It’s spring! Time to get your hands dirty. As the sun continues to shine and plants start budding, this is the time of year when you should be making garden adjustments and judgments. Whether you plan to do the gardening yourself or have a landscape service come in, you should plan to take a quick walk around your garden beds to assess the winter damage.

What to look for:

• Plants not budding yet that may need replacement
• Plants you wanted to move or replace last season
• Which plants need trimming before the big grow season
• Which beds are in the most need of weeding and cleaning

Taking on the whole garden can be intimidating. By selecting certain plants that need to be transplanted, removed or trimmed, you will give yourself an idea of what work is ahead. First, choose your worst bed to start weeding, and go from there. Your task will soon feel more manageable. Gardening should not be viewed as a one-day project, and hopefully the results will last for many seasons ahead!

After your bed inspection, you will have a better idea of what needs to be done in your gardens this spring. If you plan to hire a landscaper, you will be more aware of what works need to be done. And you can save money by making suggestions and keeping a watchful eye.

Instead of sending them off to a landfill, use kitchen scraps to enrich your garden! Whether your goal is to live “greener,” save money, grow gorgeous blooms and healthy fruits and veggies, or all of the above, composting is a great way to go. Best of all, it’s easy to get started!
Continue Reading Composting Basics

Convinced your thumb is black instead of green? These five common veggies are so easy to grow, novice gardeners can even grow them in pots on a deck or patio! In no time at all, you’ll be enjoying enough fresh, homegrown veggies to make a respectable salad. Read on!

1. Tomatoes. Whether you’re using them for homemade sauce or fresh in a salad, nothing beats homegrown tomatoes. Large and small varieties can easily be grown in your garden or on a balcony or patio in a container. Start from seed indoors, moving them outside after risk of frost is past, or find at a nursery or garden home center. Popular varieties include Cherry, Beefsteak and Celebrity.

2. Carrots. Sow carrots seeds as soon as the frost is over, and replant every few weeks to enjoy all summer! So easy to grow, they’re ideal for beginning gardeners. They’ll do best in full sunlight and light, sandy soil: easy-to-grow varieties include Nelson, Imperator, Gold Pak, Lady Finger and Short ‘n’ Sweet.

3. Radishes. You’ll start seeing the results of your planting in as little as 4 days with radishes! So easy to grow, and their fresh, peppery flavor is a wonderful addition to salads. Sow them in early spring or fall and harvest in 4 to 5 weeks. Popular varieties include Cherry Belle, White Icicle, Scarlet Globe and Sparkler.

4. Lettuce. Lettuce can be planted any time during the growing season, but it does best during the spring and fall. Stay away from head varieties – the looseleaf or bunch varieties are easier to grow. Popular varieties include Salad Bowl, Lollo Bionda and Oakleaf.

5. Leafy greens. Even easier to grow than lettuce, leafy greens (such as kale, collards, spinach, mustard greens and chard) are even easier to grow and packed with nutrients. Like lettuce, leafy greens can be grown in a garden bed or container – they even do double duty as an attractive ornamental. Try several varieties so you can enjoy leafy greens throughout the growing season.

Don’t have the time or space for a full garden? Go wild with potted plants, hanging baskets and window boxes! Here’s a couple of tips for keeping them neat and clean:

• Once you’ve planted your flowers in the container, spread a layer of gravel on top of the soil. This will keep dirt from splashing out of the container next time it rains, or when you water the plants.
• Worried that water spill out of your container onto your porch or deck? Just toss a few ice cubes on top of the soil! They’ll melt slowly, allowing the soil to absorb the moisture without overflowing.

Here are 5 popular container garden helpers you’re sure to love:

Self-Watering Pots	86462 Self-Watering Pots Healthier, lusher plants—and no root rot.
Flip Flop Flower Pot	86415 Flip Flop Flower Pot How clever! Stack pots to save space—easier to water, too!
Post Butler	83895 Plant Monkeys or Post Butler Instant shelves won’t crowd a deck!
Trellis Screen with Planter	63123 Trellis Screen with Planter Instant privacy and garden beauty!
Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter	84886 Topsy Turvy Tomato Planter Grow delicious vegetables in the smallest spaces!

Blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and more…whatever your favorite variety, summer is the time for berries! And what’s not to love? They’re not only delicious, easy to prepare, and wonderful in a wide variety of recipes, they’re good for you, too! Low in calories yet high in sweetness, berries are chockfull of vitamins and minerals, and may even reduce the risk of some forms of cancer.

Harvest time for certain berries may be coming to an end, but there’s no reason you can’t enjoy them all year. And there’s no need to get out the canning equipment, either – berries are easy to freeze, and can be frozen whole. Just place dried, unwashed berries on baking sheets and put them in the freezer, uncovered. Once the berries are frozen, transfer them to storage containers or bags, then return them to the freezer for long-term storage. Remember to wash the berries after you thaw them out.

Once the berries are thawed, they will not be as firm as fresh-picked berries, but they’ll still be delicious – and good for you!
Ideas for serving previously frozen berries:

• Use in recipes for muffins, pancakes, pies, cakes or breads
• Stir berries into vanilla yogurt, or blend with low-fat milk, bananas and a splash of orange juice for a tasty and nutritious smoothie
• Use in recipes for jams or jellies
• Make cobblers or crisps and serve warm with ice cream

Editors Note:Visit our recipes section for some new ideas on using those frozen berries.

Salads make great summer meals because they don’t require cooking, are fast and easy to prepare, and won’t heat up the kitchen.

Continue Reading Grow your own salad, facts about lettuce and veggies in the garden