Published September 05th, 2010 Right now is the best time of year to expand your home orchard. Fall planting gets you one year closer to bearing fruit than if you wait until spring. Fall weather is ideal for low-stress planting. The soil is still warm, encouraging rapid root development, while the tree itself is going …
Published May 2nd, 2010 Stores like Walmart and Lowes are getting larger and more powerful, and for good reason. It’s a convenient, and sometimes cheaper, way to shop. Big chains allow consumers to do all their shopping under one roof; plants and potting soil go into the grocery cart along with medicines, clothing, Chinese-made tools …
Published March 207th, 2010 is is the time of year to start protecting young fruit trees from deer damage. Rubbing or uprooting by bucks in the fall is a common problem. A simple way to prevent buck rub damage is to wrap a short piece of wire fencing loosely around the trunk (see photo). We’ve …
Published March 16th, 2010 It seems too early to be vegetable gardening, but experienced gardeners have their onions in the ground by St. Patrick’s Day. Onions and shamrocks are perfect together! In order to get fat onion bulbs, you need to grow big healthy tops before the days get long. That’s when the plants switch …
Published January 8th, 2010 We’ve had numerous calls from gardeners alarmed about the invasion of 17-year Cicadas, looking for a way to protect their trees and shrubs. Adult cicadas aren’t hungry, so they can’t be controlled by the usual process of poisoning the plant leaves with insecticide sprays. Disposable plastic netting with ¼” hole size …
Published January 8th, 2010 Blueberry bushes are attractive shrubs with abundant pink-tinged white blooms in spring, shiny foliage and stunning fall color. If you have a well-drained full-sun location for foundation shrubs or privacy hedge, consider using blueberry plants. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There’s even a “groundcover” blueberry ideal for …
Published January 8th, 2010 Have you ever hiked the Appalachian Trail or one like it? One of the great pleasures is to enjoy a walk in the woods and fields without having to stumble through the brush or worry about what’s underfoot. You can move quietly through nature, enjoying the wildlife around you. Those of …
Published January 8th, 2010 Local residents and visitors to Adams County in autumn are well aware of the spectacular fall foliage display we have here in our county. While New England states like Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire are well known for showy fall color with their mix of sugar maple, red maple and birch, …
Published January 8th, 2010 There’s nothing like an economic downturn to remind us of what’s really important in life. A family that can grow its own food will always weather tough times and come out stronger, the same way a plant comes back after a hard winter. Some of us are old enough to remember …
Published January 8th, 2010 I think vegetable and fruit gardening is going to become quite fashionable over the upcoming years. It’s a classic case of trends coming full circle; growing our own food is a tradition here in Adams County so suddenly we find ourselves on the leading edge. Concern over food safety, inflation pressure …