Fall Gardening News

The comforts and beauty gained from a lifetime of gardening

Vira Britt has been a gardener all her life.

Gardening Q&A: Smelly growths won't harm garden plants

Q. I had these really strange looking -- and bad smelling -- growths in a couple of my landscape beds last September. Can you tell me what they are and if they are harmful to people or plants? Can I spray something to get rid of them? A. The writer included some photos of what looked like dog stinkhorns (Mutinus caninus).

Ask the gardening expert

Last fall, I purchased tulip and other fall planting bulbs. Due to health problems, I did not get them planted. They have been in the refrigerator since. Will they be good for planting next fall, or do I need to start from scratch?

Robert McCartney: Don’t fall for smears against the Girl Scouts

The culture wars in this country have grown so acute that we can’t even agree to support a patriotic, faith-affirming, achievement-oriented group like the Girl Scouts. I smile when girls from the local troop stand nervously on my doorstep and ask me to buy Thin Mints and Trefoils. I see the next generation of a treasured institution about to celebrate 100 years of giving girls a chance to hike ...

Gardening with Laurie: How to make your soil come to life

Last week, I wrote about the importance of a healthy soil to all living things, not just humans. I pointed out some of the effects of using man-made synthetic produces and the negative impacts caused by them.

Gardening: Plant flower bulbs right to avoid spring no-shows

There are the occasional no-shows, of course -- those that fail to flower and deliver the first burst of color in early spring. Here's why some bulbs fall short, and what you can do about it.