Because everyone is spending more time in their own backyards now, parents are wondering how to create healthier lawns for their families. You might be surprised to learn that exposure to pesticides, herbicides and chemical fertilizers can be harmful, particularly for growing children. This is why flags are posted after a yard is treated — […]
horticulture
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Gig Harbor Garden Tour’s Lush Offerings
Variety is the spice of life. This year’s Gig Harbor Garden Tour truly exemplifies that old adage. From elegant, English-style greenhouses to sweet, pocket-sized gardens to big, community raised-beds bursting with herbs, fruits and vegetables, there is something for every garden taste in the luscious, spicy offerings of 2020. The 23rd annual tour includes four […]
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Want to Regrow Veggies? Here’s What You Need to Know
Editor’s note: This is an excerpt adapted from the book “Regrow Your Veggies: Growing Your Vegetables from Roots, Cuttings, and Scraps,” recently published by CompanionHouse Books. Living in a globalized world has many advantages. Of course, transporting people and goods is much quicker, but also knowledge, culture and other perspectives cross borders more easily than […]
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Victory Garden 2.0 — Growing in A Container
James H. Burdett did not address container growing in “The Victory Garden Manual,” but times were different in 1943. Today, growing edibles in containers is probably one of the fastest emerging trends. Plus, with vegetable breeders working on more compact varieties, your choices for what to grow in a confined space are countless. Ten tips […]
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Historic Homestead Becomes Home to Gardens
Imagine being a young woman in Germany in the 1890s and coming alone over the Atlantic Ocean, and across the entire continental United States, to a remote peninsula in the Pacific Northwest. That is what young Dora Gummert did when she came to Gig Harbor to marry Henry Sehmel (pronounced Zay-mul), who planned to farm […]
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Kids’ Garden-Themed Activities You Can Do Right Now
As we all face these unpredictable times, experts at KidsGardening created and shared these “tried and true,” plant-based activities that are joyful for any age and don’t involve any screen time. The national nonprofit reaches close to half of a million educators, parents and volunteers with free online gardening educational resources and activities. According to […]
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Maintaining Wellness through Gardening in the Era of Social Distancing
Recreational, meetings and concerts are canceled. The kids are out of school and we’re being encouraged to stay home. In this time of Covid-19, here are a few suggestions from the National Garden Bureau, along with links to resources, to cultivate something good. 1. Start some seeds. Nothing is more life-affirming than checking each morning […]
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A Living Fossil — Ginkgo Biloba
Once upon a prehistoric time, the deciduous Ginkgo biloba grew around the globe. When we look at this tree, we witness a living link to a primeval time, long before mammals became prolific on the planet. Under the tree’s tall canopy, the dinosaurs roamed. It is not hard to imagine these majestic beings rubbing their […]
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Get Maximum Yield from Minimal Garden Space
Growing on a deck or balcony is a great way to bring the garden to your backdoor. You can attract butterflies and hummingbirds into easy view and grow edibles within close reach when cooking. For some, it may be the only available space to garden. Make the most of every square foot by growing vertically. […]