Grow Fresh Herbs in a Sunny Window
Fresh herbs can be grown from seed in a sunny window. You could be picking them right now if you had thought to plant 2 months ago. However, if you sow seed now you could be harvesting by early March....
View ArticleRose Pruning
January and February are ideal months to prune roses. Old dormant growth needs to be trimmed back to stimulate robust new growth. Make pruning cuts just above a bud. Rose pruning is not difficult. The...
View ArticleNew All-America Award winning Flowers
Three new flowers have won coveted All-America Selections awards for 2013. All three should grow well in the Pacific Northwest. A new coneflower mixture (Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’) brings a new...
View ArticleThree New Vegetables win All-America Awards
Three new vegetables have received awards for 2013 from All-America Selections. ‘Melomon’ is the name of a new hybrid melon which is earlier than other honeydew melons. Small round greenish-yellow...
View ArticleGood Time to Prune Fruit Trees
February and March is an excellent time to prune fruit trees. Yearly pruning is important in developing fruit trees which produce fruit where is easily harvested. For many fruit trees and additional...
View ArticleStart Plants Inside with Grow Lights
It is not hard to start your own plants inside if you have a greenhouse or have some grow lights. Although it is possible to start a few plants in a south-facing window, you really need some...
View ArticleOrganic Gardening is Thriving
Organic gardening is expanding and becoming more popular as more and more organic approaches are available. The essence of organic gardening is to use natural, organic materials rather than chemicals...
View ArticleApply Dormant Oil to Reduce Insect Pests
Damage from many leaf feeding insects can be reduced by applying a dormant oil spray to the bark of trees and shrubs during the winter dormant season. The caterpillars you refer to are the larval...
View ArticleSpring Shrub Pruning
Question: I have shrubs which have become overgrown and need to be pruned. I have been told there are some shrubs which should not be pruned in the spring. What can I prune now? Answer: Early spring...
View ArticleReplacing overgrown shrubs
Question: I recently bought a home with a mature landscape that I do not like. The shrubs have been sheared so they are all round balls or boxy hedges. Some have lost their leaves at the bottom and...
View ArticleReduce the size of overgrown shrubs
Question: In your recent column about overgrown shrubs why didn’t you address the man’s question? He was asking if he could restore the shape of topiary, not asking about replacing shrubs. Answer: I...
View ArticlePlant Vegetables From Seed
In recent years the trend has been to plant vegetables from started plants. That is a fine way to plant many vegetables. However, you can save money and often have just as good or better results...
View ArticlePerennial Flowers with a long blooming period
Question: In your recent newsletter you mention perennial flowers with a long bloom period. Could you share the names of some of your favorites? Answer: Some of my readers have discovered that there is...
View ArticleFlowers for Containers
We are now just past our average last frost date, so we can plant just about anything. In selecting flowers for containers, check labels for sun and shade requirements. Most sun loving flowers need a...
View ArticleIs It Safe to Plant Tomatoes Now?
Question: Is it safe to plant my tomatoes and other vegetables now? Answer: The average last frost date for Vancouver is April 17. We had frost in many areas on that morning. Although we are unlikely...
View ArticleFrost can be much later in outlying areas
In response to my recent post, “Is it safe to plant my tomatoes?”, Julien Nelson responded: Problem; You say “now that the frost is over” WRONG Check with your paper’s Pat Timm. . Sorry but I have...
View ArticleWatch out for slug damage on newly planted flowers and vegetables
Question: Slugs damaged a lot of my flowers and vegetables last year right after I planted them. They also riddled my Hostas. Would it be helpful to control them before planting? Are there controls...
View ArticleRaise Mowing Height, Lawn Renovation
The best height for mowing most lawns is 2 to 3 inches. Grass mowed shorter than 1½ inches has a shallow root system which is subject to drought stress. You actually have to mow less often if you...
View ArticleKeep Planting Flowers
I have had an amazing experience this spring planting colorful flowers. It has brought so much joy for me and those I have helped. And there is still plenty of time to plant more flowers. There has...
View ArticlePreventing Weeds
The first thing I have to tell you about weed preventers is THE BEST ONES ARE CHEMICALS! Ooh that ugly word. But there is at least one natural weed preventer which is not a chemical. There are several...
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