Gardening

Summer officially begins on Saturday, and arrives as many of us are still mostly quarantining due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

As we don our masks for the grocery and we do our part to stay home and flatten the curve, many of us are turning our attention to the soil. It recalls a different time, during World War I, when Americans were called on to plant a garden and grow food in whatever space they had. Then during WWII, these so-called "victory gardens" really took off.

We have reached the middle of February, which means we are just about at the beginning of that delicious period when the sap used for maple syrup begins to seep out of maple trees.

So, what does that mean for fans of the sweet stuff?

An indoor farm in Cheviot is helping the community while also providing fresh produce to local restaurants and grocers. O2 Urban Farms, founded in 2018, uses aquaponics, a system that combines fish with hydroponics, to grow lettuce indoors. The employees who harvest the greens are from the Ken Anderson Alliance, which provides work opportunities for adults with disabilities.

With Christmas around the corner, for those who celebrate, it's time to get our homes and lawns in the holly jolly spirit.

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The season has officially changed from summer to autumn, in spite of the lingering hot temperatures. So, now that peak planting season is over, what should you be doing with your garden and landscape?

The gardeners who were able to get their plants in despite the almost constant rains this spring and have had the time to properly tend to them during the extremely hot, dry summer months are finally able to harvest and enjoy their crops. 

While we'll experience relatively cooler temperatures over the next several days, this summer's intense heat and frequent downpours have made gardening a real challenge. The extreme weather has been great for weeds and insects, but it's been hard on trees and plants, many of which are now showing signs of severe stress.

Gardeners in our region are accustomed to our often dry, hot summers and the need to pay extra attention to watering plants. But right now farmers and gardeners here and in many other parts of the country have the opposite problem – too much water.

Many home gardeners have discovered that with the right crops and planting methods they can grow a lot of produce in a small amount of space. Which is extremely helpful for homeowners with small yards. And especially good news for those who live in urban areas or apartments, where container gardening is a necessity.

Now that we are into the growing season the first thing most of us notice is just how well the weeds are doing in our yards and gardens. While some of us tackle the job of clearing dandelions, nut grass and clover by hand, others rely on chemicals to eliminate weeds. And many of them will go about it the wrong way, applying too much, too little or too often.

It's officially spring, flowers are in bloom, lawns are just starting to turn a deeper shade of green and the weeds are beginning their mission to take over our yards. But there is still a chance we could experience hard frosts before the warm weather finally settles in.

Whether you're an avid gardener or just want to keep your landscape looking good, there are dozens of simple things you can do that are not only kinder to the environment but will cut-down on the time and money you spend on your yard.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will present its annual Native Plant Symposium Saturday, November 10. Because native plants are adapted to our local environment, they require far less water and maintenance than plants not meant to grow in our area, saving time, money and water.

Fall is starting off with a drop in temperatures and heavy rains so working in your yard and garden could prove more of a chore over the next couple of weeks.

Local gardeners may still be busy picking the peppers, tomatoes and zucchini started back in June, but now is the time to plant crops that will be ready to harvest throughout the fall and next spring.

We typically refer to it as the Cincinnati Zoo, but its proper name is the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. And while the animals are the main attraction, you might be surprised at how much you can learn by turning your attention to the thousands of plants, trees and shrubs that make up the zoo's various habitats and specialty gardens.

Trees not only add beauty and texture to your landscape, they provide shade for your home, reduce soil erosion and improve air quality. But the emerald ash borer and Asian longhorn beetle, along with other pests and diseases plus several seasons of near-draught conditions, have taken their toll on thousands of trees in our region.

The hot, humid days and heavy rains we’ve had this month have been great for area gardens, but the weather has also been good for the pests that can eat or damage your plants. Uncontrolled, aphids, beetles, spider mites and other insects can wipe out all of the work you put into your garden.