Making a Garden

Toad lily (Photo by Brendan Zwelling)

Taking advantage of dormancy

Judith Adam

In autumn, as soil temperature goes lower, this initiates the gradual process of dormancy. Over a period of six weeks, plants cease production.

Rudbeckia nitida 'Herbstonne' (Photo by Brendan Zwelling)

Plant therapy needed after the heat and wind

Judith Adam

The past summer’s intense high heat and forceful winds were challenging for plant health, causing leaf tissues to desiccate and raising soil temperature in the root zone. Make sure to give your plants appropriate plant therapy so they can spring back.

Corydalis ochroleuca photo by Brendan Zwelling

Why you should fertilize your lawn this fall

Judith Adam

The first three weeks of October are prime times for feeding turfgrass, and an autumn feeding is the most important meal of the growing season. Cool air temperature in early October slows the growth of grass blades, allowing nutrients to strengthen roots for better winter survival.

A gardener’s best friend: Perfectly sized leaves

Judith Adam

Here’s my leaf mulch drill: twice in autumn, I rake up big piles of fallen leaves and needles, and throw them into a lightweight plastic kiddy pool. I drag the pool around from area to area, distributing the leaf mulch.

Star-of-Bethlehem photograph by Ulf Eliasson

Star-of-Bethlehem, another spring bulb to try

Judith Adam

The star-of-bethlehem flourishes in dry soils under maples or at the feet of large evergreen shrubs. Fat clumps of white upturned flowers (several to a stem, and with a pale green stripe to each petal) shine in spring.

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