Category: Gardening

5 Veggies to Plant in Your Fall Garden

Posted by

5 Veggies to Plant in Your Fall Garden

Summer growing season might be coming to a close, but that doesn’t mean you have to call it quits in your vegetable garden just yet. If you’re still itching to spend some more time in the garden, August is the perfect time to plant a fresh round of fresh veggies to harvest in the fall…. Read more »

Keeping Japanese Beetles Out of Your Garden

Posted by

Keeping Japanese Beetles Out of Your Garden

Japanese beetles were first found in North America in a New Jersey nursery in 1916. With no natural predators to regulate their populations, the insects soon began to devour plants in gardens up and down the Eastern Seaboard. Today, the Japanese beetle is still one of the most common and destructive invasive pest species in… Read more »

Why You Should Mulch Out, Not Up

Posted by

Why You Should Mulch Out, Not Up

Spreading mulch around trees doesn’t just serve an aesthetic purpose; it helps the tree to absorb water and nutrients as well. If you don’t mulch your trees correctly, however, it can actually do more harm than good. The most common mulching mistake is the practice of building mulch up around a tree trunk, rather than… Read more »

Keeping Deer Out of Your Garden

Posted by

This time of year, roving herds of deer are a common sight in neighborhoods in Maryland. In addition to being a dangerous nuisance to drivers, whitetail deer can also be a real headache for gardeners. Deer love to munch on plants like hostas, pansies and impatients. They’re also fond of many of the same fruits and vegetables humans like to eat as well. If you have a garden in this area, chances are you’ve had to chase a few deer off from time to time. You may have even lost some of your favorite plants to the wandering foragers. This year, let’s take a few extra precautions to deer-proof your garden. Repellants There are a number of repellant products on the market that you can apply around your garden to deter deer from stopping in for a snack. Most of these repellants use naturally-occurring chemicals like Sulphur, ammonia and capsaicin to make your garden less appealing to deer. For best results, you should rotate different types of repellants throughout the season and reapply them after rainfalls. Predator Urine This is a different kind of deterrent that tricks deer into thinking there are predators around your garden. Many people find predator urine to be an effective way to keep deer away, but it can be expensive to maintain around a large garden. Spray applications need to be reapplied as often as once a week. Granular options are typically less expensive and more practical for use in large gardens. Other Scare Tactics Deer are easily spooked by unfamiliar noises and movement. Placing ornaments like wind chimes and wind spinners around your garden can make deer nervous about getting too close. A simple fishing line suspended about three feet above the ground can also help to keep deer out of your garden. Deer are incredible jumpers, but they don’t particularly like to climb over things. Plant Carefully Keep plants that deer are most attracted to close to your house. Conceal them with other plants that deer are less likely to be interested in. Planting pungent herbs like garlic, mint and lavender can help to mask the scent of other more appetizing plants. Adding thorny or prickly plants to your garden can make it less appealing to deer as well.

This time of year, roving herds of deer are a common sight in neighborhoods in Maryland. In addition to being a dangerous nuisance to drivers, whitetail deer can also be a real headache for gardeners. Deer love to munch on plants like hostas, pansies and impatients. They’re also fond of many of the same fruits… Read more »

Tips to Help Control Erosion in Your Yard

Posted by

Tips to Help Control Erosion in Your Yard

After a long season of spring showers, you may notice that some of the soil in your yard has started to shift and come loose. Flowing water is a powerful thing, and over time it can have a detrimental effect on your landscaping. Sloping sections of land are typically most prone to erosion, but you… Read more »

5 Simple Gardening Tricks to Try This Season

Posted by

5 Simple Gardening Tricks to Try This Season

Planting season is officially upon us, and that means it’s time to get back out in the garden. That’s why we’ve put together a few ideas to try this year to help you get the most out of your plantings. Some of these make for great weekend projects to tackle with the kids as well…. Read more »

The Case Against Landscaping Fabric

Posted by

The Case Against Landscaping Fabric

To use landscaping fabric or not to use landscaping fabric? That is the question. If you’re tired of constantly watering and pulling stubborn weeds from your garden, then by all means, use landscaping fabric to save yourself a headache. On the other hand, if you want a lush garden full of hydrated plants and healthy soil,… Read more »