This is a question posed to me by a friend. Keeping Voles out of the garden is a tough one. The little varmints love to eat our plants and they are particularly challenging for many gardeners.
Here’s some background information about Voles. (source: Wikipedia)
Voles are small rodents that grow to 3-9 inches, depending on the species. They can have 5–10 litters per year. Gestation lasts for 3 weeks and the young Continue reading
Rock Stacking is a curious art and is an acquired skill. Among the many forms of “art” rock sculptures can add intrigue to your garden decor.
The following video is very well done and will give you a glimpse into the balancing arts.
A cool old greenhouse
The contained environment of a greenhouse offers specific benefits to the home gardener. One of the primary advantages of a garden greenhouse is that the growing season can be extended, either by starting plants earlier in the spring or by being able to prolong the harvest in the fall.
In the more temperate climates, you may be able to grow certain vegetable crops right through the winter. Leaf crops and cool weather plants are good candidates. In warmer zones, year-round tomatoes may be an option. A greenhouse can also help to overwinter plants that wouldn’t otherwise fair well in a more open exposure. Continue reading
Garden Art Ideas – Videos too!
This gallery contains 13 photos.
Over the years I’ve planted more trees than I can count. There are common mistakes made by well meaning homeowners and even landscapers. Hmm…
Well, the basic rules of thumb for how to plant a tree correctly are really fairly simple.
1.) First and foremost is choosing the right tree. Good advice regarding the best options for your particular circumstances can be acquired at your local nursery.
2.) Dig a hole that is wider, 2-3 times the width of the root ball and then, a few inches deeper. Make sure that the loose soil below is repacked to minimize settling. Continue reading
Building raised beds are a great way to have a flower or vegetable garden.
CLICK for a better view
Building garden beds above the native earth has numerous benefits. First, if your local dirt is not particularly good, you can add better soil to the raised bed. Hence, it will be more productive in the long run. Second, having the beds raised makes it easier to tend to your veggies or flowers by not having to bend over so much. Also, by having the soil contained, weed control tends to be easier. I’ve found that by adding a layer of newspaper on the bottom, before you add soil, can be helpful to prevent local weeds from growing up from the native ground underneath.
It doesn’t matter if your seeds are for flowers or the 
vegetable garden.
Now is the time.
Start them inside until you’re past the last frost date in your area. For my area, it’s May 15 for any tender crops to be safely planted outside. If the little seedlings go out too early, you may run the risk of losing your young plants to a late frost. Then again, maybe you’ll get lucky…
The following video offers some tips on starting your seeds. Continue reading
