Requiem for a Crabapple

I’m feeling pretty down in the dumps. We discovered last week that our favorite tree has died. It was a ‘Bechtel Improved’ crabapple and was the focal point of our backyard. As you can see by the photo below, it was stunning when it bloomed each spring and had a beautiful branching structure that rarely required pruning. Birds loved sitting […]

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Seed Orientation tip

It won’t be long before we plant our warm-season crops so I wanted to make sure you saw this video to help you get excellent germination rates. It’s all about proper seed orientation. What’s that, you say? Well, there are certain irregularly-shaped seeds that will germinate more successfully if they are planted in the correct direction. The types of seeds I’m […]

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Apr. 24 column: Growing melons

If it’s Sunday, that means it’s time for my next garden column. This one is all about growing melons. What? You think it’s impossible to grow them in this region? Well, I’m here to tell you that I’ve been doing it for years and it’s easy-peasy. I have to admit I’ve given up on growing watermelons. The large ones do […]

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Insect hotel fun

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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Planting lettuce

Planting lettuce

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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Planting potatoes

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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Apr. 3 column: Deer

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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