IT’S A HARD, HARD WORLD

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Mother Nature can be cruel — especially to seedlings that have spent their lives, up to now, coddled in a moist, warm environment. It’s my job, and yours, to prepare these babies for the great outdoors. In this blog post I go through how, step by step, to effect this transition.
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Yes, goldenrod is in the Daisy Family!

FAMILY MATTERS

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I pay attention to seating with my families, my plant families. Those families are based mostly on how the plants exhibit their sexuality. More on this in my latest blog post. That figures into “who sits where” because it can limit pest problems, among other benefits. If you’re interested in all this, read more in my latest blog post, here, or look at my book “The Ever Curious Gardener: Using a Little Natural Science for a Much Better Garden.”
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Edamame, ready to eat

EASY EDAMAME

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Edamame, vegetable soybeans, are simple in so many ways. Simple to grow. Simple to prepare for eating (just steam or boil). And simply delicious. Read more about this in my latest blog post:
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Bare root tree in planting hole

PLANT SMALL, THINK BIG

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Does size matter? Yes, in the case of trees you buy for planting. And in this case, smaller is often better. Why? Read the blog post. What's the best size to get? Read the blog post. Etc., etc.
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Stocky tomato transplant

THE POWER OF TOUCH

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How do your plants tell you they like your singing? Or your caresses. Try it; they’ll like it. For some how and why, read my latest blog post, here:
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Espalier pear

ESPALIER, A TASTY FUSION OF ART AND SCIENCE

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Espalier is a pruning technique that results in a decorative plant also can also yield especially delicious fruits. My latest blog post provides an introduction to espalier. To dive much deeper into espalier, see my book, The Pruning Book, which has a whole chapter on the why and the how of this technique!
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Lush meadow above ground, rich soil below ground

THE TOP OF THE SOIL

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Need some topsoil this time of year to fill a depression or for raised beds? Maybe you don’t. But just what is topsoil? Questions asked and answered in this latest blog post:
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Mulched tree with ground sculpture

TRAVELING PLANTS

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Depending on your locale, nurseries, garden centers, hardware stores, and the web are or will soon be offering trees and shrubs for sale. Some plants might even come from hundreds or more miles away. Is buying such plants and good idea? Is bigger better? What makes a good nursery tree or shrub. All this is address in my latest blob post:
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Hedges need repeated shearing with hedge shears each season

TEN ESSENTIAL PRUNING TIPS

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Most, but not all, cultivated trees, shrubs, and vines need periodic pruning be at their best, both in appearance and health. Pruning can be complicated so I've distilled it all into 10 tips, which should leave your plants reasonably healthy and happy. It's all in my latest blog post, here:
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