Garden Bite with Teri Knight

The sap is running! Most places. While there are only a few states that get that fantastic maple syrup, there are plenty of other trees you can tap. The only difference is the sugar content and the sap flow. Find out what trees work best and HOW to tap trees and cook down the sap for some sweet, purely natural, deliciousness on today's Garden Bite . Check out my Twitter , Facebook , Instagram and...

We’ve had some lovely warmer temperatures and even some rainfall. BUT, we live in cold climates so that means cold ain’t over till Mother Nature says so. And often she gives us more blasts of cold. That's why it's a good idea to know and understand all those temperature warnings the WeatherPeople tell us. What is a hard freeze? A frost advisory? And so on... I tell you on today's Garden Bite ! Fin...

Buying bare-root trees, shrubs and even perennials can be a less expensive way to go if you're purchasing in quantity. Does it take longer for them to catch up to container grown? How should you plant them? Those questions are answered on today's Garden Bite . 

Years ago I had the privilege of interviewing John Whitman about his book "Fresh From the Garden - An Organic guide to growing Vegetables, Berries and Herbs in Cold Climate". Not only does he include 1700 plants but he also busts some garden myths. Find out what they are on today's Garden Bite . Our knowledge of EVERYTHING is always evolving and it's fun to learn other theories too!

I saw on a calendar of holidays, that today is International Day of Forests. I got to thinking, what a GREAT day! The UN General Assembly proclaimed this day in 2012. I’m IN! Forests supply so much to our planet and to we humans. Learn more on today's Garden Bite . Share your favorite tree on Garden Bite with Teri Knight Facebook page! 

Oh the temptation is strong to get in our gardens when the temperatures rise! Hold up... there are reasons we shouldn't get out in our cold climate gardens yet. After all, we've had major snowfalls in April. Today's Garden Bite is about some tips to tiptoeing into our soggy soil gardens. Be sure to check out my website and find Garden Bite all over social media! Reach out any time with questions,...

The Vernal Equinox is Sunday! The word vernal means ‘fresh’ or ‘new’ and is related to Spring.  Many a gardener lists Spring as their favorite season. The freshness of it, the hope it brings and the first time we get our hands in the soil again and smell the Earth! What can we do now? What shouldn't we do? That's on today's Garden Bite ! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This day brings shamrocks to mind. What are shamrocks? It's a slurred version of seamrog from the Celts. There's some very interesting history involved in the "shamrock". It's actually a couple of different plants. I'm sharing some history and some mystery on Oxalis and the fact that we have a native oxalis too! Check out my website while you listen! Gardenbite.com . 

Are rhododendrons the same as azaleas? Find out on today's Garden Bite. While there are a vast array of these shrubs, those of us in cold climates can't grow them all but we've got some amazing choices. Hear more about them and check out their fabulous looks on gardenbite.com . They do have some special needs including a more acidic soil. 

I'm fortunate to live near an area where the very rare Dwarf Trout Lily is still seen (and protected). There are also some other lovely ephemerals (woodland flowers) including White trout lily, Bluebells and Columbine. Learn more about these little beauties and why they're important for pollinators and the very soil they live in! On today's Garden Bite. Of course, see them on my website gardenbite...

I'm highlighting 4 annuals selecting as All America Selections Winners for 2022. A verbena, zinnia, a torenia and a sunflower that you're going to want in your containers or annual beds or sprinkled among your perennials. Listen in and then take a peek on my website GardenBite.com . Be sure to check out my Facebook page too! Comment on your favorite.

Once again I dip into my fav magazine and find a perfect Garden Bite as spring approaches. I’ve talked many times about buying quality tools and how much I love my garden fork . That’s on the list of ‘Most Valuable Tools’ for the gardener. Find out the rest of them on today's Garden Bite and be sure to check out my website and social media channels. PS, the cool tools do NOT include the boot in th...

One hundred fifty years! That’s how long Northern Gardener has been publishing gardening advice to those of us living in cold climates. Or as I call us, Extreme Gardeners. I share a few of those tips today on Garden Bite . Please check out my website and be sure to follow, like and subscribe all my social media outlets. Facebook, Twitter and Instagram too! 

The Japanese beetle is one nasty invasive insect. While those of us in a cold climate had a significantly cold winter, is it enough to kill the grubs? Learn all about it on today's Garden Bite. Check out my website and be sure to follow me on social media too! Send me your comments, questions and suggestions for future bites. 

The National Garden Bureau has chosen 2022 to be the Year of the Lilac . You may ask why? Lilacs are among the most carefree spring-flowering, multi-stemmed, deciduous shrubs (or small trees). Listen for some of the top lilac offerings and go to Garden Bite for a new cultivar to fall in love with. 

The only constant thing in life is change and that really follows us into the garden. Whether it’s change WE choose, the PLANT chooses, a hungry critter chooses or the weather! With that said, if  there’s a plant not performing to peak parameters you’ve set, well then, change it. Learn your landscape! Today's Garden Bite is about the questions you need to ask. Go to my website for further inf...

Another gardening trend, losing your lawn while gaining landscape. The hardest chore is getting rid of the sod. On today's Garden Bite I have several ways to do some sod bustin'! Check it out. And also be sure to visit my website. Send me an email if you have questions at tkgardenbite@gmail.com You can also find Garden Bite on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Youtube too! 

Got a garden itch you just can’t scratch?  Here’s a helper that doesn’t involve rubbing your back up against a hard surface!  Get a jump start by planting your tender bulbs indoors from now until April. But how? That's on today's Garden Bite ! 

Garden trends for 2022 include Gardening for Climate Change. What's that, you ask? It's on today's Garden Bite . Also other trends for this year including Small space gardening and the continuing trend of vegetable gardening. Gardening overall has exploded over the last 2 years as the world has dealt with a number of things, not the least of which has been the pandemic. 

I still love hosta but there are a lot of gardeners who would love to plant something else in their shadier spaces. I have several options on today's Garden Bite to brighten your space. They look beautiful with your hosta too! 

What exactly are bare-root plants and why would they be desirable? What are the advantages? That's answered on today's Garden Bite . Bare-root plants are about 1 to 3 years old and are dug up and sent to you wrapped in moist peat moss. Learn more... 

Lettuce list the layers of deliciousness of greens. Sorry, I got carried away. Seriously there are so many greens that can add a nice bite to our salads. Arugula is one of my favorites but we can grow so many other tasty options including flowers like nasturtium and a plant that sounds really awesome, Tatsoi. Check it out on today's GardenBite . 

If you’re looking to plant and be done with it, consider some long-lived plants. There are a bunch, I name a few on today's GardenBite . Peonies will likely outlive you! There are some roses too... but those are shrubs and that's another 'Bite! Check out the long-lived plants that may make your life easier. 

What's the difference between a Genetically Modified plant and a Hybrid? First, genetic mutations have been going on forever. Think a male and female mate and have a baby... that's a genetic modification, naturally. Hybridizers have been doing this for a long time breeding various plants by hand. Genetically modified plants are created in a lab. There's a lot to this discussion, is it wrong? Is it...

Bring those early pollinators into your landscape with native Pussy willows! These early Spring bloomers are so cool looking. The male Pussy willow has the best flowers and you don't need a female to get the flowers for your pollinators. Learn all about our native, Salix discolor, and also some other species and cultivars that are really interesting. These shrubs can be cut back substantially and...