Should I Pick Up Lawn Clippings?
Grass clippings are full of nutrients. Compost them, mulch them or let them fall between the grass blades.
Prevent Wormy Apples And Pears
Now is the time to begin protecting apples, and to a lesser extent pears, from codling moths. Codling moths lay their eggs on developing fruit. Eggs hatch into worms which bore into the fruit. Insecticides such as malathion and carbaryl (Sevin) kill the worms as they hatch. They need to ...
Apply Slug Bait Around Flowers And Vegetables
Slugs and snails are plentiful in our moist climate and can quickly devour newly planted flowers and vegetables. They hide in the soil during the daytime and feed at night. Apply slug bait around perennials and when planting new annuals and vegetables. Baits containing metaldehyde are the cheapest. Baits which ...
Don't Remove Bulb Leaves Until They Turn Brown
Those left over leaves from your daffodils, tulips and other spring flowering bulbs need to remain for a few more weeks. They are producing the food that goes into next year’s bulbs. When they start to turn yellow and brown, they have accomplished their purpose and can be removed. Some ...
Creating Colorful Flower Beds
Choosing the right combination of flower varieties and colors can make a big difference in the beauty and impact of a flower bed or border. It is important to choose flower varieties which are adapted to the amount of sun, shade and heat of the location. Although color choice is ...
Plant Annual Flowers Between Bulb Leaves
Would you like to have more color where you planted your spring blooming bulbs such as tulips and daffodils? Now is a good time to plant annual flowers such as alyssum, petunias or impatiens between the leaves. Just dig a hole with a hand trowel and space plants about a ...
Lawn Mowing Height Is Important
Lawn mowing height makes a considerable difference in lawn quality when we get into summer weather. Right now growing conditions for grass are ideal so the difference does not show. The leaf blades are the manufacturing plant of the of the grass plant. A longer leaf blade means more surface ...
What Is Natural Shrub Pruning?
Natural pruning fits the natural, informal style of Pacific Northwest landscaping. Most of us like our plants to have a natural look, rather than making them into formal balls, boxes and cones. Shearing is not the best way to prune The typical untrained home gardener and landscape maintenance technician has ...
Keep Grass Away From Tree Trunks
There are two reasons why you should not let grass grow right next to tree trunks. First, keeping a mulched circle free of grass and weeds will significantly increase the growth rate of young trees. Second, mowers and trimmers can do considerable damage to tree bark, which can stunt or ...
Flowers In Containers
Flowering baskets and tubs are becoming increasingly popular for decks, porches, and patios. I prefer larger containers such as minimum 10 inch hanging baskets and 12 inch pots and tubs. They do not dry out as quickly as smaller containers. Make sure planting containers have large holes for drainage. The ...
Hybrid Plant Varieties Are Usually More Uniform And Vigorous
Hybrid plant varieties are usually superior to normal (open pollinated) varieties.
Spray Now To Prevent Leaf Spot Diseases
Leaf spot diseases start developing in April on newly opening leaves of Rose, Photinia, Weeping Flowering Cherry, Dogwood, and Peaches. One way to reduce disease infestation is to clean up all dead leaves. Last year’s diseased leaves serve as a source for this year’s infection. Leaves of these trees and ...
Control Winter Weeds Before They Go To Seed
While we were hibernating inside this winter weeds have been merrily growing along. It is now time for some of them to produce flowers and seeds. If we remove them before the seeds mature, we will reduce next year’s weed problems. Besides they are easier to remove while they are ...
Warm And Cool Weather Vegetables
After printing the list of warm and cool weather flowers, I had a request for a list of warm and cool weather vegetables. It is much easier to remember the difference between the vegetables. All the root, leaf, and flower bud vegetables like cool weather. With the exception of peas ...
Wait To Plant Warm Weather Flowers
If we learned anything the last two springs, it was that warm weather vegetables and flowers like tomatoes and marigolds do not like cool weather. They just sit there and make very little growth until the weather warms up. It is easy to remember which vegetables are warm weather lovers. ...
Lasagna Gardening
Lasagna gardening or “sheet composting” is a no-dig, no-till method of developing a vegetable planting area which is 100 % organic matter. Cardboard or several layers of newspaper are first laid down on top of soil, grass or weedy areas. Then layers of green and brown organic material are added ...
Time To Fertilize Permanent Plants
Now is an excellent time to fertilize all the permanent plants in your garden including lawns, trees, shrubs and perennial flowers. Roots are active and will pick up the fertilizer and convert it into usable nutrients for spring leaf growth. Although there are many specialized fertilizers available, I use two ...
Early Spring Planting Time
Spring is one of the very best times to plant. The cool weather allows root systems to become established while top growth is just starting.
Early Spring Landscape Care
I like to lower my lawn mower to about an inch (usually about the second notch) the first time I mow. If the mower bogs down I will raise it a notch and then cut it at one inch about a week later. If you have moss growing in the ...
What Can I Plant Now?
I see all kinds of plants arriving in nurseries and garden stores. We don’t have to wait for official spring to begin planting in the Pacific Northwest. We don’t even have to wait for a warm, sunny day. Now is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and all kinds ...
Newer Older
