Whether it is in your landscape or an indoor pot, soil is the medium for your plants to thrive. High quality soil performs five functions at the same time: Soil… Acts like a sponge, soaking up rainwater and limiting runoff. It also helps with groundwater recharge and controlling rainwater runoff in urban environments. Acts like a faucet, storing and releasing water and air for plants and animals to use. Acts like a supermarket, providing valuable nutrients, air and water to plants.…
Why winter composting is important. Compost needs time to mellow or break down. That’s why it works to put it down during the winter, even if it isn’t tilled into the soil. As it breaks down, compost creates a homogeneous soil mixture ripe with microbial activity. This process does not add nutrients to the soil, but it does improve the soil’s capacity to hold onto both nutrients and water. That is why compost is so good for the garden and of…
Yes, there’s plenty of snow on the ground, but it’s not too early to think about this year’s garden. Seed catalogs were mailed long ago, and the online business is already booming. If you haven’t started planning this year’s garden, grab something warm to drink and cozy up to the fire with your laptop and order for spring! How much and when to order? For most home gardeners, one or two seed packets per variety are all you’ll need. To have the…
This winter has been full of more snow than in past years. Being stuck inside can wear on our health and attitude. Your yard and garden can be part or your “winter blues,” recovery. Get moving. Exercise is a great way to get rid of those “winter blues”. Why not get out in the yard to check off some outdoor tasks? Heavy yard work (landscaping, moving rocks, hauling dirt) can burn 400-600 calories per hour, according to WebMD. So can…
Your lawn does not actually die each winter; it goes dormant. Dormant grass needs care too, especially in periods where there is lack of precipitation. Turf needs water in the winter, though not as much as it does in the heat of the summer. Simply turning off the water until spring leaves your lawn at risk of drought stress. Drought stress creates favorable conditions for problems like turf-mites. The damage (brown, straw-like patches) can show up early and can devastate…
It’s traditional to deck the halls during the holidays with greenery dressed up with bows and lights. Artificial or natural tree? Artificial trees are less of a fire hazard and don’t drop needles to create a mess on the floor like the natural ones do. Being pre-lit so all you have to do is plug them in is a time saver as there are no lights to string around the tree. You don’t have to worry about getting this tree outside…
Live plants are a beautiful addition to your holiday décor. Wreaths of evergreen, eucalyptus, or herbs add a touch of nature and fragrance to your home, and the scent of a fresh evergreen tree really adds to the Christmas ambiance. Make the holidays safe Safety is important, too. Keep your live wreaths and cut trees properly watered to avoid a fire hazard. And if your household has curious kids or critters who may chew on plants, avoid these popular holiday…
It is that time of the year again, the snow has started. But when you break out the shovel do you ever forget where your walkway or your driveway ends, and your lawn begins? It is important to protect your lawn against winter. Lawn care is still needed during the winter months. Mark your lawn As you shovel you want to make sure you are not hurting your lawn. Putting markers around the edges of your lawn will help you…
Here’s your November lawn care ‘to do’ list: Collect leaves and other debris that has fallen from trees or garden beds to avoid damaging the lawn over winter. Fertilise your lawn to keep it healthy and green over winter. Weed the lawn, pulling any weeds you can reach. Aerate and reduce shady areas to help control moss. Mow, if necessary, but it’s likely to be your last cut of the year. When preparing for winter be sure your lawn is…
As long as you are planting a tree correctly, now is a great time to add a new tree to your landscape! Follow these steps: Choose a tree that is right for your location, how much light it gets, how big its mature size will be, etc. Dig your hole! MUCH wider that deep, 2-3 times wider than the tree. Make the hole more shallow than the trees root ball. Cut the bottom of the basket off, put the tree…
