Gardening
You’ve probably heard landscapers talking about the importance of a “neutral” soil, or perhaps the horror stories from neighbors about how their “acidic” lawn destroyed their grass. But beyond that, do you really understand what the pH of your lawn really means? We’re here to talk about the difference between acidic vs. alkaline soil and…
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Is your lawn looking a little faded or lackluster? It’s probably in desperate need of some important nutrients. While your soil can benefit from a myriad of minerals, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, sulfur, and calcium are considered “macronutrients”— and are needed in larger quantities than other “micronutrients” to promote healthy lawn growth. However, the nutrients your lawn…
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Outdoor gardening can be a very rewarding practice for many homeowners, but despite all their work, a lot of New Englanders find that their plants just don’t last. Many landscapes in our area have shaded areas under trees or overhangs. Unfortunately, not all plants thrive well without sun, and it’s very important to choose varieties that…
Read MoreSo it’s been quite a while since I blogged about the garden. We’ve been busy! We have been producing a ridiculous amount of tomatoes! We’ve been picking them a few times a week for over a month and haven’t been able to get them all. When I look underneath the plants I’ve found twice as…
Read MoreI hope your 4th was fantastic! Our veggies loved the rain. So now I have a question for you; are your tomatoes 5′ tall? No? Are you jealous? Next year set up your pots and beds the way I did and yours will be too. Seriously though … I have seen a lot of plants lately at clients…
Read MoreWell it’s creative but it’s not pretty. The twine should support the tomatoes in the garden as they continue to grow. I definitely have over planted the vegetable beds but not for the reasons I thought (air flow issues etc. … at least not yet). The tomatoes are actually completely covering the peppers and crowding them out,…
Read MoreWow, the tomatoes are getting huge! My next step is to add significantly more staking to them. They are producing lots of flowers ….. and flowers = tomatoes! One mistake I think I’ve made is overplanting this small space. We will have to see if this creates issues in the near future. Hopefully the under…
Read MoreOk folks here’s garden post version 2.3… or something like that! We have solved the puppies in the garden dilemma by putting Dogwatch flags arounf the beds and training them just like on the fence around the perimeter of the yard. Rudder (our old girl) won’t even consider going near it anymore. Although Naboo (our…
Read MoreWell we are 2 weeks into our 2014 garden and we’ve been able to enjoy the first fruits (or vegetables) of our labor. The lettuce was delicious, even though only one out of the 2 kids thought so! We are discovering very early on that we will be fighting vermin all season if we have…
Read MoreThis season my wife Andrea and I, along with our boys (Sam 7 and Ben 5), have decided to grow a vegetable garden. While I know an awful lot about growing landscapes, I know very little about growing veggies. With the help of my brother, who I would consider to be a master gardener, I’ll be gardening and…
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Pollinator gardens are all the rage in Massachusetts— and for good reason. These brightly-adorned floral beds are an excellent habitat for graceful butterflies, hummingbirds, and buzzing bees. Not only do pollinator gardens offer yummy nectar for these hungry friends, but they also provide shelter and nesting grounds for many endangered or threatened species. Plus, they’re…
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Not all flowers thrive in our Northeastern climate, and it can be hard finding the best perennials to come back year after year in your garden. That’s why we’ve picked five of our favorite floras, to brighten up your Massachusetts landscape, all summer long. Check out these beautiful buds: 1. Hydrangeas Homeowners love the soft,…
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