Have you ever wondered what the best worms are for your garden? There are many benefits to having them, but which ones can give you the most benefits? This article will shed some light on our wriggly little garden friends and help you understand their benefits. In North America, we have about 180 species of earthworms, and approximately 4,000 species worldwide. They play a critical role in breaking down and decomposing plants and other organic material in our yard, garden, and compost pile. In their wake, they also leave nutrient-dense waste (called “castings”) which is second to none w ..read more

It’s about this time of year when gardeners begin to get excited about growing tomatoes. Regardless of whether the tomatoes you grow will be used in sauce, salads, or soups, the plants will require proper support. Let’s talk about some options for tomato cages! There are as many designs and material options for tomato cages as preferences for their use. Here are some things to consider about materials: Wood Wooden cages can be built or purchased and are relatively inexpensive, but the wood will eventually rot so you may get fewer years of use from this type of support. Wire Supports made ..read more

Soil blocking presents several advantages for home gardeners, making it an attractive option for those seeking efficient, sustainable, and rewarding gardening practices. Space Optimization: For home gardeners with limited space, seed blocking offers a compact and efficient way to start seeds indoors. By using soil blocks rather than traditional pots or trays, gardeners can maximize their growing area and cultivate a greater variety of plants in a smaller space. Cost-Effectiveness: While initial investment in seed-blocking equipment may be required, the long-term ..read more

 Shamrocks have long been a symbol of  Ireland and have even been considered a symbol of good luck. They are popular houseplants and fun gifts for friends and neighbors on St. Patrick’s Day. Shamrocks are easy to grow indoors if you follow these simple and easy to remember steps: Light Shamrocks prefer bright, indirect sunlight, be sure to place your plant in a window where it will receive plenty of light. Shamrocks will flower, even during winter, if they receive enough light. Each night the plant's leaflets fold up, then reopen in sunlight the following day. Fo ..read more

 Knowing the right time to prune landscape  trees and fruit trees is a key part of your yearly landscape maintenance. Late winter, at the end of the dormant season is generally the best time to prune most trees and shrubs. When pruning takes place between February and early April, the wounds on the plants are only open for a short time before new growth occurs and begins to seal them. On deciduous plants, it is also easier to see the shape of the branches when they have no leaves.  While dormant season is the best time for  pruning most plants, early bloom ..read more

Yikes! What the heck happened to my lawn over the winter? The grass is all matted down and instead of a healthy, green color, it’s turned a sickly, grayish-tan, and unnatural pink. I have a few patches in my yard, but after a little research, I learned that it is a fungus called snow mold. There are two types of snow molds: gray and pink. They each have unique characteristics, but for the average homeowner, you just need to know that they are psychrophilic (cold-loving) funguses and they thrive when snow provides a dark, humid environment. So, my snow mold problem most likely grew on my lawn ..read more

 Growing flowers and vegetables from seed gives you more choices and saves money. Here are 10 great seed catalogs to check out. Jill Staake writes for and did all the work for us. The green links are live - just click & go. While the winter wind blows, gardeners everywhere turn to seed catalogs as they dream of the spring and summer ahead. The catalogs pile up, dog-eared and tattered, as growers plan for the future. Seed catalogs offer more choices than even the largest garden centers, and growing plants from seed is a great way to save money. We’ve ..read more

 If you are trying to overwinter bulbs (includes tubers, corms, and rhizomes) such as Dahlias, Tuberose, Amaryllis, Canna Lilies, Gladiolas - now is a great time to check them to see what condition they are in. Here are the main things to check: #1 Check for Disease If bulbs are damaged in digging and not "cured" well while preparing them for storage, you can get a soft rot in them and it will spread from bulb to bulb, or tuber to tuber very fast. A fast way to check for this is to use your nose, the rot will give off a rather bad smell ..read more

What is the mystery of soil in the Treasure Valley? Actually, it isn't mysterious at all if you're willing to "dig in". With a little bit of investigation, you can learn how simple soil really is, even in the Treasure Valley. All soil consists of sand, silt and clay. "Soil texture" is the ratio of sand, silt, and clay in your soil. Soil texture can determine things like drainage, water retention and the amount of nutrients the soil can store. "Sandy loam" contains more sand. "Clay loam" has a higher content of clay. "Silty loam" contains more silt than sand or clay. You're probably ge ..read more

You probably have seen bean and alfalfa sprouts in the grocery store and thought how can I grow my own and is it hard?  The answer to these questions is yes you can grow sprouts and no it is not hard. Doesn't this sandwich look better with sprouts? The steps to growing sprouts are as follows: Step 1: Begin with choosing the right equipment.  A simple option is to have 32 oz. mason jars with screen meshed or plastic sprouting lids.  You can get the jars at your local grocery store, and online from Amazon.  You can get the lids from Amazon.  Step 2: Choose ..read more