Jessica Damiano
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 […]
Who says a vegetable garden needs full sun? Some plants do well in shadier spots
Conventional wisdom says vegetable gardens need full sun, but a productive garden doesn’t always require the recommended six to eight hours of direct sunlight. If fences, trees or your house cast shade on your soil, growing vegetables won’t be out of reach if you stick to plants that are grown for their leaves, stems or […]
The AP’s gardening expert has a list of 10 top-performing new plants for this season
Every spring brings a new growing season and, for me and other garden communicators, dozens of not-yet-available sample plants sent by breeders and growers. To try them out, I squeeze some into my beds and borders, tuck others into containers, and plant the rest in the Maternity Ward, a 3-foot-deep strip of soil along the […]