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…
garden tips
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,…
7 Low-Cost Ways to Protect Grapes as They Begin to Sweeten
Nothing tests a gardener’s patience quite like watching grape clusters finally plump up, only to discover that birds, wasps, raccoons, or hungry squirrels noticed them first. The weeks before harvest bring the biggest reward, but they also attract every creature in the neighborhood that appreciates a sugary snack. Protecting grapes during this stage often makes…
5 Ways to Stabilize Pepper Plants Loaded With Fruit
Pepper plants love to surprise gardeners. One week they look compact and tidy, and the next they carry so many glossy peppers that branches lean, bend, and sometimes snap right in the middle of the season. A plant that looked perfectly balanced in June can suddenly resemble a gymnast attempting an impossible pose by August….
5 Ways to Keep Newly Divided Irises From Drying Out
Freshly divided irises look surprisingly tough. Those chunky rhizomes seem almost indestructible sitting on a garden cart, but appearances fool plenty of gardeners every season. Leave them exposed to hot sun, drying wind, or a forgotten afternoon on the driveway, and those healthy divisions can lose precious moisture before they even reach the soil. Keeping…
6 Crops That Can Grow Beneath a Simple Low Tunnel
A simple low tunnel can turn a short gardening season into a much longer harvest adventure. With a few hoops, some row cover, and the right crops, gardeners can protect tender plants from chilly nights and keep fresh vegetables coming when outdoor beds slow down. Low tunnels do not require a fancy setup or a…