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 [...]
To borrow the words of a late, dear friend of mine, this time of year offers an “embarrassment of riches” in the garden. From hydrangeas to zinnias, roses to dahlias, and a huge array of summer-blooming annuals, there’s certainly no shortage of color to enjoy this time of year. Vegetable gardens are beginning to yield their abundance as well, and who can resist the mouth-watering taste of fresh-picked berries? We’re [...]
The Pacific Northwest in July is a real gem: lush trees, plants, and fields; flowers burgeoning with color; juicy, sweet berries ripening; and a gentle breeze in the evening to cool off the warmth of the day. At long last summer has arrived, and with it our focus in the garden shifts from spring planting to mid-season growing and maintaining. Here are a few things to keep on your gardening [...]
Late summer in the garden can be both a challenging and rewarding time, with increased insect and disease issues at a time when plants are their most productive or beautiful. You’ve cared for your garden this many months, watering, fertilizing, and carefully tending to your plants’ needs—so let’s finish the summer strong. Here are a few tips to keep your garden healthy and looking its best as fall looms just [...]
I’m not the athletic sort, so forgive me for mixing metaphors when I say that we gardeners have to learn to roll with the punches when life throws us curveballs. Whatever word picture you prefer, the heat and sun we experienced late last month was a curveball we’ll talk about for a long time. As you clean up damaged plants and try to help your garden recover, here are some [...]
I don’t mean to be a complainer, but is it too much to ask for just something about 2020 to be normal? After the coolest start to summer since 2002, we’ve finally turned a corner into a good stretch of sunny, warm weather. But with so much cool, damp weather to start the season, some aspects of gardening have proven challenging and may require extra attention on your part. As [...]
Cool as it's been compared to the last few years, summer has arrived with gardens full of colorful blooms, vibrant foliage, and fresh produce. As you settle into the rhythms of the season, here are a couple plants you may wish to find a home for in your garden this summer and a few things to watch for so your flowers can continue to look their best. First, take some [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
