garden tips

10 Tips for the October Gardener

Dig and store tender bulbs, corms, rhizomes, and tubers in a cool, dark, place. Remove plant debris from the flowerbeds. Bag any diseased plant parts and put it in the trash or take it to a landfill but do not compost. Take a scenic drive to observe the changing fall foliage. The CT DEEP has […]

Ten Tips for the April Gardener

Ten Tips for the April Gardener Click on highlighted links for additional information. Prune old, leggy growth from heather (which flowers on new growth in late summer) but prune heath (which sets its flower buds in late spring) just enough to shape it in the early spring. Start dahlia tubers in pots indoors in a cool spot. Pinch back […]

10 Tips for the October Gardener

Ten Tips for the October Gardener: Remove, bag and trash any gypsy moth or bagworm egg masses or spray with a horticultural oil to smother them. This summer was very dry so continue to water ornamental plants up until a hard frost. Clean up any remaining debris from the garden beds but do not add […]

10 Tips for the April Gardener

Continue to apply horticultural oil sprays to control insect pests on fruit trees if temperature is over 40°F. Sow peas, carrots, radishes, lettuces, and spinach. Plant seedlings of cauliflower, cabbage, and broccoli, weather permitting. For an instant spring show, fill containers with forced spring bulbs from supermarkets and garden centers. Prune back bedraggled looking ground […]

10 Tips for the March Gardener

Make plans to attend the UConn Garden Conference on March 18, 2016. Carefully remove winter mulches and leftover debris from planting beds to reduce the presence of overwintering diseases and pests. Get your soil tested through the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory before any major planting or fertilizing venture. Soils sent in before April 1 […]

10 Tips for the June Gardener

Control and reduce aphid numbers on vegetables, roses, perennial flowers, shrubs and trees with a hard spray from your garden hose or two applications of insecticidal soap. Plant seeds of bush beans every three weeks for a continuous harvest. Heavy rains encourage slug problems. Check for slugs during rainy periods and hand pick the pests. […]

Gardens, gardens, everywhere…

….be sure to grow with food safety in mind By Diane Wright Hirsch, MPH, RD UConn Extension Educator – Food Safety It is hard to believe that spring is just around the corner. Though we in Connecticut were all teased with 35-degree temperatures, we are quickly back in the deep freeze, surrounded by ugly, dirty […]