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2 weeks ago | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Fred Smith
Those shady spots in the landscape can make it challenging to grow a beautiful garden. Fortunately, there are more plants than you may think that will thrive in low light. Monitor the amount of sunlight the area receives throughout the day, season, and year. You may be surprised that it gets more sunlight than you thought. Some plants, like spring ephemerals and even sun-loving spring flowering bulbs, receive sufficient sunlight early in the season before most trees leaf out.
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2 weeks ago | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Elizabeth Meyers
Sunflowers are one of those happy plants many gardeners can’t resist planting. Kids love to watch the plants reach for the sky and everyone enjoys all the visitors. You are likely to see hummingbirds, bees and other pollinators on the flowers, songbirds munching on the seeds, and squirrels practicing acrobatic contortions as they try to gain their fair share of the harvest. What we call the flower is made of 1,000 to 2,000 individual flowers.
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1 month ago | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
Nothing beats the flavor of fresh-from-the-garden tomatoes. Keep them close at hand by growing one or more in containers on your patio, balcony, or front steps. Any tomato can be grown in a pot, but determinate varieties are shorter and more compact, making them a bit easier to manage in a container. They produce fruit in a relatively short period of time, making them great choices for preserving as well as using fresh.
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2 months ago | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
Whether you garden on an acre or a balcony, there’s always room for peppers. Grow them in a vegetable garden, container, or with your flowers. The colorful fruit of many varieties makes them a decorative addition to any garden. For those that like it hot, get to know the Scoville scale.
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2 months ago | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
Too much or not enough water and never when your garden needs it. This is a common complaint of gardeners no matter where they live. Make a few changes in your plant selection and garden care to help manage water use while growing healthy plants. All plants need sufficient moisture after planting and for several months to a year or two to develop a robust root system. Those labeled as drought tolerant are better able to tolerate periods of drought once established.
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Mar 27, 2025 | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
Growing cilantro is easy, but this cool-weather herb quickly flowers and goes to seed as temperatures rise. This can be frustrating as some vegetables typically combined with cilantro, like tomatoes and peppers, ripen during the warmer summer months. Try making multiple plantings, using all parts of the plant, or growing more heat-tolerant options to extend your enjoyment. Sow seeds every three to four weeks throughout the summer for continual harvests if your summers are relatively cool.
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Mar 6, 2025 | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
That first full day in the garden may find you tired, sunburned, and stiff. Whether you are a young or young-at-heart gardener, include some strategies to help extend your enjoyment and reduce fatigue and muscle strain so you can keep gardening longer each day and for years to come. No matter your age, it’s important to protect your joints when gardening. Use a kneeler pad or knee pads to protect your knees.
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Mar 2, 2025 | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
Grow milkweed (Asclepias) to support monarch butterflies, hummingbirds, and bees while adding color, fragrance, and beauty to your landscape. You’ll find native milkweeds throughout North and South America. In recognition of this garden star’s attributes, 2025 has been deemed the Year of the Asclepias by the National Garden Bureau. With so many to choose from, select the milkweed that is best suited to the growing conditions, your landscape design, and garden maintenance.
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Feb 18, 2025 | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
You can have a beautiful, productive garden while working with nature to manage insect pests. As you incorporate various eco-friendly pest management strategies, you will encourage songbirds, beneficial insects, and pollinators to visit your gardens. You will find slight variations of definitions, but most organic gardeners agree the focus is on cultivating a system that supports and sustains all its members. This includes plants, soil microbes, and other beneficial organisms.
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Jan 30, 2025 | 
tapinto.net | Melinda Myers |Darlene Cullen
NEW JERSEY - Creating an indoor oasis of greenery can help lift your spirits, reduce stress and improve your overall wellbeing. Challenges arise when growing indoor plants with kids and pets in the house. Keep them safe by selecting pet- and kid-safe plants and pest management strategies. Increase your indoor gardening success by selecting plants suited to your home’s growing conditions and gardening style.
