I’ve been weeding in my garden in the evenings, trying to get it ready for spring planting and I’ve decided that there is one weed that I hate above all others. Bindweed is the bane of my gardening existence. If you are unfortunate enough to have this weed in your yard, you know how difficult […]
Two weeks ago I wrote about the use of horticultural oils in controlling pests in your yard and garden this summer, but there is one that is deserving of a column of its own and that is neem oil. If you have searched for the perfect pesticide that is safe and non-toxic for your garden, […]
Although you may not see them, or be thinking of them right now, there are insects overwintering in your garden. A good way to nip a potential insect problem in the bud, so to speak, is with the application of a good dormant oil now. Horticultural oils have been around for many years and are […]
17
Mar
Mar
Now is the time to prune your trees and shrubs and pruning your fruit trees should be on the top of your gardening “to do” list. The best time to prune fruit trees is late winter or early spring before the blossoms open, so depending on where you live in our area, now is the […]
04
Mar
Mar
Although it doesn’t happen often here because of our high, dry, climate, sometimes you will see small gray to whitish, fuzzy patches on your houseplants. Most likely this is powdery mildew. Ideal conditions for the formation of this form of mold is when the leaves are dry, the light conditions are low, temperatures are moderate, […]
12
Apr
Apr
If you’ve been sitting on the couch watching TV all winter, then it’s time to get off the couch and plant those potatoes! Potatoes are an easy and fun crop to grow and one that is especially good if you have children because of the fun they’ll have digging in the dirt to harvest them. […]
15
Mar
Mar
This month, I want to share a sweet story. Many of you who are of a certain age remember the TV show “Happy Days” and the character of Arthur Fonzarelli, aka “The Fonz” or “Fonzie” character played by Henry Winkler. What I didn’t realize until I spotted a recent article in the Washington Post, was […]
16
Feb
Feb
If you know anything about our family, you know that there’s been a connection to NASA for a long time. My father built the tools that went to the moon on the Apollo mission that scooped up the first moon rocks. Those tools are now on display at the Smithsonian in the Air and Space […]
From the dumping we received to make it a very White Christmas, to the recent snowfall this past week, it’s been a great season for snow so far! And while anyone who lives in the West understands the necessity and importance of a good solid snow pack for the coming season’s water needs, there are […]
Poinsettia Weekend is coming up from November 27-29th and nothing screams “Christmas” like a poinsettia. Decades of hybridization have produced the wonderful variety of colors which characterize the poinsettia today and there’s one for practically every home decor. Brought to this country in 1825 from Mexico, by Ambassador Joel Poinsett, the poinsettia was originally a Mexican […]