Is Your Favorite Tomato or Pepper an Heirloom? Vegetable plants can be either “heirloom” or “hybrid”. During the gardening season, we often hear about “heirloom” vegetables, and many of the tomatoes and peppers we personally buy are “heirloom” varieties. But what exactly is an heirloom vegetable, and why is it more desirable than a “hybrid” …
Landscape for the Way You Really Live How about trading your “necklace” for a new den? Sounds silly, and maybe you don’t even own a necklace. But we’ll bet you’ve gone to a lot of trouble adorning your house with a “necklace” of foundation shrubs so it’ll look good to the neighbors. We’d like to …
Planters, Pots and Containers Part 1 Most home gardeners agree that perennials are less trouble than annual bedding plants, because “they come back every year so you don’t have to plant them again and again”. We agree with this sentiment, however very few perennials provide all-season color, so the best flower gardens have both annuals …
Perennial Asparagus is an Investment As I write this it’s Mother’s Day Sunday, and this morning I was delighted to see some fat asparagus stalks ready for harvest in our asparagus patch! Many years ago we built a raised bed specifically for asparagus, and now we’re getting a dependable crop. Our bed is circular, with …
Landscaping with Ornamental Grasses Ornamental grasses make excellent screen plants to hide unsightly propane tanks and air conditioners, or for privacy around patios and decks. They develop faster than shrubs. Professional designers mix a variety of grasses with perennial flowers and woody plants, sometimes massing them for showy effects. Grasses range in size from tiny …
Willows Want It Wet! You don’t have to be a tree expert to recognize a “Weeping Willow” tree. Native to China, Salix babylonica, commonly called weeping willow or Babylon weeping willow, is a medium to large shade tree with a stout trunk topped by a graceful broad, rounded crown of branches that sweep downward to …
Showy Magnolias Aren’t Fussy About Clay Soil At this time of year, Magnolias are putting on a show. If you’re looking for a showy flowering tree that’s not too large but grows fast, consider the Magnolia! There are some gorgeous Magnolia hybrids that work well in clay soil, making Magnolias a better choice for most …
Windbreak Plantings – How and Why Cool, windy days remind us how useful windbreak trees are. Effective windbreak plantings save energy dollars, paying for themselves many times over the years. They also make our lives easier and our homes more comfortable. Most people think of windbreaks as single rows of trees, closely spaced along property …
Geotextiles Are you tired of fixing potholes and washouts in your gravel driveway? Is your paver patio settling into the ground? Do you have a sagging, collapsing retaining wall? These problems can have one thing in common; they were installed without using any “geotextile” fabrics or “geogrids”. Geotextiles are high-strength fabrics used to restrict the …
Living With a Backyard Greenhouse Have you ever considered having a home greenhouse? It’s certainly an appealing thought. Perhaps you could start your vegetable garden and bedding plants extra early from seed, saving money and getting the jump on the gardening season. In your wildest dreams you could over-winter delicate plants, or get extra years …