It’s time for a lesson about the birds and the bees. No, we’re not talking about seventh grade health class. This lesson is in the birds, bees and other beneficial insects that flock to your garden in New Jersey every year. And since National Pollinator Week is coming up – June 20-26 – we thought we’d talk about why some of the creatures in your garden are important.
Our Chester location was recently featured in the Sunday Best section of DailyRecord.com. Read the article below to learn more about how our garden center team encouraged Chester residents to grow a victory garden in their local area, with the assistance of the kids at Dickerson Elementary School.
It’s an appealing notion, growing your own food. But what if you don’t have the space to grow a flower or vegetable garden? That’s where container gardens come in. They’re perfect for people who don’t have the room – or the time – to plant a larger garden. They also make perfect gifts for friends and family. There are a number of types of containers to choose from, including clay, wood, plastic, concrete and ceramic. When picking your container, consider the following:
Be honest: When was the last time you took part in an Earth Day activity that made a real, lasting impact on the health of our planet? For most of us, it was back in high school, or maybe during college, if we were the ecologically-conscious type. But now we’re busy adults. And won’t there will always be someone else willing to plant trees on Earth Day, or pick up garbage from the side of the road? Well, maybe. But maybe not. And the state of the environment is getting worse—not better. The atmosphere today holds more carbon dioxide than at any other time in the past 800,000 years, and that 25 percent of that carbon dioxide is produced in
It’s the classic homeowner’s dream: to stand at your doorstep and look out over a lush, green lawn. You want your lawn to look its best, but maybe you’re also not a fan of using unnatural – or even harmful – chemicals to get the job done. Don’t fret: there are steps you can take to make sure your grass stays green without resorting to inorganic methods. Here are a few tips we’ve borrowed from Popular Mechanics to help you practice organic turf care.
Spring is coming. Days are getting longer, the weather is getting warmer, and soon green things will be sprouting in your yard. Now is the time to start thinking about what you’ll be growing this year, which is why we want to offer these tips for planning your spring garden.
Anybody with a green thumb can tell you the many great reasons for storing plant bulbs between seasons. This is especially important for dahlias and gladiolas. If you dig up your bulbs, rather than leaving them in the earth for the winter months, it’s essential to check the health of stored bulbs to avoid moisture, mold, mildew and other threats. Time spent inspecting your stored plant bulbs can save you hours of frustration later. Use these tips from our NJ garden center to help you root out rotting bulbs. Leave them unchecked, and you risk starting the spring planting season with nothing but bad bulbs, as infection on one bulb can quickly spread to others.
The holidays are approaching, and you’re probably making a lot of lists. Who’s invited to Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner? What do I need to do to decorate? Have I gotten all the gifts I need to buy? If you have a backyard pond, there’s another list you need to concern yourself with: What do I need to do to get my backyard pond ready for winter? We say this not to add more stress to your life but to make things easier. Here are a few steps to take to prepare your pond for winter.
Winter is coming, but not every local bird will be flying south. If you want to spot birds in your yard this winter, consider putting out a few bird feeders. The wider variety of bird seed you put in those feeders, the greater diversity of birds you’ll attract. Here’s a look at some of the more common types of bird seed in NJ, and the birds that eat them, courtesy of the The Cornell Lab of Ornithology and other sources.
Ah, the Japanese beetle. Nasty little buggers, aren’t they? If you grew up in the Midwest, the Mid-Atlantic or just about anywhere along the East Coast of the United States, you probably still have early-summer memories of capturing dozens of the copper-and-green bugs in your backyard with slippery Japanese beetle traps. As an adult with a yard full of lovely foliage, though, or perhaps a backyard garden or a rose bush, these miniature Asian invaders aren’t quite as much fun. Where Do Japanese Beetles Come From? The bugs are believed to have first escaped Japan and entered the U.S. in 1916. It’s thought that they stowed away in a shipment of Japanese flowers. Because of natural predators that are still present in
