Summer gardens tend to be bigger, size-wise, than fall/winter gardens, so it’s normal to be looking at some empty garden space during the off-season. Here are a few basic goals for that space: Protect the soil from compaction, erosion, and nutrient loss due to hard winter rains Suppress weeds, which can still grow through our
When turning a yard into a wildlife habitat, you have plenty of aspects to work on. Here are the top five, based on the Backyard Habitat Certification Program focus areas: invasive weeds, native plants, pesticide reduction, stormwater management, and wildlife stewardship. Invasive Weeds Weeds aren't all bad -- they're just plants that are growing
Do you have a yard you wish could be MORE? It CAN! Every day, we are gratified to see people making the choice to turn their yards into lush oases for bees, butterflies...and people too. Look for this sign around town: It means that someone has done what it takes to make their yard
There’s nothing better than looking out into the garden and seeing the sheer BOUNTY of the summertime harvest. But there’s a point at which all that fresh organic produce becomes too much: too much for the table, too much for the tummy, too much for the fridge and freezer…just a bit too much. Don’t let
This is the time of year I field the most questions about watering best practices. When should I water? For how long? What equipment works best? Do I always personally have to take care of it, or can I please just automate my system? My answer tends to unfold along the following lines: 1. It depends!! (Sorry -- I know that's an annoying
If you're interested in planting "main season" crops this year, here is a chart for you! Lucky. You have SO many options...
As the rain starts to think about slacking off, it's time to to spend the first few precious sunny days (and evenings) in the garden. Some plants (peas, arugula, lettuces, kale, etc.) are already in the ground, but the majority of summer annuals need warmer weather to get started. This means that April is a
What's slimy, ravenous, and absolutely thrilled by April showers? Mmm hmm, you got it: slugs. Slugs and their garden mollusk cousins, snails, are Northwest gardeners' constant companions at this time of year. They tend to cause a lot of trouble, and a lot of grief, and our gardening lives wouldn't be the same without 'em! Here
Well, it's that time again, folks. While the weather outside is wintry, it's time to check out gardeners' eye candy, AKA seed catalogues! We still assume that most people who are checking out our website are Pacific Northwesterners. So here’s a few additions to the existing list of seed companies that are suitable for gardeners in our area:
Not surprisingly, we field a wide variety of garden-related questions on a regular basis -- everything from "what IS this plant?!" to "what should I do NOW with my garden space?" Some questions are easy to answer, and others are tricky (to say the least). And in far too many cases, the best answer is
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