Articles Index

Choosing Your Christmas Tree
Christmas Trees. Pre-cut, cut your own or live, which is better? And what do you do with it when you get it home, so that it doesn't drop needles all over the carpet?

Winter Mulching in Cold Climate Gardens
In areas that experience freezing temperatures, winter mulching of the garden differs from mulching during the growing season. We mulch our gardens in the spring to suppress weeds, retain moisture and feed and warm the soil. While we may spread a layer of soil conditioning compost or manure in the fall, the primary reason for winter mulching is to protect our plants from the harsh conditions of winter freezes, thaws and winds. There are several ways to do this.

Forcing Spring Flowering Trees and Shrubs
Forcing spring bloomers is an easy task. The hardest part is probably getting yourself outside in the cold, snowy weather. Some traditional trees and shrubs to try include: crab apple, flowering quince, forsythia, magnolia, pussy willow, witch hazel, and fruit trees such as cherries, pears and apples. Here are some simple steps to success in forcing spring flowering trees & shrubs.

What To Do in the Garden - February
February may well be the toughest gardening month. Gardeners in warm climates don't know what kind of weather to expect from day to day or from day to night. Gardeners in cold climates just want to see the sun again. February in the garden is for planning and pruning and for seeing the first signs that spring is around the corner. Here are some regional tips for gardening in February.

Gardening To Do List - January in the Garden
January in the garden often means gardening vicariously through garden catalogs. For many gardeners, the only winter garden chore is dormant pruning. Whether you're staying warm indoors and dreaming about gardening or you're outside getting things in order, here are a few more regional gardening tips to help you get through winter.

Poinsettias - Keepers or Compost?
Poinsettias are popular holiday decorations and gifts. Knowing how to keep Christmas poinsettia plants in bloom longer and how to force them to rebloom next Christmas, requires some special care.

Gardening To do List - December in the Garden
In the warmer zones, December is the start of pleasant weather and a chance to enjoy planting cool season vegetables and flowers that don’t tolerate your summers. Northern gardeners should use this period without leaves to scout for egg masses and other signs of trouble on trees and shrubs. Here are some more regional gardening tips for the beginning of winter.

A Hardy Christmas Rose - Hellebore niger
The Christmas Rose, Hellebore niger, has the frustrating tendency of not blooming until Easter - making it all the more confusing to tell it apart from the Lenten Rose, Hellebore orientalis. Hellebore flowers are often the first signs of spring in the garden and the plants are becoming more widely available and easier to grow.