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Potatoes grow well in a wide range of conditions. In this area, plant them when the soil temperature reaches 50 degrees — about two weeks before the average last frost date.<br>- photography / Diane Sagers It’s time to plant potatoes when soil is warm enough
If you are Irish or an Irish wannabe, you may have pinched or received a pinch on Tuesday. You may also have enjoyed a mound of “Irish” potatoes. Nothing is “Irish” about these potatoes — they or...
17 months ago | 0 0 comments | 26 26 recommendations | email to a friend
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Peas lend themselves to a wide range of planting styles. They even come in sizes small enough to serve as container plants in patio pots.<br>- photography / Diane Sagers Peas are a favorite spring vegetable that can be planted now
Early spring vegetables are a delightful introduction to the world of gardening. Peas, one of the early spring vegetable crops, has been a favorite among gardeners since colonial settlers arrived...
17 months ago | 0 0 comments | 21 21 recommendations | email to a friend
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When pruning is done correctly, it invigorates fruit trees and makes them more productive and stronger.When pruning is done correctly, it invigorates fruit trees and makes them more productive and stronger.<br>- photography / Diane Sagers Tips for pruning fruit trees
I am often asked when the time is best for pruning fruit trees. The answer is “late winter or early spring while they are still dormant” — with the added disclaimer, “Do it when the weather is go...
18 months ago | 0 0 comments | 20 20 recommendations | email to a friend
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Cinco de Mayo, a 2009 AARS winner, is a shrub rose with an indescribable multiplicity of colors that requires little care.<br>-photo courtesy of All-America Rose Selections Three roses designated as exceptional by AARS this year
The rose is a perpetual favorite among gardeners and these shrubs bloom all over the United States. There are rose lovers and rose enthusiasts, but more than that there are also those who are pas...
18 months ago | 0 0 comments | 20 20 recommendations | email to a friend
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Impress your sweetheart with the language of flowers
Valentine’s Day is almost upon us. It is the day for candlelight and flowers and romantic movies. In the chick flick “Kate and Leopold” made a few years ago, Hugh Jackman plays the main characte...
18 months ago | 0 0 comments | 19 19 recommendations | email to a friend
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You can start planning outdoor summer gardens indoors
Is your green thumb itching? A part of you says “enough” to winter and is hankering to get outside and get something growing. And another part says, “Outside? In this weather? Are you out of your ...
19 months ago | 0 0 comments | 20 20 recommendations | email to a friend
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All-America Selections winners are a good bet for new plants
by Diane Sagers
19 months ago | 0 0 comments | 22 22 recommendations | email to a friend
It is that time again. By now you are likely to have received a hodgepodge of plant catalogs. If you love gardening, you may well have enjoyed a quiet moment or two perusing the pages. If you are...
Jurassic-era Cycads add tropical flair
by Diane Sagers
19 months ago | 0 0 comments | 35 35 recommendations | email to a friend
The plant world includes a vast array of organisms from the tiny one-celled organisms to the Giant Sequoias. It also includes an historic array of plants from the extinct plants we know only from...
Trees may benefit from help over the winter
by Diane Sagers
19 months ago | 0 0 comments | 40 40 recommendations | email to a friend
December ushered in winter in a big way. Although we had some cold spells and snow in late fall, it hit much harder in December. Winter conditions have left us shoveling out and perhaps enjoying ...
Ferns can thrive indoors
by Diane Sagers
20 months ago | 0 0 comments | 22 22 recommendations | email to a friend
On a recent visit to a conservatory, I visited a special room known as the fern house. There, with ideal conditions carefully maintained against the 7 degree weather outdoors, the plants were thr...
Unimpressive amaryllis bulbs turn into vibrant blooms
by Diane Sagers
20 months ago | 0 0 comments | 22 22 recommendations | email to a friend
Christmas is past, but if you got lucky, you may have gotten a very special plant gift. Poinsettias tend to hog the limelight during the Christmas season, but they can’t claim total ownership of th...
Choose cyclamen carefully to enjoy blooms longer
by Diane Sagers
20 months ago | 0 0 comments | 38 38 recommendations | email to a friend
I have always liked cyclamen whether they are in a flowerbed in a place that is conducive to their growth or in a pot. Their blooms remind me of so many little butterflies hovering above a bed of...
Christmas cactus can put on a colorful show several times a year
by Diane Sagers
20 months ago | 0 0 comments | 21 21 recommendations | email to a friend
While there is no question that poinsettias are the most popular Christmas plants, other plants are equally at home under the Christmas tree. You will find the gift idea in the name when it come...
Poinsettias provide bright holiday color, as well as a rich history
by Diane Sagers
20 months ago | 0 0 comments | 22 22 recommendations | email to a friend
Maybe it is because this season is usually snow-covered. Perhaps it is the gray shades of trees denuded of the leaves. Maybe it is just because so much of this season is filled with festivities a...
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