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You are here: Home / Archives for Gardening Tips

Gardening Zone Maps for the United States and Canada.

Updated : November 25, 2014

9 Comments

As a gardener it’s really, really important that you know what gardening zone you live in.   Most plants are sold and advertised to be cold hardy to a certain zone.  Or some plants can only tolerate so much heat. So if you are confused or wondering about what zone you are actually in, here are… Click here to read more…

Winter Tree and Shrub Transplanting Tips and Why Now is the Ideal Time .

Updated : May 20, 2015

129 Comments

Recently dug Japanese maples.

I am going to talk to you about Winter Tree and Shrub Transplanting Tips and Why Now is the Ideal Time. Sounds crazy right?  This isn’t gardening season, it’s winter.  Spring is gardening season! Well . . . that’s sorta true. People really get confused about when to transplant what and how to go about… Click here to read more…

The Consumers Guide to Caring for and Planting a Live Balled in Burlap Christmas Tree.

Updated : December 17, 2019

36 Comments

Planting a live Christmas tree.

Buying  a live balled in burlap Christmas tree is a very special family event.  When you buy a live Christmas tree as opposed to a cut Christmas tree you are buying a living thing that will be part of your family and part of your landscape for many years to come. You pick out the… Click here to read more…

8 Plants With Spectacular Fall Colors

Updated : November 10, 2015

65 Comments

A few days ago as I was pulling into the driveway at home I couldn’t help but notice some of the spectacular fall colors.   Sure we’ve all seen the wonderful displays of color on the hillsides as we travel, but today I want to share with you a few plants that I think are noteworthy… Click here to read more…

Fertilizer Applicator for Fertilizing Containers, Nursery Pots and Plants in the Landscape

Updated : March 9, 2025

10 Comments

This fertilizer applicator makes it easy to target individual plants or containers.

I am very proud to say that this super time-saving, back-saving fertilizer dispensing device was invented by one of our very own Backyard Growers.  After bending over to fertilize a few hundred or a few thousand plants John quickly realized that there had to be a better way. This device is amazing.  All you do… Click here to read more…

Over Wintering, Protecting Plants for Winter

Updated : February 9, 2020

222 Comments

Gold Drop Potentilla. Tough enough to make it through the winter?

There are a lot of different ways to protect the plants that you are growing for the winter months.  There are a few things that you need to understand about protecting plants for winter. 1.  You don’t need a greenhouse.  You should be growing plants that are hardy in your growing climate, therefore they will… Click here to read more…

How to Grow and Trim Japanese Maples.

Updated : October 26, 2018

125 Comments

Crimson Queen Japanese Red Maple.

Crimson Queen is by far one of the most beautiful of the Laceleaf Weeping Japanese maples on the market.  However, I see so many of them that are improperly pruned and cared for.  It’s not so much that they are improperly pruned, they are not pruned at all.  Which is really about the worst kind… Click here to read more…

Why do I need raised beds? Do I need raised beds?

Updated : October 23, 2014

61 Comments

A stair stepped landscape planting.

Recently, here on the blog, we had a discussion about lots of interesting and creative ways to build raised beds.  Thank you all for sharing your great ideas, lots of really cool ideas.  You can see that post and add any additional ideas here.     But . . . do you really need raised… Click here to read more…

This is the Way that Crazy People Prune Plants.

Updated : September 8, 2020

70 Comments

What happens when crazy people prune plants.

. . . and guess who the crazy person is? Me.  Mike McGroarty. This is what I did that appears to be so crazy, but this is a great lesson in pruning as well as a lesson in Plant Propagation. I bought this one plant last summer and planted it in the yard.  My only… Click here to read more…

How To Attract Hummingbirds

Updated : June 17, 2024

54 Comments

How to Attract Hummingbirds

If you’re anything like me you’re tickled pink every time you see a hummingbird. These delicate and beautiful creatures may seem elusive or rare, but I’m here to tell you how to attract hummingbirds to your yard and garden with ease. There are quite a few things you’ll want to consider when first learning how… Click here to read more…

How to Keep Squirrels Away

Updated : June 17, 2024

268 Comments

How to Keep Squirrels Away

Whether you live in the country or the city, it is likely that you have encountered a squirrel or two in your own backyard. At any given moment, these expert climbers can be seen running up and down trees, scampering across power lines, or digging under bushes. Although many people have a favorable opinion of… Click here to read more…

How to Attract Deer

Updated : June 17, 2024

140 Comments

How to Attract Deer

Some homeowners use all of their energy to repel deer from their yard or garden because of the trouble they can sometimes cause. However, others wish to encourage deer to hang out in their yard for either viewing or hunting purposes. There are a variety of ways for you to accomplish having more deer on… Click here to read more…

How to Grow Hops at Home

Updated : June 17, 2024

7 Comments

How to Grow Hops at Home

Home-brewing is becoming a popular hobby for many enthusiasts. For most people, home brewing entails purchasing of dried hops. The truly savvy home brewers are learning how to grow hops at home. Humulus lupulus is the scientific name for this perennial twining plant. The serious hobbyist wants to brew from the ground up. Growing hops… Click here to read more…

Bamboo Plant Care for Beginners

Updated : October 23, 2014

51 Comments

Bamboo Plant Care for Beginners

Planting bamboo can be very advantageous for the average gardener. It has a unique look and is easy to maintain, making it a simple way to spruce up the backyard décor, construct a natural fence and much more. Bamboo is a grass, so its growth patterns will be similar to an average lawn; however, most… Click here to read more…

How to Control Mosquitoes

Updated : June 17, 2024

16 Comments

How to Control Mosquitoes

Mosquitoes can not only be a pest, but can be treacherous to your health with the diseases they can transmit to humans. West Nile virus has been a threat to many homeowners, especially near wooded areas. There are steps you can take to protect your home, family, and guests from mosquitoes by keeping them at… Click here to read more…

Vertical Gardening for Beginners

Updated : October 23, 2014

11 Comments

Vertical Gardening for Beginners

Don’t let the idea of vertical gardening intimidate you. Vertical gardening can be as simple as including hanging planters on your porch to more complex projects that make use of trellised growing systems. The idea is to grow up, not out, and thus conserve space on the ground while adding focal points of interest in… Click here to read more…

5 Unique Ways to Build Raised Garden Beds

Updated : November 13, 2020

131 Comments

5 Unique Ways to Build Raised Garden Beds

Gardening is a popular pastime for many people. Raising your own fresh produce saves money and is a fun hobby. Each year, there are new products and ideas when it comes to planting a garden. One of the latest trends in gardening is to build raised garden beds. There are many reasons a raised bed… Click here to read more…

Planting By The Moon

Updated : October 23, 2014

3 Comments

Plant By The Moon

Planting trees, grasses and plants according to the placement of the moon may be considered an old tradition or folklore for the methods of farmers. Planning to farm and plant according to the moon is derived from the idea that the moon provides and governs the soil’s moisture, thus increasing the chances for healthier, stronger… Click here to read more…

5 Homemade Mosquito Repellents

Updated : June 17, 2024

16 Comments

Witch Hazel - Homemade Mosquito Repellent

Have you ever went to the store, shopped for just the right mosquito repelling product, asked questions from the staff, just to get home and find out you could not stand the product because of the smell or chemicals that it contained? Using mosquito repellents bought at local stores can be costly, smell terrible, and… Click here to read more…

How To Attract Bees

Updated : October 15, 2014

43 Comments

In most scenarios, we would do all we could to steer bees in the opposite direction. However if your goal is to grow a beautiful and productive vegetable garden, you’ll want to bring on the bees. Knowing how to attract bees is essential to the growth of a healthy and productive vegetable garden. Bees play… Click here to read more…

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