Prepare your bulbs now for healthy, happy summer blooms.

SuperUser Account — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:32:00 GMT

Pot up tender summer bulbs such as tuberous begonias, cannas, and dahlias to get a jump on the season. Here are five tips from the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center for starting bulbs indoors: 1. Select bulbs that are firm to the touch. 2. To get earlier blooms, plant bulbs in pots about six weeks before you plan to plant them outdoors. Choose clean containers with drainage holes. Use a commercial potting mix blended with equal parts peat moss and a drainage material such as sand or perlite. 3. Place bulbs in the potting mix, following planting directions. Different types of summer bulbs require different planting methods. 4. Keep soil moist, but not wet. Warm, humid settings are ideal for growth. Bulbs won’t need any light until they’ve sent up sprouts. Then you can place bulbs in a sunny window. 5. Plant outside only when the threat of frost has passed.Photo courtesy of the Netherlands Flower Bulb Information Center.

How do you clean up the garden for autumn?

SuperUser Account — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 14:12:25 GMT

Autumn is a beautiful season in the garden. It’s a good time to clean up your garden beds and get ready for the colors of fall. Whether you remove spent summer annuals, add mulch, or pull stubborn weeds, we’d like to hear your tips for cleaning up your garden in the fall. Share your best tip in two or three sentences and you could win a prize!Send your best tip to tips@gardeningclub.com, including your first and last name, city and state, and member number. If we choose your tip, we’ll print it in the September/October 2008 issue of Gardening How-To and contact you about your prize. Deadline is June 1, 2008.

Regional Gardening Tips

SuperUser Account — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:35:36 GMT

Wonder what region you live in? See our map here or visit the “Site Specific” column in each issue of Gardening How-To.Pacific Northwest• Transplant most annuals after danger of frost has passed. Mulch beds to reduce moisture loss and keep weeds from germinating. • If your trees were infected with mites, aphids, or scale last year, spray with a dormant oil before buds open. • Fertilize woody vines and ground covers in spring or fall.Southwest• Inspect rose mallow for scale and Japanese beetles during the growing season. • Harvest herbs in the morning when their volatile oils are most concentrated in the leaves. • Place metal cans (tuna cans are good for this) with both ends cut out over seedlings to prevent cutworm damage. Crops that are particularly susceptible are cucumber, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, peppers, and cauliflower.Midwest/Mountain• Check shrubs for branches killed by winter’s cold and prune back to healthy growth. • When planting bulbs, plant in groups rather than lines for greater visual impact. • Have lawn mowers serviced before the start of the growing season.Northeast • Spread fertilizer on cool-season grasses after you mow for the second time this season. • Scout for insects (scale, leaf miners, spittlebugs, leaf hoppers, lace bugs, spider mites) on magnolias and hollies. • Propagate sage by dividing plants in the spring or by taking cuttings throughout the growing season.Southeast• Plant snapdragon seeds eight to twelve weeks before the last frost. Pinch off the tops of the plants when they are 3 to 4 inches tall to encourage bushy growth. • Spray sour and sweet cherries with insecticides labeled for fruit flies. One or two sprays during the month before harvest should control these pests. • For an easy, beautiful hedge, plant twining vines that will mature to an appropriate size at the base of a chain link fence.

National Home Gardening Club

Prepare your bulbs now for healthy, happy summer blooms.

How do you clean up the garden for autumn?

Regional Gardening Tips