Gardening

We are accustomed to odd weather in the Tri-state, but this summer has been particularly unusual: heavy rains and unseasonably low temperatures followed by days of intense, dry heat, followed by more rain and cooler days. One morning it’'s August, the next October, then we'’re back to August again. It’'s posed a real challenge to farmers and anyone trying to keep their lawns and gardens healthy.

Native plants, those adapted to our local climate and soil conditions, don’t require the fertilizers, pesticides, water or maintenance of non-native plants. And they provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals. 

We're already experiencing some of the intense heat and extended dry spells we usually associate with late July and early August, broken-up by heavy downpours that can temporarily swamp container gardens and flower beds. Gardening in our climate can be a challenge, the trick is choosing the proper plants and knowing what they need to stay healthy and to grow.

Finally, with the nicer weather, most of us are spending more time outdoors, and we'’re paying more attention to the shape of our yards, trees, and gardens. And more often than not, we see plenty of room for improvement.

  It’'s never a sure thing this time of year, but it looks as if we’'ve seen the last of the hard frosts. Most folks have cut their grass at least once or twice already, although it may still be too wet to get your gardens started.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) has become a popular way for consumers to buy local, seasonal food directly from a farmer. Consumers get access to ultra-fresh foods and are exposed to new foods and ways of cooking, farmers are able to market their products earlier in the year, and both consumers and farmers have the opportunity to build relationships with each other. Joining us to discuss Community Supported Agriculture and to answer your gardening questions are Ryan Doan with Urban Greens; Peter Huttinger, co-owner of Homeadow Song Farm and Director of the Community Garden Program at Turner Farm; and, David Koester, Campbell County Horticulture extension agent.

  Maintaining a garden or landscape takes a lot of time and effort, mulching, weeding and watering, to keep everything healthy and looking good. You’re doing all of that work, why not get a bit more out of it by substituting blueberries, vegetables, herbs, or other edible plants for some of the flowers you typically grow, or maybe add a fruit tree to your yard? Joining us to discuss edible gardening and to answer your questions are apple orchardist Marsha Lindner; Melinda O'Briant Adult Education director at Turner Farm; and, David Koester, Campbell County Horticulture extension agent.

  While spring seems a very long way off, local gardeners are getting ready now to get back outside, doing research, checking out the latest seed and plant offerings and gardening news, and planning what to grow once warmer weather returns.

 We all know the environmental importance of trees. And most homeowners realize they have a significant intrinsic worth as well. The right tree in the proper setting can define a landscape and add significantly to a home’'s resale value. This is the perfect time of year to plant or relocate trees, but picking, positioning and planting a tree takes some careful thought and planning.

  We'’re now into that time of year when gardeners start to ask some hard questions: to prune or not to prune? What fall crops can I plant and harvest before the first freeze? How many gazing globes, concrete geese and solar-powered butterfly lights in the yard are too many?

  Next Thursday, August 28, the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden presents its fourth-annual Plant Trials Day, where the zoo shares the results of its testing program. Learn about the best new plants most suitable for our area, and hear presentations by horticulture experts on a variety of gardening topics, perennials, miniature trees, selecting the best plant materials and more. Here to give us a preview of Plant Trials Day are the Director of Horticulture at the Cincinnati Zoo, Steve Foltz, and zoo horticulturist Scott Beuerlein.

  Temperatures in the 90's one week, then it gets unseasonably cool, then we go days without a drop of rain followed by heavy downpours, and then there are the molds, insects, deer, moles and other critters to contend with. Many people consider gardening and yard work relaxing and enjoyable, but maintaining gardens and landscapes around here takes time, effort and experience.

The ever-popular Krohn Conservatory butterfly show opened last week, “Pura Vida: Butterflies of Costa Rica” runs through June 22. Krohn General Manager Andrea Schepmann and Regina Edwards, aka "the Bug Lady" at Cincinnati Parks, discuss this year’s Krohn show, and what went into creating “Pura Vida,” a tropical hideaway of exotic plants, cascading waterfalls, colorful parrot fish, mysterious stone sculptures, and 16,000 butterflies.

  It has been a long, long winter, and many of us can’t wait to get out and get our yards and gardens in shape. Campbell County Horticultural Extension Agent David Koester and Peter Huttinger, neighborhood garden coordinator with the Civic Garden Center of Greater Cincinnati, share tips and advice on what to do now to give your yard and garden a solid start for the growing season.

If all goes according to plan, there will be 500 vegetable-producing gardens in Madisonville this spring.

Organizers of the 500 Gardens Project want to make sure nobody has to walk further than their own yard to taste vine-ripened tomatoes, peppers and zucchini. Without a car, many residents cannot get to a grocery store easily.

The goal is that one in ten households plant a garden with the help of volunteers.

To get a garden here's what has to happen:

Coming up this Thursday, a celebration of great plants for landscapes and gardens at the

Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden

Director Thane Maynard talks with Lauren Mandel about "Eat Up," her new book on rooftop gardening.

Days of dry, intense heat alternating with long periods of almost constant rain, the weather has been hard on farms and gardens this year. But

Monday was Earth Day, and one way to help preserve the landscape and soil is to maintain, and in some cases, resurrect, the native plants that once existed in all regions of the planet. A new book, Back to Eden: Landscaping with Native Plants provides information and instruction on starting a native plant garden, how to make a rain garden, dealing with pests and how to avoid using fertilizers. The author, Dr. Frank Porter, joins Mark Perzel on the phone to discuss the many benefits of using native plants.

Two outstanding organic gardeners have written a two-in-one book just in time for spring planting and menu planning. The Four Season Farm Gardener's Cookbook has recipes for all seasons, plus a garden guide to help you plant what’s perfect for your personal garden. Barbara Damrosch and Eliot Coleman are the authors, and they talk about all the benefits of organic gardening with Mark Perzel.

Another mild winter followed by a colder than usual spring so far has many gardeners in Greater Cincinnati wondering when and how they should start preparing their lawns and flowerbeds to get ready for summer.

Join us Thursday morning April 11 at 9:20 as wediscuss tips and advice to make the most of your spring gardening. Impact Cincinnati, on 91.7, WVXU.Impact Cincinnati, on 91.7, WVXU.  If you have questions for our panel, you can email them toimpact@wvxu.org.

The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will be hosting its Native Plants Symposium on November 10, presenting a day of expert and entertaining speakers talking about such topics as native trees for use in landscaping, native plants for home landscaping, and other practical advice and suggestions. One of the speakers, Scott Beuerlein from the Zoo, stops in to talk about the details of this

Yards and gardens in Greater Cincinnati typically require a bit of extra care during July and August, but this summer’s extreme heat and lack of rain have been especially brutal on our lawns, plants and trees.

Join us Thursday morning August 9 at 9:20, as we look at what you can do now to keep your yards and gardens healthy going into fall. Impact Cincinnati, on 91-7, WVXU.  If you have questions for our panel, you can email them to impact@wvxu.org.