Going Native?

Hello friends – Work has been a little hectic and Its been a few weeks since I have posted my last blog.  Inspiration struck the other day when I had posted a picture of my globe thistle (Echinops sp.) in flower on a Facebook page.  Someone posted that it was pretty but it was not…

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Freshen Up Patio Planters

In midsummer, patio plants, window boxes and other containers can get a bit bedraggled looking.  In order to help them look new and fresh again, consider the 5 R’s:   Reduce – Trim out the growth that has become scraggly.  Carefully cutting away the tissue that is wayward allows for sunlight penetration and air flow…

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Last Hurrah! – Fall Veggie Gardening

Most people think that the only time to plant a vegetable garden is May. Those people are sorely mistaken. One of the most productive seasons in the garden is fall, and even early winter.

Cicada Killer Wasps

The cicada killer wasp is one wasp that shouldn’t be feared by humans. Granted, some wasps are scary, particularly because we know their stings can be ferociously painful.  Then, too, the size of the cicada killer wasp is intimidating—the female is two inches long and the male is 1 ½ inches. These wasps, however, are…

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How About an Audit?…the Good Kind, Not the IRS Kind

  We all know someone who has gone through an IRS audit…sometimes with bad results and sometimes with not-so-bad results…but always with some complaining.  That’s not what we’re talking about here.   The good kind of audit involves setting aside an hour to check the efficiency of your sprinkler system.  Though you don’t need to,…

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Squash Vine Borer

Nothing is more frustrating than seeing the almost-ready-to-produce zucchini plant collapse.  If the base of the plant is mushy and has holes, the most likely reason is the squash vine borer. The squash vine borer adult is a ½ inch long moth that doesn’t look or act like a moth. It has an orange abdomen…

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Tis The Season!

In December, “Tis The Season” is a common phrase, referring to various holidays and the old classic song with the words – “tis the season to be jolly”.  In July, “Tis The Season” refers to watering turfgrass.   There are many take home messages in the theme of turfgrass irrigation; First, don’t worry about the…

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Blossom End Rot of Vegetables

So your zucchini has these leathery brown areas on their blossom end?  What is this and what can a gardener do about it? Blossom end rot is confusing because it looks like it’s caused by a fungus.  It isn’t a fungus.  Instead it is a lack of calcium that is the cause.  Before you rush…

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Pruning Yews – Shearing or Thinning?

Ok, so it’s time to prune yews…how do you know?  Just look at the shrub/hedge.  At this time of year, you’ll see lots of lighter color shoots at the ends of the stems.  If you want to keep the size the same, (and most of us do), now is the time.  So, how to do…

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