Jessica Damiano
What to cut back and what to leave standing in your garden’s fall cleanup
Fall is garden cleanup time, but that doesn’t mean you should turn your property into a barren wasteland. Leaving certain perennials standing over winter can be beneficial. Others, however, need to go. Similarly, some shrubs should be pruned as they wind down, while cutting others back now could adversely affect their performance next year. Knowing […]
How, when and why to divide garden perennials for better blooming
If your spring and early-summer perennials are overgrowing their spaces, blooming less, producing smaller flowers or flopping over (possibly with a hole in their centers), they’re telling you they want to be divided. Crowded plants often struggle because they must compete for limited water, nutrients and sunlight, and the diminished airflow between them also increases […]
A simple row cover can save late-summer vegetables as frost threatens
Most of my summer vegetables are winding down now, the cooling temperatures serving as a cue that their mission has been nearly accomplished. But if frost threatens before the last of my tomatoes have turned red, I’ll drape a sheet of sheer fabric over their supporting cages to provide some warmth. The white fabric sheets, […]
These bulbs have evolved to avoid being eaten. You can take advantage of that
There’s little worse in a gardener’s mind than watching their careful planning and hard work go up in a cloud of teeth, thanks to every four-legged freeloader within chewing distance. So if you’re planting bulbs this fall, select the rights to avoid planting dinner. Although no plant is 100% animal-proof, some spring-blooming bulbs have toxic […]
A guide to choosing mums for the fall garden — beyond the classic cushion
September marks the beginning of the great summer-to-fall garden transition and, although most summer plants still have life left in them, many gardeners are turning their attention to the iconic chrysanthemum. The majority of mums sold in pre-planted containers at the garden center are typical “cushion” mums. I wouldn’t garden without them, but there are […]
How to test your lawn for grubs and what to do if you find them
What does it mean when brown patches show up in a perfectly healthy lawn? The truth is, it could be anything from drought to dog urine, fungal diseases, pests or too much fertilizer. But many homeowners automatically blame grubs. The problem with this is that it’s often not the case, and even if grubs are […]
Blossom of snow: A starry symbol of the Alps makes an unusual addition to rock gardens
If you’re looking to plant a rare flower with a storied past that’s had a well-known song written about it, edelweiss will check all your boxes. My mother grew up in northeastern Italy, just over the Austrian border near the Alps, where edelweiss grow wild along steep rocky ledges. When I was a child, she […]
The risks of waiting too long to harvest garden vegetables
We sowed. We planted. We watered, watched and waited. And now, beanstalks are reaching for the heavens, tomatoes are getting plump and zucchini are seemingly doubling in size overnight. Timing their harvests is a balancing act, and in many cases you, as gardener, are forced to choose between optimal flavor and yield. Sometimes, one must […]
A gardener’s guide to 5 orchids that mimic animals, insects and even a naked man
Like most gardeners, I occasionally stumble upon fruits and flowers that resemble something else. But a naked man was not on my botanical bingo card. Sure, tomatoes can be mischievous, taking on the shape of horned animals, Russian dolls, large-nosed characters and even unmentionables when exposed to extreme temperatures and vivid imaginations. But I thought […]
How to protect your roses from black spot disease
Few garden plants attract as much admiration as roses. They’re as beautiful in the garden as they are in a vase, and their flowers are almost universally a symbol of love. Unfortunately, they don’t always grow without challenges. Wilting, infestations and infections are not uncommon. And none are more dreaded than the often-deadly black spot […]