I love a good mystery, and the garden provides many puzzles. Sometimes I am stumped, but it sure is satisfying when the solution presents itself! Last spring, I decided to make use of some rotting pallets we had set aside. The wood was pretty far-gone, and I thought I could bury it under some compost […]
gardening
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Spring-Flowering Bulbs and Corms
Spring-flowering bulbs provide lots of color with very little effort. From mid-February until late April, the longer and warmer days signal the earth to awaken. First to bloom are snowdrops then crocus, daffodils, grape hyacinths, hyacinths and dwarf iris. Tulips that bloom during the entire season are available. Other bulbs are also available in catalogs, […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Ease into Gardening with a Raised Bed
Raise your garden to new heights for easier access and greater productivity. Raised beds allow you to overcome poor soil by creating the ideal growing mix, plus make gardening time more comfortable thanks to less bending and kneeling. Whether you purchase a kit or build your own, there are a few things to consider when […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Homegrown Flavor from an Indoor Garden
Add some homegrown flavor to your winter meals. From microgreens to tomatoes, it is possible to grow produce indoors. Microgreens are a quick and easy way to add some flavor and crunch to your plate. Just plant seeds labeled for sprouting or microgreens in a shallow container filled with a sterile potting or seed-starting mix. Within two weeks, […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
Get Ready for Gardening Start looking for seed packets at local nurseries during the months of January and February. The sooner, the better for best selection. If you wait too long to pick up veggie seeds, you may not get the ones desired. For maximum success, it’s best to choose short-season varieties that reach maturity […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Get The Dirt — On Home Gardening
The holidays are a time for resting a bit from gardening tasks and especially a time for friends and family. Since gardening and birds often go together, if you’re lucky, you may see a snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus) passing through this region. It’s also a good time to select and peruse gardening books for yourself […]
Posted inFeatured, Garden
Garden Chrysanthemums — Colorful Hardy Flowers
Fall is the time of year when chrysanthemums appear in nurseries and garden centers. Gardeners may see them through the winter months too. Chrysanthemums originated in China and have been the national flower of Japan since 910 A.D. but have only been cultivated relatively recently in Western countries. Known as potted mums, they’re more commonly […]
Posted inBlog, Gardeners Corner
Fall Fruit Show a Delicious Showcase of Local Harvest
Fall is harvest time and members of the Peninsula Fruit Club celebrate that in a big way. From Bainbridge Island to Gig Harbor, member growers bring and show the fruits of their orchard labor. The group has two events each that are open to the public at the West Side Improvement Club on E Street […]
Posted inBlog, Featured, Gardeners Corner
Water Gardening in Containers
Jan Bahr from Roadhouse Nursery on Central Valley Road recently showed us how to create water gardens in containers. You don’t need a huge piece of land or large construction equipment to enjoy a water garden feature. Smaller water gardens can be created in a bathtub, a waterproof and weatherproof container and even in containers […]