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 our long, wet winter stubbornly refusing to completely yield to spring’s warmer, sunnier weather, life in the Pacific Northwest this early spring has been a challenge for those of us who wish to get started gardening. With gradually improving weather, though, now is the time to begin repairing your yard, replacing dead or heavily damaged plants, and bringing new life to your garden. First, now is the time [...]
After one of the warmest, driest summers on record last year—followed by a mild, wet winter—your lawn might need a lot of work this spring. Now is the time to get started, so here are my tips for reestablishing your yard in time for summer. First, it’s time once again to deal with moss in your lawn. I’m regularly asked when the right time is to kill moss. The fact [...]
Just a month ago, I offered a word of caution in getting too excited about spring’s arrival—barely a month into winter, it hardly seemed appropriate to offer tips for spring work around the yard. As February is now more than half over, however, and with nary a sign of real winter weather in the forecast, you’re likely starting to look around the yard for things to do. Here’s my list [...]
As we get into autumn, leaves begin to fall, temperatures drop and all things green begin to go dormant.While you may be tired of lawn care—believe me, even the most enthusiastic gardeners do!—this season is an important time to take several key steps to ensure a beautiful lawn next spring. The first step is to prevent night crawler damage. While useful in aerating your soil and a part of the [...]
Have you taken a look around your yard lately? After a couple years of unseasonably early spring weather (never mind the fact that last year then decided to go back to winter until June!), this year appears to be a little bit more normal—so far. As I write this, I can see crocuses in bloom in my neighbors’ yards and the tulips I planted last fall are beginning to [...]
Like it or not, I think it’s safe to say our summer is over. If you haven’t yet started fall cleanup in your yard, you probably will soon—and in another month or so, the last of the yard work will be complete and you can put your garden tools to rest until spring. Before you call it quits, though, there are a few items I would encourage you to add [...]
Here in the Pacific Northwest, moss is a common problem we all battle in our lawns and flower beds. On the north side of the house, in shady areas--and this year, just about all over--it's a challenge to keep up with. Especially after this year's mild, wet winter, you may find that the moss in your lawn is worse than ever. So what to do? There are a few steps [...]
An old saying says that March is “in like a lion, out like a lamb.” Well, the “lion” has certainly reared its head as the month has started! After the latest windstorms, you may have already spent some time outside cleaning up your yard. As you get started, here are some spring checklist items that are important to accomplish for a headache-free gardening season ahead. First things first: clean up [...]
I like to consider myself an optimist. To me, the glass is half full, and a typical gray day in Washington is partly sunny, not mostly cloudy. The warm weather this winter, however, leaves me cautious. While I’d like to believe that spring is here to stay, history has proven otherwise. So, as a gardener, what can you start working on outside that will satiate your desire to work in [...]
