Tomato time is my favorite time. In spring, the anticipation of slicing into a juicy, meaty ball of perfection has me planting more than I should. By midsummer, plumping tomatoes on fragrant vines motivate me. And in late summer, when the payoff arrives here in my zone 7 garden, I’m ...
Every spring brings a new growing season and, for me and other garden communicators, dozens of not-yet-available sample plants sent by breeders and growers. To try them out, I squeeze some into my beds and borders, tuck others into containers, and plant the rest in the Maternity Ward, a ...
UNIVERSITY PARK— For 90 years, the Penn State Flower Trials have helped answer a simple question: Which flowers are worth planting? This summer, the trials are celebrating that legacy by pairing cutting-edge new varieties with “Oldies but Goodies,” classic flowers that have stood the test of time. “Sometimes your grandmother’s favorite petunia really is still the best,” said Alyssa Collins, director of Penn State’s Southeast Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Manheim, where the trials take place. Operated by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, ...
When summer temperatures soar, we humans can take shelter indoors. Our garden plants, however, have no such respite. Some may droop, wilt or get crispy, while others may simply refuse to bloom. Although there’s not much we can do to counter extreme weather, we can equip our gardens to ...
When you look at your garden beds and borders, do you see any bare soil? If so, mulch is in order. Mulch is defined as a protective layer applied over soil to retain moisture, suppress weeds and moderate soil temperature around plants, as well as in uncultivated areas. But if used incorrectly, mulch can cause more harm than good. The right kind of mulch Folks use everything from gravel, plastic sheeting and shredded tires to organic materials like compost, pine needles, shredded bark, hay, straw and wood chips. Some are better than others, to say the least. Gravel and stones ...
This spring has been characterized by significant temperature swings, sometimes as much as 30 degrees from one day to the next, as well as unusually high and low temperatures. The erratic weather has created challenges for gardeners in central Pennsylvania. Of particular concern is the damage ...
