After the welcome rains of July, gardens are in full maturity and producing an abundance of veggies, herbs, flowers, and weeds.  Soon we’ll harvest potatoes, onions, carrots, beets, and more.  It’s the reward that a hard-working gardener deserves and should enjoy this time of year.  Proper harvesting is key to successful production, and the more you pick the more you get!  Leaving blossoms or fruits on plants to get over-ripe or go to seed tells the plant its job is... Read More Read More The post August Gardening appeared first on Vermont Home Gardener ..read more

This is the time of peak flowers and rapidly growing veggies along with weeds and bugs.  It’s the best of gardening and time to enjoy all our work coming into fruition. We also have work to do. Regular weeding, watching for inevitable pests (bugs & critters) but also early harvests have begun, and succession plantings can start. Weeds are simply taking advantage of our good preparations and space.  They are not really “bad” plants but are just unwanted volunteers in... Read More Read More The post Joys of July appeared first on Vermont Home Gardener ..read more

Sunny, warmer days make the garden real in May.  While there are many garden plants that can be seeded outdoors now, don’t be tempted to start working your soil if it is still wet.  If you insist on tilling your garden it is very important to wait until the soil has drained and dried enough to be crumbly, not gooey or sticky.  I do not till my garden soil at all because tilling is very damaging to soil & unnecessary.  If you have raised beds (see previous article) you can get started sooner because of better drainage, warmer soils & no tilling is needed.  Let’s ..read more

This is the time of year when we can plant some things in the ground.  Some seeds can go in early, other seeds & plants need to wait for warmer days.  How do we know what to plant when?  In April and early May most soil is still too wet to dig or till unless you have raised beds.  Let’s look at several ways to determine when it’s OK to plant seeds or put out transplants.  Also, a few words about the benefits of not mowing lawns in May and what good are wasps. Frost Free Dates.  Climate change has affected our growing season but we still need to pay attention t ..read more

As March begins, we can’t be sure if it’s going to snow or rain but there are garden tasks for us to do.  Snow has buried any sprouts peeking up from the ground but the good news is that the snow means more water availability come spring.  As the days get longer there are indoor and outdoor garden preparations we can be doing now, including planting, pruning, and feeding! If you haven’t yet pruned your fruit trees (apples, pears, cherries, etc.) use a mild day to get that pruning done before the trees break dormancy and buds swell.  Basic pruning is the removal of dead, diseased ..read more

February is too early to start most seeds indoors but not too early to get organized and ready for planting in March-April.  Our growing season is too short for many plants like tomatoes, peppers, and many flowers to sow their seeds outdoors in the spring so we can get a jump start by starting them indoors and effectively extend the season. If we provide the right conditions of soil, light, and temperature our favorite plants can be ready to transplant in spring.  Buying our own seeds also lets us select the best varieties for local conditions (not what commercial sellers do!) and to ..read more

Despite the winter season there’s plenty to keep a gardener occupied.  If you haven’t ordered your garden seeds yet, start by listing seeds leftover from last year.   Then look at the short list of local seed companies that I list below (or any others that you like).  Browse online catalogs from the comfort of home. Don’t delay, the best varieties sell out early.  In this article I suggest a few winter tips and easy-to-do ideas that will make the coming garden season more productive.  If you can’t wait and want to grow something in mid-winter, consider micro-green ..read more

The 2024 gardening season has begun with the arrival of new seed catalogs!  Mid-winter is the ideal time to take inventory of what happened in 2023, which seeds will be needed and begin preparations for the next gardening season.  It’s also important to take care of indoor plants and get started with early pruning of woody plants when we have an occasional nice winter day.  Here are some details… Got seeds?  Before ordering new seeds, I like to check my inventory of leftovers that can be used.  Generally, seeds that are 1 or 2 years old will be fine this year so make a ..read more

Here are three simple tips that will help your Christmas tree stay green and hold its needles longer:  1)  Just before placing your tree in the stand, cut off 2 inches from the trunk bottom so there is a fresh wood exposed to submerge in the water.  If the cut surface has dried out after being cut it can no longer take up water. 2)  Always refill the stand reservoir with clean warm water through the holidays.  All cut plants & flowers take up warm water much better than cold water. 3)  Do not place any fresh fruit like bananas, apples, or pears in the same roo ..read more

Trees made the Green Mountains green all summer and now provide the beauty of autumn across the Vermont landscape.  Nature is now releasing them from their trees to add fertility and build soil.  We should convert those rich leaves into compost, not remove them as is often the misguided custom.  This message is all about not raking leaves and how to enrich your soil with your own compost. Since the first green buds of spring, tree roots have been pulling up essential minerals from deep in the earth to feed their growth and productivity.  Those nutrient minerals (calcium, ir ..read more