Monthly Archives: September 2008

Craving Leaf Mold

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It's not a disease—just finely shredded leaves. Gardening could be an inexpensive hobby, but at my house it's not. One of my many springtime splurges is the purchase (at $8.50 per bag) of six to ten bags of cocoa mulch. I use it in my perennial beds, applying it by the handful and only in the front of the beds where it will be seen. The fine texture and dark brown color really sets off the plants, it doesn't rob nitrogen from the soil, and it packs tightly enough to stifle most weeds. But Read more [...]

Go BIG With Bulbs

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When it comes to tulips, get large, get loud. Plant generously! This is a favorite combination that features emperor tulips. You can get this look with the Emperor Tulip Mixture. Here's the thing about tulips: You need to plant a lot of them to make a good display. You need to plant hundreds of bulbs—not dozens. Come spring, you'll be delighted. And if you live in a cold climate, you're gonna need it. In my own tiny garden, I plant at least 500 tulips every fall. After they bloom, Read more [...]

Correcting Mossy Lawns

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Soil and shade conditions that weaken turfgrasses are ideal for moss growth. Soil and shade conditions that weaken turfgrasses are ideal for moss growth. How to get rid of moss in the lawn is one of the frequently asked questions on our Ask An Expert question-and-answer service. In the same way that fever is a symptom and not the disease itself, moss is an indicator of underlying problems. Lawn grasses need moist, fertile, well-drained and aerated soil, and at least a half day of Read more [...]

Digging Potatoes

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Growing potatoes is like reading a good mystery; you have to wait until the very end. Carola and Reddale potatoes freshly dug from my raised bed. Growing potatoes is like reading a good mystery; you have to wait to the very end until what lies beneath the surface is finally revealed. Unlike the end of a book, however, the end of the growing season is sometimes less clear. When’s the right time to dig potatoes? Potato varieties are divided into groups based on the number of days required Read more [...]

Pig Love

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Every garden needs a little whimsy, such as a 900-pound concrete pig. Every garden needs a little whimsy, such as a 900-pound concrete pig. Although I don't really have any of my own, I love lawn ornaments. They make such a big statement about the gardener. One of our popular categories here at Gardener's Supply is Yard and Garden Decor, which includes plenty of garden whimsy. Our Funky Chickens have proved to be a huge hit. When the Party Pigs came out this year, I thought of my friend Read more [...]

Enormous Onions

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Gardener tries growing onions from seed instead of sets; results are huge! Leslie couldn't be more thrilled with the crop of huge onions she grew from seedlings. Leslie works with me at Gardener’s Supply and our conversations tend to run toward plants. She’s an enthusiastic gardener, too, with decades of vegetable and flower growing experience. When either of us discovers a nifty new plant or picks up a new gardening tip, we share. So imagine my surprise last winter when Leslie said Read more [...]

Gleanings from the Garden

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What's growing this year in our test gardens. Bam-Bam contemplates a leafy oxheart carrot that's bigger than her head. Carrots that grew bigger than a bunny’s head were just one of the surprises in the Gardener’s Supply display and test garden this summer. An heirloom variety introduced in 1884, Oxheart carrot is short and thick, typically growing 3-4” wide, but only 5-6” long. Ready to harvest in 90 days, they easily reach a pound or more in weight, making them good candidates Read more [...]

Shrubs for Late-Summer Bloom

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Flowers appear when you least expect them, adding color and fragrance long after their spring-blooming counterparts have faded. Sparkling white hydrangea blooms burst open like fireworks in mid- to late summer. Shrubs that burst into bloom as the summer begins its slide into autumn breathe new life into the garden. Their flowers appear when you least expect them, adding color and fragrance long after their spring-blooming counterparts have faded into the background. Give some of these favorites Read more [...]

Harvest for the Hungry

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A great way for a company to share with the community: Collect fresh, wholesome, locally grown vegetables for the local food shelf. Mark, a Gardener's Supply employee, holds freshly picked vegetables from his community garden plot that he delivers each week to the local food shelf. When Pat arrives at the community food shelf with a grocery bag of homegrown tomatoes, kale, lettuce, cucumbers and zucchini, she gets a hero’s welcome. “You would think I’d delivered a truckload of vegetables, Read more [...]