Flowers
My friend Judy came to visit this weekend, bearing an armful of gorgeous daffodils and a touching story. When she was a little girl, growing up on a tobacco farm in eastern North Carolina, her father would always come home in early spring with a bouquet of daffodils for her mother. He passed away only a few years later, taking the secret of the early daffodils with him. Read on to find out more.
Julie M. asks, “All of a sudden, my flower garden, which is normally full of color all year, has turned green. Why aren’t my plants blooming?”
It’s so frustrating to take good care of your plants and be repaid with a lack of blooms! Here are the main reasons why and what you can do about it.
Sherry asks, “When I read about organic gardening, I see a lot of references to neem oil. What is it, and how do I use it in my garden?”
Neem oil is made from the seeds of the neem tree and is a popular choice for organic insect and disease control. Read on to find out more.
Well, here we are in late winter, and for once in the year, when asked if it’s a good time to prune, the answer is “Yes!” For many shrubs and trees, late winter/early spring is a great time to do large scale pruning and rejuvenating. Taking advantage of a rare warm day, I headed outdoors with my pruning shears in tow. What I found were the startling consequences of not practicing what I preach!
Helen asks, “Is it safe to use pre-emergent herbicides around my established bulb beds?”
The short answer is “sometimes,” because in gardening a simple question doesn’t always have a simple answer! Read on to learn more about safe weed prevention products.
Once the holidays come to an end, many of us find ourselves with a lovely assortment of poinsettias that we guiltily throw in the trash during the great post-holiday cleanup. This year, why not practice a little year-round cheer and keep your poinsettias as houseplants? Read on to find out how.
In most cases, snow is nothing to fear in the garden – it’s a great insulator, and it melts to provide much needed water to dry plants in the winter. However, heavy snow and ice buildup can cause devastating damage in the garden if limbs and trunks bend or break. Here’s what you need to know about dealing with snow and ice in the yard and garden.
Meredith asks, “My summer flowers, like vinca and petunias, tend to get leggy. If I prune them back, will they bloom again?”
Absolutely! Summer annuals keep blooming until frost. Don’t prune them too much, or it may take a few weeks for them to bloom. Read on for more.
