Solutions to Garden Problems
Dan Gilchrist
Much Ado About Mushrooms

Mushrooms make their appearance in lawns and gardens anytime, but more conspicuously in the fall. That’s when wetter weather and cooler temperatures make ideal conditions for them to emerge. Should you be concerned? Or, can you embrace your garden mushrooms? Read on for more information about these fascinating funghi.

Much Ado About Mushrooms
Plant Profiles, Garden History & Lore
Mike Kohfeld
An Ethnobotanical Perspective on Marigolds

The marigold is much more than a beautiful garden flower. Its utility as a colorful annual, edible flower, and companion plant for vegetable gardens is greatly enhanced by its profound role in religious and cultural practices around the world.

An Ethnobotanical Perspective on Marigolds
Staff Favorites
Aimée Damman
Fabulous Fall Recipes

When fall arrives, it always inspires me to nest. I search out new recipes, spend weekends cooking and baking, and then test my creations on my friends and family. There’s just something about the chill in the air and the early sunsets that encourage a hearty, home-cooked meal or sweet treat. Here are a few of my favorite fall recipes, including fall cocktails, sweet treats, and savory dishes.

Fabulous Fall Recipes
Planting & Plant Care
Denise Read
Fall Dahlia Care

Dahlias die back each year as autumn advances, but, with the proper care, the tuberous root system can live on to produce a stunning display year after year. The advice in this post is based on many years of growing dahlias in a low-lying area of Seattle with relatively moderate winter temperatures and excellent drainage.

Fall Dahlia Care
Edible Gardening
Aimée Damman
How to Grow Garlic

Sure, you can buy garlic, but for the best flavor - and an incredible sense of satisfaction - nothing beats growing it yourself. Unlike most vegetables, garlic is planted in the fall but not harvested until the following summer, making it a very long-season crop that’s worth the wait. In fact, it can be very encouraging to plant something new in late fall when all around you, most plants are fading in anticipation of winter.

How to Grow Garlic

vegetable garden

How to Protect Your Tomatoes (and Other Warm-Season Veggies)

How to Protect Your Tomatoes (and Other Warm-Season Veggies)

It’s April and tomatoes are here! We know you’re ready to get them planted since it’s sunny (wait… now it’s cold and raining…. wait! It’s sunny again! Wait…) ;) but your tomato plants won’t grow into incredibly prolific tomato producers if you don’t protect them until the night temperatures remain consistently above 50 degrees. Most of us at Swansons swear by protection tools so we can plant our warm-season vegetables earlier and encourage larger, stronger plants and better harvests. Here’s what we use and how to use them.

Starting a Vegetable Garden

Starting a Vegetable Garden

No matter whether this is your first-ever vegetable garden or just the first time planting this year, if you take a little time to prepare before you plant, everything will go more smoothly and you’ll be more successful. Here are a few simple things to consider when starting a vegetable garden this spring.

Vegetables to Plant in Spring

Vegetables to Plant in Spring

One of the first activities I want to do outside in early spring is to plant my early spring vegetable garden. There’s nothing like the smooth, clean surface of prepped garden beds, the soil still pristine and just waiting to nurture rows of bright green spring vegetables, carefully planted in perfect rows. It’s like a fresh school notebook - full of promise. But what to plant? Here are a few of my favorite vegetables to plant in spring, with tips on when and how to plant them.

 
 

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