We get this question a lot this time of year. Here is a link to an article from Terrain’s September Blog that may help you decide. Al and Carmine are available to spray insecticidal soap with powerful backpack sprayers on your tender plants just before you are ready to bring them inside for winter. Usually…
Clematis virginiana I’ve found that Sweet Autumn Clematis is not always hardy in our area. Vines are slow to revive in spring, and some we just have to declare as dead. Luckily, I discovered the native Clematis virginiana. Those who hike among waterways and open woodlands may recognize this plant as Old Man’s Beard due…
This week Pumpkin Brook’s team of expert pruners shared their tree pruning knowledge at a workshop hosted by Groton Garden Club. The event took place at the beautiful Prescott Common in Groton, Massachusetts. The redbuds on the site received a much needed pruning. All the participants gained valuable information on pruning best practices. Annual pruning…
During the recent NOFA Summer Conference, Lisa, Kate and I had the chance to tour That’s A Plenty Farm and Pollinator Habitat in Hadley, Massachusetts. We drove near the Connecticut River where it makes numerous twists and turns and creates pockets of old field, high-terrace floodplain forest. There a very special three-acre environment has been…
Now is one of my favorite times of year – I can open the bulb catalogs and plan your orders for fall planted bulbs that will emerge next spring, just when we need color the most! I will be placing orders by Labor Day to be sure we get our first choice of varieties before they…
Keep up with weeding and deadheading Give annuals a pick-me-up of fish fertilizer or Organic Plant Magic Replace any tired plants in containers, being sure to top off with new potting soil Finish shrub pruning Prune birch trees as sap is not running in hot weather Prune vegetative growth of roses and wisteria Divide and…
This variety came into the marketplace several years ago, and I snapped it up for its fantastic color. It’s the earliest phlox in my garden to bloom and certainly the longest lasting. Phlox likes a mineral-rich soil high in organic matter plus good air circulation. Plant it in the open in full sun for best…
Grass is a cool weather crop. This time of year your job is to help it ride out the heat. One simple way to reduce summer stress on your lawn is to mow high, high, high. Not only do you naturally crowd out weeds, you’re allowing native pollinators to thrive in that taller canopy. Conservation…
Most foxgloves are biennial plants, meaning that they flower at Age 2. The dwarf pink variety ‘Foxy’ falls into this category. After that, the plant dies. So if you have ‘Foxy’ you can leave the seed stalk and hope that it will spread some seed around your garden for another year. In 2016, this biennial…
Rain gardens are becoming increasingly popular as more and more people are taking responsibility for their “ecological footprint.” A rain garden is a sunken garden that is planted with deep-rooted, water loving plants and grasses in a well-draining basin. Its purpose is to receive runoff from impervious surfaces such as roofs, sidewalks, and driveways. Storm…