Once the Holidays have passed some thoughts turn to garden plans. There may be no better way to overcome the mid-winter doldrums than to imagine your next garden and decide what new things to grow this year. Despite the calendar, now is the time to get your plans and seeds organized so you’ll be ready when spring arrives. Seed catalogues have already been arriving and it’s not too early to make your selections before the best varieties sell out. …
Here we are… winter in Vermont with beautiful snow, cold nighttime temperatures, but there’s still plenty to keep a good gardener busy. If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, that is your #1 priority! Look at the short list of local seed companies that I list in the full article (or any others that you like) and you can browse their online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out first. In this article…
Like it or not, the gardening season in the Green Mountains has ended, mostly. Before our thoughts turn completely to the holiday season there are a few tasks worth attending to before we’re totally snowed in. There are also a couple easy tips to help keep your Christmas tree green and fresh longer. Christmas tree health. I can offer two simple tips that will help your tree stay green and hold its needles longer: 1) Just before placing your tree…
Leaves made the Green Mountains green all summer and now provide the great beauty of autumn across the Vermont landscape. Nature is now releasing leaves from the trees to add fertility and build soil. The key is to convert those rich leaves into compost, not remove them as is often the misguided custom. The second message this week is about the great importance of water to plants heading into winter. This article is all about not raking leaves and how…
Autumn has officially begun and frost isn’t far away. Gardens are already showing signs of leaf loss on squash, cukes, peppers, tomatoes, and basil. These are among the most susceptible plants. Good News, there are a few easy precautions we can take to protect our favorite plants and extend the gardening season to get a little more out of our summer efforts. It’s also the best time to begin improving the soil for next year’s garden so let’s look at…
Plant Health & Seed Saving Recent rains have been welcome but have promoted plant diseases, weeds, and some pests. As harvesting of onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and other vegetables continues it’s important to apply sanitation practices to limit damage to our hard-earned harvests. Also, while harvesting veggies, herbs, and flowers is the best part of gardening, don’t overlook another valuable crop you have and might want to harvest… seeds for next year. The easiest seeds to save include peas, beans, heirloom…
Rain or shine, our gardens are now heading into the home stretch with tomatoes, beans, squash, and peppers leading the way! Dry weather has been tough on some veggies and flowers this summer, so mulch and extra watering is required. Good news is that weeds grow slower and the lawn needs less mowing! Tomatoes and peppers are really sub-tropical plants and don’t know that winter is coming so they are still trying to grow. We know better and there are…
Despite the lack of rain, it’s great to see your garden in full maturity and producing an abundance of veggies, herbs, flowers, and soon to be harvested potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and more. It’s the reward that a hard-working gardener deserves and should enjoy this time of year. Proper harvesting is key to good production, the more you pick the more you get! Leaving fruits on plants to get over-ripe or go to seed tells the plants its job is…
We are in peak garden season and there’s a lot happening out there. The dry weeks of July have made two practices essential: watering and mulching. While you enjoy some satisfying harvests and flowers, stay alert to new pests showing up now to prevent serious damage. There are some more things that can be planted now too. Garlic harvest is almost here so let’s look at the best way to harvest, cure, and select next year’s crop. Weeds are growing…
Garden planting and transplanting is now in full swing and everything we want to grow can be planted out including favorites like tomato & pepper plants, squashes, potatoes, onion sets, broccoli, herbs, or greens. But one question remains, which plants make good garden companions with each other, and which do not? Plants affect their neighbors and the soil around them so we should try to place compatible or non-competitive plants near each other when possible. A similar principle applies when…