Grow Parthenocarpic Cucumbers for a Disease-Free HarvestParthenocarpic is a technical term for "no pollinator needed." Parthenocarpic cucumbers can be grown in a greenhouse or even indoors. To protect them from pests and diseases, they also can be grown outside under a tulle row cover.
Tulle: perfect summer crop cover!Viruses in your vine crops? Beetles in your broccoli? Birds in the blueberries? Tulle could be the row cover you've been looking for.
Watermark Woods: Growing NativeDiscover THE native plant destination for mid-Atlantic gardeners.
The Low-Down on Pulling ThistlesSometimes, you find yourself bare handed in the garden and just have to yank out a thistle. Don't get hurt!
Bungee Cords for Non-Jumping ContainersAfter a pretty container of "Million Bells" blew off its perch and perished, I put my thinking cap on.
Daylily Foliage in Mixed ContainersI needed a tall accent to finish off a mixed container, but my budget didn't stretch to yet another nursery trip. As I looked around, I found the solution.
How Deep for Bulbs?You don't need to remember a lot of different rules to know how deep to plant your fall bulbs.
Label Your Way to SuccessAny labelling tape I've tried has faded in a year or two. The very best way I've found to put a typed label on a plant marker is to use Avery Clear Laser Labels. Clean the marker plate with a swipe of alcohol so the label sticks perfectly, and they'll last in your garden for years. 5660 Address labels are just the right size for my favorite E20 zinc markers from EON industries.
A Labeling TipFor no-fade labels that show up well on black or green nursery pots, use a Sharpie Silver Metallic Marker. I use them to mark cell packs (aka "sheet pots") too. The labels are still legible 3 years later, even in full sun.
A Quick Marker TipSince garden markers sometime get moved or lost, I try to put a plastic label (a section of window blind, labelled with Sharpie Industrial Marker) in the hole when I'm planting. This is especially good for perennials I know I'll want to dig/divide/share in the future -- when I dig it up and find the tag, I'll know exactly what it is, regardless of what happened to its official garden marker.
Seed-Catcher TipAn old pizza pan can be wired under a bird feeder for a great seed catcher tray! Even an aluminum pie plate would work, if you punched some holes in it for drainage.
No More Fading Labels in Your GardenFor no-fade labels, use an Industrial Sharpie Marker (more UV resistant than a standard Sharpie, which will fade in the sun). An oil based paint pen also works. This is especially important on those winter sowing jugs, so you don't end up with thousands of mystery seedlings!
Care for Nitrile GlovesNitrile-coated gloves like these Atlas 370 garden gloves go through the wash just fine. They'll be OK in the dryer, too, but they will last longer if you hang them to dry. "Update: An Atlas representative recommends putting their gloves in the dryer to re-activate the slightly "sticky" feel of the nitrile surface."
Best Time To Use ChemicalsIf you have to use a chemical spray, do it very early or very late in the day, when bees and other pollinators are less active.
Keep the Squirrels out of BirdseedFeed birds, not squirrels! Add a generous amount of cheap cayenne when you're making up a suet mixture. The birds don't mind, because they can't taste it.
Dealing with Poison IvyIf there's poison ivy anywhere in your yard, wear gloves and CHANGE THEM every time you weed or dig out there. Dirty gloves go straight into the washer!
Staking an amaryllisIf your amaryllis needs a stake, use an interesting branch from a pussy willow, crooked willow, contorted filbert, or whatever you have on hand. Just stick it down into the pot as far as it will go, and secure it to the bloom stalk with a bit of twine or even a twist-tie.
Milk Jugs in the GardenAn empty milk jug with its top (but not its handle) cut off makes a great scoop for sunflower seeds, vermiculite, etc.
Dealing with Bulk MulchWhen having bulk mulch delivered, set out a tarp and a bunch of bins and buckets. Tell the driver to do his best to fill the bins. Lifting a bin is much easier than shoveling to fill your wheelbarrow!
Leave the Bulbs BeSpring bulbs sprouting early? Don't panic! No need to bury them in extra mulch. They know what they're doing. Just let them do it.
Keep That Amaryllis!Don't throw away that holiday amaryllis! Treat it like any houseplant (water, light, a little fertilizer) and let it bloom for you again next year.
2019 Proven Winners at The Garden Show in PhiladelphiaInspiration from last week's Flower Show now carries us forward into Spring. Proven Winners introductions were especially exciting this year, with breakthroughs worth a second (and third) look.
