The Gardener’s Rake

As the garden season picks up you may notice fruit and vegetable stands opening. I grow as much of my own produce in the warmer months as possible but it’s impossible to grow it all, so fruit and vegetable stands become one of my favorite stops in the summer.

In my Warren County area there are two local garden markets, numerous small roadside markets and often times neighbors will just set out their extra produce for sale or for free.

On top of fresh garden produce you often have more organically grown produce. I always ask to see if they use many chemicals in the gardens and yards. I personally do not use any chemicals in my yard or on my garden produce.

Continue Reading »

At a greenhouse auction I attended last night I picked up a large  flat of mixed perennials. Four of the containers had Bugleweed plants. I have heard this perennial flower/groundcover can be invasive so I wanted to find out more information on it.

The plants grow along the ground, forming a mat that can keep weeds from making headway. Some people even use is as more of a grass in hard to maintain areas as it will choke out all weeds. They have a rounded leaf and bloom in May and June with irregular flowers in spiked clusters.

They grow in ordinary, well-drained garden soil, with full sun or partial shade. They are considered easy to take care of. In areas with mild winters or under a good snow cover, they are evergreen.

Bugleweed is excellent as ground cover and make a stunning edging at the front of a border as they emphasis the other flowers colors. They are perfect for tumbling over rock edges and if you add another ground cover with color this makes a great statement. If you use these as a ground covers place the plants 10 inches apart. They will quickly fill an area.

Continue Reading »

This summer our weather is wet and the nights are too cool. Summers like this wreck havoc on crops. Plants can get wet feet (too much water near the roots), which stunts the plants growth and production or even kills them. I am seeing a few signs of too much water, one which is pale colored leaves, so its time to start taking preventative measures

Here are a few tips for helping with this problem.

Corrections you can do now Continue Reading »

I just recently picked up several Yucca plants, one that is more than 25 years old, over four foot tall and beautiful. It’s a plant that I have wanted for a while but haven’t seen while I was plant shopping so it hadn’t made it to my gardens or yard. One my one plant foraging runs I was lucky enough to pick up the plants.

The Yucca plant has a wild and exotic look; it is part of the lily family although by looking at it you would not guess this. There are over 40 plant varieties that grow in the United States and are considered more of a wild plant. However, homeowners have adopted them as a landscape addition. In my zone 5 the yucca known as “Adams Needle” is the variety that will grow in this climate.

The plant has a desert like look with sharp spiny leaves.  It is told that many years ago Yuccas were once planted outside a window to discourage any “peeping Toms.” I am not sure if this is true but it makes a nice story.

Continue Reading »