Hail is a natural phenomenon here in Montana. Every year or so it seems the Billings area is struck with a rough weather event that leaves absolute destruction in its wake. Even small hail, stones barely the size of a pea, can easily damage and ruin a garden or a potted plant (on a large-scale,…
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Oftentimes in gardens we think to plant flowers with other flowers and shrubbery and we plant vegetables with other vegetables. But when you plant the two together you get both beautiful natural aesthetics and a healthier garden. Here’s why… Attract Beneficial Insects Bees are a gardener’s best friend; you could almost say that the bee…
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Sometimes our vegetable plants, backyard trees and shrubs, and even potted flowers can suffer from what appears to be disease or other type of similar affliction, but the real problem can be a PH imbalance in the soil itself. Every plant in the world has its own preferred range of soil acidity, and that acidity…
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Montana has a short growing season. But there is a way to extend the gardening season—obviously, not for all types of vegetables—that works well for some types of greens and root vegetables. Basically, everything that grows well in the spring and fall months can be grown in the winter months within the confines of a…
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I am a soil girl. I typically like to have a good base of soil with amendments for growing garden vegetables. So when I started working at a compost facility, I got asked often if it is okay to grow in straight compost. It seems to go against my grain to confirm that, but it…
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With all the unseasonable nice weather we have been having in Montana where I live, I can’t help but think of planning my outdoor landscape for this coming year even though it’s January! According to a study by Michigan State University, for every $1 invested in landscaping, property owners will see a 109% return. A…
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A customer that is a builder stopped by recently for garden soil to fill his raised beds. He shared this unique tip for a cost saving raised bed garden that I want to pass on. Since the price of wood has nearly tripled recently, building a wood framed raised garden will cost a pile of…
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You might be asking yourself, how, in November, are we already talking about gearing up for gardening in the spring? The answer relies on this old adage: Your best garden is the one you’re going to plant next year. So, with winter quickly approaching, it’s already time to start planning an early growing season, by…
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The best single time of the year for top dressing lawns is in the fall for cool season grasses and in the spring for warm season grasses. I’m writing from Montana so we have cool season grasses here. This also allows you to combine other cultural practices such as core aeration and over-seeding with the…
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Its mid-July as I write this blog post and I’ve been working diligently to keep weeds at bay in my own garden up till now but I’m losing interest in this project. I just want to benefit from the garden without having to work so hard continually. So now that your garden is well established…
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