Seasonal Ideas

December: good time to transplant trees and shrubs
December is upon us. Our year in the garden is winding down as the temperature drops. But for landscape lovers, there are visions of more than just sugar plums dancing in our heads.

Breathtaking fall colors: where to find the best!
Once again, it’s the fall season in America, and as temperatures begin to cool, deciduous trees from coast to coast are changing into their spectacular autumn clothing!

Super seven list of summer garden jobs
It's official: Summer is finally here as of June 21! And all that talk about "the lazy, hazy days" might make us think there's nothing to do around the landscape, except maybe pull a comfortable wicker chair under a favorite shade tree and...

Celebrate Earth Day - plant some trees!
It seems that the calendar is becoming filled with "Days" – as well as "Weeks" and "Months" – that are designated to celebrate even the most obscure events.

Christmas tree raises issues! FAQ
Would you mind answering a question for me? My neighbor threw away a beautiful cut-trunk Christmas tree.

Crisp Fall days: Perfect for planting... and planning
When Autumn comes around we see our trees and plants getting ready for their "long winter's nap" and it's only natural to think that we can begin to take it easy too.

Easy Fall Propagation Techniques
As a home gardener, fall should be a very special time for you. Fall is the best season of the year for plant propagation, especially for home gardeners who do not have the luxury of intermittent mist.

Fall garden fix-its now save problems next spring
Here’s what you DON’T want to say next spring: “I wish I’d taken care of that in the fall!” To avoid giving yourself a dope-slap a few months from now, follow this fall fix-it checklist.

Fall planting: Four hot tips to help you plan
Yeehah! It's fall planting season! Or at least it's fall BUYING season; the time when you buy the plants for fall planting.

Fall planting: should you fertilize now?
The crisp weather... the golden leaves swirling in sudden gusts of chill breezes. Yes: fall is definitely here, and for landscapers and gardeners, this is that special time when we devote our outdoor time to planting...

Fall weather is perfect for planting!
Crisp, cool mornings. Perfect "sleeping weather"at night. Plant catalogs and landscaping "how to" books piling up on the coffee table. It must be Fall!

Five "must do" tips for winter landscapers
Once again, it's that special time of year between Thanksgiving and the New Year. The days are shorter and there seems to be more to pack into each of them.

Five quick tips to enhance your May landscape
If you are like me, you’ve noticed that there are plenty of activities to keep you busy around your landscape right now!

Get lawn and garden ready for spring!
It happens every year. I tear the last “February” page from my desk calendar and suddenly feel a touch of spring fever when I realize the first day of March is finally here!

Get tools ready for winter
There's a subconscious belief more of a superstition, really that if we don't winterize our landscaping tools then Old Man Winter will somehow be prevented from invading our piece of the planet.

Holiday gift ideas for gardeners and landscape lovers
The Holidays are fast approaching, and no doubt there are some garden enthusiasts on your gift list. Here are some gift ideas for all those Green Thumbs... and some for the “horticulturally challenged” as well.

It's Fall... And your landscape needs some TLC
It seems only a few days since we were in the middle of Summer. And yet here I am to talk about getting your land ready for the onset of winter.

It's time again for the War on Weeds!
It's just about time for yet another re-enactment of that epic conflict: The Annual Battle of the Weeds. Once again, it's you versus the weeds. And the weeds are winning...

Lush lawns begin with autumn action now!
In a recent column, I discussed some of the autumnal chores that gardeners and landscapers should be addressing now to ensure an easier and more productive spring next year. That column included some brief lawn tips. But that wasn’t enough!

Planning and Planting for Fall
The calendar says that the first day of Fall is September 23. But when it comes to Fall planting, the season feels as if it begins in those end-of-summer days immediately following Labor Day!

Planting trees this spring? These pre-plant tips will help!
We must be well into the new year because I've finally stopped writing the wrong year on my checks. It's about this time every year that both professional landscapers and home gardeners start thinking seriously about spring planting.

Planting with future Fall colors in mind
Autumn is one of the most colorful times of the year in the world of Nature, and one of the most enjoyable times for those of us who love tending to our landscape.

Summertime... But the livin' ISN'T easy...
It's August. It's Summer and it's HOT. From Minnesota to Mississippi, the summer sun is beating down on us and our plants. Some horticulturists tell us we should talk to our plants.

Winter is the best time for tree pruning
There are two kinds of winter gardening. The first method usually starts in January as the gardening catalogs begin to arrive in the mail.

Your fall landscape: readers come up with timely tips
A good idea bears repeating. That’s certainly true when it comes to ideas that can save you time and effort around your landscape. A reader recently contacted me via e-mail and asked me about a tip from a reader that appeared in a previous column.

Your fall landscape: Ten “do it now” garden tips
The days may be getting shorter and chillier, but there’s still plenty to do in and around your landscape!