In an era of rising eco-consciousness, homeowners are gradually moving away from lawns and other heavily irrigated landscapes. The trend is toward xeriscapes, landscapes that are designed for climate they are located in, with plants adapted to thrive on little more than rainfall, and gardens that use efficient irrigation systems like drip systems or, in …
Category Archives: horticulture
Why snow cover is good for your garden
Because snow is mostly air, it is an excellent insulator, keeping temperatures stable at around 25 degrees even in sub-zero weather.
Why are there so many dying trees? What emerald ash borer damage looks like and what we learn from it
If you follow news about trees and gardening, you’ve probably been hearing for many years the ominous news of a devastating invasive insect called the emerald ash borer. History of the emerald ash borer in North America Ash trees are—or were—one of the most common tree types in North America. Our native ash species include …
The meadow garden: where change takes center stage
Start planning a meadow garden by identifying inhabited spaces within the garden’s boundaries. If you’d like to build a water feature, bird feeders, a plot for vegetables or a gazebo or deck, designate those spaces first. Your vision for large shrubs and trees should also come before garden beds.
A primer on the cactus family, and growing mountain ball cactus, Pediocactus simpsonii, from seed
Cacti make up one of the most diverse and rapidly-evolving plant families in the world, native exclusively to the Americas. First appearing about 35 million years ago (fairly recent for such a large group of plants), the first cacti were thorny tropical shrubs with woody stems and lush leaves. They’re hardly recognizable as cacti, but …
What is a crevice garden? An intro to a fun and attractive trend in xeriscape
A crevice garden is a style of garden arranging rocks in layers sticking vertically out of the ground. Originating in the Czech Republic, the crevice gardening style mimics natural rock features and plants growing from cliffs and crags. This charming practice is increasingly popular in the United States, particularly Colorado. Thousands of species of plants …
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Growing your garden’s resilience to drought
How to design and prepare your garden to coast through summer’s heat without becoming severely drought stressed.
Dealing with a summer-stressed garden
When the weather is hot, water evaporates much more quickly from leaves and from the soil. This is especially true in low humidity, which is even harder on plants. Plant tissues that lose too much moisture will wilt, scorch or die back.
Suffering succulents! Understanding what succulents need to stay healthy
Succulent troubleshooting: understanding what succulents need so you can care for them properly
Cloning from cuttings: simple plant propagation techniques for home gardeners
To get the cuttings to root, you need to control the environment a little more carefully.