Every year, as winter slowly fades, orchids quietly take center stage, brightening window sills, lining grocery store aisles, and showing up as the go-to houseplant. They feel modern and approachable, offering an array of vibrant colors and shapes that brighten the winter gloom. Orchids didn’t become popular overnight. Their journey from ancient forests to everyday …
February is the month that tests a gardener’s patience. The seed trays come out, the grow lights hum to life, and it feels like you should be starting everything for the summer garden right now. However, for many USDA Plant Hardiness Zones, there are still more than 12 weeks remaining until the last frost date. …
Every gardener can admit that when you wrap up the final harvest in fall, we all feel a collective sigh of relief – thank goodness, it’s done. We welcome the reprieve of winter, embracing shorter and slower days that enable both our bodies and the earth to rest. However, there comes a point every winter …
Winter is when many gardeners unknowingly put their plants at risk. With snow on the ground and bare branches overhead, it’s the time of year when you can easily neglect your garden because it feels like nature is in a long, deep rest. In reality, winter dryness can pose a danger that threatens to leave …
Beautiful but deadly. Some of nature’s most gorgeous creations can also be some of its most fatal. Don’t be fooled by a delicate blossom or burst of colorful berries – some of these plants can burn, blister, paralyze, or kill. It’s no accident that many of the world’s most toxic plants are also among the …
If you’ve walked through a grocery store lately and felt like the price of groceries is absolutely out of control, you’re not alone. Inflation has made a noticeable impact on household food bills, with everyday essentials like produce, eggs, and herbs climbing steadily. For many families, this means tightening their belts or compromising on nutrition, …
As you wander through your local garden center, you’ll find lush vines, vibrant shrubs, and flowering perennials that promise charm and curb appeal. However, beneath some of those glossy tags and Pinterest-worthy appearances are time bombs of chaos waiting to wreak havoc in your garden. As a novice gardener, you might think that you’re planting …
Are you sitting at home, reading this article while nursing a sore lower back from an afternoon in the garden? When I think of spending time gardening, I imagine images of blooming flowers, warm rays of sunshine, cold glasses of iced tea, and wide-brimmed hats. However, if you’ve ever hobbled back into the house with …
Why do some years bring relentless droughts, unseasonal snow, or back-to-back hurricanes, while others don’t? As a Colorado Master Gardener and expert in agricultural engineering, I hear this question often. Weather unpredictability can make gardening the ultimate challenge. You’ll question why your tomatoes were successful one year but not the next, or be left wondering …
When you’re a new gardener, it’s easy to get swept up in the glossy marketing of high-tech gadgets and picture-perfect toolkits. From automated soil test probes to plant health apps on your phone, there is no end to fancy tools that promise to make your life easier in the garden. Let me let you in …