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seeds of success

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...

lettuce beware!

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...

you had us at pansies

Happy Vernal Equinox! And last Friday was everything I was hoping for the first day of spring. Despite that blizzard, the month of March, thus far, has felt fairly mild and if you look at Wisconsin’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, known...

plant a butterfly buffet

Learn About Butterflies Day was March 14th and it always reminds me that the battle between strength and fragility is not illustrated more clearly than by a butterfly. About 130 of these brightly colored beauties can be spotted during the spring and summer in...

signposts of spring

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...

coax some early spring bounty

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?...

how long until spring!

We’ve experienced some lovely weather this month and the warming temperatures will definitely be a trend as we move into March. We hope that you have a chance to get outside and enjoy those beautiful days. And even though, these steps into early spring will be...

lion? or lamb?

What exactly determines the difference between lamb and lion weather? Temperature? Precipitation? Clear skies? I’ve never been sure. I’ve checked all 6 of my favorite weather apps and forecasts range from 30 degrees and sunny to 24 degrees with a 30% chance of snow....

let the growing begin

It’s a bit early, but if you’ve already started some seeds, those baby seedlings may be growing like Jack’s beanstalks. Be sure that you check them every day and observe their progress. Water whenever the soil surface is dry to the touch and feed them every other week...

be our valentine

Valentine’s Day, as well as the more inclusive Palentine’s and Galentine’s days, are this weekend and everyone at the Bruce Company wishes you and everyone you love a great day! Have you wondered why red roses are the go-to flower for Valentine’s Day giving? Or why...
trick your bulbs

trick your bulbs

written by Lisa Briggs
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.

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fall is for planting

fall is for planting

written by Lisa Briggs
Now that we’re getting ready to turn the calendar page from September to October, we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief. Cooler temps. Lower humidity. And so many other reasons to love fall!

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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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if at first you don’t succeed

if at first you don’t succeed

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.

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vive la difference!

vive la difference!

written by Lisa Briggs
What a difference a wet growing season makes! Weather factors can make gardening in our area mighty interesting. But the Autumnal Equinox is just 30 days away and the first frost is usually a few weeks later. It’s time to think about preparing for the cooler weather to come.

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add some color to your summer

add some color to your summer

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,

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late summer planting

late summer planting

written by Lisa Briggs
As summer wanes and autumn approaches, birds congregate in the trees and on overhead wires. The air is sweetly scented with ripening fruit. The light changes, becoming more golden. Everything seems ready to burst. Not in the tender, life-is-beginning way of spring, but in a more poignant manner that hints life in the garden will soon fade.

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