Hiya, Rural Sprout readers,I have a secret to tell all of you. And as a gardener and the editor of Rural Sprout, I’m a little ashamed. But it’s time I came clean. I’m not a huge fan of summer. There. I said it. I’ve been wanting to get that off my chest for ages. I know, I can hear you all chuckling. “Boy, did you get into the wrong line of work, Tracey!” Yes, yes, I did. I don’t really have anything against the season itself. And I do enjoy
all of the trappings that come along with it. However, I am one of those individuals who do not do well in the heat. Even just thinking about July has me a little sweaty. And August? Oh, I don’t think I can even face the idea of it yet.  No, I do much better in
cooler weather, which is probably why this is my favorite time of year for puttering around in my garden and among my flower beds. I only need to take one shower when I’m finished. Not three a day. I don’t need a gallon of Gatorade every five minutes, so I don’t pass out.  It’s always been this way. Somewhere in my distant bloodline, some snowy-mountain-covered dwelling relation came down and
decided to relocate to a warmer climate. And my family and I have been sweating nonstop from late May to October ever since. How about you, dear readers? Are there any withering gardeners among you as well? Does the thought of pinching suckers from your tomatoes in July make your brow bead up before you even make it outdoors?  Now, if you’ll excuse me, I want to go poke a few more peas in the ground while I can still do so without breaking a sweat. Â
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If you want amazing blooms, glossy leaves and tall foliage from your perennials this summer, then you need to do these 5 things in spring.
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There are some very good reasons to add the colorful and easy to grow blooms of zinnias to your garden each year.
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Every spring, gardeners receive the same back-o'-the-seed-packet advice: "Sow as soon as the soil can be worked." But what does that mean?
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It's spring, and that means diving perennials. But these 12 perennials that will thank you for waiting until fall to split them.
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Beer slug traps are an age-old gardening trick that work well. But there is one important mistake to avoid.
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Planting a tree is an investment of time, money and effort. Protect your investment by avoiding these common tree-planting mistakes.
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Christmas may be the last thing on your mind in the spring. But your Christmas cactus should be; it's the right time for a little plant TLC.
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When the snow begins to melt and the winds begin to warm, it's time to head into the woods to collect fiddleheads!
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Do you even know the number of meals and preserves you can get out of a bumper crop of beets? Or are you curious to find out? Before getting your best ever beet crop in
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Even if you don't know its name, you likely know Creeping Charlie by sight. Also known as ground ivy, Glechoma hederacea, is a real P.I.T.A. (Persistent Invasive and Totally Annoying). It's one of the first
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Out of all the pests that can plague a garden, aphids are just the worst. They don't munch on the leaves or fruit but literally suck the life out of plants. As they grow their
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Before you head out to the garden with your tomato seedlings, make sure you aren't making a mistake that will plague you all season long.
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When these nibbling insects start leaving their tell-tale pathways on your plants, it's time to take action.
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Did you miss a newsletter or want to read a few for inspiration? Find past newsletters here. Don't forget to check out our Facebook page for daily updates. That's all for this week, Rural Sprout Readers. |
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