Gardening Tips
The Helpful Gardener brings the pleasure of gardening to your home. Here
you will find our gardening
tips articles collected in one spot. Check back often because we are
constantly adding new articles.
It is that time of year when gardeners face the inevitable; the season
is closing down and it’s time to clean and prep those tools for
a winter rest. It is also the time when we begin to turn our thoughts
to procuring gifts for friends and family for the holidays. This raises
two intriguing questions. First, what is Scott rambling on about now?
Secondly, how can he possibly link these two incongruous points? Read
more
While the industry and many experts have touted fall as an exceptional
time for planting many of you out there remain unconvinced. I am not talking
about waiting until after the last of the turkey is consumed at Thanksgiving
dinner to plant your entire garden bed for next year, but certain plants
do very well (actually better) planted in fall, so let’s find out
what garden planting can be done now to avoid clogging the planting schedule
in spring and to establish your new plant BEFORE growing season begins.
Read
more
One of the chores that befall every gardener, often several times a year,
is the laborious task of mulching. While many of us view this as an odious
task best ranked with mucking stables or raking leaves (I rank these two
very closely), I view this mission as my way of helping Mother Nature
herself improve my garden. In my mind there is no better way to change
the soil in your garden than mulching; not raining fertilizer and chemicals
upon it, not amending soil, and no, especially not plowing, tilling, or
cultivating. Mulching is the finest thing you can do for a garden bed
and I will use the rest of this space to put to rest any doubts you may
have as to the veracity of that statement... Read
more
Summer is a time of beauty and abundance in the garden. It’s also
a busy time for the gardener, full of chores that are necessary to care
for and maintain the health of your plants. Listed below are some of the
core tasks of the season to help you prioritize your workload... read
more
Every season brings a different set of chores in the garden. Spring is
an exciting time for gardeners as preparations are made for the bounty
and beauty of the garden as it awakes from winter hibernation. It can
also, however, be a bit overwhelming to know how to prioritize your gardening
time at this time of year. Here is a helpful list of chores that should
be tended to in the spring... read
more
Just because the trees are bare and there is snow on the ground doesn't
mean that your garden has to become a winter wasteland. A well-planned
winter garden will provide year-round interest and visual treats. Many
evergreens and hardy ornamental grasses can be quite stunning in the colder
months. Just follow these tips... read
more
If design books are the brains of my garden book collection, then the
beating heart of it all must be the plant compendiums. These are the ones
I check to make sure I’m putting the right plant in the right place.
Sure that Arctic Ice azalea is a gorgeous plant, but how will it do on
a windy bank in full sun? Years of doing this have given me a working
knowledge of a lot of plant material, but I have yet to meet anyone who
keeps an encyclopedic list in their head of every plant known to man (okay,
one, but Paul Larson is an exception). read
more
Starting your own compost bin will not only provide beneficial results
for your garden, but it is also good for the environment. Composting breaks
down waste materials from your garden and kitchen into a nutrient-rich,
dark, soil-like matter that can be used to amend your soil... read
more
A BOOKWORM HITS THE GARDEN
Gardening books that will help you become a better gardener
So much of gardening is about how you plan, work and maintain your garden.
It's not really a matter of how hard you work in your garden; it is how
smart you are working that is the final determinant in the success of
your garden (I suspect I’m preaching to the choir, as you yourself
are already here seeking information). The Web is an unprecedented source
of information; there has never been the access to knowledge we currently
possess. Yet I find myself drawn back to the written word time and again,
the old lure of the turned page calling me... I guess it’s clear
that I’m fond of books and gardening books in particular. I have
collected them for fifteen years now and in that time I have come to know
a lot of books on gardening... read
more
Did you know that fungi are good for your garden?
I had mentioned about adding our own beneficial fungi to the soil. You
can do this either right after mulching or just before; I normally do
it before but if it happens later, no big deal. More and more, beneficial
organisms like mycorrhizal fungi are becoming available
to the home gardener. Discovered in the late 1800’s...read
more
So you’ve gotten the garden bug and sallied off to the garden center
to pick plants. Wait just a minute; before you leave the garden center,
better run through a check list and see if you’ve got all the garden
tools you’ll need to make your garden spring to life. We aren’t
going to break the bank here; no power tools and even a few you can craft
yourself. We’ll touch on a few items that could be considered luxuries,
but only if they really make the job easier (or more fun…) read
more
When planning your garden, it is important to know what your climate
zone is and choose your plants accordingly. This can mean the difference
between success and disaster. The Agricultural Research Service of the
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) developed a Plant Hardiness Zone
Map that breaks North America into eleven zones based on the annual minimum
temperature, zone 1 being the coldest and zone 11 being the hottest. read
more
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