Bees buzzing around your gardens and property are a good thing, and beekeeping has been gaining popularity in the New England states. Sure, it’s a hobby with sweet benefits, but it’s also a way to boost bee pollination, ensuring that the optimum amount of plants are reproducing and bearing fruit — none of which could […]
plants
Rhode Island
Rhode Island Best Attractions 2012
BEST PLACE TO GET SCHOOLED International Yacht Restoration School, Newport Watch students restore and build classic wooden boats at this harbor campus, which includes a stone wharf and floating docks where you can check out visiting vessels. Or BYOB: build your own dory, canoe, or kayak during a weeklong class. 449 Thames St. 401-848-5777; iyrs.org […]
Hydroponic gardening is the art and science of growing plants without soil. For hundreds of years mediums other than soil have been used with great success to grow plants. Today hydroponic trends include succulents growing vertically as living walls and room dividers and roof top plantings designed by landscape architects to absorb rainwater run-off and […]
Gardens
Build a Cold Frame
Cold frames are excellent for starting new plants early in the season and extending the growing season into early winter. Essentially a modified miniature greenhouse, cold frames may be purchased at garden centers and home improvements stores for a few hundred dollars but are also easily constructed and relatively inexpensive to build. Now is a […]
Gardens
Get Rid of Moles
Moles are destructive pests that can damage ornamental plants as they burrow underground in search of grubs. Try these techniques to protect your plants and lawn and get rid of moles. One way to control the moles is to treat your lawn with a grub control agent (available at garden supply stores). If you take […]
Gardens
Make a Container Water Garden
If you’re looking for a centerpiece that lasts longer than flower bouquets, make a container water garden. A vase filled with aquatic plants and colorful fish can add tranquility and peace to a space while injecting a pop of color to your home, deck or sun room. Container Water Garden Supplies: Container. Any container that […]
Violets are spreading through large sections of my lawn. I’ve tried numerous chemical control products, but none has made any impact on the violet leaves. Any suggestions? — P.Q., Wilmington, VT Violets, both perennial and annual, are difficult to eliminate once they become established in a lawn. Not only do they spread vigorously by seed […]
Our family enjoys watching birds from our windows, and we want to landscape with the best plants to attract them around our home. What do you suggest? S.C., Tiverton, RI A wide range of trees and shrubs produce fruit that persists and appeals to birds. Among the favorites throughout New England are blueberry (Vaccinium), evergreen […]
Gardens
Propagate Succulents
Succulents have textures and shapes that differ from traditional house plants. Their diverse and visually interesting forms have caught the eye of plant lovers everywhere. These drought tolerant plants have found their way into the hearts and homes of even hard core brown thumb’s due to their easy care and low maintenance. Succulents are native […]
Gardens
Remove Weeds from Walkways
A walkway can add a lot of punch to the curb appeal of a house, unless its been overrun by pesky plants. When that happens, try these two methods to remove weeds from your walkway. If weeds start to flourish in the spaces of your brick or stone walk, here’s a good way to combat […]
In April 2006, at the start of the planting season, John Augustin had a tractor accident. It was the kind of hazard that goes with the occupation, the fear that farmers around big machinery live with every day and acknowledge without saying. It happened in an instant, in the time it takes a rotor-tiller attachment […]
Currently and coincidently, both the Currier Museum of Art in Manchester, New Hampshire, and the Portland Museum of Art in Maine are opening major photography exhibitions this weekend. The Currier is filling two large galleries with a show of 125 modernist photographs from its own collection. The Portland Museum of Art is showing a selection […]