Ah, watching the beautiful birds and butterflies who pass through my back yard is breathtaking! I welcome them and hope that they can find sanctuary and comfort in my garden. How can you turn your garden into a more accommodating and nurturing place for birds and butterflies? Some plants are …
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In the landscape industry, we watch for nighttime temperatures. Oftentimes, we tell clients that they need to winterize their plants and sprinklers even when it's warm outside, because the nighttime temp will drop to freezing or below.
To winterize plants:
Sod: Apply a winterizer, which can be found in garden centers or big box stores in October. This actually protects …
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I'm a plant nerd who has always appreciated every kind of plant—even weeds. However, as a dog guardian and an animal enthusiast, I must say, I have yet to see the beauty in foxtails. If you live west of the Mississippi, you know what I mean, as you've likely had to deal with foxtails …
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Many of my clients do animal rescue work, which means they may be fostering a number of dogs at any given time. Multiple dogs can wreak havoc on your garden, and they cannot get the space needed to explore and run around if it is not organized in a way that accommodates them.
To preserve sod with multiple large dogs—greyhounds, labs, …
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"Why does my dog always lift his leg on my plants and kill them?" This question is a top concern for dog guardians, especially those with male dogs. When we get the call that dogs have killed many plants in a new garden, I always suspect the lack of "fire hydrants," as I …
Continue reading "'Fire Hydrants' Don't Always Provide Water"
Those of us who garden know that sometimes slugs can disrupt our efforts. There are many products that one can buy and methods that we could use, but most of those are cruel, may put you or the animals in your home at risk, and involve killing the slugs.
That is …
Continue reading "Cruelty-Free Ways to Control Slugs in Your Garden"

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Dogs want to be with their human companions at all times, and working in the garden is one of the best ways to share quality time with your friend.
However, if you fail to take precautions, gardening with your dog can quickly go from …
Continue reading "Keeping Your Pooch Safe in the Garden"