So far, winter has proven to be a test of endurance and wits for most people around the state. Because of the trend of relatively mild winters with only short bursts of cold and snow, we have grown unaccustomed to the bitter bite of winter. You’ll have to go back a few decades to find a winter as harsh as this one. The question is, … Continue reading Gardeners seek survival signs amid harsh winter
Despite the unscientific opinion of certain ground-dwelling large rodents, gardeners are definitely itching for spring. When dreamily gazing at garden catalogs just doesn’t do it, when you need to get your hands dirty, and when you need to be assured that spring will arrive once more, then it is perhaps time to think about starting some seeds indoors. It is a popular topic, especially since … Continue reading Start seeds for variety and savings
This is the time of year I usually get garden fever. It has been months since putting the garden to bed, and the recent spate of arctic weather makes longing for plants and sunshine even stronger. When stuck indoors, even the most desperate winter monotony can be tamed by tending indoor houseplants. Even this most practical Garden Guru who grows mainly food plants has a … Continue reading Houseplants Brighten Winter Doldrums
Over the last few weeks, I’ve talked about some of the trends that the garden marketing world has picked up and is using to influence everything from what you find at the garden center to what hot new garden books are hitting the shelves. For the first time, it is interesting to note, the sale of food plants and seeds has surpassed that of purely … Continue reading Superfoods Are Becoming Garden Superheroes
One of the hottest new trends in gardening is beverage gardens. This trend includes options for the health-conscious (growing your own teas and ingredients for juices and smoothies), the DIY crowd (growing ingredients for homemade sodas) and those who enjoy an intoxicating beverage or three (ingredients to brew or flavor homemade alcoholic beverages). There are lots of things you can grow to drink instead of … Continue reading Homemade Beverage Production is Growing
One of the best recent trends in the gardening world is the increased interest and inclusion of sustainable gardening practices. For those who don’t know what “sustainability” is, it’s a balance among enhancing the environment, economic viability and improved quality of life. In short, sustainable practices should make efficient use of natural resources in a way that is cost effective and does not cause the … Continue reading Sustainable Gardening Practices Enhance Environment
We’ll start off by discussing how to plan your new garden, and some tools you can use to resolve to be a better gardener. Hopefully, you’ll find something new to inspire you and your garden for 2014. Last week, I discussed new possible trends for the 2014 gardening year, from sustainable gardening to growing your own ingredients to ferment into alcohol. During the month of … Continue reading Resolve to Adopt New Garden Practices
It’s this time of year that you see everybody make review lists of the year we just finished, whether they are the best or worst moments of the year, best pictures, movies, music, and so on. I thought that it might be more helpful if we take a moment and look ahead at a list of things that are poised to make a splash in … Continue reading A look at garden trends for 2014
Published 01.20.14 for the National Extension Master Gardener Blog Just like the fashion and design world, trends can also affect the gardening world. From influencing the types and colors of plants found at the garden center and used by landscapers, to book topics, and more, gardening is influenced, for better or worse, by trends. During the first few months of 2014, we’ll be taking … Continue reading Garden Trends 2014: A Year In Balance
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