Gardening can be a relaxing, therapeutic hobby as you nurture seedlings, encourage growth and bring your harvest to fruition. But if you just want to take a moment to breathe, reflect and center yourself, it isn’t necessary to get out the garden clogs, sharpen your hand tools or get dirt under your fingernails. Creating a peaceful meditation space in your garden is easy, and can turn any garden into your own private sanctuary.

The Need for Peace

As our lives get ever busier with hectic schedules and cramped appointments, it may seem impossible to have any time for thoughtful reflection or meditation. Furthermore, smaller living spaces and more crowded urban areas can make it seem equally impossible to have any space for solitary peace. Without the ability to relax, we’re faced with skyrocketing stress in our lives, along with a host of different health problems such as tension headaches, high blood pressure, depression, obesity and more. More and more studies, however, are demonstrating that time spent in nature is beneficial for reducing stress and tension, and there’s no better place to easily enjoy nature than in your own garden.

Your Peaceful Purpose

Before creating your meditation space, you need to plan what you want to use it for in order to ensure you have enough room and all the right touches for your peaceful retreat. Meditation can mean something different to everyone – you might prefer a place for quiet, contemplative prayer, or you could be interested in an outdoor space for yoga practice. For some people, a restful space for coloring or painting is their ideal meditation spot, while others may want a natural niche for reading or journaling. Creating or listening to music may be part of your meditation practice, or even a cozy spot for an outdoor nap. Whatever means peace and relaxation to you, it can be incorporated into your garden.

Eliminating Distractions

Once you know how you will use a meditation space in your garden, it is essential to eliminate other distractions and interruptions from that space. Unwanted noises, glaring streetlights, unsavory sights and even unpleasant smells can interrupt meditation and disrupt your relaxation, but it is easy to plan your gardening to eliminate those difficulties. For example, a green wall or trellis can be used to block an unsightly view, and the plants on it will help muffle noises. You could also consider a small fountain for the soothing tinkle of running water to block traffic or neighborhood noises. Climbing, clinging vines can be used to cover structures with greenery to increase the natural feel of the space. Opt for arbors or pergolas that can help create comfortable shade and define the space without completely blocking sunlight, and consider fragrant flowers nearby if unwanted aromas are invading your garden.

Adding Joy to Your Garden Space

Once your meditation area is structured and distractions are minimized, it is time to add your own personal joy into the space. What brings joy to the space will vary from garden to garden and even from season to season, but it should be a personal choice and something that helps draw you into the space. Consider…

• Seating
  In order to enjoy your meditation space, you will need a place to sit and relax within it. This may be a comfortable bench, a cozy chaise lounge, a soothing hammock or any other type of seating. A chair-sized boulder can be a natural alternative, or you may opt for a more whimsical swing to add a dash of fun to your personal space.
• Sights
  You’ve taken steps to block sights you don’t want to see in your garden, but a good meditation space will also include sights you want to look at. A bird feeder or bird bath can invite beautiful feathered friends to share your space, or you might prefer a lovely piece of garden art, a gazing ball, plants in your favorite colors or even unique mulch or paving stones in a therapeutic pattern.
• Sounds
  Pleasant sounds can help add a focal point to your meditation space, allowing you to focus on unique tones to help center yourself. A wind chime, waterfall fountain or even a way to bring your favorite music outdoors can be a wonderful addition to a peaceful meditation space.
• Water
  Water can serve several purposes in a meditation space. Flowing or splashing water provides natural white noise, and the sparkles of the water are ideal for meditative gazing or creating soothing reflections. Consider different aquatic options, such as a small stream or brook, a weeping rock, a fountain or even a reflecting pool. You can even opt for a small pond for goldfish or koi if you desire.

Above all, remember that there are no strict rules for creating your personal meditation space. Whatever brings you peace and joy can be part of your design, and it can change as your tastes and preferences change. Garden meditation spaces can vary as much as any other part of the garden, but each one helps nurture our green spirits.

If you dream of creating beautiful bouquets, arrangements, and wreaths straight from your own flowerbeds, you don’t have to set aside those dreams just because your urban garden may not get as much sunlight as you would wish. Indeed, there are many gorgeous shade-tolerant blooms prefect for your growing space.

About Cut Flowers

Cut flowers are any bloom or bud you might clip from its parent plant for decorative use. It could be a single showy stem in a slim vase or part of an elaborate arrangement, from a bridal bouquet to a table centerpiece to a seasonal wreath. You might wear cut flowers in your hair or create a corsage or boutonniere for a special night or date. You can even weave cut flowers into garlands or other arrangements, bringing floral beauty to all parts of your home.

Top 10 Shade-Tolerant Cut Flowers

Both annuals and perennials can be stunning cut flowers. While many of the most popular, showstopping blooms require full sun, there are beautiful options available whether your garden has just limited sun, part shade, or full shade. When choosing different cultivars, opt for plants that are better adapted to shady conditions so they will thrive in the space you offer.

Some of the best shade-tolerant flowers, perfect for cutting include…

• Hydrangea – This pretty shrub can be pink, blue, or white depending on the soil pH, and its large, round clusters of blossoms can make stunning arrangements or simple bouquets. Hydrangeas particularly love afternoon shade.
• Siberian Iris – A perennial bulb, this frilly iris comes in a wide range of colors, including stunning shades of purple and magenta, as well as whites and creams. These flowers perform best in dappled or part shade.
• Viola – Also known as violets or pansies, these annual flowers come in white, blue, yellow, orange, pink, red, and cream shades, often with colorful contrasting accents. Versatile pansies do well in sun or part shade. Although short stemmed, pansies are perfect for small bedside or countertop arrangements.
• Foxglove – These perennials make tall, dramatic statement stems with their bold, trumpet shapes and rich colors of pink, purple, apricot, and white. Foxgloves prefer part shade for the best flowering.
• Alyssum – This tiny annual creates a carpet of delicate, white, sweetly scented blooms in full to part shade and can be an ideal accents for smaller arrangements or can be woven into garlands and swags.
• Carnations – Different types of dianthus grow either as annuals or short-lived perennials and do well in light or part shade gardens. These flowers come in a wide range of colors, with either smooth or frilled petals for more textural interest.
• Astilbe – These dramatic perennials have lacy, tapered blooms that add a delicacy to any cut arrangement. Available in shades of white, red, pink, purple, and peach, astilbes do best in part shade conditions, making them perfect for urban gardens.
• Spiderwort – Small but mighty, these perennials have striking color contrasts of deep purple or blue against white or yellow stamens. They grow best in part shade to full shade and will help fill in any challenging space. Their gracefully arching stems add form and movement to floral arrangements.
• Hellebore – These very early blooming perennials can offer the first cut flowers from your garden, and they come in a wide range of colors featuring both single and double flowers. Hellebores prefer either part or full shade.
• Lupine – The tall spikes of lupine are dramatic additions to cut flower arrangements, and they come in a wide range of hues from red, yellow, and orange to pinks and purples. These perennials flowers prefer light shade, particularly in the afternoon.

Caring for Cut Flowers

No matter which flowers you choose for an urban cutting garden, you will want to make the most of each bloom. Cut the flowers when they’re at their peak bloom or just shy of fully blooming and use them in arrangements right away. Use clean, sharp tools for the healthiest cuts, and put the cut flowers into a clean vase with fresh water. Also, keep in mind that the addition of floral food will help nourish and prolong the life of your cut blooms. Change the water in the arrangement every other day, trimming the cut ends of each stem each time to help the flowers take up water more easily.

With thoughtfully chosen, shade-tolerant flowers and proper care after cutting, you can enjoy amazing cut flowers from even the shadiest urban garden space.

Devised in 1909, the pH scale measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution. The scale ranges from 0-14. Pure water is “neutral” and has a pH of 7, midway between 0 and 14. If a solution has a low concentration of hydrogen ions, the rating will be a higher number and is considered basic or alkaline. Likewise, a high concentration of hydrogen ions rates a lower number and is considered acidic.

What pH Means to Your Garden

There are four important reasons to monitor your soil’s pH level:

1. pH affects the availability of other nutrients in the soil. If the nutrients are not available because they are chemically bound to something else, plants can’t use that nutrient.
2. A high or low pH level in the soil allows some plant diseases to multiply more quickly, infecting an entire landscape or garden.
3. Most organisms living in the soil have pH preferences. For example, earthworms are not as plentiful in acidic soil.
4. Most plants have specific pH requirements to flourish. Those specific requirements are what the plants need to absorb nutrients more efficiently and resist pests more effectively.

Where Soil pH Occurs

Acidic soil generally occurs in heavy rainfall areas, as the rain will pull acidic compounds from the air and allow them to leach into the soil. Alkaline soil, then, is more common where there is less rain. However, this is just a generalization and neighbors across the street from each other may have a large pH difference. Reasons could include the origin of topsoil brought in, the tillage done in the area and prior occupants’ gardening habits. Even simple changes like how drain spouts are positioned or a watering schedule can impact pH.

The pH Your Plants Need

Most plants will grow well in the neutral zone of 6.5-7.0. However, some plants grow best in specific soil pH conditions. Interestingly, hydrangeas grow well in both slightly acidic and slightly alkaline soils, but the flowers will be blue in acidic soil or pink in alkaline soil. The colors and flavors of fruits and vegetables may also vary somewhat depending on the soil’s pH, even if the plant will thrive in a wider range.

This chart illustrates how slight pH changes can dramatically impact which plants will thrive in certain soils…

As you see, pH can influence your gardening choices. Knowing the pH of your soil is the first step towards understanding your soil and improving your garden. By knowing the pH, you may choose the best plants for your site. You may also decide to amend your soil to increase or decrease the pH to grow a wider variety of plants.

We offer several inexpensive and easy-to-use pH test kits. We also offer amendment advice and can help you choose the best plants for your soil’s condition. Stop in for pH help today and we’ll help you make the most of the natural acidity or alkalinity of your soil, or else help you turn that soil into just the pH you desire!

Arguably the most common, and certainly the most frustrating, seedling disease has to be damping off. Damping off is a common term used for several fungal diseases that cause sudden seedling death. Seedlings get very thin where the stem meets the soil. Young seedlings will then fall over, shrivel up and die. The loss of an entire seedling crop can devastate your gardening plans and set you back several weeks. If the infection is severe enough, you may lose entire types of seedlings because there will not be enough time left in the growing season for new seedlings to reach maturity.

Protecting Seedlings From Damping Off

The wisdom of Ben Franklin applies well to protecting seedlings: “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The more steps you take to minimize the risk of damping off, the better you will be able to protect all your delicate seedlings. Popular and effective techniques to prevent damping off include…

• Sterilizing all seedling containers with a 1:10 bleach solution between every use, and sterilizing them again if they’ve gone unused for a long period of time.
• Use a sterile seed starting mix so there are no fungal spores or other contaminants in the initial soil.
• Plant seeds on the soil surface and top with vermiculite, milled sphagnum peat moss, chicken grit or sand to minimize fungal invasions.
• A one-time sprinkling of cinnamon or charcoal on the soil surface will act as an anti-fungal agent. This should be applied after seeds are planted.
• Water containers from below allowing the surface of the soil to dry slightly between watering. This prevents moisture on tender leaves and stems that can lead to rot.
• Provide good air circulation around seedlings with a fan on a low setting. This will help leaves and stems stay dry and firm.
• Spray seedlings with a cooled ounce of strongly brewed chamomile tea added to a quart of water. This is a mild anti-fungal home remedy.

If you notice seedlings start to succumb to damping off, it may be best to quickly thin them out or sacrifice the infected part of a tray rather than attempt to save the seedlings and risk spreading the disease to more young plants. While this will reduce your crops somewhat, it is better than risking the loss of an entire flat of seedlings. If you catch the symptoms quickly enough, it may be possible to sterilize the planting containers and start again to regrow the seedlings you have lost.

Spring bulbs faithfully reappear at the most advantageous time – after a long, cold winter, just when we’re longing for bright colors to relieve the monotony of winter snow and ice. Most spring bulbs are perennial and multiply in number every year, bringing more beauty to the flowerbeds each spring, but some problems can destroy a carefully planted bulb bed. Seemingly carefree, bulbs do require a bit of nurturing to ensure they perform their very best for years to come.

Tips for Bulb Care

1. Good soil drainage is important to prevent bulbs from rotting so plan your site accordingly. Do not plant bulbs near areas where downspouts let out or large snow piles may build up and spring melt can drown bulbs.
2. When planting bulbs in the fall, add a high phosphorus fertilizer to the planting hole for the development of strong roots. This will help the bulbs establish well so they can renew themselves each year.
3. Bulb foliage will often break through the soil after a few warm winter days. This vegetation is hardy and its exposure to the cold will not damage your plants or prevent them from blooming. There is no need to cover, wrap or otherwise protect this initial foliage.
4. Fertilize bulbs as plants are emerging from the ground. Do not fertilize once flowers appear. Use a 5-10-5 granular fertilizer to assist in foliage and flower development, ideally one that is formulated especially for bulbs.
5. After blooming, cut back the flower stalk. This will force the plant to put its energy into the bulb for next year’s flowers and not into seed production that would dampen the strength of the bulb.
6. Allow the leaves to die back naturally. The leaves are vital for producing food that is stored in the bulb for next year’s growth. Cut leaves, never pull, once they have turned yellow – pulling can damage the bulb. Do not tie leaves as this reduces the leaf surface required for adequate food production.
7. When the foliage has completely died back the bulb is dormant, and this is the proper time to dig and separate bulbs if necessary. Flowering will often be reduced when bulb beds become over-crowded. If division is needed, bulbs should be dug and stored in a cool, dry, well-ventilated place and replanted in the fall.
8. Fertilize bulbs again in the fall with a high-phosphorus, granular fertilizer.

With thoughtful care, you can easily help your bulbs reach their full potential and they will thrive for many years.

It’s the beginning of a new gardening season. Hopefully you took out last year’s journal in January or February and reviewed your notes on what you wanted to change, improve, experiment with or eliminate from your garden and landscape. Now is the time to begin implementing some of those great ideas, and it starts with having the right tools.

Where Do Your Tools Go?

One common problem in the garden is misplaced tools. We’ve all found hand tools in the spring that were inadvertently thrown in the compost pile or left under a shrub during fall cleanup. Many of us have spent time we didn’t have to spare walking in circles, looking for the shovel that we just had in our hand. It was laid down for a moment and seemed to disappear. Tools can easily disappear on a crowded workbench or in a cluttered shed, or they may even end up in a brush pile or other unlikely location.

When tools are lost, not only are our gardening chores impacted, but the tools can be damaged by exposure or accidental damage if they’re dropped, run over with a mower or otherwise subjected to inadvertent abuse. This can mean we no longer have the tool we need when we need it most, and we have to make a trip to the garden center to replace a tool – using time and money our gardening budget may not have.

Finding Your Tools

Let’s do things differently this year. Let’s save time, money and our precious tools. Resolve to only buy new hand tools with bright colored handles that are easily seen from afar and stand out to be picked up after a long day in the garden. If you already have a good selection of tools that you love and wish to keep track of, simply cover the handle with a bright colored spray paint on a sunny spring day, or wrap the handles with brightly colored tape or other coverings to make them more visible.

Similarly, take the time to clean out and declutter your garden shed, tool boxes and workbenches, making sure there is a safe, appropriate place to store every tool. If each tool has a place, you’ll be able to see at a glance when a tool may be missing and you can find it quickly before you’ve forgotten where you saw or used it last.

You and your garden will be glad you did!

Hybrid hellebores bring us all sorts of happiness. These are one of the first plants to bloom in the late winter and early spring and are available in flower colors of chartreuse, cream, white, pink, red and deep purple. Hybrid hellebores are also those rare and treasured perennials that provide year-round interest, giving you the most bang for your buck and brightening your landscape in every season. As evergreens, they never lose their luster, and their flower shapes and textures are quite varied for even more interest, with a cultivar to suit any gardener’s taste. What’s not to be happy about?

A Love Divided

To keep these plants healthy and thriving, and to increase your quantity, division is a necessity. It is important to divide these plants carefully, however, or else you risk sadness with fewer blooms, lopsided plants or even losing these gems. Fortunately, it’s possible for even a novice hellebore lover to divide their plants with confidence.

1. Divide hybrid hellebores in the spring when it is in bloom. This will also let you see how the blooms are positioned on the plant so you can divide shapes appropriately.
2. Choose a plant that has at least 5 flower stems. Each one represents a division and will give you great new plants to bloom.
3. Dig your hellebores up with a garden spade by inserting it deeply into the soil around the perimeter of the plant about 6 inches away from the outer stems of the clump. This will keep the root system largely intact and uninjured.
4. Lift the clump and shake off loose soil or any trapped rocks or ensnared mulch. You can gently loosen clumps with your fingers, but take care not to damage the roots.
5. With a garden hose, wash away any additional soil from the clump so the plant roots are exposed. This will help them get established in their new location more quickly.
6. Divide the clump by cutting through the roots with a heavy-duty serrated knife. Make your root cuts where you see obvious natural divisions between the flower stalks.
7. Replant your divisions at their original depth, in a shady location. Include plenty of compost in the planting hole for good nourishment. Water well and continue to keep soil from drying out until your new plants are well established.

Before you know it, you’ll have many more hybrid hellebores to enjoy! If you have a few too many, be sure to share the happiness by giving them to family members, friends, neighbors and anyone else who can fall in love with these beauties.

If you have a black walnut tree on your property, you know how difficult it can be to find anything that will grow anywhere near this plant.

Black walnuts release a substance called juglone into the soil, which is toxic to many ornamental and edible plants and can stunt their growth significantly – in fact, juglone is used as a herbicide in some areas! A mature black walnut tree can have a toxic zone with up to an 80-foot radius, depending on the tree’s size and age. Every part of the walnut tree contains juglone and this substance remains in the soil long after the tree is cut down, continuing to inhibit anything that may be planted in its place.

Fortunately, there is a wide variety of plants that are less affected by juglone and can still thrive in contaminated soil. When choosing to plant in an area where a black walnut is located or where one once stood, it is safe to make your selection from the lists below.

Vegetables

• Beans
• Corn
• Carrots
• Melons
• Squash

Fruit

• Black Raspberry
• Cherry
• Nectarine
• Peach
• Pear
• Plum

Annuals

• Pot-marigold, Calendula officinalis
• Begonia, fibrous cultivars
• Morning Glory, Ipomoea
• Pansy, Viola
• Zinnia species

Perennials

• Bugleweed, Ajuga reptans
• Hollyhock, Alcea rosea
• European Wild Ginger, Asarum europaeum
• Astilbe species
• Bellflower, Campanula latifolia
• Leopard’s-Bane, Doronicum species
• Sweet Woodruff, Galium odoratum
• Cranesbill, Geranium sanguineum
• Common Daylily, Hemerocallis
• Coral Bells, Heuchera
• Plantain-lily, Hosta
• Siberian Iris, Iris sibirica
• Balm, Monarda didyma
• Sundrops, Oenothera fruticosa
• Summer Phlox, Phlox paniculata
• Polyanthus Primrose, Primula x polyantha
• Lungwort, Pulmonaria species
• Showy Sedum, Sedum spectabile
• Lamb’s-Ear, Stachys byzantina
• Spiderwort, Tradescantia virginiana
• Horned Violet, Viola cornuta

Ferns

• Crested Wood Fern, Dryopteris cristata
• Senstitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis
• Cinnamon Fern, Osmunda cinnamomea

Bulbs

• Glory-of-the-Snow, Chionodoxa luciliae
• Crocus species
• Winter Aconite, Eranthis hyemalis
• Snowdrop, Galanthus nivalis
• Spanish Bluebell, Hyacinthoides hispanica
• Grape Hyacinth, Muscari botryoides
• Siberian Squill, Scilla sibirica

Trees

• Japanese Maples, Acer palmatum
• Eastern Redbud, Cercis canadensis
• Canadian Hemlock, Tsuga canadensis

Vines and Shrubs

• Euonymus species
• Rose of Sharon, Hibiscus syriacus
• Honeysuckle, Lonicera species
• Virginia Creeper, Parthenocissus quinquefolia
• Arborvitaes, Thuja species

Black walnut can be a challenging plant to have in your landscape, but if you understand the unique characteristics of this tree you can easily pair it with other plants that don’t mind its toxic effects.

When choosing an evergreen for your landscape project, it is always best to select a plant that will not outgrow its designated space, crowding out nearby plants or distorting its own shape without enough room to shine. Proper research can help you choose – you should know the ultimate height, width and growth rate of your selection before committing to what may be one of the more costly additions to your landscape. Always choose naturally slow-growing or dwarf conifers for small spaces, bearing in mind how nearby plants and structures may limit available space over time. Fortunately, just about every genus of evergreen is available in a dwarf variety.

That being said, what if the mistake has already been made? We’ve all made it! It is easy to fall in love with a sweet little plant in the garden center that, within a few years in the ground, looks like it could swallow your house. Fear not, there are ways to rectify the situation with proper pruning.

You will need the right tools to accomplish the job:

• Loppers
• Bypass pruners
• Safety goggles
• Leather gloves

Pruning should begin in the early spring before the plant’s soft new growth hardens off. Take a close look at your evergreen to determine its branching habit. Pine, spruce and fir trees all have layers of branches that are whorled around the trunk. Arborvitae, juniper, yew and false cypress have limbs that are produced randomly along the trunk.

Conifers with a random branching habit are able to grow new limbs from old, foliage-bearing wood. You may prune this type of evergreen back to this older wood to encourage a more compactly branched habit and keep size down, or to create the desired shape. Whorled branching evergreens are pruned differently, however. They have new growth called “candles” at the tip of their branches, and they really do look like candles with lighter coloration. To promote a more densely branched, compact habit, pinch the candles back by up to half their length before the needles harden off. Never cut into the older wood below the candle, as this type of evergreen does not have dormant buds on the stem that will become new growth. Pruning into old wood will leave a hole in your plant and distort its overall appearance.

As always, we are eager to assist you with selecting the proper plant for any landscape project you undertake !

Do you dream of a delicious, homegrown harvest but don’t have the land to use? No longer should a shortage of garden space prevent you from growing your own fresh vegetables. As long as you have a sunny location you can have your own mini-farm on your porch, patio, deck, balcony, roof-top or doorstep!

Why Use Containers?

The benefits of growing containerized vegetables go beyond the issue of space. There are plenty of other compelling reasons to plant your veggies in pots, including…

1. Vegetables are amazingly ornamental and can be just as decorative as any other container plants or flowers.
2. There are fewer problems with pests such as groundhogs, deer and rabbits and soil borne diseases.
3. The soil in pots warms up more quickly in the spring allowing for earlier planting and an extended growing season.
4. Less bending, squatting and kneeling is required for gardeners with limited mobility.

Vegetables can be grown in any vessel that can hold soil, has adequate drainage and is large enough to hold a plant. There are endless options available on the market or you may recycle items that you already have as long as they meet these requirements. Use your imagination – try a wheelbarrow, wine barrel or just a plastic bin, and you’re ready to plant!

Best Vegetables for Containers

While all veggies can be grown in containers, some are better suited than others. Plants that grow particularly large, that sprawl or that must be grown in large numbers to ensure an adequate yield may take more effort and careful site planning with an adequate container. Similarly, vining plants need not be avoided. Trellis these plants up against a wall or fence or allow them to cascade down from a taller pot or a container placed up high like on a stone wall. For smaller selections, a hanging basket or window box may be used. Many sprawling and vining vegetables are now available by seed in dwarf, compact or bush varieties. These are bred specifically for small spaces and containers and are worth seeking out.

Tips for Container Vegetable Gardens

Growing vegetables in containers does take some unique thought and isn’t quite the same as planting in a traditional garden. When planning your delicious container garden, consider…

• Containers: Size matters when planting in containers. The bigger the container, the more soil it can hold. More soil more and more moisture means less watering. Take note that porous containers like terra cotta dry out more quickly and will therefore require more frequent watering.

• Soil: When planting, choose a good quality potting mix. Soil from the ground may contain insects or disease or may be too heavy. Add an all-purpose balanced fertilizer at time of planting. It is also good idea to mix water absorbing polymers into the soil. These granules can hold up to 400 times their weight in water and help reduce watering from 30-50 percent.

• Plants: Some of the vegetables that you select may be directly seeded into your container; these would include peas, beans, radishes and corn. With most vegetables you may wish to transplant seedlings into your container, either home-grown or garden center purchased. You will generally find a wider selection of vegetable varieties and unique options available in seed as opposed to purchased seedlings, if you want to use your containers experimentally.

• Supports: Supports should be placed at time of planting for large or vining plants. This will ensure the young plants are not disturbed or damaged with supports added at a later time. If the supports are outside the container, however, they can be added only when they are needed.

• Location: Your vegetables will require at least 6 hours of direct sun a day. If this is not possible you may try placing your pots on dollies or carts and moving them to a sunnier location as the sun moves throughout the day. Note that good air circulation is important for disease control.

• Watering: Test soil frequently for water to make sure that you keep it evenly moist. Water the soil, not the plants, to avoid the spread of disease. Check soil moisture more frequently during the summer months when evaporation is faster. Mulching your containers with salt hay or grass clippings will help keep soil cool during the summer months and reduce the frequency of watering. If possible, a drip system can be a great option for keeping containers watered.

• Fertilization: Fertilizer leaches through pots quickly. Fertilize containerized vegetables at least once a week with a water soluble fertilizer. Always be careful to follow the directions on the fertilizer package and follow the recommended rate. Too much fertilizer may burn or kill your plants, but too little will result in undernourished, underperforming plants.

With appropriate care that caters to the needs of containers, your small-scale vegetable garden can be just as lush and productive as any larger, more intensive space, and you’ll soon have a bountiful harvest to enjoy.

Have you noticed little black gnats flying around your houseplants or outdoor potted plants? These are probably fungus gnats. These can be a serious problem in commercial greenhouses holding thousands of plants but are easily controlled by homeowners who take appropriate steps for eliminating these pests.

What Fungus Gnats Need

As weak fliers, fungus gnats live in and around damp decaying material. Plants with fungus gnats are usually being overwatered. This is the primary cause for an increase in the gnat population, as they thrive in wet, organically-rich soil. Gnat grubs nibble on the tender roots of houseplants, but they do not generally do enough damage to severely harm the plant – they are more of a nuisance as they mature and fly around the plant. These gnats do not bite, but they can be annoying. When an infestation is bad, they can quickly spread from plant to plant, making them even more challenging to control.

Ways to Control Fungus Gnats

Letting a plant dry out between watering will decrease the decay and fungus in the soil, making the pot less hospitable for fungus gnats. Always make sure pots have adequate drainage and that water is not left standing in saucers. Adding a porous top-dressing, such as sand or gravel, to the pot can also help water drain away from the surface so the gnats cannot burrow down to the organic richness they crave.

For home use, insecticidal sprays with Pyrethrins are available and can be used against fungus gnats. If treating a houseplant, be sure to take plants outside and follow label instructions carefully, keeping the chemical away from children and pets at all times. Bacillus thuringiensis (BT), a biological control, will also provide relatively fast control killing the larvae in the soil.

For houseplants, the easiest and fastest remedy is often the best. Repot the infested plant using new potting soil into a pot with drainage. Carefully rinse the plant’s roots while repotting to remove as much soil as possible, and be sure the new pot’s hole is not clogged. Prune away any dead roots, leaves and stems. The gnats will be gone immediately.

To keep fungus gnats from returning, carefully check a plant’s moisture before watering to prevent moisture problems that can bring fungus gnats back in a flash. Water monitors can be used, or simply check that the top 2-3 inches of soil is dry before watering. Using watering bulbs or other waterers that are inserted deeply into the soil can also keep fungus gnats at bay by providing water directly to the plant’s roots, without saturating the entire pot.

Fungus gnats certainly aren’t fun when they infest your plants, but fortunately there are many ways to keep these bugs under control or eliminate them entirely. Using several techniques at once will be most effective, and the gnats will be gone just as fast as they first appeared.