Summer
Pruning Red Raspberries
There's an unfounded rumor that raspberries are difficult to prune. This isn't true if you understand the type of raspberry in your garden. Summer-bearing raspberries produce only one harvest per year while everbearing, or fall-bearing, raspberries can produce two harvests.
The Cotinus Craze
Smoketree, the common name for the genus Cotinus, aptly describes the hazy, smoky look of the flowers sported by this fabulous plant. Best described as a deciduous large shrub or small tree, Cotinus boasts species with varying heights, unique summer flowers, outstanding fall color and low maintenance requirements, all features that can make it an excellent addition to your landscape.
Blossom End Rot
Nothing is more disheartening than grabbing a beautiful tomato only to find the entire bottom is soft, black and rotten. Blossom end rot (BER) affects tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, squash and melons.
Grasses With Gusto
Ornamental Grasses lend a unique dimension to any landscape with their texture, sound, motion and architecture. By planting ornamental grasses, you can also add multi-seasonal excitement to your landscape.
Growing and Storing Herbs
Growing herbs, whether inside or out, may be one of gardening’s most gratifying experiences. Because of their beauty and versatility, herbs may be grown amid vegetables, ornamentals or in a garden dedicated strictly to their kind.
Lyme Disease
For those of us who work and play outdoors in deer tick-infested areas, Lyme disease is a reality. If caught early, the disease is usually cured with antibiotics. If not detected and treated early, Lyme disease can be a debilitating condition that may linger for months or years.
Ladybugs: The Good Guys
Did you know that a ladybug can devour up to 50 aphids or more in a day? They also attack scale, mealybugs and leaf hopper, but not on your precious garden plants or seedlings. Invite ladybugs to your garden – they dine only on insects and won't harm your plants in any way.
Landscaping the Pond
So, you've just installed a water garden and you're wondering how to landscape around it without looking like the pond was a mistake or haphazard addition to your yard. A pond looks best if it appears to "belong" in your landscape.
Veggie Garden Tips for a Care-Free Vacation
Summer is the perfect time for vacations, but for gardeners, it can be a stressful period. Leaving your precious veggie garden unattended can lead to wilting plants, pest invasions, and missed harvests. Fear not! With some preparation, you can enjoy your vacation while ensuring your vegetable garden thrives in your absence. Here’s how: 1. Watering […]
Xeriscaping: Pros & Cons
Gus Portokalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding): “Give me a word, any word, and I show you that the root of that word is Greek.” Xeriscaping is a landscaping and gardening method designed to drastically reduce or eliminate the need for supplemental water from irrigation. Derived from the Greek word “xeros,” meaning dry, xeriscaping emphasizes […]
Surviving the Summer Heat
Even when it is sweltering outside, the garden will still require your care. Gardening in extreme temperatures has the potential to become a serious health risk if we are not careful. Understanding the potential heat-related problems and knowing how to protect yourself can ensure that your gardening remains a safe place this summer. Here are […]
Daylilies… Easy to Grow, Fun to Collect!
Few perennials can match the daylily (Hemerocallis) for versatility and durability. One of the most popular perennials, daylilies have become a collector plant for novice and experienced gardeners alike.
Fabulous Hydrangeas for Show-Stopping Summer Color
Hydrangeas and are widely acclaimed for their large, showy blossoms that lend fabulous color to gardens from mid- to late summer. Their luxuriant dark green foliage offers a striking background to their large round or smooth blossoms.
Versatile Hydrangeas
Tall or short, red, pink, purple, blue, white and shades in between, few shrubs provide the versatility of hydrangeas. Generations of gardeners have loved and designed their gardens using these showy shrubs as summer privacy screens, landscape focal points and beautiful cut flowers. Now, thanks to new hydrangea introductions, there are even more ways to use them.
A Taste of the Tropics
It only takes a few plants to cast a tropical look upon a garden. Although our gardening zone here isn't strictly tropical, it's still possible to include some tropical and tropical-looking plants in our landscapes to create a lush summer oasis that hints at a vibrant paradise.
Goji Berry (Wolfberry)
Touted by some as the "fruit from the fountain of youth" because of its high antioxidant, carotene and essential amino acids content, the goji berry, also creates a large sensation in the garden.
Buddleia: Our Beloved Butterfly Bush or Not?
Buddleia, commonly known as the butterfly bush, is a flowering shrub that has won the hearts of many a gardener and pollinator lover for a very long time. Buddleia davidii, the most commonly grown species of butterfly bush, is renowned for its vibrant summer blooms, ease of care, and ability to attract butterflies. While butterfly […]
Designing a Xeriscape Landscape
Xeriscaping is an innovative and sustainable method that conserves water while maintaining an attractive landscape. It’s perfect for homeowners looking to create beautiful, low-maintenance landscapes that thrive with minimal irrigation.Does Xeriscaping sound good to you? Let YOUR GARDEN CENTER assist you in your water-saving journey, beginning with the eight initial steps. Steps to Creating a […]
Insect-Repellent Container Gardens
Summer is all about outdoor gatherings, but irritating insects can dampen the fun. Creating an insect-repellent container garden is a simple, effective, and attractive way to keep bugs at bay while keeping you and your guests comfortable. Abundant Annoyers Any celebratory summer soiree can become a proverbial nightmare, sending attendees scattering when unwanted guests appear. […]
Zinnias for a Riot of Summer Color
With their bright, cheerful flowers, long bloom period, and easy-going nature, Zinnias are an old-fashioned and time-honored favorite in the summer garden. These vibrant annuals, native to Mexico, come in a riot of colors, a variety of forms, and a range of sizes, making them incredibly useful in an assortment of sunny summertime settings. Usage […]
Joe Pye Weed: A Native Jewel
Joe Pye Weed, known botanically as Eutrochium (formerly Eupatorium), is a perennial favorite among gardeners seeking late-season, native bloomers that also encourage a variety of pollinators. Renowned for its tall stature, attractive foliage, and clusters of mauve-pink flowers, Joe Pye Weed is a staple and a jewel in pollinator-friendly gardens. About Joe Pye Weed is […]
Supporting and Training Tomato Plants
Tomatoes are the unparalleled beloved staple of the summer veggie garden, but to get the best yield and quality, proper support and training are essential. These techniques not only help maximize fruit production but also ensure the health of the plants. Allow us to walk you through various methods to help you achieve the greatest […]
Spilling the Tea On Growing A Tea Garden
It’s the stuff dreams are made of…toiling in your backyard, planting, cultivating, picking, and drying leaves and flowers for brewing homemade herbal tea. Growing your own tea garden combines the joy of gardening with the pleasure of enjoying a variety of natural herbal teas to savor yourself or with loved ones and for gift-giving. Benefits […]
Breathtaking Blue Star
America’s ever-increasing love affair with natives has us constantly looking for the finest indigenous plants to grace the modern home landscape. One of the most breathtaking native perennials is Amsonia, commonly called Blue Star. Amsonia is a genus comprised of approximately 20 species of herbaceous perennials. These plants are characterized by their true-blue, star-shaped flowers […]
Grow Your Own Grilling Herbs
There’s nothing that tastes more like summer than anything grilled – from a prime cut steak to a juicy chicken breast to all your favorite burgers, bratwurst, and garden veggies. But to bring out the fullest flavor of a grilled menu, you need the very best herbs. Why not grow your own herbs for the […]
Fourth of July Porch Pots
A porch pot can be a beautiful accent to any entryway, and with a bit of patriotic flair, you can easily style a Fourth of July porch pot as a decorative highlight for all your summer festivities. By carefully designing the pot and the plants it showcases, it can burst into festive glory just in […]
Tent Caterpillars
"Ugly" "disgusting" "gross" and "creepy" are just a few things gardeners say when they see tent caterpillars. Not only are they visually unattractive, but the hundreds of caterpillars within a tent can defoliate a shrub or tree in a matter of days. Fortunately, the attack is seldom fatal.
Garden Accents
Landscape accents have become increasingly popular as many of us have discovered the joys of outdoor living. Used creatively, accents can turn your garden into a magical wonderland. This summer, we invite you to view our many new and exciting garden accent product lines, including popular items such as...
What to Do During a Drought
Dire warnings about drought conditions can worry even experienced gardeners, but there are easy ways to save water and save your trees, flowers, vegetable patches, herb gardens and decorative landscaping at the same time.
Gussy Up the Veggie Garden
A vegetable garden is the ultimate in practical landscaping, and a thriving veggie patch can not only be a bountiful supplement to a grocery budget, but also an enjoyable hobby and great exercise as you sow seeds, nurture plants and take up your delicious harvest. One thing a vegetable garden does not need to be, […]
The Cottage Garden
English in origin, the primary function of the cottage garden was for growing vegetables, fruit and herbs for the home. Most herbs were used for medicinal purposes while the vegetables and fruit were a food source.
Basil: King of the Herbs
It's edible, a member of the mint family and ornamental. Grown for over 5,000 years, it flavors foods around the world and is well-known in many household kitchens... Have you guessed yet?
Shrubs for Summer Color
Many gardeners assume that the brightest flowers are only seen in spring, but there are many stunning shrubs that have great color all through the summer. Some feature outstanding blooms while others have equally showy foliage and can brighten up any yard. But which will look best in your yard?