Share my passion for all things gardening!
I have to admit it. Watching the solitary bees coming and going from our insect hotel is addicting! We built ours last spring and some insects had found it. But it wasn’t the hub of activity that it is this year. That’s because the eggs that the Mason bees laid last year are now hatching. The females are busily laying […]
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Nothing is too good for my sweet bird friends! Here is the latest addition to the bird feeders in our garden: an Edwardian Bird Feeder from Gardener’s Supply. Isn’t it a beauty? As you can see, the birds think it’s quite wonderful. While the design is attractive, it has an extra benefit that I’m sure many of you will appreciate: this […]
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I’ve been busier than ever in the vegetable garden lately. That’s because there are plenty of cool-season crops to get into the ground. So far, I’ve got potatoes, onions and lettuce planted. In case you missed my latest video on planting lettuce, here it is. In it, I share several tips that I’ve learned over the years. Lettuce is such an […]
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This year, I’m all about attracting pollinators to my garden. And I’m hoping that’s on your to-do list as well. In my column today, I discuss why this is more important than ever. I also talk about the different types of pollinators that you want to attract and it’s not just bees! Other critters that serve as pollinators include butterflies, […]
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I just finished planting potatoes and thought you’d be interested in seeing my latest video on how to do it. This year, we’re growing ‘Viking Purple’ and ‘Yukon Gold’. I’ve grown and enjoyed ‘Yukon Gold’ for many years and have only grown ‘Viking Purple’ for 2 seasons so far but we’re very impressed with it. Despite the name, the flesh […]
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Sometimes I feel a bit guilty. I’ve got a great sunny spot for my vegetable garden. Yet I know that many of you aren’t so lucky in that regard. You might be dealing with partly shady vegetable gardens, or perhaps thinking you can’t even grow veggies in that spot. That’s not necessarily the case, however. In my garden column today, […]
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If I had a dollar for every time I’m asked about deer, I would be a wealthy gal! And I can completely relate to the folks who are asking me because it’s a frustrating topic. I know, because we’ve had deer come into our yard over the past 25 years. My husband Bill and I have tried everything, both out of […]
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As you’ve probably discovered, I’m VERY into starting my own plants from seeds! In my opinion, being successful at it requires a decent grow light set-up. It’s true that you can put your flats of seeds in a sunny window, there are two problems with this. First, seedlings need about 16 hours of light daily. That’s not feasible since our […]
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Happy Spring, everyone! Are you familiar with anthocyanins or am I making you scratch your head? They are pigments that give purple, red and blue hues to different species or varieties of plants — whether it’s in their leaves or flowers. And they’re very healthful, although scientists haven’t completely figured that part out just yet! It just so happens that […]
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When planting vegetable seeds, there are some that should be sown directly into the garden and others that do better when started indoors first. But which is which? In my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review, I take the mystery out of sowing seeds and am hoping you’ll find it really helpful. Here is a link to it: Different […]
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