General Gardening
Ben Smith
Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary ...

It pains me to see customers spending hundreds of dollars on new plants and simultaneously refusing to spend a few more on a bag or two of compost and a box of starter fertilizer.  These two items are not unnecessary “add-ons” that the retailer is just trying to add to the sale, they are critical components of a successful transplanting process - or as I like to refer to them as “plant insurance”.  Unless you have phenomenal soil, you should always add compost and starter fertilizers when you are planting new plants.  Here is why…

Compost and Fertilizer - A Boring But Necessary Topic
Summer Gardening
Ben Smith
The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering

Summer watering is inevitable in the northwest if we want to keep our landscapes green and healthy…

The Secrets Of Proper Summer Watering
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Go Big (or Little) with Bluestem Grasses

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Go Big (or Little) with Bluestem Grasses

Now that we are in the full swing of autumn, ornamental grasses in our region are starting to strut their stuff.  Instead of “bloom” I get to talk “plume” this week, and they are certainly “pluming” at the moment!  As I walk my own landscape, the many grasses I have planted over the years make me smile and even though they…

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Are You Going Scottish Or Irish?

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Are You Going Scottish Or Irish?

As you read the title above, I am curious what comes to your mind.  Could it be Irish or Scotch Moss?  Maybe haggis or scotch eggs versus corned beef or colcannon (a funky Irish cabbage dish)?  Did you think of Jameson, Bushmills or Tulamore Dew Irish Whiskey?  Or is it a bit peatier Glenmorangie, Johnny Walker, or Macallan Scotch Whiskey you prefer?  Guinness or a true Scottish Ale?  Perhaps this article will…

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Planting In Dry Shade

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Planting In Dry Shade

Over the course of each and every season, a myriad of gardening questions are thrown my way.  I am always happy to answer them all because that it is what I truly enjoy – helping in any way I can, attempting to steer each unique gardener towards unbridled success.  There are no black thumbs after all, just duller green ones that require some polishing to bring out the hidden shine.  One consistently common issue that many gardeners inquire about is…

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Trevor Cameron

Featured
The Halloweeniest Plants Around
The Halloweeniest Plants Around

This magical month of October is coming to a close, accompanied everywhere by the colors of autumn.  I thought it might be fun to talk Halloween this week, and more specifically botanical treasures that make me think of this fun and festive holiday…  

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