Autumnal Equinox 2022


Wed. Sep. 21, 2022

Click below to listen to my  2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Autumnal Equinox 2022

 The Autumnal Equinox happens at 8:30 tonight central time. Or maybe 9:04pm. Oddly, this is the first time I’ve found 2 times in the same time zone.

Bottom line is, the equinox, equal day/equal night will happen at the exact same moment all over the world.

The sun crosses the celestial equator moving south, signifying the start of the colder months of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. (And the warmer months of the  … [Continue reading]

Creating a new garden bed


Wed. Sep. 21, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Creating a new garden bed

At my former home I started a garden plot for cut flowers. I left an old carpet and tarps over the soil from Spring to Fall to kill the existing weeds. I do not have photos of them, they’ve been lost through the many iterations of my life! You can use cardboard too.

Tip: the best way to use old carpet for weed killing is to put it down on the area

 … [Continue reading]

Honeyberry bushes 2022


Tue. Sep. 20, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Honeyberry bushes 2022

 Back in January of 2020 I briefly talked about a berry I’d never heard of called Honeyberry. It was in a plant catalog and I was very intrigued as it’s rated zone 2 and supposed to taste wonderful.

Honeyberries seem to be all the rage now in 2022. The University of Saskatchewan began breeding honeyberries(haskap) in 2002. Using lines from Russia, Japan and the Kuril Islands north of Japan, this program is producing fruit that  … [Continue reading]

Saving seeds


Mon. Sep. 19, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Saving seeds

Generally we start saving seeds of our perennials about mid-October.

Native plant seeds will reproduce true to the original. Hybrids of plants will not.

There could be faded versions or a complete surprise of a new color! Then again, they may not reproduce at all.

Seeds should be collected about 2 months after flowering. This could be seedpods, , nuts, catkins, berries, etc. but be sure you collect seeds from healthy plants. This is about genetics.  … [Continue reading]

More Fall blooming plants


Fri. Sep. 16, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: More Fall blooming plants

 I’ve talked about Fall annuals, some perennials and of course, trees. But wait, there’s more! One of my favorites are hydrangeas.

Depending on weather conditions, the ‘Strawberry Vanilla’ is stunning as it turns shades of pink to strawberry. This year, with the drought my area suffered, mine have stayed pale. It grew taller but certainly didn’t flourish.

I didn’t water them, but I probably should have! A quick side note about that.

While trying

 … [Continue reading]

Black walnut tree


Thu. Sep. 15, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Black walnut tree

I have lamented for years the fact that my neighbor has 2 black walnut trees planted at the border of our properties.

Juglone is a toxin that flows through it’s roots. Many plants won’t grow by it, except for:

  • Hosta
  • Daylilies
  • Sedum
  • Chives
  • Snowdrops
  • Giant crocus
  • Astilbe
  • Coneflowers – this one surprised me
  • Bee balm
  • Cinnamon fern
  • Spider wort
  • Jack-in-the-pulpit
  • weeds 😉

It is a prolific nut producer. 

Mowing can be a pain but  … [Continue reading]

David Austin roses 2022


Wed. Sep. 14, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: David Austin roses 2022

A rose is a rose. Hmmm, but is it? 

Some are very picky for those of us in northern climates, some are super easy, some are climbing, some are old-fashioned rugosas that are tough! Then there are David Austin Roses.

For almost 60 years David Austin has been breeding his Literary English Roses. Named after writers and characters in books, these roses are stunning, most are many-petalled with repeat flowering blooms and rich  … [Continue reading]

Cup plant – Silphium perfoliatum


Tue. Sep. 13, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Cup plant – Silphium perfoliatum

The City I live in has a 6 mile bike/walking trail that is just lovely. This time of year these large plants light up the scenery with cheery yellow flowers.

Cup plants are native to prairies and open meadows throughout most of the U.S. 

These plants grow anywhere from 3 to 12 feet tall and about 3 feet wide. So if you’re considering planting them in your landscape, keep that in mind. They  … [Continue reading]

Tree planting in Fall


Mon. Sep. 12, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Tree planting in Fall

Fall is a great time to plant trees.

I’ve seen LOTS of newly planted trees in my neighborhood with those green bags around them. They’re a good idea if you can’t be consistent in your watering practices.

During the first 2 weeks of planting, watering every day is critical.

And a schedule continues from there up till frost. Check this past Garden Bite for more information on a watering schedule. And while you’re  … [Continue reading]

Fall allergies and monarch migration


Fri. Sep. 9, 2022

Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show/podcast: Fall allergies and monarch migration

Tis the allergy season.

Ragweed, often confused with Golden Rod, is blooming now.

Elm and something called chenopods are in the medium range right now.  Chenopod is a type of weed like amaranth, lambs quarters and pigweed.

Late blooming perennials are peaking right now and the bees and butterflies are ALL over them. I’ll take the sniffles if I can have some Painted Lady butterflies!  They’re on my sedums and chives I let  … [Continue reading]