Ferns, with lacy, delicate leaves look dainty and fragile. But, in reality they are hardy, sturdy, reliable perennials that thrive with little care when planted in suitable locations. Their fascinating foliage adds textural interest to gardens. While many people have a fern or two as houseplants, they also make superb additions to the outdoor landscape.

A successful garden begins and ends with good soil. The best amendment to soil is organic matter. It will improve the texture, tilth, water and nutrient retention, aeration, and fertility. When organic material decomposes, it releases nutrients, including nitrogen. This nitrogen undergoes a chemical conversion until it is in a form usable by the plant roots.

It is a rare gardener who has not seen an earwig in the landscape. These formidable-looking insects are beneficial in most cases, are not a danger to humans, and provide a valuable service to the landscape. Despite rumors to the contrary, they do not crawl into the ears of sleeping individuals to cause fevers and insanity

Perennials are plants that come back from the roots each year. They provide the landscape with an abundance of beauty through blooms and foliage. However, over time because of new growth through the root system and new shoots, perennials periodically need to be divided. It may seem like a daunting task, but understanding how, when, and why to divide will make it manageable and even enjoyable.

As cities and municipalities grow and replace agricultural land and forests, increased storm water runoff from these developed areas ends up in storm drains. The water that runs off impervious surfaces such as parking lots, sidewalks, and rooftops carries with it pollutants like fertilizers, pesticides, grass clippings, road and sidewalk salt, and animal waste. Each homeowner can mitigate that runoff by installing a simple rain garden and reduce the runoff by about twenty five percent on their property.

There has been a considerable amount of publicity about “No Mow May” and many individuals have committed to following this practice. What benefit will this offer to the environment or to beneficial insects?

Most gardeners consider soil resplendent with earthworms a good sign. Studies on agricultural soils have shown that earthworm burrows can improve soil aeration, water infiltration, relieve compaction, and make nutrients more available to plants. However, there is more to the story.

It will soon be time to head outside and back to the gardens. Now the best time to take a look at what worked and what didn’t work in the past. Plan for the future to learn how to be successful this gardening season.

Squirrels. People love them for their cute faces and adorable antics. People also abhor their marauding and pilfering ways in a precious garden. It seems that there is no in-between opinion.

There is much to appreciate about houseplants. In fact, January 10 has been deemed National Houseplant Appreciation Day. Research has proven that there are physical, emotional, and psychological benefits to having houseplants in the home. Whether it is one, or seemingly a forest, houseplants are a great way to spruce up the indoor landscape.

Does the thought of starting seeds indoors seem intimidating with the lights, trays, and threat of disease? Then skip that process and go to something much simpler: winter sowing. Winter sowing pioneered around 20 years ago in upstate New York but more and more gardeners are experimenting with it today.

To most gardeners, yarrow (Achillea) is just a timeless, beautiful perennial ornamental flower. To others, is it a bountiful beneficial herb with multiple uses. In fact, the International Herb Society has chosen yarrow as the 2024 “Herb of the Year”. In order to achieve this distinction, it had to excel in at least two of the three categories of medicinal, culinary, or decorative.

As the weather turns cooler and the season winds down, take the time to evaluate the landscape with a critical eye and do some planning for next year. Was there a location where you naturally walked from place to place and a path formed unintentionally, called a “path of destination?” Perhaps there is space between or around gardens that a path would add dimension and beauty.

Gardeners’ lives are heavily influenced by insects. Mosquitoes invade their space, Japanese beetles ravage their plants, borers bore, caterpillars chomp, stink bugs stink, and the list goes on. There are a wealth of beneficial and fascinating insects that enrich the garden world.

As a native plant that can withstand a wide variety of planting situations, red twig dogwood, with colorful winter bark, is also a feeding station for vireos, waxwings, thrushes, and other birds. It has few pests and diseases. It makes a stunning specimen plant, can serve as a privacy border, or simply a grouping in a bed.

This summer drought has been tough on many plants, trees included. Some trees have shown significant decline and die back (bare branches at the top or one side). However, there are multiple reasons for decline of trees beyond drought. Exploring those reasons can help diagnose the problem, hence develop a potential solution.

Whether it is known as bachelor button, cornflower, blue bottle, or mountain bluet as an annual or as a perennial, the beautiful, bountiful garden flowers in the species Centaurea have a spot in every landscape.

July— that summer month with Independence Day, lots of heat, little rain (even less in this drought year), plenty of pests, harvest, and time to think of planting for fall crops. Where to start?

One of the newest trends in gardening is foodscaping or edible landscaping. Or is it? The reality is that incorporating edibles into the landscape design has been around since the ancient Egyptians and Babylonians. Separating ornamental and vegetable gardens did not occur until Europeans began the practice during the Renaissance. Foodscaping is enjoying a resurgence with individuals who want to eat locally, home-grown grown food but do not have sufficient space for traditional vegetable gardens.

Spring has arrived and attention quicky turns to turf care. For some it is a never-ending exercise in frustration to try and get grass to grow in shaded areas. Perhaps it is time to make some adjustments and even think outside the box.