Good news, you do not have to rake leaves! Leave the leaves. It’s better for your garden soil, plants, shrubs, lawns, and trees if you do not remove the leaves. Leaves are filled with nutrients and beneficial microbes to replenish and fertilize the soil. Why would anybody want to get rid of something so beneficial? My recommendation is simple… shred them in place with your mower or just leave the leaves. It might take a couple extra passes to chop…
The dry, warm weather of September has helped gardens continue to grow and produce nicely as long as you were able to supply needed water. Weeds, of course, are happily growing and making seeds for next year so they need to be removed and used to make fertilizer. Speaking of next year, there is a new online program to help you plan for a more sustainable landscape called Plan It Wild that I’d like to introduce below. Also, let’s remember…
Gardens are now heading into the season finale with harvests of almost everything. Dry weather has been hard on many veggies and flowers but extra mulching and watering can keep plants healthy. This is a good time of year to apply foliar compost tea and your own homemade biofertilizers (see July article). It’s also a good time to get a soil test so you know what is needed for next year. Tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, and cabbage will do well if…
Finally it’s the time of year when we can plant some things in the ground. Some seeds can go in now, most other seeds & plants need to wait for warmer days. How do we know what to plant when? In April and early May most soil is still too wet to dig unless you have raised beds. Let’s look at several ways to determine when it’s OK to plant seeds or put out transplants. Also, a few words about…
April showers bring May flowers (and muddy roads). Snow drops, crocuses, and winter aconite have been showing since the mid-March snow melt and daffodils are soon to blossom. We survived the late March ice storm and can begin early spring preparations. This means gardeners have lots to do to get the season started. Even the bees are beginning to forage for pollen and nectar. Along with early pruning and seed starting there is the necessary clean-up and garden preparations. In…
February is too early to start most seeds indoors but not too early to get ready for planting in March-April. It’s also a great time to make a few New Year Gardening Resolutions for yourself. Our growing season is too short for many plants like tomatoes, peppers, and many flowers to sow their seeds outdoors in the spring so we can get a jump start by starting them indoors and effectively extend the season. If we provide the right conditions…
Despite the winter season there’s plenty to keep a gardener occupied. If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, start by listing seeds you have leftover from last year. Look at the short list of local seed companies that I list below (or any others that you like). Browse online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out early. In this article I suggest a few winter tips and easy-to-do ideas that will make the…
Garlic is an easy crop in New England and it’s great to have something to look forward to for next year before winter arrives. You will never accept store bought garlic after you’ve had fresh garlic from your own garden. Mild temperatures have caused me to delay planting this year but now through mid-November is the time to sow your garlic, along with other bulbs for next spring. Let’s look at a few tricks to have a successful garlic crop…
September means gardens are now heading into the season finale with harvests of tomatoes, beans, squash, cukes, onions, potatoes, and peppers leading the way! Wet weather has been hard on some veggies and flowers this summer but there are some special techniques to keep plants healthy despite the saturated soils. This is a good time of year to apply foliar compost tea and your own homemade biofertilizers. It’s also a good time to get a soil test so you know…
After the welcome rains of July, gardens are in full maturity and producing an abundance of veggies, herbs, flowers, and weeds. Soon we’ll harvest 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 successful production, and the more you pick the more you get! Leaving blossoms or fruits on plants to get over-ripe or go to seed tells the plant its job is…