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The Bruce Company Blog

is spring here to stay?

Last weekend’s really warm days gave us a taste of the summer to come, but the unseasonably high temps should moderate for the next few days to something more seasonal. I’ve always maintained that gardeners are the most optimistic folks on earth and, no matter what...

beauty can be fleeting

Every spring, gardeners hold their collective breath as we wait for the first green shoots pushing through the warming soil. To be a perennial gardener in this climate requires great faith in your choices. It seems miraculous that fragile perennial plants and very...

be vwery quiet

My whiskers twich when you’re not watching- My ears flick like weather vanes. My eyes grow round and rounder, I hippety-hop along the rows. Sometimes I nibble cabbage. Sometimes I nap amid the squash. When the sun shines, my coat turns to rust. But when the moon...

tasty reasons to garden

There are great reasons to grow your vegetables from seed because you have are so many more choices when you’re buying seeds. Let’s start with taste and depth of selection. Ordinarily, the Garden Center has 50 or so varieties of tomato seedlings on order. If you look...

a taste of spring

Happy Vernal Equinox! We certainly had a beautiful day for it. And remember March 1st? Mild temps. Sun. Definitely lamb weather! And despite a few chilly, windy days and tonight’s forecasted snow, the month so far has held to that gentle, lamb-like vibe. Wisconsin’s...

why plant a butterfly garden?

Learn About Butterflies Day was last week It always reminds us that the battle between strength and fragility is not better illustrated more clearly than by a butterfly. About 130 of these brightly colored beauties can be spotted during the spring and summer in...

bring the spring inside

A beautiful vase of flowers is a perfect remedy for chasing away the late winter blues when all we really want is to see is the light of spring at the end of winter’s tunnel. So how can you add the color and fragrance of flowers to your home without breaking the bank?...

now you see spring-now you don’t

As winter recedes, each sign of spring seems more symbolic than the last. And this year’s teasing tone has made all of us more than a little crazy. Personally, I’m longing for thunderstorms instead of snow showers. The sandhill crane’s raspy call or the melodious song...

february is the cruelest month

Haven't the mild temperatures and sunny days been marvelous? We hope that you had a chance to get outside and enjoy those beautiful days. And even though, these steps into early spring will be followed by a few that are headed back into late winter, days are...

patience is nature’s secret

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. All in all, it’s been a quiet winter. The biggest...
delayed gratification

delayed gratification

written by Lisa Briggs
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.

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wonderful world of houseplants

wonderful world of houseplants

written by Lisa Briggs
We’ve had a couple of chilly nights under our belts, with the night temps in the mid 50s. It won’t be long before we’re experiencing lows in the 40s. So it’s time to make a plan for any houseplants that have spent the summer outdoors.

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be prepared!

be prepared!

written by Lisa Briggs
What a difference a wet July makes! The Madison area’s rainfall is less than an inch under average from March 1 thru July 31. And the average monthly temperatures have been running a bit higher. Weather factors can make gardening in our area mighty interesting.

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if at first…

if at first…

written by Lisa Briggs
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 crops have been harvested.

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the late summer seesaw

the late summer seesaw

written by Lisa Briggs
Seesawing temperatures are one clue that summer is on the wane. Long-range weather forecasters predict that we can expect more moderate temperatures this weekend through the end of the month, giving us lots of time to plant some fall veg and late blooming annuals.

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and the heat goes on

and the heat goes on

written by Lisa Briggs
It sure has been a sultry summer. Fireflies light the warm evenings and cicadas and crickets sing us to sleep. It’s a fact, sad but true though, that summer is winding down. The season of extended days never seems long enough, but it’s time for gardeners everywhere to reap what they have sown.

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butterflies are free!

butterflies are free!

written by Lisa Briggs
The hot, dry weather that is typical of late July, early August can be hard on your garden plants. And since this season’s July and August heat began in May, our plants may be having an especially difficult time establishing and thriving.

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grow your own and share!

grow your own and share!

written by Lisa Briggs
The popularity of vegetable gardening shows no signs of plateauing, and that makes your goal of eating in a more seasonal and local way easier than ever. Growers are introducing lots of new, and older but new to you varieties.

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what’s a gardener to do?

what’s a gardener to do?

written by Lisa Briggs
No one wants to be the first to say it, but here we go. The Solstice was a couple weeks ago and even though we are still under the spell of the dog days, astronomically summer is on the wane.

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