Connecticut Garden Journal: Prepping for winter, and a series wrap

With the changing season, it’s time to close the garden down. Before the cold weather hits, drain and bring in outdoors hoses, clean and sharpen garden tools and start protecting plants for winter. Wrap young trees with plastic or wire fencing to about 2 feet up the trunk and a few inches below th…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Get a jump on spring by planting bulbs in containers

It's hard to think about winter with such warm, fall weather, but spring flowering bulbs need to be planted soon. If you want to enjoy your spring flowering tulips, daffodils, crocus and other bulbs a little earlier in spring or if you don’t have a garden, consider forcing them in containers.  You…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Fall-planting garlic and shallot varieties

With our warm fall, we're still enjoying fresh tomatoes, peppers, greens, and zucchini from the garden. But it's also time to start thinking about planting garlic and shallots. These two alliums are easy to grow. Unlike other veggies, you plant garlic and shallots in the fall for an early summer ha…

Connecticut Garden Journal: For fall cleanup, remove diseased plants, leave the rest

As the days shorten and weather cools, somewhat, it's time for some fall garden chores. One of the rules that's changed is around perennial flower garden cleanup. Traditionally, we'd cut back and remove the dying foliage of perennial flowers such as daylilies, peonies, echinacea and rudbeckia. Whi…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Alliums are a trouble-free bulb to plant right now

October is spring bulb planting time. While the tulips, daffodils, and crocus head the list of popular bulbs to plant later this month, don't forget some of the more unusual bulbs such as the alliums. Allium or flowering onion plants range in sizes from 5 inches to 4 feet tall. The tall varieties …

Connecticut Garden Journal: Time to bring some herbs indoors

As the temperatures dip, it's time bring some of your favorite herbs indoors. Some of the best herbs to move inside to grow and cook with include parsley, rosemary, geraniums, chives, thyme and oregano. The advantage of bringing a mature, potted herb plant indoors is it will continue to send out s…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Boltonia for a meadow, slope or cottage garden

Fall is for asters. Asters are reliable native plants that give us color in our autumn gardens. But there are other natives that are equally as beautiful and trouble-free. One of the best is boltonia. Boltonia, or false aster, is related to asters. It features plants that grow 5- to 6- feet tall w…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Don't eschew sneezeweed; Helenium is a fall alternative to mums

If you're looking for some color this fall in your perennial flower garden, certainly mums are always a nice addition. But here is a carefree, native perennial to grow for fall color and food for the pollinators. Helenium has the unfortunate common name of sneezeweed because it blooms when ragweed…

Connecticut Garden Journal: How to spot when apples and pears are ripe for the pickin'

It's apple and pear season and time to start harvesting. Actually some varieties are already ripe, but most will be harvested this month. If you're growing apples or pears in your yard, going to a pick your own orchard or just foraging for wild trees, it's good to know when to harvest. If you harve…

Connecticut Garden Journal: Connecticut Garden Journal: Effective grub control that's safe for the environment

If you've had a rough year battling Japanese beetles, now is the time to control them. Many gardeners are familiar with Japanese beetle adults that cause damage to many flowers, vegetables and fruits. While there are chemical controls for these and other ground dwelling beetles, there are effectiv…