Garden Gate

Now that our gardens are winding down for the year, some of us are already thinking about next spring. You may have already ordered and planted bulbs and be thinking about what you’ll divide and move in early spring. I think it’s time to finally pull

EXECUTIVE EDITORKristin Beane Sullivan EXECUTIVE ART DIRECTOREric Flynn SENIOR EDITOR Sherri Ribbey TEST GARDEN MANAGER/ASSOCIATE EDITORJennifer Howell ASSOCIATE EDITOR Marisa Reyes DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Katie Meyer ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Carrie Topp

Summer brings plenty of flowers to keep pollinators happy, but what about late fall and early spring? As the weather cools in autumn, pollinators, like bees and butterflies, need nectar sources to build their energy reserves to get through winter hib

Whatever your project, here are some tips from the folks at QUIKRETE® for success using premixed, ready-to-use concrete bags. • Use mix in biodegradable bags, not the kind with a plastic lining. • Poke holes in the top of the bag for better saturatio

I asked Meg to share a few plants that she loves to grow, eat and preserve. Here are some of her recommendations. Cranberry bean is a stunning multipurposed dry bean. Seeds can be sown every 2 weeks from early spring to midsummer for a continual harv

When you want big tropical-looking flowers and trouble-free foliage that returns year after year in the garden, hardy hibiscus is just the ticket. It’s cold hardy in USDA zones 4 to 9. WHERE IT WORKS BEST Just a few hardy hibiscus plants will really

Sunny yellow coreopsis blooms are a great way to brighten your border from summer to frost, invite loads of pollinators in, and fill a vase with long-lasting color. Native to North and Central America, this charming wildflower is also called tickseed

Ever been to the garden center and browsed through the tools, just to see what’s there? Maybe there are a couple that look interesting, but what you have at home still works fine. On the other hand, it could be time to try something new. Here are a f

Blanket flowerGaillardia spp. and hybrids Feather reed grassCalamagrostis x acutiflora SnowberrySymphoricarpos albus As you put your to rest for the winter, it’s hard to know what the weather will bring in the next few months. Will this winter be col

Q Should I remove snow from shrubs or leave them alone? Albert Serle, MN A A light snow is no problem, but a heavy, wet snow might bend branches dramatically, like the ones at right. If they’re in danger of breaking, you can gently remove the snow t

Pokeweed Phytolacca americana What it looks like You might overlook a young plant of this native perennial, but a mature pokeweed is easy to spot. By midsummer it can grow 8 to 10 feet tall with 10-inch-long leaves. The smooth, sturdy round stems

• Add a touch of whimsy to your garden with these rustic, metal and glass solar stakes. • Solar Flower Garden Stakes offers two vintage styles with Edison bulbs. • Solar Bird Stakes offers three popular bird varieties that look good both day and nigh

It takes a while to create the backyard of your dreams. The good news about this garden design is that it fits a variety of backyard situations, such as along your property line in place of a fence, or breaking up a large expanse of lawn. The even be

This collection of vegetables showcases varieties that are easy to grow in containers and inspire space-efficient gardening to supercharge your garden-to-table lifestyle. Gardening enthusiasts and butterflies alike will love these pollinator-friendly

If you would have asked me when I got married 22 years ago if I would have a yearly argument with my husband in the backyard about when to take the garden out, I would have laughed and told you that was crazy because who fights about gardens? But her