The Pacific Northwest is blessed with a climate that favors the growing of dozens or more herbs for use in the kitchen, beauty, and health products. Growing them yourself affords the opportunity to preserve them for future use a little at a time during the growing season or with larger harvests all at once in […]
- Plant Care Recommendations for Healthy, Trouble-free Plants
- Natural Pest, Weed and Disease Control
- Smart Watering
- Natural Lawn Care Solutions
- Composting Advice
Five Steps to a Healthy, Natural Yard and Garden
Check out these quick overviews of five important topics!
Cover Crops 101
Cover crops are plants grown primarily to improve and protect soil. Though they can be grown any time of year, they are most valuable at the end of a productive growing season. Fall-sown cover crops enrich and protect your soil in multiple ways. Preservation of soil structure – Protect against the physical impact of months […]
Edible Spring Weeds
Katie Vincent, Garden Hotline Educator Emeritus
Frustrated with your weeds? This year, consider a new plan for revenge: tossing them in a salad and eating them! As the garden starts to send out signs of life this spring, so do all of the herbaceous weeds that hid out of sight all winter long. Mulching in late winter or early spring […]
Straw Bale Gardens
Feed your soil, prep a garden area and grow food, all at the same time!
Many of us come to food gardening the hard way, by tearing out lawn, digging hard and unforgiving soil and tilling in compost to create good enough tilth to grow nutritious veggies and fruits. There is an easier way! Try a straw bale garden and while you are growing your dinner be satisfied in knowing […]
Soil Resources for Pacific Northwest Gardeners
If you want to grow healthy plants, you need to build healthy soil. Healthy soil is full of nutrients, microorganisms and organic matter. It has good drainage and water holding capacity and helps keep the water and air free of pollutants. Improve the quality of your soil by adding compost and mulch. Before you add […]
A Database of Poisonous Plants to Dogs and Cats
Guest post by Rover staff
For gardeners and animal lovers alike, it’s helpful to know which plants are poisonous to dogs and cats. From the lilies on your table to rhododendrons in your garden, there common plants to watch out for if you have a dog or cat. As the largest network of pet sitters and dog walkers, Rover set […]
We miss you, Cass!
From the Garden Hotline Staff
On January 25, 2017, the trees of our world lost a relentless ally. Cass Turnbull, a long-time horticulturalist and pruning advocate unexpectedly passed on from our world while on vacation in Hawaii. Cass was (and still is) one of our favorite humans. Her dedication to “ending plant mutilation” and engendering respect for plants led […]
Digital Garden Tools – A guide to online resources for climate and weather mapping
A guide to online resources for climate and weather mapping
Laura Matter – Garden Hotline Educator Just because you love to play in the dirt doesn’t mean you can’t also be computer savvy. Did you know there are a number of useful tools available online to help you map and anticipate climate, rainfall, frost dates and more for your gardening area? These tools can help […]
Medicinal Native Plants
Katie Vincent, – Garden Hotline Educator Oregon grape and cascara may not be as bright or showy as the dahlias in your garden, but don’t be fooled—these humble, hardy plants are merely downplaying the many benefits they offer to our world. Besides drought tolerance, preexisting climate adaptation and acting as wildlife food sources, most plants […]
Bare Root Berries
Katie Vincent, Garden Hotline Educator With the upswing of permaculture and food forests, perennials edibles like berries are on the rise and gardens like the Beacon Hill food forest are gaining momentum. And really… why not be able to eat the ornamental landscaping plants you’re already spending money on to keep alive? On top of […]
