Transplant Time is Here, Are Your Plants Ready?

Transplant Time is Here, Are Your Plants Ready?

The beginning of June brings better gardening weather, what a welcome change!  Although it’s been a bit dry for Vermont spring, recent rains have created a great time to get some plants into their outdoor homes for the summer.  Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, onions, and more salad greens can move out now but it’s still a little early for heat loving plants like basil, tomatoes, beans, cucumbers, squash, okra, & peppers.  Annual flowers like geraniums, petunias, marigolds, nasturtiums, and sweet peas…

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Spring Planting

Spring Planting

Sunny, warmer days make the garden real in mid-May.  While there are many garden plants that can be seeded outdoors now, don’t be tempted to start working your soil if it is still wet.  If you insist on tilling your garden it is very important to wait until the soil has drained and dried enough to be crumbly, not gooey or sticky.  I do not till my garden soil because it’s a very damaging & unnecessary practice.  If you have…

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Enjoy Gardening More with Raised Beds

Enjoy Gardening More with Raised Beds

There are so many advantages to growing in raised beds we really should consider them for any garden.  Whether you are beginning a new garden or wish to improve an established garden, raised beds will make your garden more productive, more convenient, and are less work in the long run (no tilling, ever!). Furthermore, raised beds do very well in the hilly, rocky, weedy, cool, wet, northern New England conditions.  Let’s look at the specific benefits and explore a couple…

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When to Plant?

When to Plant?

We’re finally getting to the time of year when we can plant some things into the ground. Some things can go in early, other things need to wait for warmer days.  How do we know what to plant when?  Most soil is still too wet to dig or till unless you have raised beds. This week let’s look at several ways to help determine when it’s best to plant seeds or put out transplants. Frost Free Dates.  Most plants can’t…

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Garden Choices

Garden Choices

April is National Garden Month so I’d like to write about starting a garden and the planning and choices that requires.  Most basically “What should I grow?” depends on what you want to eat or to see in your yard, and the kind of work you can do.  Soil & climate conditions in Vermont place some limits on our choices too.  No bananas, oranges, or mangoes, but we do have a wide selection of great fruits, vegetables, and flowers that…

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Start Your Gardens!

Start Your Gardens!

Despite this week’s chilly nights, spring is officially here and gardening season has begun!  New birds and wildflowers are appearing almost daily while rhubarb and daffodils have come to life.  The previous article described some early pruning and fruit tree protection techniques that should be done and it’s still a good time for those important tasks.  In this week’s topic, starting your own garden plants from seed assures you get better varieties and it’s very satisfying to grow your own…

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Mud Season Gardening

Mud Season Gardening

The deep snow has been replaced by slippery mud, a sure sign that spring is here!  The sun shines a bit brighter and longer every day now, making our gardens irresistible on warmer days.  But beware, don’t be tempted to get too ambitious just yet.  Hidden deep in all that messy leaf litter in your gardens are many overwintering beneficial insects that need a little more time to wake up and get to work.  Let them have this time and…

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Winter Garden Tips

Winter Garden Tips

This is really a traditional winter in Vermont with plenty of beautiful snow, cold nighttime temperatures, and little to do for the garden except dream and plan.  Not exactly! There’s plenty to keep a good gardener busy.  If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, that is your #1 priority!  This week I offer a collection of short winter tips and easy-to-do ideas that will prove useful and make the coming garden season a little more productive.  If you really…

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Garden Planning: First Seeds

Garden Planning: First Seeds

What could be more fun than picking out your veggies, flowers, and herbs for the new gardening year?  There may be no better way to overcome the mid-winter doldrums than to imagine your next garden and decide what to grow this year! You probably already have some old reliables in mind but how about trying some different varieties and some completely new plants to add some adventure to the season.  Despite the calendar, now is the time to get your…

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A New Year – A New Garden!

A New Year – A New Garden!

The good news is that the days are getting longer!  In mid-winter we gain just over 2 minutes of daylight every day.  Slow but sure, spring in coming.  The other sure sign that spring is coming is the arrival of new seed catalogs. This is a great time of year to begin planning for your new gardening season.  In this last article for 2020 let’s begin thinking about preparations for 2021 with deciding what to plant and some tips about…

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