All Things Gardening

Staked, Caged Or Trellised, Your Tomatoes Will Grow Tall And Strong All Summer!

May 23, 2021 13:50 - 4 minutes

Tomato-planting time is here! In most parts of Vermont, especially the Champlain Valley and Connecticut River Valley, you can plant tomatoes in your gardens and raised beds as soon as this weekend. If you’re in the mountains, wait a bit longer in case of overnight frost.

Putting Down Roots; How To Prepare And Plant A New Tree In Your Yard

May 16, 2021 13:54 - 5 minutes

When you decide to plant a tree, you most likely expect it to stay put for a long time. When considering conditions and factors other than sunlight, soil and water, sometimes trees don’t thrive where they’re planted.

The Best Tomatoes To Grow In A Container For A Summer Full Of Fresh Produce

May 09, 2021 13:36 - 4 minutes

If you want fresh tomatoes right on your porch, balcony or steps all summer long, consider containers! Container tomatoes are the perfect way to grow your own fresh produce, as long as you choose the right variety and the right container.

When Foraging For Wild Edibles, Always Identify Before You Try

May 02, 2021 13:38 - 5 minutes

If you forage for wild leeks, ramps and other wild edibles growing right now, it is imperative that you heed caution and know proper wild edible identification.

Build A Garden With Layers Of Newspaper, Lawn Clippings And Compost

April 25, 2021 12:53 - 5 minutes

Welcome to raised-bed-building season! With a few materials you most likely have on hand and no tilling, you can create a no-dig garden bed or convert an existing bed to no-dig. And you can build it so weeds, mice and voles will stay out!

How To Thin Those Self-Sowing Flowers And Veggies

April 18, 2021 13:31 - 5 minutes

With warm weather settling in, you may step out to your garden or gaze at your raised bed and notice many seeds are germinating! Flowers such as calendula, verbena and poppies, and veggies like arugula, lettuce and mustard, may have self sown from last year. And this is the time to thin them out!

Plant Flowering Bulbs That Deer And Rabbits Won't Consider A Salad Bar

April 11, 2021 14:16 - 5 minutes

It seems you wait all winter for some colorful flowers to bloom and then the deer and rabbits eat them all first! When it comes to flowering bulbs, there are preventive measures to avoid this.First, step outside and note if the deer and rabbits bypass some of your flowering bulbs like daffodils, alliums, fritallaria and scillas.

Learn To Grow Sweetly-Scented Sweet Peas In Your Window Box

April 04, 2021 13:41 - 5 minutes

Some flower varieties just seem to elicit a smile on your face just by looking at them. One such posie is the lovely sweet pea, with the flower bud's cheery appearance, beautiful hues and lovely scent!

Pruning 101: Blueberry Bushes

March 28, 2021 01:26 - 4 minutes

Many gardeners are growing blueberry bushes in their lawns and landscapes. These are great additions to your yard, because they are not only beautiful but also provide fresh fruit!

Raise Your Gardening Game With Raised Beds

March 21, 2021 14:43 - 5 minutes

Early spring is the perfect time to build some raised beds. First, though, there are some things to consider, like the size of the raised bed and the material you’ll use.

Plan And Scheme Your Way To A Productive Garden Plot

March 07, 2021 15:59 - 4 minutes

Though “planting schemes'' may sound like a devious plot hatched by your zucchini, it is actually just planning how you want your garden to look in terms of what gets planted where. And now is a good time to start planning out your vegetable, flower and herb gardens.

Seed-Starting 101: How To Avoid Leggy Seedlings And Other Common Problems

February 28, 2021 15:32 - 5 minutes

The sun (when it appears) seems a bit warmer on your skin and you've got dreamy garden-plotting thoughts in your head. Right now, though, patience is your best friend when it comes to seed-starting!

Manage Plant Pests And Weeds By Using 'Companion Planting' Methods

February 21, 2021 15:51 - 5 minutes

You may have heard the mantra that, "carrots love tomatoes," when it comes to garden placement. In this episode, we'll learn about plant partners and the scientific data that backs up how the placement of certain plants can keep pests and weeds at bay. You can experiment in your own garden this summer!

The Key To Long-Lasting Cut Flowers Is Right Next To The Milk And Eggs

February 14, 2021 15:54 - 4 minutes

Happy Valentine's Day! To preserve cut flowers that you may have received for the holiday, we’ll run through the basics of cut flower care including some tried-and-true home remedies.

Take A Winter Treasure Hunt With Seed Catalogs For Unique Veggies For The Spring

February 07, 2021 14:52 - 5 minutes

While planning for your garden, going through seed catalogs can be like a wintertime treasure hunt, especially, if you are seeking out new and unusual varieties of veggies, flowers and herbs!

Grow A Culinary Herb Garden Indoors This Winter

January 31, 2021 14:37 - 5 minutes - 300 Bytes

Get a taste of greenery by learning to grow easy culinary herbs indoors right now. Learning the right lighting, watering, temperature and harvesting are key to growing indoor herbs!

Step Away From That Trowel And Try 'No-Dig' Gardening This Spring

January 24, 2021 15:22 - 5 minutes - 305 Bytes

A single teaspoon of soil has more microbes in it than there are people on the planet, and they are a crucial part in creating a healthy soil structure. This spring, folks who garden can embrace a new mantra: stop tilling, turning and digging your soil!

Houseplant RX, Part Two

January 17, 2021 14:37 - 5 minutes - 330 Bytes

Aphids, mealybugs and spider mites, oh my! In this episode, we'll learn how to identify and tackle household pests, plus how to avoid them in the first place. We'll also find out more about common houseplant critters like white flies, scale and fungus gnats.

Houseplant RX, Part One

January 10, 2021 14:42 - 5 minutes - 305 Bytes

You've joined the houseplant bandwagon! Now that your greenery has been growing indoors for awhile, you're beginning to notice problems, like spindly growth, brown leaf tips, poor flowering and wilting. In this first of two episodes on indoor plant care, Charlie will share the main causes of poorly growing houseplants and some easy solutions.

Want Colorful Leaves Indoors This Winter? Try A Plant With Spathes

January 03, 2021 14:49 - 4 minutes - 273 Bytes

Growing houseplants with dark green leaves is a fun winter pastime and you have so many to choose from! If you want to add some more colorful houseplants into a room in your home that gets low to medium light throughout the day, you might try plants with spathes. A spathe is a modified leaf - like the kinds found on a poinsettia plant. Spathes stay colorful for months and tend to bloom in winter and early spring.

Five Things To Do With Your Live Christmas Tree, After The Holidays

December 30, 2020 15:53 - 5 minutes - 300 Bytes

If you celebrate holidays and decorate for them with a live tree, this year, here are five (plus one extra one that involves camelids) environmentally-friendly ways to dispose of it!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas For Your Favorite Gardener

December 20, 2020 15:09 - 4 minutes - 291 Bytes

If you've been dragging your feet and you still haven't gotten your favorite gardener a gift, fear not, as Charlie Nardozzi has great ideas - from hand tools to totes to even special gloves and seed-starting supplies.

Craft Your Own Holiday Wreath From Found Natural Materials

December 13, 2020 14:36 - 4 minutes - 294 Bytes

Many homes place an evergreen wreath on their door or wall for the season. Traditional holiday wreaths are often decorated with bows, berries and cones. This year has been unlike any other so perhaps it is the perfect time to break out of tradition and try a different approach!

Holiday Flowers: Keep Your Home Beautiful, Pets And Kids Safe

December 06, 2020 14:34 - 4 minutes - 260 Bytes

Those pretty red poinsettias adorning your holiday table actually grow as shrubs in their native Central America. These posies have become the symbol of the holidays in many countries all over the world. In this episode, we’ll learn about poinsettia varieties, how to care for them and the ever-important question: are poinsettias really poisonous?

Choose A Tree For Its Bark, 'Stick Season' Is Here!

November 29, 2020 15:01 - 4 minutes - 288 Bytes

With 'stick season' upon us, we won’t be seeing green leaves on trees for another six months. Why not plant some trees and shrubs in your lawn and landscape that boast beautiful-looking bark?

To Cut Back Or Not? Depends On The Hydrangea!

November 22, 2020 20:26 - 5 minutes - 320 Bytes

Should you cut back your hydrangeas? If you want to protect them for winter, now is a great time to not only cut them back and dead-head the flowers, but also do some other winter care prep methods. You just need to know which variety you've got before you begin.

'It's Mid-November And My Holiday Cactus Isn't Blooming!': Learn How To Encourage Yours

November 15, 2020 14:36 - 4 minutes - 293 Bytes

Now that we're all nestled in our homes staying warm, we might have noticed a few things about our houseplants. For instance, why isn't the cactus blooming? That all comes down to the cactus variety you have. Some are budding or blooming now, while other varieties are just green and doing nothing special. We'll learn about the different varieties of cactus, why and when they bloom and how to encourage yours to bloom this winter!

Digging Up And Curing Flower Bulbs For Winter

November 08, 2020 14:36 - 5 minutes - 305 Bytes

With the sudden freeze that happened recently, it's time to dig up and protect precious sub-tropical bulbs such as canna lilies, dahlias and gladiolus.

Pumpkin Planters Perk Up Porches And Holiday Tables

November 01, 2020 14:35 - 4 minutes - 266 Bytes

Reuse the pumpkins on your porch step by turning them into planters for small succulents!

20 Feet Tall With Orange Fruits: Plant A Persimmon Tree!

October 25, 2020 13:21 - 4 minutes - 278 Bytes

The tropical-looking persimmon is hardy in Vermont, has avocado-like leaves and tasty orange fruits that are ready to harvest ... now!

5 Uses For Dead Leaves (Some Make Your Lawn Healthier!)

October 18, 2020 11:23 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

Leaves are falling, so it's time to do something (or nothing!) with them.

Do The 'Chop 'N Drop!': Learn The Newest Ways To Prep Your Garden In Tune With Nature

October 11, 2020 11:29 - 4 minutes - 273 Bytes

Folks with perennial flower gardens might already have a go-to method for readying their beds for fall and winter, but there are new ways to clean up your plot that are more in tune with nature.

Anemones: Delicate In Appearance, But Hardy And Easy To Maintain

October 04, 2020 13:20 - 4 minutes - 260 Bytes

With daisy-like flowers growing on thin, leggy stems, Japanese anemones are also known by the poetic moniker, "wind flower." This perennial not only looks beautiful in your landscape, it's also hardy and easy to maintain.

The Newest Tips For Planting Fall Shrubs: Detangle Those Roots, Y'all!

September 28, 2020 13:27 - 4 minutes - 241 Bytes

Frugal folks will enjoy the fact that, come fall, any trees and shrubs that you plan to plant are probably on sale at most garden stores and nurseries! And fall is the practical time to plant them, too, as the air is cool and the soil will stay warm enough for roots to start getting established.

Cover Crops Protect Soil In Winter And Help Control Weeds

September 20, 2020 11:20 - 4 minutes - 255 Bytes

Fall is a great time of year to plant cover crops to protect the soil over the winter. Come spring, you will have done your garden a favor and given it a head start, as the cover crops can add organic matter and help control weeds.

The Cup Plant Really Brings The Butterflies To The Yard

September 13, 2020 11:33 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

Late summer's yellow-blossomed favorites like goldenrod, asters and rudbeckia are certainly lovely, but if you're looking for golden petals plus drama, pick a posie that can grow as tall as some adults! The cup plant is a native species and grows up to 6 feet tall, with scads of daisy-like bright yellow flower.

Sharing The Harvest: Creative Ways To Be Generous With Your Garden's Bounty

September 07, 2020 14:02 - 4 minutes - 260 Bytes

Sharing what you've grown in your garden feels good. And late summer means your garden abounds with actual, real live vegetables that you have grown! There are some great options for sharing the fruit (and veggies) of your labor beyond just dropping off your extra cucumbers onto a neighbor's porch.

Seed-Saving And Cuttings From Favorite Annuals Mean More Beautiful Flowers Next Year

August 30, 2020 20:55 - 3 minutes - 239 Bytes

Gaze out on your garden and take in all the beauty that you've planted! The annual flowers are really showing their colors now and perhaps you want to grow them again next year.Depending on the flower, you can either save its seeds or root them.

The Rose Of Sharon Adds Late Summer Color

August 23, 2020 12:27 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

You've seen this shrub around town blooming its little head off with hibiscus-like flowers. The Rose of Sharon isn't a rose at all, but it is a reliable bloomer and adds great late summer color.

In A Pinch, Get Your Veggies To Mature Before The First Frost (Plus Some Worm Advice)

August 16, 2020 14:05 - 4 minutes - 294 Bytes

Recent heavy — though quick — rainstorms, paired with heat, have created monsters in the garden! And those gigantic squash, cukes and melons need containing, and they need you to ensure the fruits that are forming can ripen before the first frost. Say hello to *pinching.*

Love Your Outdoor Coleus Plants? Propagate Them For Indoor Living

August 09, 2020 13:00 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

You might see this shade garden plant so often as you stroll around your neighborhood that you might be inclined to not notice it. But the coleus is just the sort of plant that you should take note of, because of how versatile it truly is.

Plant Some Helenium For Showy Late-Summer Blooms (And To... Induce Sneezes?)

August 02, 2020 12:01 - 4 minutes - 242 Bytes

Abundant, multi-flowering helenium is hardy to Zone 3 and nearly drought-tolerant. Known by its common name, sneeze weed , this plant used to be harvested, dried and then made into a powder which some people then used as snuff to promote sneezing!

These Beetles Are Not Picky Eaters. Here's How To Control Them Before They Munch Your Whole Garden

July 26, 2020 14:01 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

The adult Japanese beetles are out. They're hungry and they're not picky eaters! This insect will munch on more than 300 different plants in your garden and flower bed. So before you lose a good chunk of your produce and posies, you can do a bit of work to control them by knowing how and when it's most effective to do so.

Squash Those Squash Bugs (And Mash Those Potato Beetles)

July 19, 2020 12:46 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

Insect pests are out in force in the vegetable garden. One primary line of defense is searching for and destroying the egg clusters, to help stop an infestation before it gets going. The key is knowing how to identifty each type of insect's eggs before they hatch and take over.

The Papery-Petaled Poppy And How To Grow Many Varieties

July 12, 2020 13:59 - 4 minutes - 240 Bytes

When you think of this certain flower, you might recall a scene when Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" begins to feel very sleepy or perhaps you learned to recite this poem of remembrance . The delicate, papery-petaled Flanders or Iceland poppies are in bloom right now and Charlie Nardozzi has tips for their care.

All Things Gardening

Episodes