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…
First off, my apologizes to writer E.L. James for riffing on his popular novel title “50 Shades of Grey”. I rather doubt that my comments here will ever make it to the big screen. Just the same, the month of December in my garden is a pretty steamy mix of tan, brown, or black (and all the shades in between) emanating from foliage, seed heads, and bark, and frankly, I find it pretty stimulating…
The Golfing Gardener
Trevor Cameron
I think all gardeners crave color and flower power that brings smiles to faces throughout their landscape. When we talk about options for summer-blooming shrubs, Roses and Hydrangeas stand above all others for both choice and longevity. Roses are for full sun, while depending on the variety, Hydrangeas can be for sun, partial sun or shade. I seem to write about…