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Updated: November/18/2009
'Tis the season to plant bulbs
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The recent mild weather might lure you up on a ladder to string Christmas and Hanukkah bulbs. It is also a great time to get down on your hands and knees and take care of a few other bulbs, ones that will bloom in the spring.
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Updated: November/11/2009
Take time to review vegetable garden journal
Planting a vegetable garden in your backyard can be very rewarding - it satisfies the appetite and the urge to grow things. If you planted a small backyard farm last spring, its time to take stock of how your crops performed.
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Updated: November/04/2009
If it's fall, it must be time to mulch
I love the brilliant fall colors of my Michigan neighborhood. This is my favorite season, but autumn's beauty isn't the only reason. I like to save a few bucks whenever I can and I'm a do-it-yourselfer at heart. Fall replenishes one of the most important elements in our landscape - the soil. All of those yellow, orange, and red leaves can turn into black gold.
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Updated: October/28/2009
Fall chores await in the garden, yard
The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting longer, and the leaves are almost done showing off their bright colors. That means your quiet meandering walks in the neighborhood are getting shorter and your fall "Honey-Do" list is getting longer.
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Updated: October/21/2009
Pink garden supports fight against breast cancer
Beautiful pink peonies, hot-pink day lilies, and big pink hibiscus blossoms - they aren't just flowers, they signify a fight for life. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and the pink color of the breast cancer fight has inspired local gardeners to dig up some healing support.
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Updated: October/14/2009
Caring for hydrangea
Readers are flooding me with questions about caring for and pruning hydrangea.
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Updated: October/07/2009
When to prune? It depends on the plant
One of my favorite garden tools is my small pruner. It fits so nicely in the palm of my hand. It glides together smoothly, then pops back out, ready for another task. I feel so powerful when I have it tucked in my back pocket, even if I don't always need to pull it out to snip a stray branch out of the way.
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Updated: September/30/2009
Fall tips for a healthy lawn
You may not have a lot of flowering perennials around your yard, but you are growing the short spiky kind we all know as grass. Grass is one perennial plant most of us try to grow. Some turf gardeners can keep it thick and healthy all year long, and others just do what they can to keep the weeds from taking over.
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Updated: September/16/2009
It’s not too late to round out landscape plan
The soil is warm and temperatures are mild. It’s the perfect time to get some serious gardening done. We wait all year long for the soil to get warm enough to get seeds going. This season’s mild summer and moderately wet months have made it a bountiful year. So load up the cart at your favorite home and garden center and do some planting.
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Updated: September/09/2009
Enjoy mums' color now through fall
Ready for the fall show-offs? Chrysanthemums are starting to bush up and bud out to give your garden some color in late summer and early fall. This relative of the daisy family comes in dozens of colors and shapes, and all of them will make you smile.
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Updated: September/02/2009
Enjoy this year’s tomatoes, and plan for next season
If you don’t have huge canning pots on your stove already, I’m sure you are trying to dig them out of storage. It is time to get the tomatoes out of the garden and into jars or the freezer.
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Updated: August/26/2009
Couple inspired to plant own Victory Garden
What started out as a backyard experiment has become an obsession for one Toledo couple. Cherie Chatreau-Grifo and her husband, George Grifo, have been growing a few melons, a couple of pepper plants, and some cucumbers on the sunny side of their house for a few years, but Ms. Chatreau-Grifo finally jumped into gardening this summer.
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Updated: August/19/2009
Sweet times: Corn is ready to be picked
I don’t know about you, but sweet corn season is my second favorite time of the summer, taking a back seat only to strawberry season in June. Ohio State University says sweet corn starts to ripen by July 1 and, depending on the variety, will keep coming until frost.
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Updated: August/12/2009
Fast-growing mold drawn to moisture
What’s yellow and white and grows right before your eyes? Daisies? Nope. Yarrow? Not a chance. Sweet corn? Nice try. It’s a fungus you might see on top of your mulch. It isn’t anything you want to see growing there.
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Updated: August/05/2009
Stay vigilant on weeding, watering
We've had the luxury of a mild and wet summer so far, and your turf loves it. You may have been able to give the sprinkler some rest and enjoy some help from Mother Nature. But you can't sit back for long.
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Updated: July/29/2009
Dogs aren't your lawn's best friend
If the yellow spots in your lawn aren't from grub damage, you might try pointing a finger at man's best friend. Damage from dog urine is one of the most common lawn problems. And that's what Dave Miller of Toledo says. "My daughter is staying with us for a short period of time, and she has a dog that weighs approximately 15 pounds.
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Updated: July/22/2009
Make your yard unattractive for Japanese beetles
When you see mature Japanese beetles flying around, you know it is time to protect your lawn from their offspring. Ohio State University entomologists say Japanese beetles are the most abundant landscape pest in our region. The beetles eat your leaves and flowers. Their babies feed on the roots of your lawn.
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Updated: July/15/2009
Build your own raised bed vegetables
When you pack up and fly around the country, it is easy to miss home sweet home. The lush fields of southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio, the beautiful lakes, boat rides to the islands, walks through our parks, and white-knuckle escapes to Cedar Point.
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Updated: July/08/2009
Peas would be tasty addition to garden plans
If you have lots of sunshine and need something tall in the back of a garden border, why not consider planting peas next spring? It is best to start them as early as the last frost, or plant a quick-germinating variety later in the season before the heat of the summer sets in.
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Updated: July/01/2009
Biennials keep beauty blooming
It takes them a while to get going, but biennials will overwhelm you with lots of flowers. They make an important addition to your landscape border. Annuals will complete their life cycle in one season, but biennials will take two seasons. In the first season, the plant works on strengthening its root system, and in the second season it will produce flowers and seeds.
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Updated: June/10/2009
Plant pumpkins now for Halloween decorations later
It's the season for grilling and swimming, so you probably wouldn't be thinking about trick-or-treating and hay rides now. But if you want to have something to decorate your house or yard in the fall, you should get those pumpkin and gourd seeds in the ground soon.
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Updated: June/03/2009
Garden lessons from George Washington
Can you imagine walking through George Washington's garden at Mount Vernon? You might picture tall fountains, lush landscaping, and exotic species of every kind of plant imaginable. Not exactly.
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