Add flavor and variety to this year’s vegetable garden with the 2013 All-America Selections (AAS) Winners.

Looking for a unique, personal and affordable gift this holiday season? Consider something from your garden.

Now is a great time to plan for added color in your landscape.

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

Don’t let a tight budget stop you from starting seeds indoors. Get creative and involve the whole family in the process.

Make everyday Earth Day and commit to managing your landscape and gardens in tune with nature.

Break out your favorite vegetable dip and grab a handful or two of carrots and celebrate National Carrot Day on February 3rd. And add these tasty and nutritional vegetables to your garden plan this season.

Don’t discard those left over seeds from last season. When properly stored, many seeds can last for years, saving you money when you plan and plant this year’s garden.

Don’t throw away that worn and leaky kid’s swimming pool. Instead, put it to work in your garden.

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.

Don’t let outdated garden catalogs and magazines go to waste. Give them a second life by creating a colorful collage.

Get a jump on the growing season and save money by creating a growing chart.

Tired of trying to read faded plastic labels or having them turn brittle and break into pieces? Try creating something new and longer lasting.

Carrots, lettuce, begonia and other small seeds can be difficult to plant at the proper spacing. Reduce wasting seeds and time spent thinning seedlings.

Don’t forget the trees, even old established ones, when extended dry periods and droughts move in.

Enjoy the beauty and fragrance of roses without all the work. Many of us have switched to hardier more pest resistant shrub roses for just this reason. But now, thanks to the Earth-Kind rose designation, growing roses will be easier for all.

You can have a beautiful landscape and be kind to the environment by adopting an Earth-Kind landscape philosophy.

Gather the family in the kitchen, prepare a meal, and sit down to celebrate Eat Better and Eat Together.

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.

Ants, lady beetles and a clear sticky substance on your leaves are good indications that aphids have moved into your garden for a meal.

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.

No, it wasn’t the ornery neighborhood kids that clipped your new transplants off at the base. It was likely the result of the sneaky cutworm.

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.

Hot dry weather is hard on you and your plants, but great for many pests. So check your garden often for signs of problems.

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.

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.

Recycle your old newspapers into biodegradable pots for starting seeds this year. It is a money-saving activity the whole family will enjoy.

Make this the year you finally start and keep a gardening journal. Keeping records of your successes, failures, pest problems and weather will help you grow a healthy, beautiful and productive garden in a more eco-friendly manner.

Grab the calendar, your garden plans and take a look at your area’s climate history before you start planting.

Didn’t get that garden planted this year? Or maybe you didn’t plant enough for your families needs. Don’t worry, you can still have fresh from the garden flavor and be kind to the environment.

June 12th is National Get Outdoors Day. So gather the family and head out to the garden.

A tangle of carrots, ill-formed beets, and non-existent radish roots mean it’s time to add thinning to your gardening list.

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.

Boost your garden’s productivity and harvest garden-fresh vegetables all season long.

Add a bit of nutrition to your diet and landscape. Grow a container full of nutritious vegetables for your patio, deck or balcony.

Keep a fresh supply of bone-building calcium growing in your garden all season long.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day and National Homemade Soup Day by sharing a bowl of soup with the ones you love. And while you sip some soup, start planning the soup ingredients you’ll grow in this year’s garden.

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.

Nothing beats fresh-from-the -garden corn on the cob. But this is one vegetable that takes up a lot of space for a small harvest.

Many of us are looking for ways to rid our body of toxins, while improving our eating habits. Asparagus is nature’s own detoxifier and one of the most nutritionally balanced vegetables.

Celebrate National Pickle Week by growing a few of your own cucumbers for pickling.

Add a bit of fiber to your garden and diet. Consider growing edible soybeans in this year’s garden.

Make homegrown onions part of your diet. Their flavor is guaranteed to add zest to your meals and their health benefits include lowering the risk of many cancers.

Give them a chill and stop the tears. Cooling your onions and cutting into the root end last reduces the tear inducing impact of the onions sulfuric compounds. And consider improving the flavor and fun by growing your own onions from seed.

It’s time to start reaping the benefits of your spring plantings. So break out the garden fork and get busy harvesting.

Get the best flavor and longest storage life from your homegrown garlic with proper harvesting and curing.

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.

Don’t let going gluten-free get you down. Include some fresh-from-the-garden vegetables to add flavor to your gluten-free meals.

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.

Make the most of this extra day during leap year and do something you enjoy. And for many of us that involves a garden.

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

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

Add a little zip to your garden and meals by planting herbs.

The holidays are filled with lots of delicious foods and sweets. But now is the time to resolve to grow your own vegetables and eat healthier in the New Year.

Make a difference one row of vegetables at a time.

Double your harvest without increasing your garden space. Try planting short season vegetables like lettuce, radishes and beets between long season vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, okra, cabbage, and broccoli. When the short season veggies are ready to harvest, the longer season larger vegetables will need the space.

Preserve the flavor and nutrition of asparagus to enjoy year round.

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

Don’t throw away or recycle those fast food containers just yet. Reuse them when gardening indoors and out.

Don’t throw away that leaky garden hose. Repair or find another use for this garden accessory before adding it to the landfill.

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.

Increase seed starting success and fun with the sealed lid method my friend and horticulturist Bob Polomski learned from his father.

The last Saturday of January is National Seed swap day. So gather your gardening friends, seeds and catalogs and throw a garden party.

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

Your mailbox and dining room table are overflowing with catalogs filled with pictures of beautiful flowers and scrumptious vegetables. With so many choices it can be a bit overwhelming – I can help.

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.

Spring is a time of new beginnings and fresh starts. And that often means cleaning out the garage, shed or basement. Don’t toss those outdated, unwanted garden chemicals in the trash. They can contaminate our environment, including our drinking water.

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

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

Try a Native American tradition of planting corn, squash and beans - the three sisters’ method - together in your garden this year.

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

Start the New Year with a good luck meal of black-eyed peas and cabbage.

Plant a tree and improve your mood, save money and improve the environment.

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

It starts with one little plant. Next thing you know your garden is overrun with them. Some start from seeds that have been dormant in the soil for years while others move in on the wind, in soil additives or with garden transplants.

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.

Celebrate “What’s on my Plate Day” and surprise your family with a plate full of nutritious vegetables. Serve ‘em cooked up as ratatouille, chopped and mixed in a stir-fry or tossed in a tasty salad.

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