Pumpkins are everywhere and people are picking out their costumes. Fall is in full swing but there’s one part of summer that’s still hanging on: ticks. Our warm autumn weather means that ticks like the American Dog Tick, Deer Ticks, Black Legged Ticks, and the Lone Star Tick are still active and even breeding. Tick… Read more »
Fall may seem like the end of the planting season but for container-packaged roses, it can be a great time of year to start planting. Early spring is better for planting if you have bare root rose bushes, but there is enough time for planting a potted rose in fall to ensure that your newly… Read more »
With summer coming to an end, and the temperatures dropping, it’s time to think about reseeding your lawn. Mid-August through September is the best time to re-seed an existing lawn and fill in those bare spots and small areas of dead grass. For cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky Bluegrass, early to mid-September is the sweet… Read more »
About every three years or so iris plants need to be divided, otherwise, they risk overcrowding and disease. The blooms will also suffer if they are not divided enough. The best time to divide bearded irises is from July through September, at least 6 weeks before the first frost. Iris plants grow not from bulbs… Read more »
Every summer it seems to appear; white, powdery spots all over the leaves and stems of your vegetables. While it is rarely fatal, it can weaken susceptible plants and reduce vegetable and flower production. So what is that stuff exactly? Powdery mildew is one of the most widespread fungal diseases of plants, and also one… Read more »
As you move your tropical plants outside for the summer, you may find yourself wondering if it’s time to repot a few of them. There are several reasons to repot your plants. Sometimes, you just want to switch up your decor and put it in a new pot, and sometimes you may be concerned that… Read more »
This May, all across the Eastern United States, a very special event will occur. Brood X periodical cicadas—a 17-year species of cicadas—will emerge. These insects have now spent 17 years underground feeding on tree roots and waiting for the soil to warm to just the right temperature. Historically, the emergence of these insects has been… Read more »
Now that winter is finally over and the weather is turning warmer, it’s time to get your garden ready for planting. Robust plant growth isn’t an accident. Proper soil preparation is needed to ensure that vegetable gardens and flower gardens are productive as possible. The first step toward planting a garden, if you are planting… Read more »
Now that March is here the real work in your garden can begin. This month your garden comes alive with the end of snow and sleet, and the coming of warm weather. Early spring is the perfect time to get annual and vegetable seeds started indoors. Veggies—such as tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, eggplants, melons, zucchini, basil,… Read more »
While it may seem counterintuitive, winter can be a great time to plant bulbs. The bulbs you buy now are in a state of dormancy and, when planted properly, will not suffer damage from spending time in the ground over the winter. In fact, they may actually benefit from the chill. Many early spring flowers… Read more »