Behnke’s Gardening News Archives
One of the questions we get week after week is about finding information about this or that plant. Many times I can get the answer; however……
Fall-Planted, Spring-Flowering, “Dutch Bulbs”
Planning and a leap of faith: that’s what it takes to be successful with bulb planting. Planning, because you need to plant them in advance of when you need them, and a leap of faith because you have to believe…
Environmental Gardening at Behnke’s
Those of you who have shopped here for many years may remember that we used to have our shade and flowering tree display area on the south side of our main driveway (that is, between Route 1 and the parking…
Wait Wait…Don’t Toss That
Our favorite nurseries and garden shops are brimming with products that promise to deliver the lushest of foliage, the healthiest of roots, and little to no lingering pests. There’s no doubt that there are some fantastic options out there, but…
Jessica’s Garden: Prolonging the Harvest
It’s hard to believe that we are already well into the month of August. Before we know it, leaves will be changing colors. While some fruits and vegetables in the Summer garden (like squash and potatoes) may be dwindling, others…
Jessica’s Garden: Keeping Pesky Visitors at Bay
As we turn more and more soil for gardens at the farmhouse, I have been pleasantly surprised to find that we have great soil quality here. At our old home, we had builder-grade, lackluster, red clay soil that needed attention…
A Year of Teaching Gardening
Out of curiosity, I counted up all the educational opportunities that Behnkes provided for its customers in 2012, each one designed to turn their customers into better (and happier) gardeners and to turn more people into gardeners. I was surprised…
How to Water your Garden
Mistakes in watering are the number one cause of plant death in the garden! So read on to avoid that fate for yours. How to Water Thoroughly, deeply, and slowly, as needed – rather than shallowly. For example, a new…
Miri’s October Gardening Chores
You know those loooong lists of “What to Do in the Garden in Name-that-Month”? I see them everywhere but I’d rather know what real gardeners are really doing – to help me home in on the really important tasks at…
Gardening Basics – Hanging Baskets
Hanging baskets, they’re not just for hanging anymore. By all means, do hang them, but consider that basically, it’s a big pot full of colorful flowers or tropical foliage. You can remove the hanger, and set it on a pedestal for an instant “container” plant, or if it happens to be upright instead of trailing, you can set in on a table for a centerpiece.
Gardening Basics – A Little Bit on Herbs
One of the easiest and most rewarding things for a gardener to grow is a selection of herbs. It’s fun to use your own fresh herbs in cooking, they are interesting to learn, the most common ones all have the same growing requirements, and animal pests tend to leave them along.