Thanksgiving is right around the corner and it’s not going to be what any of us imagined. But that’s ok and what we need to do right now. We’ll make it up for it next year! To be honest though, for a variety of reasons our Thanksgivings have always been small, ranging from 3-9 people … The post Thanksgiving 2020, Covid Style appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

About five years ago, I planted two varieties of raspberries, Heritage and Caroline, both everbearing types from Burpee. Not knowing how they spread, I now have some combo of them both, or even possibly just one that was hardier. Who knows? In any case, they have finally matured and have been producing an abundance of … The post I Love Raspberry Season! (and yes, you need to prune them) appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

I’ve had a lot of time during this pandemic to plan and tend to this year’s garden. I can’t say I’ve minded this part, I’ve actually really enjoyed the time to get back to basics in the garden. Like usual, I started a number of vegetables in the house from seeds and shopped for the … The post Spring 2020: Garden Roundup-Veggies appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

May freeze warning, what to do?? It’s almost Mother’s Day and if you’re somewhere in the Midwest, mid-Atlantic or Northeast, you’re in for an unpleasant weather event the next couple of days. Brrr. Have we not dealt with enough this spring? Hopefully, you’ve learned from past mistakes and haven’t planted those wonderful tender annuals and … The post It’s Going to Be Cold Tonight! appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

When I was a teenager, growing sprouts was all the rage. Then came an e. coli problem and they went away. My mom mentioned to me a few weeks back that she was growing sprouts (mostly for her chickens but that’s another story). I was a bit concerned based on my memories, but soon realized … The post Sprouts!! appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

In my last post, “Poster Child of Pollinators: Monarch Butterflies” I introduced you to the beautiful monarch butterflies that are a vital part of the ecosystem. They are necessary for the reproduction of almost all flowering plants and for the pollination of about one-third of our food plants. But pollinators, including monarchs, are also in danger … The post Milkweed for the Monarchs appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

So how can we help? Butterfly gardens, full of attractive flowers and milkweed can make a huge difference. In my next post, look for how I plant wild milkweed to create habitat for the monarchs. In the meantime, here’s me with some fun butterfly murals at the University of Michigan and the Hands On Art … The post Poster Child of Pollinators: Monarch Butterflies appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

It’s that time of year again! The 23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) is this weekend, Friday, February 14, through Monday, February 19, 2020. During this weekend, volunteers from around the world count the birds they see for at least 15 minutes, on one or more days of the count and then enter their checklists … The post 23rd Annual Great Backyard Bird Count appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

Along the back fence line we had three big spruces that afforded us privacy from the rear neighbors. But age, disease, weather and water were not their friend. After one fell down and the second came perilously close to falling down, we ended taking them out April. My previous posts, “Another Tree Toppled” and “Spruce … The post Rear Garden Refresh appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more

2019 was in “interesting” year at my house. The Good It had lots of excitement, like being picked as one of Burpee Home Gardens 2019 Gardeners of the Year! I tried a bunch of new plants in the garden. We took some wonderful vacations. But, most exciting was proudly watching my twin boys graduate from … The post Happy New Year 2020: A Look Back To 2019 appeared first on Stephi Gardens ..read more