Jeff Gillman
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How-To
3 Steps to Minimize Flood Damage in the Garden
IF you’ve experienced a flood, a wrong move after the water recedes can make a bad situation worse. To minimize flood damage in the garden, take these steps: 1. Identify the…
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How-To
What Is Sheet Mulching and How Do You Do It?
If you’ve ever started a new garden from scratch, then you’ve probably had to convert some amount of lawn into a planting bed. There are several ways to eliminate turf,…
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Article
Should I Mulch in Fall to Protect Perennials for Winter?
There is no doubt that mulching builds soil, reduces the need to water, and helps control weeds. But what does it do to protect plants from the cold? In many…
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Article
Bring in the Beneficials
Gardens for butterflies and bees are easy. Dozens of books, magazine articles, and websites out there will guide you through lists of pollinator-friendly plants like butterfly bush (Buddleia spp. and…
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How-To
Which Pruner Is Right for You?
Of all the tools on the garden-center shelf, there is nothing more variable in style and appearance than pruners. It’s worth your time to consider different styles and brands to…
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Article
Water-Soluble Fertilizers
If you have ever shopped for fertilizer for your plants, then you know the wide variety of options available. Water-soluble fertilizers are popular, often because they seem easy to work…
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How-To
Potting Soil Put to the Test
In their natural environment, plants get everything they need to stay healthy from the soil: water, nutrients, and air. Most well-established plants living in soil rarely need more than an…
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Article
Get the Right Light
Serious gardeners love to get their seeds going in trays before spring for a number of reasons: to extend the growing season, to provide optimal germination conditions, to try unusual…
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Article
Setting the Record Straight on Glyphosate
Every summer, I pull weeds from the gravel under our deck, and last summer was no exception. First, I pulled the big weeds, then I began pulling the smaller ones.…
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How-To
A Better Fix for Root-Bound Plants
We’ve all experienced the disappointment of sliding a newly purchased tree or shrub out of its container only to find a tightly woven mosaic of circling roots. For years, experts…