June: Make the Most of Your Vegetable Garden

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For maximum productivity, employ successive sowing. Early season lettuce, mixed greens, spinach, turnips, beets and radishes can be sown every 2-3 weeks for a constant supply. As the weather warms up, replace the early crops with others. For example, once…

June: Stake Floppy Perennials

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Delphiniums, lilies and even big flowering peonies, have a tendency to flop over and require support. It’s best to provide it as early as possible, before the plant becomes too big. Simple bamboo or plastic-coated metal stakes and grids are…

June: Bulb Foliage

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Spring blooming bulb foliage should never be cut off.  Allow the foliage to wither and die back naturally.  The foliage is necessary to build up the store of food in the bulb for next year’s blooms.  And please – do…

June: Welcome a Toad to Your Garden

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Toads are great garden helpers, eating thousands of insects. To attract them, provide the right environment. Toads are amphibious, needing access to a shallow pond when breeding and enjoying a moist environment all the time. Near the pond, place logs,…

June: Taking Indoor Plants Outside

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Indoor plants can be put outside for the summer but remember that the outdoor conditions differ greatly from indoors.  The light is much stronger; there is more wind; outdoor temperatures are more varied.  Acclimatize them gradually for a few days…

June: Mulch Your Beds

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When the soil has warmed, add a 5-8 cm layer of organic mulch to combat weeds, retain soil moisture and improve the soil. To prevent fungal disease, keep mulch away from crowns of perennials, stems of shrubs and trunks of…

June: Pinching the Candles on Mugo Pines

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The various forms of mugo pines will develop new growth tips called candles.  These candles appear in late May and must be pruned back by one half to two thirds each spring to keep the shrub compact and dense.  This…

May: Carrots and Parsnips

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Carrot and parsnip seeds need a moist seed bed for good germination.  Cover the seed bed with burlap to help retain the moisture.  Always water the seedbed with a very gentle spray so that the seeds are not disturbed.  Remove…

May: Grass Clippings

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Leave grass clippings on your lawn as they are a natural source of nitrogen for the grass.  If your clippings are unusually heavy, spread them out rather than leaving them in a pile or windrow.…