Getting the Weeds Out of Your Garden...

Did you ever track the number of hours you spend keeping your flower beds free of weeds? I don’t even bother because tracking my time doing this task could easily discourage anyone from having a garden! What is really important here is to understand weeds  – yes – actually understand those pesky things! That will allow you to win over them and give you more time ot enjoy your beautifully groomed garden. Understanding...

Getting Rid of Bugs in Your Garden...

We all know that one of the biggest sources of environmental pollution comes from the use of pesticides. There are many natural remedies that you can apply to get rid of and control bad bugs and pests in your garden – without using toxic chemicals. And the good news is that many of these remedies are already in your kitchen! Knowing which are the bad bugs in your garden is a good start and here are some tips that will...

How To Build Your Garden Pond...

If you have space in your garden, plus the desire to build and maintain a garden pond, definitely consider taking the task on. Inground water pond is an entire ecosystem of its own and water feature transforms any garden into a serene retreat. Most garden centres and large stores offer beautiful, relatively inexpensive and innovative products that will make building your pond easy. Before you set out to purchase a build-yourself...

How to Build a Hanging Basket...

There is a lot you can do with hanging baskets to accent your home and your garden. There are a lot of hanging baskets readily available in the market, but there is also an advantage to making your own. No matter what you need your basket to do, making your own gives you an opportunity to create colour combinations that best suit your needs. A combination of trailing plants of the same variety with three or four colourful...

Grow An Easy Garden...

Everyone wants to have a beautiful garden – place where you can relax and enjoy a few moments away from the time-pressed world. By choosing plants and following a few tips that are aimed at curtailing upkeep, you can have a beautiful garden and time left to enjoy it. Easy Garden Tips: Magical Mulch: Cut your watering and weeding time with a 2-3 inch layer of organic mulch (leaf mould, compost, shredded bark) applied...

All About Compost...

I call compost: the garden gold and eco-paydirt. You can go and buy ready-made from your garden centre, or you can make your own. Making compost by recycling vegetable-based kitchen scraps and yard waste cuts down on garbage and more importantly – conditions and feed your garden soil. It’s easy to do and it will definitely make your garden better! Here are some composting tips: Turn the pile frequently and...

Spring Gardening Checklist...

If you are anything like me – and millions of others – you can’t wait to get out into your garden and start digging, cutting, pruning, planting and doing whatever needs to be done to make it best ever. Here I am sharing my To Do checklist with you – hope it will help you and motivate you! Spring Gardening Checklist: Start annuals, tomatoes and peppers from seeds indoors Start your summer flowering...

Tips to Get Your Garden Ready for Winter...

If you read my story yesterday – the one about the now very popular Apple Cinnamon Muffins I treated myself with – you will already know that it was an absolutely beautiful morning in Ontario. After I had my muffin and coffee, I took a little walk into my garden. Can you believe I still have some beautiful blooms in there? So I took pictures you can look at and it also made me think that I should send your...

How to Get Rid of Ladybugs...

Asian Lady Beetle Native Ladybug They are congregating in a big way – some people report hundreds of these little insects gathering on the outside of their houses, getting inside every chance they have. But – are they the “real” ladybugs? Probably not – that is- if you can tell the difference. And not that it matters much anyway – nobody wants armies of these inside the house. If you...

Planting a Tree in the Fall...

What is a garden without trees? And as much as spring’s warmth and bright sunshine make your green thumbs tingle, it is good to know and to remember that fall is also an ideal time to plan new trees. How to decide? Fall Planting vs. Spring Planting: Fall: Garden structure and growth pattern is clear – easy to see where a tree fits in Cool weather is kind to new trees, avoiding stress of a hot, dry summer Fall...