My new butterfly garden


Tue. May. 30, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  My new butterfly garden

I had the opportunity to speak to a group of enthusiastic gardeners about pollinators and plants.  I already had pollinator friendly plants but I really wanted to take it a step further.  My day job is a News Director for a radio station.  I get lots of emails, one was from my local Soil and Water Conservation District wanting me to mention they had raingarden and butterfly garden plants for sale.  I jumped all over it! … [Continue reading]

In Memory – Memorial Day and the Poppy


Mon. May. 29, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  In Memory – Memorial Day and the Poppy

Garden Bite would like to thank all those who serve in the United States Military and their families.  We honor those who gave everything.

Today is the day we reflect and remember our Soldiers.  Memorial Day, which is celebrated every year on the final Monday of May was formerly known as Decoration Day and originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died.  By the  … [Continue reading]

Clay soil


Wed. May. 24, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Clay soil

Who hasn’t had THIS dilemma somewhere in the midwest?  Clay soil!  When people ask how they can change their clay soil, I tell them the real question is WHAT can I plant in clay soil?

It’s always a great idea to add compost or manure to your soil but to try to change the basic soil structure is nearly impossible and a lot of work.  So….

Clay soil tolerant perennials:

  • Daylilies offer loads of choices with differing bloom
 … [Continue reading]

Japanese honeysuckle


Tue. May. 23, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Japanese Honeysuckle

Last week I told you about my mystery plant.  A vine that was labeled Lonicera aka Honeysuckle ‘Major Wheeler’.  Which it clearly was not after I let it grow like crazy last year, with no flowering, and then came up this year looking completely different.   The picture below doesn’t show how wide this plant grew.  This is ONE year of growth

I believe that it is actually a Japanese honeysuckle.  That’s a problem.  The leaves of a  … [Continue reading]

Hardening off warm season plants


Mon. May. 22, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Hardening off warm season plants

Cold…  wet…. Spring.  The recent cooler temperatures reinforce waiting to plant those warm season vegetables like peppers and tomatoes (some would call them fruit!).  They like the soil temps over 60 degrees, in fact, for peppers they appreciate 70 degrees (as do I).    IF you’ve already sunk them into the soil, they’ll be fine but they’ll be slow to grow.

If you started tomatoes and/or peppers indoors, it’s time to begin the  hardening off process  … [Continue reading]

What is it? I thought I planted… the label said…


Thu. May. 11, 2017

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  What is it?  I thought I planted….  the label said…

Last June I bought a vine on sale.  It was labeled Lonicera Major Wheeler.  That’s a Honeysuckle vine with bright red blooms.  It grew like crazy, covering an old childs bedspring and part of my fence very quickly but I got no blooms.  This year the leaves look nothing like a honeysuckle vine and new growth is coming up ONLY from the ground, not on old growth like my Dropmore  … [Continue reading]

Flooded plants


Mon. Aug. 29, 2016

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Flooded plants

Many of us have recently experienced some very wet weather.  Rather unusual for August!  Generally our lawns are like crispy toast, but this year, they’re actually green and we’re mowing at least once a week!

Flooding can literally drown your lawn. Air gaps that normally provide breathing room are filled with water. Grass roots die if they go without air for too long. Wet conditions also encourage fungus that can create dieback, damage and even kill your plants.  … [Continue reading]

Earwigs!


Tue. Aug. 9, 2016

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Earwigs!

Ugh, even the word Earwig makes me cringe.  I think of some critter crawling inside my ear!  That happened to me once.  It really makes you feel like you’re going insane.  Thankfully I was with someone who knew what to do!  They used a little olive oil in an eye dropper and the bug just floated out.  It still gives me the heebie jeebies!   How to safely remove a bug from your ear.  It’s hard to remain calm!   … [Continue reading]

Storms take out weak trees


Mon. Jul. 11, 2016

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Storms take out weak trees

My community just recently experienced some damaging storms.  Our City prides itself on it’s lovely flora but after seeing six 8 to 10 inch diameter Linden trees along a boulevard snap, well, I had to take a look.

What I found were massively girdled roots and the remnants of plastic tubing around the base of each tree.

One of the culprits to the girdled roots was plastic tubing placed around the base of the tree  … [Continue reading]

Hugelkultur – huh?


Tue. Feb. 16, 2016

Click below to listen to my Garden Bite radio show:  Hugelkultur- huh?

What’s old is new again. I’ve been hearing a lot about hugelkultur and decided to investigate.  It’s a funny German word that means “hill culture,” or “mound culture.”  Hugelkultur consists of a raised plant bed built up over decaying wood and other compostable materials.    A fallen tree becomes a “nurse log”, decomposing, releasing nutrients, and nourishing new growth above.

Proven Winners has put together a very simple demonstration for the backyard gardener.

hugelkultur logs

A hügelkultur bed can provide nutrients  … [Continue reading]