Garden Blogs

Maple syrup, a common and delicious condiment, is abundant this holiday season as people move inside and plan on eating lots of carbohydrates for the winter; including pancakes and waffles. But those tasty breakfast treats aren’t nearly as delicious without some sweet maple syrup to pour on top.

In Maryland, sugaring is less common than in colder climates like Vermont, New Hampshire, and Canada, but the same process occurs within the tree. Regardless of location, all trees produce sugar for energy that is stored as starch in their roots during the winter.

In the winter and very early spring, freeze-thaw cycles encourage trees to turn that starch back into usable sap, so the tree has energy and is ready to begin growing in the spring when the weather turns and is sunny again.

Winter is upon us and now is the time to start gathering your winter preparation tools, such as ice melt. Need help figuring it all out? This post will tell you everything you need to know about ice melters!

Air plants are known for their simple look: as the name implies, they don’t need to be planted in soil. The term ‘air plants’ is the common name for Tillandsias, a type of Bromeliad. Air plants absorb moisture and nutrients through their leaves, while the the roots are used primarily to provide support for the plant.

Pansies, violas, and panolas are some of the best annuals for fall blooms and color! These blooming beauties have some of the most unique colorful blooms and combinations for fall. They may seem very similar, however, there are some distinct differences between them.

The nights are getting colder and the days are getting longer. Let’s face it, we’re hurtling head first into winter whether we want to or not. It’s time to get your fireplace ready for winter so you can enjoy its warmth during the cold months. Here are 6 tips to get your fireplace in tip-top shape now so you can enjoy it this winter.

What is the number one question we are being asked right now? It’s without a doubt, “How do we get our roses ready for winter?”

Do you feel that chill in the air? Fall has arrived and it’s time to decorate! Decorate both inside and out, for the season. Bring the warm colors of fall into your home and your garden with the help of our fall annuals and decor. We have pumpkins, gourds, mums, pansies, violas, corn stalks, and straw bales!

Happy first day of Fall everyone! We just LOVE fall. It’s the time of year when leaves start to change, perennials return to the ground, and some shrubs just plain show off with a beautiful display. Today we’d like to share our list of the best shrubs for fall color with you.

Did you know that fall is the best time of the year to make your old lawn look better than ever or to establish a new lawn? Early to mid-fall is a great time to take on the important job of a fall lawn renovation. The soil is still warm and yet the air is cool; the perfect combination for grass seeds to germinate and turf to take root quickly.

Even though it’s the end of Summer and the daytime temperatures are still 80+, fall and cooler weather are approaching. As the temperatures start to decrease and the days start to get shorter, it’s time to start thinking about what to color your containers, patio, and gardens with.

Nothing signals the arrival of fall quite like the changing leaves. With deep, burgundy-red and vibrant, pumpkin-orange foliage, trees and shrubs can easily be the star of your fall garden.

We have talked about canning vegetables in order to preserve your summer harvest for the winter. For this post, we’re going to focus on how to dry herbs so that they can be used in soups and stews or even to make balms or infusions. In general, the best time to harvest herbs is right before they flower. After flowering, the flavor of the herbs changes slightly to be a little bit bitter.

A soaker hose is a wonderful tool and much easier to use than you might think. Here are 7 easy steps to install a soaker hose.

Ever wanted a taste of summer when it’s freezing outside? Want to make the best use of herbs? Want to learn a brand new skill? Consider canning your harvest. This week, we’re going to focus on canning, in preparation for our Canning 101 class on July 30th.

Patuxent Nursery is proud to be a participating nursery in the Maryland Tree Program. The goal of the program is to plant 150,000 new trees in Maryland.

If you have a deck area outside of your home, you should feel truly lucky. It makes for a great spot to retreat after a tiring day at work and just relax, or hold a party with some relatives and friends there. Take your time to design a comfortable and good looking area outside of your home, and you will greatly benefit from the opportunities it presents.

Everyone wants the greenest grass on the block. You probably drive by your neighbor or through an adjacent neighborhood and think “how is their grass so green?!” at least once per day or week. In honor of Smart Irrigation Month kicking off this week, we’re sharing tips from our expert lawn care team on how to water your lawn so you can make sure your lawn and garden are both green and watered efficiently.

Pollinators – or bees, birds, bats and other animals and insects that spread pollen are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat. They sustain our ecosystems and produce our natural resources by helping plants reproduce through pollination. Without the actions of pollinators, our food supply and surrounding landscapes would collapse.

Got weeds? We all do. But there are products to beat those pesky plants. After all, a weed is a wild plant that is growing where it is unwanted and is in competition with cultivated plants. Here are our top weed killers to help beat the most common weeds.

Last week, we kicked off our National Perennial Month blog series to feature our favorite perennials all month long. We kicked off the series with sun-loving perennials. This week we’re showing off some of our favorite shade lovers.

It’s National Perennial Month! We’re sharing our love of these lasting beauties all month long. While there are many types of perennials, we’ve split them into sun perennials, shade perennials, native perennials and pollinating perennials – each week we’ll share our favorites from the different categories. Let’s start with sun perennials, here are our five favorite sun-loving plants that will brighten your garden all summer long.

Everyone wants the greenest lawn on the block. But with the unpredictable weather we’ve had this past month, your lawn may be looking…dismal. Don’t worry, we have remedies to get your grass looking fresh as can be while also preventing critters from overtaking your outdoor living space and gardens. Here is a list from our lawn care team about what lawn care products you should be using to ensure a healthy, bug and fungus free lawn this summer.

If you’re worried about mosquitoes ruining your backyard parties this summer, now is the time to think about preventing them from moving in in the first place. This year especially, mosquitoes are predicted to be out in full force and with the threat of Zika Virus and other mosquito-borne diseases, there is certainly a reason to be concerned.

The first line of defense is clearly by covering exposed skin and using a DEET spray. However, for those of you interested in treating your yard and preventing the little buggers from breeding further – we have a few solutions that will help keep the mosquitoes at bay throughout the summer.

Have you ever noticed some browning spots on your lawn? Or maybe some mushrooms have been popping up. Chances are you have a lawn fungus and you don’t even know it. The conditions around Maryland have been ripe for lawn fungus, so now is the time to treat and prevent against lawn fungus.

If you’re looking for a way to brighten up your porch, patio or front entrance, consider adding a bright, colorful container or planter. Not only do containers add beautiful pops of color, but it is an easy way to get started with container gardening.

Mother’s Day is right around the corner – and what better way to celebrate the favorite women in your life than to gift her with something beautiful for her yard or home garden.

Springtime in Maryland can be unpredictable! This year we’ve seen everything from warm, picture-perfect days to typical rainy days to downright cold and snowy days. It’s the middle of April and we are still getting frost. This kind of weather takes its toll on your garden and your plants. Even if you cover your plants with frost cloth and protect them with mulch, temperature swings like this can be too much for some plants to handle.

If you have frost-bitten plants in your garden all hope is not lost. There are things you can do to help your plants recover. If you see brown, drooping foliage, it’s dead. But, and this is important but, if the plant has a woody stem, the stem and the root system could still be in good shape. The plant can recover and produce new foliage once the dead stuff is trimmed away.

It might still be winter but now is the perfect time to start thinking about getting a seasonal clean-up for your yard. Not sure if your yard needs a spring clean-up? Keep reading to learn more about the benefits of a seasonal clean-up.

Container plants are the perfect way to bring some color to entryways and patios, especially in the winter! There is no need to count them out just because winter is approaching. In fact, this is the time our gardens are most in need of some color and winter interest. You can even use the containers that held your warm season plantings, so long as they are frost resistant!

A healthy pond is an enjoyable pond.  A well-balanced pond tends to take care of itself but there is basic maintenance required throughout the year.  We all know about cleaning filters, servicing pumps and fertilizing plants in the spring and summer but pond owners often neglect their pond once the weather turns cold. Here are some basic tips for how to maintain your pond this winter.

There are many reasons for investing in a professional landscape design.  First and foremost, a small upfront investment in a landscape plan will save you money in the long run. A professional plan will not only have the correct plants for the different areas of your yard, but it will also address many issues that a homeowner may not even consider.

A homeowner typically only thinks of plants when planning landscaping. This is actually the last thing a professional landscaper should consider. A landscape plan should address light conditions, wind direction, drainage problems and how the homeowner plans on using the different areas of the yard.

Also known as Mother-In-Law’s Tongue or Snake Plant, Sansevieria is a popular choice for an easy, low maintenance clean air houseplant for some very good reasons. Sansevieria is an excellent plant for a beginner gardener because you don’t have to have a green thumb to keep this plant in good health.

Spring is known for gardening but did you know that fall is a great time to plant? Here are 7 reasons why you should consider fall planting:

1. Its cooler out, which is great for both plants and gardeners. Gardeners can take advantage of milder temperatures and enjoy fall planting without the sweat and oppressive heat of spring or summer. Ideally your fall planting should be done by early November, about 6 weeks before hard frost. And for the plants, cooler temperatures are ideal for root development because the ground and soil is still warm which will allow roots to grow until the ground freezes.