If you have a home or summer place along the shores of Puget Sound or the ocean beaches, you should be a little more selective about the trees and shrubs you use in the landscape. However, there are many colorful plants that do well in these areas.
Late July through August is a fantastic but underused time to start a variety of seeds. If you’re looking to get a start on fall crops, look for cold hardy varieties with short growing times. Consult your specific growing zone to be sure, but these varieties usually make a good fall crop in most of the Pacific Northwest.
Seed bombs are a great project to do with kids, and a wonderful way to spread flower seeds in a large area. This is a project that can be done any time of the year, but the messiness means it’s a good craft for a nice day outside. The best part is, you can mix any seeds you want to create your ideal meadow garden mix.
Whenever I ask a group of Pacific Northwest gardeners what accomplishment they use to evaluate their success as gardeners, they inevitably say “the ability to grow one ripe, red tomato.” So, here are a few growing hints that I would like to share with you, so you can have success in growing more than one …
Spring is busting out all over (or will be soon). The primroses are blooming, bulbs are bursting into bloom, the lawn is starting to grow, and it’s beginning to get a little warmer. It’s time to get your spring gardening underway. Caring for the lawn, preparing the soil and planting vegetables, pruning roses, and starting seeds head the list of things to do this month.
Fertilizing, dormant spraying, pruning and starting seeds head the list of February projects. Weather permitting, this can be a great month to get your spring and summer gardening underway. PERENNIAL VEGETABLES – Rhubarb, horseradish, asparagus and artichokes are among the perennial vegetables that can be planted this month. Plant them along the perimeters of the vegetable …
December is a good month to put the final finishing touches to the year’s garden. Watering, dormant spraying, winter protection of tender plants and planting head the list of December garden projects.
This month and throughout the next several months will be good times to transplant trees and shrubs, apply winter dormant sprays and begin fall and winter planting. November is the month to clean-up the garden and begin getting it ready for the cooler late fall and winter months ahead.
