A beginner’s guide to composting. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Home composting is a win-win activity. Not only is it a sustainable way of disposing of kitchen food scraps and garden waste, it also happens to make top-notch compost that your plants will love. Composting is a year-round activity. Late summer to early winter is a peak …
Planting and Managing Cover Crops for Maximum Weed Suppression
How to plant and manage cover crops for maximum weed suppression. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. A cover crop planted correctly and managed well can give nearly 100% weed control while it is growing, and substantial weed management benefits in subsequent vegetables. However, a cover crop poorly managed can become a weedy mess and make a huge …
Why Give Cover Crops Space in Your Garden
Why you should give cover crops some space in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Cover crops provide many benefits for your garden because they suppress weeds, attract pollinators and add nitrogen to the soil. Cover crops like oilseed or tillage radish can be used to break up compacted soil, with long taproots that loosen hardpan …
Tips on Handling Pesky Weeds in your Flower Bed
Some tips on handling those pesky weeds in your flower bed. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Removing unwanted plants among your treasured blooms can be tricky. But with the right tools and techniques, you can make the chore a little easier. The trick is to remove weeds as soon as you see them because they will only …
Stopping a Cute Critter from Wreaking Havoc in Your Garden
How to stop a cute critter from wreaking havoc in your garden. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Raccoons are cute, extremely smart, and highly skilled troublemakers. Especially when it comes to your garden. They’re particularly fond of corn, tomatoes, watermelons, sweet potatoes, and peas. They also enjoy orchard fruits such as apples, peaches, and strawberries. Raccoons are …
Growing a Unique Tuber that Looks Like a Potato, Tastes Like a Fruit
Growing a unique tuber that looks like a potato but tastes like a fruit. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Yacon is a perennial tuber from South America and is one of those fantastic plants that keeps on giving. It looks a little like small sunflowers amongst a bed of green leaves. Sometimes called ground pear, earth apple, …
Container Annuals that are Hard to Kill
Some container annuals that are hard to kill. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. If you’re looking for beautiful container plants that are hard to kill, Petunias are perfect for the new gardener. They’re annuals come in candy-coated shades-pink, purple, yellow, apricot, red, white, and stripes. These classic blooms are classified as “weatherproof,” meaning they can handle large …
Quickest Growing Veggies for the Impatient Gardener
The quickest growing veggies for the impatient gardener. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. When starting an edible garden it can be discouraging to wait for your homegrown bounty to be ready for harvest. Fortunately, there are a handful of veggies that will sprout up quickly in as little as 8 weeks. Such as Arugula. After planting the …
What to Cross Off Your Gardening To-Do List This Month
What to cross off your gardening to do list this month. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Depending on your hardiness zone, July might be a good time to give plants another blast of fertilizer before they can harden off and survive the next winter. Or, it might be time to stake some of those tall floppy flowers. …
Plants That Have No Problem Standing Up to Summer Heat
Some plants that have no problem standing up to summer heat. That’s coming up on This Land of Ours. Even on the hottest summer days there are many flowers and plants that really don’t mind it. So you can still count on making some beautiful floral arrangements from these sun-loving plants. Gerber Daisies is one example of a cut flower …