-11-21T22:48:36+00:00November 21st, 2024|Fall, Fertilizer, Insect Control, Lawn Care, Plant Care, Roses, Winter|0 Comments

For the Well-Being of Garden & Soul

With the screams of kids enjoying carnival rides and the wafting smells of fried foods, the telltale signs of the Northwest Washington Fair can mean only one thing: early autumn is just around the corner. However, if this year’s weather proves anything like last year—and frankly, many years—we still have nearly two months of summerlike weather ahead of us, so now is no time to give up on the garden. [...]

Keep the Beauty Going in the Garden

This week’s forecast: nothing but sunshine. While the webbed-feet crowd can bemoan that spring’s rain has transitioned solidly to dry summer weather, we can all appreciate the fact that summer brings with it the abundance of a garden harvest, days spent at the lake or the bay, and relaxing in the cool of the day outside on the deck. As you work in the garden this month, here are a [...]

Shifting Focus for a New Season in the Garden

Early season produce is beginning to ripen in gardens, strawberry stands are sharing their sweet harvest, and long days mean evening fun watching kids shoot hoops or play in the yard. All this can mean only one thing: summer has arrived. With the arrival of a new season, our tasks in the garden shift slightly, giving gardeners a new set of goals to keep plants performing their best throughout the [...]

Recovery, Renewal, and Lifelong Learning in the Garden

Gardeners are by nature learners. This hobby we call “gardening” is not one to be mastered—with new plants, new insect and disease issues, and weather conditions constantly in flux, the school of gardening has no graduates as we all learn more skills and gain fresh knowledge with each passing season. As spring unfolds, you may be discovering new issues around your yard you need to address, so let’s dive into [...]

2024-04-12T03:19:28+00:00April 12th, 2024|Fertilizer, Lawn Care, Plant Care, Pruning, Roses, Winter|0 Comments

New Life & Color for Lawn and Garden

Charles Dickens once wrote of sunny March days as “summer in the light and winter in the shade.” With the promise of sunny, warmer weather arriving in the coming days, the chilly late winter we’ve been experiencing lately may begin to shift to real spring, when even the shade isn’t so wintry. As we gardeners excitedly get outside to feel the sun on our skin and work the soil in [...]

2024-12-06T15:04:14+00:00March 14th, 2024|Fertilizer, Hot Plants, Hydrangeas, Lawn Care, Plant Care|0 Comments

The Garden is Calling

I love the excitement of a good winter storm, but once February rolls around, my mind starts shifting to the anticipation of spring. With mild temperatures and sunny days teasing the new season just around the corner, it’s time to start preparing your garden for spring. As you get started with your initial spring garden tasks, here are a few suggestions of where to start. My first task around the [...]

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