Gardening Advice

Many trees and plants were traditionally important to the celebration of the winter solstice. Think evergreens, yew, oak, mistletoe, holly, rosemary, pine, and ivy. Learn more about their symbolic meanings.The Solstice Signals a Return of LightAfter the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, the days will start to get longer again. But as the old adage says, “When the…

Have you decked the halls yet? Go natural this Christmas! It’s time for nature’s greenery to make a comeback. Look no further than your backyard and garden for a ready source of interesting foliage, berries, dried flower heads, and seedpods. Discover our ideas, straight from nature!If you don’t think it’s worth the effort, check prices online and you’ll find that the…

If you are blessed with a garden that gets full sun, rejoice! Your place is perfect for perennial flowers that thrive in sunny spots. I’ve narrowed my list down to 20 favorites, with an eye toward American natives, which are perfect for supporting pollinators. Take a look and tell me what you think. What is a “Full Sun Perennial”?Let’s start with the definition of “perennials.”…

Winter can be a season of extremes, but there are a few things that you can do to prepare and protect your shrubs and trees, such as wrapping a shrub in burlap. Learn more.How to Protect Shrubs and Trees in WinterWrapping Trees and ShrubsThe weight of snow and ice can be crushing, breaking branches, and even knocking over some top-heavy trees. Trees with multiple leaders, clump…

Bees, wasps, and hornets may look alike and belong to the same order of insects, Hymenoptera, but they are different insects. How can you distinguish between a hornet vs wasp and a bee? The words hornet and wasp are all too often used interchangeably, but there will be no need to do that after you’ve learnt all about their key differences in this article. The biggest…

Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Of all the plants used in Christmas décor, few have as long and as interesting a history as mistletoe. Discover the meaning of mistletoe and the fascinating folklore behind it.First of All, What Is Mistletoe?With evergreen leaves, yellow flowers, and white berries, large clumps of mistletoe are usually observed growing high in…

How did a tropical plant become an unlikely symbol of the Christmas holiday? The history of the poinsettia, as it relates to Christmas, begins with an old Mexican legend and, later, a prominent American business venture. Discover the legend of the poinsettia!You say poin-set-ee-uh, I say poin-set-uh—but let’s call the whole thing off because the name of the ubiquitous holiday plant can be…

These days, many of us find our Christmas trees at a garden supply store or a local church, selling them as a fundraiser. Ever wonder where they get the trees? Christmas tree farms, of course! But it’s not always easy. Growing Christmas trees is similar to producing any other agricultural crop. It’s a serious business that requires a lot of hard work that lasts years! Learn more about…

We love fall gardening! The heat is waning, but the soil is still warm. There are just three steps to consider in planting a fall garden: when to plant, what to plant, and where to plant. Let’s get started!Why Plant a Fall GardenFall gardening is much less stressful for many crops, shrubs, trees, and perennials. There are fewer weeds and pests, and it’s often rainier, so there is less…

Every garden should be graced by beautiful lilies. Fortunately, there is a lily in almost every color, shape, and size, and the bulbs are easy to plant. Here are our eight favorite types of lilies with photos to help you identify and choose. The first question is, “What is a true lily?” What is a True Lily?Many of the plants we call lilies, such as lily-of-the-valley, calla lilies,…

Bone meal is one of the best, most readily available sources of fertilizer for your plants. Discover its benefits for plant growth and how properly to use it in your garden.Blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, fish meal, kelp meal, soybean meal … The fertilizer at your local garden center is full of choices—often too many choices! Let’s talk about bone meal, which provides phosphorus, one of…

There is a lot of buzz out there about sterilizing the soil you use for starting your seedlings and potting them up, especially if you are reusing old soil. See how to sterilize soil in the oven, microwave, or pressure cooker. But let’s also ask ourselves, is this really necessary?Soil can harbor diseases, insect pests, and also weed seeds. If you purchase new potting soil, it’s considered…