Should You Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden in Late Summer?

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Should You Fertilize Your Vegetable Garden in Late Summer?

Yesterday I was out in the garden, chatting with my neighbor and friend on the other side of the fence. The conversation turned to fertilizing our vegetable plants, and we both discovered that some of our plants were producing much more prolifically than expected, despite the fact that neither of us had really fertilized our in-ground or raised bed crops since last spring. That got me thinking about the questions of when and whether it’s time to apply fertilizer.

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How to Grow Amaranth Greens: A Nutrient-Packed Leafy Vegetable

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How to Grow Amaranth Greens: A Nutrient-Packed Leafy Vegetable

If you are looking for a leafy green that grows quickly, adds color to the garden and thrives in the scorching summer heat as well as in cooler fall temperatures, amaranth deserves a place on your planting list. While many gardeners know amaranth for its ornamental flowers or edible grain, several varieties are grown primarily for their tender, nutritious leaves.

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How Hydroseeding Is Transforming Lawn Establishment and Erosion Control Across the Country

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How Hydroseeding Is Transforming Lawn Establishment and Erosion Control Across the Country

Establishing a lush, healthy lawn or stabilizing a bare slope has never been more achievable for homeowners and land managers alike. Thanks to advances in turf technology and application methods, more people are discovering faster, more cost-effective ways to grow grass and protect soil. Among the most significant developments in this space is hydroseeding, a method that has quietly moved from commercial construction sites to residential backyards, earning a reputation for reliable results and environmental responsibility. Understanding why this technique works so well, and when it makes the most sense to use it, can help property owners make smarter decisions about their land.

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Why Your Garden Isn’t Producing (Even If It Looks Healthy)

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Why Your Garden Isn’t Producing (Even If It Looks Healthy)

A garden can look beautiful and still leave you wondering where all the food is.

Your tomato plants may be tall and deep green. Your squash vines may be spreading enthusiastically across the bed. Your pepper plants may appear perfectly healthy. Yet when it comes time to harvest, there is very little to pick.

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A Greener Laundry Room: How Washer Maintenance Saves Water, Energy, and Appliances

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A Greener Laundry Room: How Washer Maintenance Saves Water, Energy, and Appliances

A washing machine in the Sycamore Creek area of Buford, Georgia, had developed a noticeable problem: it shook during the spin cycle.

That might sound like little more than an irritating laundry-room noise. From an environmental perspective, however, a washer that cannot spin properly can create a chain of unnecessary consumption. Clothes may leave the drum wetter than expected, the dryer may need to run longer, and the homeowner may repeat a cycle after assuming the load was not washed correctly.

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Why Responsible Tree Removal Is One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Urban Landscape

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Why Responsible Tree Removal Is One of the Best Things You Can Do for Your Urban Landscape

Trees are among the most valuable assets a property can have. They provide shade, improve air quality, support local wildlife, and add measurable value to residential and commercial real estate. But trees, like all living things, have a lifecycle. When a tree becomes diseased, structurally compromised, or simply no longer suited to its environment, removing it thoughtfully and responsibly is not an act of environmental neglect. It is, in fact, one of the most proactive steps a property owner can take to protect the health of the surrounding landscape and the safety of everyone who uses it.

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How Naturopathic Medicine Is Reshaping Preventive Health Care in the Southwest

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How Naturopathic Medicine Is Reshaping Preventive Health Care in the Southwest

Across the United States, a quiet but significant shift is underway in how people approach their long-term health. Rather than waiting for illness to arrive and then addressing symptoms in isolation, a growing number of patients are seeking care that looks at the whole person, identifies root causes, and builds lasting wellness from the ground up. Nowhere is this trend more visible than in the American Southwest, where naturopathic medicine has taken firm hold as a respected and increasingly mainstream approach to preventive health care.

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Summer Garden Checklist: What to Do Now for Better Harvests

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Summer Garden Checklist: What to Do Now for Better Harvests

Summer is when a vegetable garden really begins to reveal the results of all the planning, planting, and care that went into spring planting. Tomatoes and eggplants begin ripening, cucumbers swell on their trellises, peppers fill out, and herbs seem to grow faster than you can harvest them. Yet this is also the point in the season when many gardens begin to lose momentum. Heat stress, inconsistent watering, nutrient deficiencies, weeds, and pests can quickly reduce yields if they are not addressed.

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Why That Mulch Ring around Your Tree Might Be Hurting It More Than Helping

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Why That Mulch Ring around Your Tree Might Be Hurting It More Than Helping

Mulch has a reputation as one of the easiest wins in gardening. Spread it around, and it holds in moisture, blocks weeds, and makes a yard look tidy. But there is a mistake so common that most homeowners do not even realize they are making it. It shows up in front yards, office parks, and even public gardens. It is called a mulch volcano, and it can slowly kill the very trees it was meant to protect.

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How to Grow Cucumbers Without Bitterness or Disease

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How to Grow Cucumbers Without Bitterness or Disease

Growing cucumbers is one of the most rewarding parts of a summer vegetable garden. Few things compare to picking a crisp, fresh cucumber straight from the vine for salads, sandwiches, or homemade pickles. Personally, I love growing new varieties of cucumber in my raised beds each year – this year I’m growing Marketmore and Straight8, and both have been stellar performers (which means I’m going to be gifting friends with cucumbers soon, since the vines have produced a bumper crop this year!)

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Small Home Improvements with a Big Environmental Impact

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Small Home Improvements with a Big Environmental Impact

Solar panels, a complete home remodel, and smart-home technology are not compulsory to make a home eco-friendly. Minor changes that make the best use of existing materials; save energy, water and create better indoor air quality; and extend the life of materials already installed can be some of the most beneficial and sustainable upgrades.

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Are Spotted Lanternflies Harmful to Gardens? What to Do If You See Them

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Are Spotted Lanternflies Harmful to Gardens? What to Do If You See Them

If you've spotted a brightly colored insect with black spots and red wings hopping across your garden, you’re most likely seeing a spotted lanternfly. In the US, spotted lanternflies were first detected in Berkes County, PA in 2014. They have spread rapidly across much of the eastern United States in recent years, leaving many gardeners wondering whether they should be worried.

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Mid-Season Garden Reset: How to Fix What's Not Working and Grow More Food

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Mid-Season Garden Reset: How to Fix What's Not Working and Grow More Food

By mid-summer, most gardeners have a pretty good idea of what is thriving and what is struggling. At this time of year, with the excitement of spring planting having faded, you’ve likely been dealing with challenging weather days, and have found some of your crops producing abundantly while others seem determined to disappoint.

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Water-Wise Gardening: Smart Ways to Cut Water Waste Without Hurting Your Plants

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Water-Wise Gardening: Smart Ways to Cut Water Waste Without Hurting Your Plants

Most of us water our gardens the way we always have — by hose, by habit, whenever we happen to remember. But a surprising amount of that water never does the plants any good at all. It evaporates into the air, runs off the surface, or sinks straight past the roots before a plant can use it. The good news is that with a few simple changes, you can grow a healthier, greener garden on far less water. Here is how to make every drop count.

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Not All Caterpillars Are Pests: How to Manage Them in Your Edible Garden

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Not All Caterpillars Are Pests: How to Manage Them in Your Edible Garden

Have you ever walked out to your vegetable garden, found leaves full of gaping holes, and wondered what caused them? Chances are that caterpillars are the culprits. For many gardeners (including me), the immediate reaction is to find a way to eliminate them before they destroy an entire crop. And yes, they can do that very quickly, especially if you’re dealing with several hungry caterpillars in a small space.

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