Garden Bite with Teri Knight

As more and more folks are interested in their outdoor spaces, privacy is an issue that’s come up. Aside from building a fence, which, at this time with lumber prices through the roof, may not be desirable, a friendly fence may be! What are some of the best "friendly" fences for our zone 4 climate

Tis tick season! Deer ticks and wood ticks are the most common, both of which are annoying blood sucking pests, however, the deer tick , also known as the black legged tick, is a whole other issue as they’re a vector for Lyme Disease and other diseases . Learn more about how to identify them and avoid them. 

I’ve never been one to add a lot of chemicals to my gardens. I‘ve always felt that  taking care of the soil by using compost and manure with the occasional milorganite (which adds nitrogen) has been good enough.  But, really, to boost the bloom and get the foliage flashing -  fertilizing is the ticket.  So here are some tips on fertilizing for annuals and perennials.

While some of you may have already done this…. Gladiolas, dahlias and cannas are bulbs we in cold climates can plant now for summer bloom! Alliums, oriental lilies, begonias and bulbs I can’t pronounce are also on that list. How and when to plant and a new dahlia for 2021 on today's Garden Bite!

So many folks are growing vegetables and herbs in containers and wondering what size container they should use and what TYPE of container. Certain containers create issues for your plants.

So many folks are growing vegetables and herbs in containers and wondering what size container they should use and what TYPE of container. Certain containers create issues for your plants. 

Happy Moms day coming this Sunday!  This particular celebration is one that the U.S. can call their own. A woman named Anna Jarvis trademarked the phrases “second Sunday in May” and “Mother’s Day” in 1912 being very specific that the apostrophe for mothers day was in there so that people would celebrate their own mother not just all moms. A trip to your local garden center!

Those of us with northern gardens sometimes have zone envy!  As I’ve talked about before, climate change is changing our frost dates, temperatures are rising and I’m thinking we could test the waters for zone 5 native plants. I name a few on today's episode!

Spring is a great time to divide summer and fall blooming perennials. GENERALLY speaking, many perennials can be divided every 3 years or so. Divide perennials when they are peeking up about 3 to 6 inches or so. Learn more!

I’ve talked many times before about reducing our lawns, today I'm going a step further by talking about permeable pavers. Saving our waterways in many ways!

This invader is also known as snake worm, crazy worm and Alabama jumper. It’s an Asian earthworm that turns your soil into something like coffee grounds while destroying your plants and lawn. Is there anything we can do? Yes and ...

Yesterday I talked about Japanese beetles, today I want to talk about flowers that repel bugs! There are plenty but I highlight five on today's Garden Bite episode!

I’m already getting questions about Japanese beetles. The adults show up starting in late spring and continue munching their way through many of our plants through mid summer. UGH. It’s sad when a great joy in the garden is grabbing your container of soapy water and drowning this little buggers, but there it is! What can you do now and in the future? That's on today's Garden Bite. 

This is a yearly ponderable by the lawn faithful.  Fertilizing the lawn, should you or shouldn’t you?  The most correct answer, according to research, is NOT now.  I know, I can hear many of you gasping, but the BEST times to fertilize your lawn are Late summer and fall. Despite this  yearly spring ritual of the lawn faithful, hold off. 

The dandelion dilemma. Many folks are not in favor of embracing the weed, they’d rather fight it. You might consider seeking revenge in a different way! By eating it! Plenty of recipes and links to some tasty dandelions, including a pink one are on my website gardenbite.com

Does forsythia bloom foretell the coming of crabgrass?  Perhaps, but Mother Nature is fickle, as we experience nearly every year! I'm talking about crabgrass today. Pre-emergent and post-emergent, the best times to apply. 

I love this time of year when we start seeing all the new plant introductions for the year settling into our local garden centers or even online. I do encourage listeners to shop local first, but if you can't find what you're looking for, online is a great alternative! On today's episode, I talk about a few standouts. 

Kick up your heels and do a happy dance for Earth Day! There are many reasons to celebrate. The body, mind, spirit connection and all the Earth has to offer us. The more we care for it, the more it  cares for us! 

Bees get the buzz, as well they should, as the ultimate pollinator. But there are others, lots in fact. What or who are they and what are the best plants to bring those pollinators into your garden space and keep them coming? That's on today's Garden Bite. Plus a plant list on my website, gardenbite.com. 

Want to garden but have a small space? Not a problem. Gardening in small spaces requires you to maximize the space you have and keep potential problems under control. The challenges and nuances to small space gardening on today's episode! 

I talked about soil and rain barrels and composting last week. But what about organic matters? What is it? Does it matter? How much organic matter matters? Can it be too much? Learn more on today's episode! 

As we get ready to garden, tool prep is an easy chore to do and will make your garden life much easier! Learn the how-to's of simple care. And how to prune out damaged branches. 

There are so many reasons to add a rain barrel to your gardening tool belt, so to speak. Earth friendly and will save you money. Home compost bins are another must have. 

There are plenty of perennials more amiable than others. In our busy lives, it's nice to know of some perennials that "mostly" take care of themselves. Living in climate zone 4, there are a lot of choices!

As we turn to our landscapes, how do you start a new lawn? I talked with Gertens Lawn Guru, Tom Jameson, who has 30 years of experience perfecting seed combinations and protocols. Right seed and irrigation are priorities!