by Ann Hazelrigg BURLINGTON – You may think that caterpillars were devouring your dogwoods this year, but these lookalike larvae are actually sawflies in the order Hymenoptera and are related to bees, wasps and ants. (True caterpillars are the larvae of moths and butterflies and are in the insect order[Read More…]

by Andrea Knepper, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont BOLTON – Drying herbs from your garden is a satisfying, fun way to enjoy the bright flavors of summer throughout the year. You can preserve your herbs by drying them with tools you already have at home. There are three go-to[Read More…]

by Nadie VanZandt, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont PANTON – If you want to add a touch of architectural interest to your shade garden, look no further than the graceful silhouette of Solomon’s seal. Solomon’s seal is a hardy herbaceous perennial for shade that spreads through rhizomes to form[Read More…]

by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – If Jack, of Beanstalk fame, were to visit my garden, I think he would be impressed. I’m not sure how tall his beanstalk grew, but I got out my 10-ft. tripod Hasegawa pruning ladder and took a picture of a flower blossom while[Read More…]

by Ann Hazelrigg, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Vermont   BURLINGTON – Gardeners may notice a white coating on the leaves of their cucurbit plants, phlox, roses and lilacs. This is a common fungal disease called powdery mildew that appears this time of year on several different hosts. The whitish gray[Read More…]

by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Some people are always looking for shortcuts or ways to avoid boring or backache-inducing chores in the garden. Does that make them lazy gardeners? Or are they simply gardening smarter? Perhaps the biggest and least-loved garden[Read More…]

by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – You may not have the time and energy to weed and maintain lovely perennial flower beds – or even to grow a few tomatoes, carrots and beans. But if you love flowers, you can have a window box or a big pot of[Read More…]

by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Trees provide us with many gifts: shade, wind breaks, erosion control, beautiful foliage, an invitation to birds and other wildlife and, in the case of fruit or nut trees, something tasty to harvest. Like other perennial[Read More…]

by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Those of us who grow vegetables are faced with many questions each year: will there be a late frost that will harm our tomatoes and peppers if we plant them on Memorial Day weekend? Is it time to harvest garlic now, since they[Read More…]

by Ann Hazelrigg, Extension Plant Pathologist, University of Vermont BURLINGTON – As you harvest the first tomatoes of the season, you may notice that some of the fruit is not perfect. Blossom end rot, a physiologic disorder, results in dry, sunken, brown areas on the blossom end or bottom of[Read More…]

BURLINGTON – If recent storms caused a landscape garden to flood, you may be wondering if your plants and trees will rebound, or survive at all. Full recovery depends on a number of factors including the type of plants, your soil type and length of time that plants were standing[Read More…]

by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Have you ever wondered what would happen after a story ends? I have. The children’s book “Blueberries for Sal” came out in 1948 and has been a hit for 75 years. If Sal was four years old in the book, she must be[Read More…]