Garden Blogs

We’ve had a mild winter so far in the Mid-Atlantic area, but the colder weather still takes its toll on your patio and patio furniture. Getting your patio in shape can seem like a chore, but it’s not as bad as you think. Here are a few ways to get it done effectively and efficiently.

First, remove everything from the area including grills, patio furniture and décor. Sweep the patio surface and then scrub with an appropriate cleaner as recommended by your paver manufacturer. Read instructions carefully and follow them. Pressure wash it off or use a strong garden hose.

Now that your surface is clean, it’s time to focus on cleaning your patio furniture. There are different types of patio furniture and we’ll tell you how to best clean and care for plastic, metal, wooden and upholstered furniture.

There is no better time than right now to start putting the pieces together for your next landscaping project. You know you want to make some changes but what do you do first? Should you get a professional landscape design? We’ve answered your questions and outlined the steps for you in this blog post.

Winter weather can hurt your paved surfaces if you’re not careful. Even if you can’t use your patio for a few months, you still want to protect your investment by preparing for winter weather. This can eliminate unnecessary damage and prolong the life of your pavers.

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.