Ask a Master Gardener: How to grow a watermelon

There are few things as refreshing on a hot summer day as a slice of watermelon (Citrullus Lanatus). At over 90 percent water, watermelons are a tasty way to keep hydrated with an added bonus of vitamins and minerals.

Easily recognized by their sweet fragrance and cone-shaped clusters of tiny flowers, the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has been a part of America’s gardens for much of our country’s history.

Have you ever heard of the lady in the bath flower? That’s just one of the common names for bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis). If you’re wondering where that name comes from, just look at the flower upside down and … (read more)

We’re all familiar with roses (Rosa) — their fragrance, their flowers, their thorns. If you’re thinking about adding a rose (or roses) to your garden this year, it might surprise you to discover that there’s more to your choice than color. Roses come in a … (read more)

If you’re looking for a plant for your garden that will come back year after year, is easy to care for and suitable for a variety of growing conditions, coral bells (Heuchera) just might be the plant for you. It’s also known by the common names alum root … (read more)

Winter weather may be on the wane, but it will still be a while before we can get outdoors and work in the soil. Even so, there’s no reason not to enjoy fresh, homegrown herbs.

Each winter, gardeners bid farewell to their outdoor growing spaces and turn their attention to other ways to occupy their days. Magazines and seed catalogs provide inspiration, but there’s nothing like gardening indoors to satisfy your inner gardener.

You may be familiar with its name from the bottle of astringent found in your home medicine cabinet or for sale on pharmacy shelves near rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. What you may not know is that the leaves, bark and twigs from American witch ha … (read more)

The middle of winter with snow covering brick-hard, frozen ground may seem like an odd time to plan a new garden bed, but it’s the best time. If you make decisions now, you’ll be ready when the weather warms and the ground is workable.

Cold weather has arrived, and you’ve put your garden to bed for the season. That doesn’t mean you can’t garden. Just shift your focus from outdoors to in. 

Did you know that the world’s most expensive spice comes from a type of crocus? It’s true. Saffron is derived from Crocus sativus, commonly known as the “saffron crocus.”

Temperatures are dropping and it’s time to put the garden to bed. It is also a perfect opportunity to prepare for spring. What you do this fall can provide big benefits when the garden wakes up next year.

They’re the most familiar of fruits, but how much do you really know about apples?

We purchase them at the market. We dine on them in salads and sauces. Some of us indulge in the joy of growing our own at home, but how much do you really know about tomatoes?

There’s no denying they’re pretty, but did you know there are practical reasons to plant flowers among the vegetables in your garden?