Phlox can liven up your property

Phlox is a highly versatile perennial with powerful blooms that can extend through much of the season. From spring-flowering, low-growing creeping phlox (Phlox subulata), to its taller, summer relative, garden phlox (Phlox paniculata), there are many cultivars with an endless variety of flower and leaf color, height and bloom time.Garden phlox’s powerful presence and rainbow of colors, from pinks, purples and blues, to reds, oranges and white, can add incredible visual impact to the late summer garden. That … (read more)

Do you ever plant your vegetable garden in the spring, and wish that you had more space to plant other crops? With careful succession planting, you can plant more with the same amount of space.Succession planting is a technique where you stagger plantings … (read more)

This season, consider incorporating flowers into your vegetable garden.Flowers can transform vegetable gardens from places of production to places of pleasure. While vegetables have a lovely variety of textures and shades of green, flowers add pops of col … (read more)

Just outside of Philadelphia is a magical garden estate in Wayne, Penn., known as Chanticleer. Built in the early 1900s, the estate’s 35 acres of rolling land and gardens are open to the public to explore for a small fee. What is unique about Chanticleer … (read more)

Do you have herbs and flowers that you dried or preserved last summer still sitting in your cupboard or freezer? If so, now is a great time to pull them out and put them to good use. Dried herbs can be used in many ways depending on their variety and flav … (read more)

Do your future self a favor, and plant spring-blooming bulbs this fall. Depending on where you live, there can be a month or more after the snow recedes in spring until we see flowers. Planting spring-flowering bulbs shortens this window and packs a ton o … (read more)

Fall brings many great things that come in beautiful shades of orange, yellow, red and brown. Pumpkins and winter squash are among the most wonderful of these. Fall’s fluctuating temperatures and the threat of frost bring challenges to growing these in yo … (read more)

As I look out at my perennial garden this time of year, it looks…tired. The Rudbeckia fulgida (Black-eyed Susan) is at its prime, but just about everything else has gone past. The weeds were difficult to contend with this year, even with proper mulching … (read more)

Now that the June-bearing strawberry season has passed, there are things that we can do now to get ready for next year’s crop. If your strawberry patch is two years old or more, after harvesting the last of your strawberries, it’s time to renovate the bed … (read more)

If you planted basil in your garden, there are a few things you can do now to ensure a good harvest. Basil is sensitive to drought, so you will need to water it often for a better crop. You can tell if the soil is dry by using a trowel or your fingers to … (read more)

It feels like we wait all year for fresh lettuce, and the window seems to close quickly. How can we maximize lettuce season?  While lettuce is easy to grow, factors like temperature impact how well it does. Understanding timing and varieties can help yiel … (read more)

Is there anything better than a fresh, home-grown cucumber? Warmed by the sun, the crisp and juicy just-picked cucumber just doesn’t compare to store-bought ones. Although cucumbers are relatively easy to grow, getting a nice crop can take some strategizi … (read more)

Planning your vegetable garden doesn’t have to be daunting. By starting with your own observations and being open to experimentation, you can develop a garden plan that takes into consideration what you have learned in previous years. First look back at w … (read more)

Did you run out of time to cut back your perennial garden in the fall? You are not alone. In the past, I have also neglected to cut my perennials back, but this year I left them in place on purpose. Leaving strong-structured perennials up over the winter … (read more)

Spending time planning your vegetable garden and thinking about what food you will produce is an excellent way to find some stability in these unsettling times. While growing our own food is an asset, as well as a source of comfort and enjoyment, I’d like … (read more)