That white powder coating your plant leaves probably did not arrive courtesy of a very messy bag of flour. It may be powdery mildew, a common fungal disease that can spread across leaves, stems, and even flower buds when conditions cooperate. A plant covered in white does not automatically need the compost pile. With a…
fall gardening
Before Buying Fall Plants on Clearance, Check These 5 Things at the Garden Center
A garden center clearance rack can feel like the gardening equivalent of a treasure hunt. The prices look tempting, the plants still have plenty of green leaves, and suddenly that sad-looking perennial seems like a bargain worth rescuing. Before tossing it into the cart, though, take a closer look because a discounted plant can become…
That “Dead” Garden Plant May Be Better Left Alone Until Spring
That “dead” garden plant may look like it has officially clocked out for the season, but resist the urge to grab the pruners just yet. Many perennial stems and seed heads can serve a useful purpose through winter, giving wildlife shelter, feeding birds, protecting the plant itself, and making spring cleanup more productive. A garden…
September Isn’t the End of the Vegetable Garden: These 8 Crops Can Still Go in the Ground
September does not have to mean waving goodbye to the vegetable garden. Depending on your climate and first frost date, plenty of cool-season crops can still go into the soil now and give you fresh food long after the tomatoes start looking exhausted. The key involves choosing vegetables that actually enjoy cooler weather instead of…
Bringing Houseplants Back Inside? Check These 6 Places for Bugs First
Bringing houseplants back inside sounds simple: carry the pots indoors, find them a sunny window, and call it a day. Unfortunately, tiny freeloaders may have other plans. Outdoor plants can pick up aphids, spider mites, mealybugs, scale and other pests during the growing season, and a plant that looks perfectly clean at a glance can…
10 Perennials You Can Divide This Fall Instead of Buying More Plants
A crowded perennial bed can look like a shopping list waiting to happen, with one plant here, another plant there, and several suspiciously empty spots begging for a nursery run. Before handing over the credit card, take a closer look at the plants already growing in the yard, because fall division can turn one established…
A Few Minutes of Fall Garden Maintenance Could Prevent Expensive Problems Next Year
A few minutes of fall garden maintenance can save a surprising amount of money, work, and frustration when spring arrives. A garden that looks finished for the season still holds plenty of unfinished business, from diseased foliage and lurking weeds to dirty tools and forgotten hoses. Fall cleanup does not require turning the yard into…
Should You Buy Garden Supplies Now or Wait Until Spring?
Garden shopping has an odd little calendar of its own. September and October can bring clearance prices on tools, pots, hoses, raised-bed supplies, and other gear as stores make room for the next season, while spring brings fresh inventory and plenty of choices. The smartest answer usually involves doing both, rather than filling the garage…
9 Seeds Worth Saving From Your Garden Before the Season Ends
Garden season may be winding down, but some of its best souvenirs hide inside the vegetables and flowers already growing outside. Saving seeds lets gardeners carry favorite varieties into another growing season, and it can turn one especially delicious tomato, sturdy bean plant, or gorgeous flower into next year’s starting lineup. Not every seed deserves…
You Could Start Next Year’s Garden Now Without Spending Much at All
Next year’s garden can start long before the first seed packet hits the shopping cart. In fact, some of the best preparation happens when this year’s garden still has plenty going on, because fall offers free materials, mature seeds, fallen leaves, fading plants, and plenty of opportunities to set up a better growing season without…