Late summer can bring an unexpected gardening opportunity: cheaper soil amendments. Garden centers often start clearing seasonal inventory as summer winds down, which can put compost, organic fertilizers, peat products, and other soil helpers into the bargain bin. That does not mean every discounted bag deserves a place in the garden shed. Some amendments improve…
garden tips
Can You Use a Laundry Basket to Cure Onions and Garlic?
A laundry basket can help cure onions and garlic, and it can work surprisingly well. The trick has nothing to do with laundry and everything to do with airflow, because freshly harvested bulbs need a dry, airy place where moisture can escape instead of getting trapped around the skins and necks. That makes a laundry…
6 Ways to Keep Raccoons Away From Sweet Corn Without Traps
Sweet corn and raccoons have an unfortunate relationship: the corn ripens, the raccoons notice, and suddenly somebody has a midnight dinner reservation in the garden. Raccoons especially love corn, and their calling card often includes partially eaten ears, pulled-back husks, and broken stalks. A gardener does not need to turn the backyard into a raccoon…
Why Are Your Pears Ripening From the Inside Out?
A pear can look like a botanical beauty on the outside, then reveal a mushy, brown surprise when the knife reaches the center. That frustrating problem happens because pears naturally ripen from the core outward, so the inside can become soft and overripe while the surface still looks perfectly respectable. The trick lies in knowing…
Should You Remove Old Strawberry Leaves After Fruiting?
Strawberry plants can look a little rough after they finish producing berries, with tired-looking leaves, brown edges, and the general appearance of a plant that has clocked out for the season. That often leaves gardeners wondering whether those old leaves should go or whether the scissors should stay firmly in the shed. The answer depends…
8 Plants That Add Structure After Summer Flowers Begin Fading
Summer flowers know how to make an entrance. By August, however, some of those dazzling blooms start looking a little tired, leaving gaps where all that glorious color once stood. The good news is that a garden does not need to become a collection of floppy stems and fading petals once summer reaches the home…
Can You Cut Back Mint Hard Without Losing the Plant?
Believe it or not, mint can take a surprisingly serious haircut without disappearing from the garden forever. In fact, cutting back an overgrown mint plant can encourage fresh shoots, improve its shape, and give gardeners another pile of fragrant leaves for tea, cooking, or drying. The trick involves knowing the difference between a confident pruning…
Why Are More Gardeners Treating Dandelions as Edible Crops?
The humble dandelion has spent decades getting blamed for ruining perfectly manicured lawns, yet more gardeners now look at those bright yellow flowers and see lunch instead of lawn trouble. The change makes sense because dandelions offer something many garden crops cannot: food that appears without a seed packet, greenhouse, or carefully negotiated relationship with…
Is Your Garden Ready for Shorter Days and Longer Nights?
The calendar may still insist that summer has plenty of life left, but the garden already knows better. As daylight fades a little earlier each evening, plants begin shifting gears, even when afternoons still feel hot enough for lemonade and a shady hammock. That quiet seasonal change affects everything from flowering to vegetable production, making…
Why Are Gardeners Growing Skirret and Other Forgotten Edibles?
Every spring, garden centers fill with familiar favorites like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Yet a growing number of gardeners skip the usual lineup and hunt for plants that filled dinner tables long ago. Skirret, good king henry, scorzonera, and other forgotten edibles have started making a surprising comeback because they offer unique flavors, fascinating history,…