Top 5 Tips for Planning your 2023 Garden

Before you know it, spring will be here and so will all the joy and beauty of the season. However, you shouldn’t wait until temperatures creep back up to dig in, dust off your trowel, and give in to your green thumb! A new year presents the perfect opportunity to begin planning your garden. There’s no need to delay. With these tips, your 2023 garden will glow with blooms, buds, and boundless beauty.

1. Put Pen-to-Paper to Plan for Plant Perfection

Laying out your 2023 garden now gives you the opportunity to truly embrace your yard’s full potential. It also allows you the chance to take inventory of what perennial plants you can anticipate returning to life and where your garden needs a little extra love. Plus, beginning the year with a well-thought-out plan will ensure your year of gardening will go smoothly.

To create your 2023

The Ideal Winter Interest: Conifers & Evergreens

Many gardeners do not look forward to winter because they think that all their plants are dead or sleeping, but if you pick the right ones, you can have plenty of color throughout the cold months. Not sure which plants are perfect to light up your winter landscape? Here are 14 that will do a great job of coloring your winter months.

Fantastic Flowers & Color for Winter

Not all things that are green during the winter come with needles and cones. Some come with beautiful foliage, berries, and flowers. If you want more than just green during the winter months, here are some plants that will give you more color, both in winter and the rest of the year.

Azalea

There are many evergreen varieties, some bloom in the spring, but they will give you lovely color all year round. As you look for the right ones for your yard, note that some prefer shade but others will do well in full sun. Add a few to your

12 Bulbs to Plant in Fall for the Best Spring Blooms

It’s time to plan ahead and plant your bulbs for a colorful, lively spring! Unsure which bulbs will give you the biggest blooms for your buck? Whether you’re looking for rare colors, the biggest blooms, or classic color schemes, we have you covered. To make the most of your spring, we chose top-ranked bulbs that will fill your garden with dazzling color and cheer! 

So grab your gardening gloves and get ready. Fall bulbs planting season is here!

A Quick Guide to Planting Bulbs

1. Give Them Space & Plant Them Deep Enough

Planting bulbs is pretty straightforward. However, there are some common mistakes some gardeners make. So, if you’re new to planting bulbs in fall or just need reassurance that you’re on the right track, remember to:

• Plant your bulbs with their roots down and their sprouting ends up. Most bulbs look a bit like an onion or garlic.

Top 7 Privacy Shrubs

Looking to create a little more privacy in the coming year? Well, there are a lot of things that you can plant to keep you out of sight. Here is a variety to pick from. Some have beautiful foliage, others come with lots of blossoms. Just take your pick–all will add beauty and privacy to your yard.

1. Arborvitae 

Emerald Green

Size: 15 feet high, 4 feet wide

Growth: Moderate

Zones: 4-9

Tall and lush, they have dark green foliage throughout the year. They like full sun but will be happy with partial shade, and they do well in most types of soil. Plant as a border or screen, or along the house or garage. Add beauty and color to your yard 12 months out of the year.

Green Giant

Size: 50 feet high, 12 feet wide

Growth:

7 Roses to Color Your Autumn World

Don’t be under the mistaken impression that only experienced gardeners can grow roses well. Many of the newer varieties require little work and are disease resistant. With just a little work, you can get your roses in the ground before winter sets in, then begin to enjoy an explosion of color next summer and fall. Here are 7 seven varieties that you might want to try.

Planting and Growing Roses

Roses really don’t require a lot of work, so spend a little time preparing your soil, and they will make a welcome addition to your landscape.

Conditions

Roses like rich, well-drained soil that is full of organic matter and slightly acidic. Most varieties need at least 8 hours of sun. In hot climates, you might want to put them where they can get afternoon shade, and for zones where there can be damage from frosty winter nights,

What to do with Leaves in the Fall

Fall is upon us, and if you have any trees in your yard, you’ll notice that they are slowly turning color and dropping onto your lawn. Some might think that this is a bad thing, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many uses for all those leaves that accumulate in your yard every fall. Here are some ideas on how to use them.

Mow Them into Your Yard

This is the simplest and easiest way to use leaves. Trees pull nutrients from the soil to make the leaves in the spring and summer, and normally, they will fall next to the tree’s trunk and start to decompose, recycling those nutrients. So if you rake and bag the leaves every fall, then cart them off to the landfill, it will slowly drain the soil of the components needed to keep your trees healthy.

Instead, just use your mower to chop them up into small pieces. These will settle in between the

20 Things to Plant for Fall Color

Fall is almost here, and few things are better than all the vibrant and natural color that the cooler fall weather brings. Many people hit the road looking for spectacular fall colors. But when you plant for fall color in mind you can skip the trip and get front-row access to a kaleidoscope of autumnal beauty. There truly is nothing better than walking out of your back door and having an explosion of fall color that’s all your own. 

Need some inspiration for what plants will add some fall-time pizazz to your yard? Here are some of our fall-time faves:

The Best Trees for Fall Color

There are many trees that will light up your landscape with wonderful color in the fall. From the weird and wonderful to the traditional, there are plenty to choose from as you plan your fall color display.

1 American Sweetgum (Zones 6-9)

Tips to Reduce & Prevent Common Garden Pests

Many people grow their own fruits and vegetables so that they can eat fresh and healthy food from their backyard. So using poison to kill insect pests on the things that you are going to be eating isn’t too appealing.

There are many natural pesticides that you can buy to spray on those pests that will keep them under control, without endangering your health.

Benefits of Natural Pesticides

Natural pesticides, whether homemade or store bought, are good for you, your garden and the earth. Among the many benefits:

• They are better for your health
• They won’t damage the environment
• They break down quickly
• They will not build up in the soil
• The pests are less likely to build up a resistance
• And in most cases, they are significantly cheaper than chemical fertilizers

How to Successfully Plant Grass Plugs

Have you noticed a few bare patches in your yard? Don’t despair if you have! Your lawn can easily be repaired, and soon it will be looking as good as new. What’s the simple solution? Grass plugs. By planting grass plugs in those bare or unsightly areas, you can easily and inexpensively have a great-looking yard again.

What Is a Grass Plug?

A grass plug is a small piece of turf that was grown specifically to help fill holes in your yard. They are usually 2-3 inches in diameter, and once they are established, they will grow out until the hole is filled in.

What Should You Do Before Planting Grass Plugs?

Like most things in life, the majority of the work when it comes to grass plugs comes in the form of preparation. In fact, there is more preparation for plugging your lawn than most people think. Additionally, if you

The 7 Best Fruit Trees for Small Spaces

Thinking about making some additions to your yard, patio, balcony, or garden? If you like the idea of edible landscaping–trees that look good and give you delicious fruit as well, there are plenty of options you can select from. To make choosing the best tree for your compact space, we’ve selected our 8 favorites that will add fruit and beauty to your life.

1 Black Chokeberry

Chokeberry may not be the first fruiting plant that comes to mind when you think of a delectable snack, but it can be! These berries may not be the best raw, but they can be transformed into jellies, jams, and syrups.

Characteristics

The black Chokeberry is a very versatile and attractive bush that grows up to 6 feet in height. It likes acidic soil and will do well in full or partial