Give a tree a hug and celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday in April.

The grass is up and growing and the roar of lawn mowers can be heard throughout the neighborhood. Minimize the negative impact of your gas mower on the environment with a few easy tricks.

Piles of plastic pots fill the sheds and garages of gardeners across the country. Don’t throw these in the trash. Rather look for ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle plant pots.

UGH! Oh gross! Both commonly heard right after an earwig is spotted.

Start this year’s garden pest control with a stroll through the landscape.

Add more planting space to your landscape by converting a portion of your lawn to a flower or vegetable garden.

A fence is just one way to create a sense of intimacy in a large landscape or privacy in any size yard. Perhaps your budget, landscape design or available space won’t allow this solution. Don’t worry you have other options.

The hot dry air in our homes during winter is tough on us and our houseplants, but it’s great for insects. You may need to lend a hand this winter to keep your plants looking good.

Check plants regularly for signs of insects. You may want to break out the hand lens or recruit a younger gardener with better eyesight.

Leafless crabapple trees are a common sight in summers following a cool wet spring. Start now to eliminate the problem next season.

Spring is the time to prevent crabgrass problems in the lawn. .

The best defense against this and other lawn weeds is proper care. Grow your grass tall. Keeping it 3 to 3 ½ inches tall encourages deep roots that are more drought-tolerant and better able to fend off pests and outcompete the weeds.

Proper watering and fertilization will further reduce weed problems. Even one fertilization a year, can greatly improve your lawn’s health and reduce weed problems.

UGH! Oh gross! Commonly heard right after an earwig is spotted.

Every garden season is filled with beautiful or tasty surprises and a few challenges. You can prevent or reduce challenges and damage caused by insect pests and still be kind to the environment.

A healthy lawn is your best defense against weeds. So if you want to reduce the problem - long term- you need to learn a bit more about the weeds.

If your indoor plants have cottony masses on the leaves and stems, it is time to break out the rubbing alcohol and cotton swabs.

Don’t let mosquitoes prevent you from enjoying your garden this summer. A fan and a bit of outdoor housekeeping will help you manage these pests.

So it seems your perennial garden is filled with more weeds than flowers. Now is a great time to reclaim your garden by getting the weeds under control.

Don’t panic when you find your zinnias, lilac, bee balm or phlox leaves are covered with a white powdery substance. This fungal disease, known as powdery mildew, is often a yearly problem on a variety of plants.

Get the most flavor and nutritional value from your garden-fresh vegetables with proper harvesting, storage and preparation.

Yellowing, speckled leaves and small spider webs are sure signs spider mites have taken up residence in your plants.

Does this sound familiar? You brush your hand over your plants and a cloud of white fly-like insects disperse in the air. It is not a good thing.

A beautiful landscape can feed your body as well as your mind and spirit, when you include some edible ornamental plants.

Give egg shells and empty egg cartons a second life in your garden. Use them for starting plants from seeds.

Flopping perennials can ruin the beauty and enjoyment of your garden. Take note and prevent future problems with a bit of proactive care.

If each year you find yourself trying to squeeze more plants into less space, it may just be time to expand one or more of your planting beds.

Falling leaves make a great mulch in the woods, but can spell death for groundcovers and the lawn. Make clean up easy for you and good for the environment.

Plants are the easiest way to bring birds into your landscape, but you may want to increase the number and diversity of winged visitors by supplementing with a few feeders.

Being kind to the environment does not have to be difficult. In fact, it can save you time and money.

Invite the birds into your landscape for added color, motion, and interest while creating a focal point in one of your gardens. Plant a green roof birdfeeder.

Reduce your grocery bill this summer by growing a few of your favorite vegetables. And the good news, you don’t need much space to produce enough fresh vegetables for you and your family to enjoy.

Have you noticed those beautiful white butterflies flitting across your garden? Lovely to look at, but what they leave behind is a problem for gardeners.

Trumpet vines are a favorite plant for attracting hummingbirds to the garden. But lots of leaves and no flowers are a common problem for gardeners. Don’t give up; you can get this vine blooming for you and the hummingbirds to enjoy.

Put your creativity to work and get your favorite youngster excited about gardening.

Give your garbage disposal and wallet a rest. Convert kitchen scraps into a nutritious soil additive for your garden while raising bait for your next fishing trip. All you need is a container with drainage holes, shredded paper, red worms and of course kitchen scraps.

Take advantage of weekends, holidays and school vacations to get the children in your life involved with vegetable gardening.

The soil has finally warmed and it is time to get pumpkins, melons, squash and cucumbers in the ground.

Keep your plants looking good and be kind to the environment despite the risk of disease problems.

Tame overgrown grape plants down to a manageable and more productive size.

Tame those unruly perennials with a little early season pruning.

Put coffee grounds and filters to work improving your garden’s beauty and productivity.

Whether you’ve gone organic or use traditional fertilizers and pest management products you need to store them properly for safety’s sake and their longevity.

Save money and be kind to your garden and the environment by capturing rainwater and putting it to work in your landscape.

Your geraniums are at their peak bloom and you heard somewhere you could store them overwinter – but how?

You’ve enjoyed their blooms all summer and now you would like to preserve your hibiscus, mandevilla, bougainvillea, or other tropical plant for next season.

Save money and be kind to your garden and the environment by capturing rainwater and putting it to work in your landscape.

Don’t panic if your garden plans are bigger than the available planting space. I have some space saving techniques that can help you get the most out of your landscape.

All your hard work is paying off with an abundant harvest. Then, one day you notice your squash plants are wilted and near death.

Extend the gardening fun and save money by starting your plants from seed.

Break out the broom and sweep your way to cleaner drinking water.

Mulch your garden beds with shredded leaves, evergreen needles, or other organic matter. It conserves moisture while suppressing weeds and improving the soil.

Space challenged gardeners can grow tomatoes in containers. A 3 to 5 gallon pot is perfect for a single tomato plant skirted by a few flowers or herbs. Or try mixing a few tomatoes in with your shrubs and flowers.

Use water wisely in your landscape to save you time, improve plant health and reduce your water bill.

No matter the time of the season, weeds seem to grow and thrive. Keeping them under control will give you a healthier, more productive and attractive garden.

Save yourself time, money and frustration by properly storing your mower for winter.