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frost things first

Wow. Our first frost was earlier than the last few years The old saying No frost until after the full moon in October doesn’t always hold true as the October full moon isn’t until Monday. Long range forecasts are predicting warmer than normal temperatures for the next...

give me pumpkin to talk about

At the end of October, the doorway to winter swings wide open. The sun is swallowed up by nights that lengthen with every passing day. The shimmering greens of summer and fiery hues of autumn give way to bare branches. Glorious fall flowers fade and die back. It is a...

fall for your garden

At long last. It’s time to take a deep breath because a lot of the physical work, and often frenetic pace of the growing season is winding down. Even though the warm weather means that there is still raking to be done, not having a million things to accomplish in the...

give me pumpkin to talk about

If we were able to solve a couple of the great mysteries of gardening, we would not want to know if a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet. But we might be sure to ask if there really is a difference between a squash and a gourd. Squashes generally refer...

fall into gardening

Now that we’re getting ready to turn the calendar from summer to fall, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Cooler temps. Lower humidity. And so many other reasons to love autumn! But a gardener’s work is never done. Let’s start by acknowledging that cold...

chill to thrill

Let’s start by saying that the word forcing may sound like a lot of work. It really isn’t. What you’re doing is tricking a bulb into thinking that winter is over and it’s time to flower. You could call it a little sleight of hand. And you reap the rewards of spring...

dig in for spring

Are you confused when it comes to fall-planted bulbs? Lots of gardeners are. What are bulbs, and how, and when should they be planted are questions that we often hear at the Plant Desk in late summer and early autumn. Adding bulbs to your borders is simple and...

bringing in the green

September can be such a transitional time, especially for gardeners. Our garden borders seem to teeter on the edge of a climatic cliff. Colors will begin to morph from deep green foliage to mellow butter yellow and fiery scarlet. Branching forms reappear as deciduous...

second chance vegetables

So many of you planted fruits and vegetables again this spring and we hope that you’ve been happy with the results. After all, there are few things more delicious then a tomato eaten right off the vine. And you may find that you’ve got some empty spots where spring...

rake, rest and reset

Weather factors can make gardening in our area mighty interesting. We’ve experienced 10 days of over 90-degree temps, a very dry July and though we have a few more days to make the difference, a dry-ish August. The Autumnal Equinox is just 27 days away and the first...
be vewy, vewy quiet

be vewy, vewy quiet

written by Lisa Briggs
Despite their adorable faces, bunnies can do an awful lot of damage to your yard. A couple of rabbits can strip the bark from young trees or decimate an entire vegetable garden overnight. They are also extremely adept winter pruners, mowing down as many small shrubs as they can reach.

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let’s get growing

let’s get growing

written by Lisa Briggs
There are good reasons to grow vegetables from seed. There are so many more choices when you’re buying seeds. Ordinarily, the Garden Center has about 50 varieties of tomato seedlings on order. If you look at seeds though, you can chose from 118 different cherries, currants, slicers and pastes.

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march so far, lamb or lion?

march so far, lamb or lion?

written by Lisa Briggs
Don’t you find yourselves looking for any excuse to be outdoors in the early spring sunshine? It feels as though everything alive is aching to stretch- length of the days, leaves on the trees, germinating seeds.

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signs of spring

signs of spring

written by Lisa Briggs
As winter recedes, each sign of spring seems more symbolic than the last. And March’s teasing tone always makes me a little crazy. I’m longing for thunderstorms instead of snow showers.

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anticipation, antici pay-yay tion

anticipation, antici pay-yay tion

written by Lisa Briggs
I’ve checked all 10 of my favorite weather apps and forecasts seem to agree that March will be coming in like a lamb. Finding consensus about past weather events is tricky because our memories can be so subjective.

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the floral language of love

the floral language of love

written by Lisa Briggs
Happy Valentine’s Day is in less than two weeks and everyone at the Bruce Company wishes you and those you love a great day! Have you wondered why red roses are the go-to flower for Valentine’s Day giving? Or

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feed your need for seeds

feed your need for seeds

written by Lisa Briggs
There are a few cool weather annuals that you can start now from seed in anticipation of mild early spring days. A mix of pansies and snapdragons would make a splendid spring container.

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