Here are some tips to help you decide where and what you want to plant in your flower garden…. Use colored pencils to sketch out your garden design.  This will help you to get a better idea of the color scheme. Try a variety of shapes and colors based on your personal preferences. Don’t just plant in rows. Be creative with your color combinations.  Using a color wheel makes choosing colors easier.  You can get a color wheel at any art store. Choose plants and bulbs that bloom at different times so you’ll have a spectacular show all year long. The more the merrier! More plants and bulbs always look better than a few sparse ones. Mix bulbs in with summer-blooming perennials. They will help hide the dying foliage of spring blooms. … Read entire article »

Blueberries prefer an acidic, well-drained soil. Mulching with acidic materials is beneficial. Fir sawdust, or bark dust, applied to a depth of about 2-4 inches conserves moisture and also eliminates most of the need for cultivation. Apply an organic fertilizer in the early spring. Adding phosphorus or potassium will also stimulate fruiting. Remember, blueberries become sweeter the longer they remain on the bush. … Read entire article »

Many gardeners feel adding specific plants to their gardens helps ward off uninvited guests. If you find yourself with creepy company that just won’t leave, try adding some of these plants: Aphids: Anise, catnip, chives, coriander, eucalyptus, fennel, garlic, larkspur, marigold, mint, mustard, nasturtium, onion, oregano, petunia, sunflower Cucumber beetles: Catnip, marigold, nasturtium, radish, rue, tansy Cutworms: Spiny amaranth Japanese beetles: Ageratum, arborvitae, artemisia, ash, begonia, boxwood, caladium, catnip, chives, cockscomb, garlic, hydrangea, juniper, pansy, tansy, white geranium, yew Mosquitoes: Basil, garlic, geranium, pennyroyal Slugs and snails: Artemisia, fennel, garlic, rosemary Spider mites: Coriander Squash bugs: Catnip, mint, nasturtium, petunia, radish, tansy Tomato hornworms: Borage, dill, marigold, opal basil, petunia, pot marigold Whiteflies: Basil, marigold, mint, nasturtium, oregano, peppermint, thyme, wormwood … Read entire article »

To visualize what your bulb, flower or vegetable garden will look like, use this method. Take a clean plastic beverage bottle with a pull-up “sipper” opening, and fill it halfway with white flour. Squeeze a bit of flour wherever you intend to place your plants. You’ll see at a glance exactly how many you need to buy—and where to dig. So quick and easy! … Read entire article »