with Teri Knight
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Groundhog Day “weather” you believe it or not!
February 2nd each year brings the most-watched weather forecast of the year—and the only one led by a rodent.
Legend has it that on this morning if a groundhog, specifically Punxsutawney Phil, can see its shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter. If it cannot see its shadow, spring is on the way. I wrote this last week, so I’m not going to say I know what … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Sprouting seeds
It has been a cold winter so far. Temps well below zero… brr. We’re missing our greens but we don’t have to. Where I work, one of our employees did a video on Sprouting seeds indoors. Watch the full video below.
What’s so cool is how EASY it is! Growing sprouts doesn’t require any soil, just water, air, and a little sunshine on the last day or two to develop chlorophyll. (Turns them green)
Sprouts are … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Dead trees for life!
I was snowshoeing with friends when one of them pointed out a ‘snag’ and said, “you should write a garden bite about that”. So, Lisa, I did!!
You may wonder what the heck is a snag? It’s a dead tree left upright to decompose naturally and it’s a fantastic cover for wildlife while also providing food.
According to the National Wildlife Federation, Dead trees provide vital habitat for more than 1,000 species of … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Bird & Butterfly garden
Who loves seeing songbirds, hummingbirds and butterflies in their garden? I think it’s safe to say that most every gardener does!
Some basics they need include food, water and shelter. Supplying a bird feeder, houses and birdbaths is a great start but food is a priority.
A natural food source will bring them to your landscape while enhancing the beauty for you!
As you ponder those plants in the catalogs on a snowy day, … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Companion planting
After some snowshoeing, I’m looking forward to the soup I made using herbs from last year!
They are a wonderful family of plants. They offer fragrance, taste, medicinal properties and they repel some pests.
Until fairly recently, companion planting wasn’t really given it’s due credit by University based Horticulture departments, even if some of the instructors may have written a book or two!!! One I’ve used to plan my vegetable garden is called ‘Carrots love … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Orchid (Phalaenopsis aka Phal) care
Orchids! Phalaenopsis orchids, specifically, are the most popular indoor houseplant gift.
Catching your eye in the produce aisle of the grocery store or in local garden centers, they can often be an impulse buy.
The good news is they are relatively easy care. Light and watering, however, are always an issue with houseplants. The American Orchid Society recommends using a pencil or wooden skewer to determine whether an orchids needs to be watered. … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Air plants
Air plants have become a fun, trendy plant. Their Latin name is Tillandsia and they are native to South and Central America with about 500 species!
Do they really grow with no soil? Yes, they are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other plants, usually tree branches but they’re not a parasite. They’re a cousin of bromeliad.
They take in nutrients through their leaves from the air and occasional rainfall. They have tiny hair-like parts on their … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Stink bugs in da house!
Hear that? The sound of flushing… those ugly brown bugs have been appearing in my bathroom, kitchen, my office… UGH. So what’s up?
Stink bugs have been enjoying the warmth of my home, and likely yours too. Bugs make their way indoors through gaps in your house. Mine was built in 1897, there are LOTS of gaps! They can come in through eaves or your attic. But MOST of the time, they’ve gone … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Best vegetables for beginners
I set you up with some definitions on Monday of plant catalog terms! Today let’s talk easy vegetables to grow for beginners.
First up, full sun is ideal for ALL vegetables. (There are vegetables that can grow in less than full sun, but that’s another Garden Bite) You can’t go wrong with lettuce, unless the bunnies get there first. For that use Plantskydd. This is completely organic and doesn’t use capsaicin, which could … [Continue reading]
Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Let’s color up that shady area
I love hosta but there are some other great plants including a flowering option! If you have an area with moist soil, then astilbe is a great option.
Hardy to zone 3, Astilbes are slow-growing and produce plume-like flowers on stalks above the foliage in the spring and summer. They do best in partial shade but also can tolerate heavier shade. You’ll find flowers in shades of white, red, pink and lavender. … [Continue reading]