With more extreme weather events and fluctuations in temperature from season to season, knowing how to cover plants for frost has become increasingly important. What’s more, if you don’t know exactly when and how to cover plants for frost you can end up losing favorite specimens or missing out on that extra harvest. In this article, I’ll run down which plants need covering, and I’ll discuss some of the materials and methods best-suited for the task, including fabric, plastic, and mulches. That way, the next time you hear light frost or hard freezes are on the way, you and your plants will be ready.
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Overwintering geraniums: 5 methods to save your plants for next year
As you watch your garden transition out of its summer showiness into the rich hues of autumn, it’s time to think about overwintering geraniums. You don’t have to lose your ornamental favorites to the first frost! It’s actually easy to save geraniums from a compost bin fate, so you can enjoy their annual flowers next year (and the year after and so on).
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How to overwinter pepper plants: 4 effective methods
Because peppers are grown in many parts of the world as annuals, you may not realize they’re actual tropical perennials and it’s possible to learn how to overwinter pepper plants. The process of overwintering involves bringing a plant indoors during the cold months—when they would typically die in the garden—and reintroducing it to the outdoors for the next growing season. How to overwinter pepper plants isn’t as hard to learn as you might think. In this article you’ll learn four ways gardeners find success overwintering peppers.
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The best DIY cucumber beetle trap
Learning how to make your own cucumber beetle trap can save you a lot of trouble and prevent the need for pesticides. In this article, I’ll share the easy DIY cucumber beetle trap I’ve been using for years. It doesn’t cost much to make using only simple household materials and only takes a few moments of your time to set up.
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Fabric raised beds: The benefits of growing in these versatile containers
I first discovered fabric raised beds in Quebec City. I was there for a garden writers’ conference a few years ago new, and they seemed to be everywhere I went: in front of the parliament buildings featuring a lush ornamental mix of vegetables, herbs, and flowers; lined up in rows on the roof of a shelter; and supporting a gorgeous living willow pergola at a botanical garden.
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Propagating hostas: How to make more hostas for free
Propagating hostas at home is a fun, budget-friendly activity for fans of these shade-loving perennials. While every visit to the plant nursery is an exercise in self-control, you can avoid a trip by dividing your own hostas to populate your garden spaces. Here I’ll cover when and how to propagate hostas, step-by-step, as well as how to care for the plants after division. It’s the best way to make more hostas for free!
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