The Bruce Company Blog

How-To Videos

Plant Care Tips

Plant Care Tips

Q & As

Have a Question?

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...
get ready for seed season

get ready for seed season

written by Lisa Briggs
What a difference a year makes! Last year, snow was found everywhere. Except in south central Wisconsin. Mother Nature has been more generous, but I sure wish that it would stay put!

read more
winter’s hush

winter’s hush

written by Lisa Briggs
Winter snowstorms have a wonderful way of slowing everything down, forcing all of us to live in the moment. The distracting details of daily life that ordinarily occupy every moment of your time are suddenly moved to the back burner. Your mind clears as you focus on the storm and the immediate tasks at hand. 

read more
to everything a season

to everything a season

written by Lisa Briggs
The term winter solstice marks the day when the earth’s axis tips us, and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere, the farthest from the sun. The sun appears at its lowest and weakest points in the sky on the 21st.

read more
a garden under snow

a garden under snow

written by Lisa Briggs
With a bit of planning, your garden can be just as lovely in December as it is in May. Especially if you choose perennials, tree and shrubs that add some winter interest to your beds and borders.

read more
christmas time is here

christmas time is here

written by Lisa Briggs
The often melancholy days of November are upon us. Snowflakes may gather on the grass and in the garden as the last of the brightly colored autumn leaves fall, leaving the trees bare.

read more
fall into winter

fall into winter

written by Lisa Briggs
You probably planted beautiful annual containers for the summer, but with last week’s hard freezes and Saturday’s wet, windy weather, they are surely done for the year. 

read more
finally! frosty mornings

finally! frosty mornings

written by Lisa Briggs
The crisp, white frost that we’ve seen on our lawns a couple of times is a sure sign that the planting season is waning. If you have the energy, you don’t have to put away your wheelbarrow, rakes and shovels yet. There are lots of important tasks to accomplish in the garden before we’re done for the year.

read more
whatever happened to autumn?

whatever happened to autumn?

written by Lisa Briggs
Wow. We’re more than halfway through October and no sign of a hard frost! The old saying goes “No frost until after the full moon in October.” AccuWeather’s long range forecast doesn’t predict under 40 degrees until the month’s last week.

read more
what’s all the fuss

what’s all the fuss

written by Lisa Briggs
If you aren’t a procrastinator and your gardens are cleaned up and plants are tucked in for the coming cold weather, you’re probably looking for something to do this weekend.

read more
Skip to content