Beth Botts – Page 19 –

Garlic mustard, identifiable by its small white April flowers and pungent odor, is an invasive plant that should be removed from gardens and woodlands.

With a watchful eye, you can root out invasive garlic mustard in your garden

April 16, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

When an upright plant with clusters of small white flowers begins to bloom in April, it's not good news. If the leaves have a distinctive onionlike odor when crushed, it's...

Before planting in spring, top-dress beds with organic matter such as compost and plan to spread mulch afterward.

Soil upkeep can lengthen your plant’s lifespan

April 9, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Before you start planting this spring, take some steps to improve the soil your plants will live in. "Early spring is a good time to make your soil a good...

Preserve a healthy layer of wood chips or other mulch in place on the soil when you tidy up the garden this spring.
- Original Credit: Beth Botts

Make sure mulch is a part of your spring gardening

April 2, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

When you tidy up the garden after the winter, don't tidy it too much. "Make sure you leave the mulch layer that covers your garden's soil," said Sharon Yiesla, plant...

When you move into a house with an established landscape, identifying the plants already growing there is an important first step.

If this is your first year with a yard, here’s what you need to know

March 26, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Is this your first year with a yard? Perhaps you just moved into your first house, and you're not sure how to go about your first season as a gardener....

Morton Arboretum/ Pictures for Seasons (Garden Tools)

User Upload Caption: A sharpening stick is handy for sharpening pruners and other cutting tools. Sharp tools are easier to use and better for plants.
- Original Credit: Mike Hudson.

Sharpen your tools ahead of planting season

March 18, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Before the spring gardening season begins, prepare by sharpening your garden tools. Sharp tools are safer and easier for you to use and healthier for your plants, according to Julie...

Cut back ornamental grasses in early spring before new growth starts.

Follow these do’s and don’ts when tending your early spring garden

March 11, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

A warm weekend in March often drives winter-weary homeowners outside to start yard work. That can be a mistake. "Don't jump the gun," said Julie Janoski, manager of the Plant...

A pole pruner can extend your reach to snip small branches, but it can be awkward and tricky to use.

Here’s how to use a pole pruner in your garden this spring

March 5, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

If you often need to prune large shrubs or small trees, a pole pruner can be a useful tool. "It can extend your reach to trim small twigs and branches,...

To protect a tree's roots from damage during a construction project, surround it with a protection zone marked off by highly visible fencing.

Make sure construction plans include your plants

February 25, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Do you have your sights set on a room addition, a new patio or a wider driveway? Make sure the plans include protecting your trees. Any construction project, large or...

To preserve the bright bark color of shrubs such as red-osier dogwood, prune out the oldest stems to leave the younger, more vivid ones.

Prune your shrubs to keep the color coming back

February 19, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

Some shrubs are planted mainly for their bright winter bark: vivid streaks of red or yellow that defy gray weather and seem to spark against a background of snow. "They...

If plants sprout in late-winter warm spells, they may be killed or damaged when the cold returns.

Choose hardy plants to preserve your garden this winter

February 11, 2023 at 5:00 a.m.

One of the greatest risks for plants in the garden in late winter is not cold but warmth. "We often get short warm spells in February, right up into the...

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