I’ve got a bad case of the winter blues.  Even enchanting flower gardening magazines and catalogues aren’t helping.  At this time of the year I feel like a ship’s captain scanning the horizon for land – except I am searching for small green shoots.  The minute I see something green I’ll scamper out for a closer inspection; head down, rump up.  If it is a weed, I’ll pull it out in disgust but, ahhhhh, if it is one of the [...]

A week closer to spring and I catch myself going out of my way to “casually” drive by my favorite nurseries checking to see for the first signs of emerging inventory.  I know those faithful pansies will be smiling back at me soon….. Mulch gardens to reduce weeding.  This also helps to conserve moisture, supply nutrients and make the gardens look nicer.  Don’t make the mistake of mulching too early.  You need to allow the soil to warm up and [...]

  Is it safe yet?  Can I really start inching my way to the garden shed in anticipation of spring?  A few inches of snow on the ground won’t stop me.  A foot?  Nahhhhhh.  Spring fever has a way of distorting reality. If like many gardeners, you are scared about what might have happened to the gardens after a long winter, do what I do.  Take a deep breath and march boldly out to your garden and face it like [...]

  I’m getting less relief from spring fever by staring at my terrarium and silk flower arrangements. I’ve thought about setting up my lawn chair inside Faddegon’s Nursery’s (www.faddegons.com) lush greenhouse filled with orchids, tropicals and houseplants but I’m afraid I’d be asked to leave, especially after unwrapping my open-faced Limberger, liverwurst and onion sandwich.  I could always sit next to the flowering Imperial Fritillaria bulbs that smell like skunk and see if that helps me blend in better. To [...]

  At this point, I am just itchin’ to get my hands in the dirt – excuse me, I mean soil (dirt is a no-no word in a gardener’s vocabulary).  Are the pages of your garden magazines and catalogs becoming worn and tattered as they wear out their effectiveness for substituting for the real thing?  You’re not fooling me. Before donning our Muck boots and springing into another season, let’s continue to review some tips that will make a noticeable [...]