Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives

Wave® is the most popular petunia family, both for nursery plant sales in spring and seed sales from catalogs. Since 1995, I’ve used more than a dozen Wave types and colors successfully in beds, containers, and mixed planters. Five Wave petunia types are currently available in a wide variety… Read more

The internet is full of advice for gardeners. But many of these websites and blogs are loaded with incorrect information. And even if the advice is good in general, it might not apply to gardens here. Read more

In seed-starting presentations, I always caution folks to be aware of damping-off, a disease that can devastate seedlings. Read more

We moved here from Chicago, where there are only two seasons: winter and road-under-construction. Read more

In the mountains, wild garlic (Allium vineale) and wild onion (Allium canadense) appear in late winter and spring in lawns, along roadsides and seemingly everywhere else. Read more

Oregano (the “pizza herb”) is a well-known ingredient in tomato sauces, but is also used for flavoring meats, bread stuffing and vegetables. Supposed benefits also include treatment of respiratory tract and gastrointestinal disorders, headaches, skin conditions and a litany of other problems. Read more

Sow tomato seeds in the pots that the seedlings will grow in. Tomatoes grow quickly, so use a pint size or larger pot. In mid-April, sow 2 to 3 seeds in each pot about a quarter inch deep. Read more

For germination to occur, conditions both inside and outside the seeds must be favorable. All seeds need water and air. Read more

Many people tell me that they want to grow plants from seeds, but just don’t have the indoor space. Read more

I hadn’t tried growing gladiolus for a couple of decades. Inconsistent germination, weak stems and having to dig them up every fall led to abandoning the attempt. Read more

For most gardeners, late summer is the best time of the year. Read more

Most homes here have lots of windows to enjoy the mountain views, and that means lots of targets for birds to attack. Read more

The plant clinic gets this question every year. A mophead hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) is growing like gangbusters, but nary a bloom in sight. Or the flowers are the wrong color. Read more

Do you have a shady spot that needs some perking up? Here are two of my favorite shade perennials, including one that can be easily grown from seeds. Both have year-round interest. Read more

I’ve been collecting precipitation data at our place for a decade to ensure that my garden gets the moisture it needs (and because I have OCD and just HAVE to know). And while the monthly and annual averages for my garden are not that different from the official Waynesville numbers, the vari… Read more

We wanted to hide the pressure treated posts holding up our deck, so installed trellises in front of the posts to support some vines. Initially three different clematis varieties were planted, but the blooms were sporadic and not visible from a distance. And the foliage was not sufficient to… Read more

The 2018 All-America Selections winners have officially been announced. Read more

Dahlia lovers go to great lengths every year to get the biggest and best blooms.In the fall, they carefully dig up the tubers; store them in controlled conditions; and replant in spring. They attach stems to sturdy stakes with special tape. And if they are entering the flowers in a competiti… Read more

A trio of new gardening books has arrived in the last few months with the same theme, as evidenced by their titles. Here’s a review of these three volumes, and what I did or didn’t like about them. Read more

The purpose of Master Gardener programs nationwide is to multiply the efforts of Extension agents to get horticultural information to the public. Haywood County Master Gardeners volunteer over 4,000 hours each year, in activities like:— Organizing the biennial Haywood County Garden Tour.— Tu… Read more

In 2005, I planted a 25-foot row of blueberry bushes — three each of three different varieties — in a 12-foot wide space between two retaining walls in full sun. I conscientiously removed all the flowers for the first two years so that the plants’ energies would be focused on root developmen… Read more

We were looking for easy-to-maintain plants that could provide seasonal color to a fairly steep slope in part shade. A catalog arrived picturing several varieties of iris, something we’d never tried, and we placed an order. Here’s what happened.Iris is the name of the goddess of the rainbow … Read more

A lot of homeowners around here head south for half the year; many take no precautions to keep their home secure. There are lots of things you can do — two of the more obvious are to install a home security system and join a neighborhood watch group.Yet your landscaping can also prevent pote… Read more

My chef likes shallots for their mild onion flavor, so (guess what!) I grow them every year. For several years, I started seeds indoors in February, transplanting outside in May for a fall harvest.But although seeds are much less expensive than sets (small shallot bulbs), yields were inconsi… Read more

Last year I grew a new sweet basil named Dolce Fresca and loved its self-branching, compact habit. Its flavor was just like Genovese, the standard for all large-leafed basils.But in late August, the leaves suddenly turned brown and the plants looked like they were dying. Diagnosis: downy mil… Read more

A few years ago, a Master Gardener friend tore out all her KnockOut roses because of rose rosette disease. Since then, I’d heard about other gardeners having this problem; luckily, it had skipped our place. Read more

Last year I bought something from a local nursery called‘Clio Magenta’to fill in an open spot in a flower bed. The pixie stake mentioned pretty pink-lavender flowers, but other than that I knew nothing about it. Yet it grew quickly; bloomed continuously from early June to the first hard free… Read more

Grandbabies are amazing. Kathryn is our only one, so we tend to dote and go more than a little overboard. So I wasn’t surprised when my wife did an Internet search for plants with Kathryn, Katy or Kate in the name. She found a perennial named‘Sweet Kate’and we planted five of them in a group… Read more

Jim: People rave about your butternut squash soup. What’s the secret? Jackie: The secret is apple and just a hint of sweet spice. Here’s the recipe. Butternut Squash and Apple Soup¼cup olive oil 1 two to three pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch cubes (about 6 cups) 1½… Read more

Some time ago, I wanted to create a mass of color visible from our deck and the golf course. I planted 100 daylilies on a moderate slope, alternating bright yellows (‘Buttered Popcorn’) and deep reds (‘Frankly, Scarlet!’). But a year later when they started to bloom I realized my mistake—Whi… Read more

This is the time of year that lawn care ads overwhelm your mailbox and TV screen. Pallets of fertilizer are prominently displayed at the home center with exhortations to feed your lawn now. But the local experts say that fertilizing your lawn in spring or summer can do more harm than good. W… Read more

Our vegetable garden is shrinking. Not in area, but in the number of things we grow. Read more