When you measure your gardening experience in decades rather than years, you’ve adopted new techniques and eliminated some old ones. Over the seasons, one of the traditions I’ve changed is the long single rows of vegetables with wide spaces between rows. Due to easier maintenance and increased yield, I’ve changed to more intensive gardening. Intensive gardening reduces wasted space to a minimum; however, it isn’t just for people who lack land resources. An intensive vegetable garden concentrates work efforts to create an ideal plant environment, giving higher yields with less labor. This idea isn’t new as “Square Foot Gardening” has advocated these ideals for decades. Don’t get the idea there isn’t still work involved, as weeding by hand or with hand tools is still required, although due to closer plant spacing fewer weeds should be present. Mulching with an organic material between plants is an integral part of the intensive system. Continue reading
Preserving Flowers
The gardening season is all but over for most of the landscape plants and flowers. Many avid gardeners who hate to see the growing season go may look for ways to keep it going by taking some of their favorite flowers indoors to keep through the winter until those warm, gardening days come around again. However, many will seek to keep their flowers around during winter months by picking those last vibrant blooms and preserving them by drying. Continue reading
Household Fall Invaders
Beetles, bugs, and flies are some of the creatures actively seeking protected overwintering sites as days get shorter and cooler. Many produce stains or unpleasant odors if crushed. Scavengers, such as carpet beetles, can be attracted to accumulations of
insects that die in attics and wall voids. Lastly, overreaction to pests may lead to excessive insecticide use indoors that can have serious consequences. Continue reading
Order Your Kentucky Tree Seedlings Now
There is a saying that the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago and the second best time is as soon as possible. If you have been thinking about a tree planting project, consider using seedlings from one of Kentucky’s state-run tree seedling nurseries. The Kentucky Division of Forestry (http://forestry.ky.gov) in addition to providing foresters to help woodland owners manage their wooded property, fighting wildfires, and inspecting timber harvest operations also maintains two tree seedling nurseries in Kentucky: one in the east (Morgan County) and one in the west (Marshall County). Continue reading
Cover Crops for Kentucky Gardens
It has been a hard year in the garden. The heat and drought left our plants looking pitiful for most of the summer. If you feel like the time has come to put the garden to bed for the season, why not plant a cover crop? Cover crops can add organic matter to the soil, reduce soil erosion, weed suppression, and help to maintain the integrity of the soil. Continue reading
Houseplants Insect and Mite Control
Many houseplants enjoy time outdoors during the summer. However, it’s a tough world out there and more than a few plants develop insect or mite infestations while they are basking in the summer sun. A few weeks indoors can allow pests to increase while the plants adjust to indoor conditions and symptoms become more apparent. Continue reading
Save Landfill Space By Composting Yard Waste
Are you surrounded by a yard full of leaves every fall? Whether they are yours or the ones that your neighbor’s tree has graciously donated to you, recycling leaves at home can be to your advantage. Composting is an environmentally beneficial process to dispose of leaves and other yard wastes this fall. Continue reading
Controlling Mosquitoes
Controlling mosquitoes is challenging to say the least. You may even think you are fighting a never-ending battle. With mosquito-borne diseases, like the Zika virus, becoming more prevalent, it’s even more important to know how to take control of these pests around your home environment. Learning to do a few simple things could help protect you from more than the itchiness of a mosquito bite. Continue reading
Growing Hydrangeas in Kentucky
Primarily known as a source of summer color flowering June through August — long after most shrubs have finished. Hydrangeas’ interesting bark and flower heads can also provide winter texture when left untrimmed until spring. Four species are commonly used in Kentucky landscape plantings. Continue reading
Bearded Iris
The bearded irises are a common old-fashioned flower found in many gardens and landscapes throughout Kentucky. They are very easy to grow perennials that do best in full sun and well drained soils. Continue reading
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