While many of us learned long ago that the splendid fall color in leaves is created by a loss of chlorophyll, the colors left behind depend upon a number of factors. Plant species, temperature, growing conditions and more, all play a role in the colors we see in the autumn landscape. Let’s explore why we are going to see some …

Pesticides are natural or synthetic products that are designed to kill, prevent, repel, or mitigate pests. A pest may be a weed, insect, animal, fungus, or another type of living organism. Sub-categories of pesticides include herbicide, insecticide, rodenticide, fungicide, and more. When you see the suffix “cide” it typically means “act of killing”. Pesticides come in various forms, including liquids, …

Last September, I wrote an article on Monarch butterfly migration and noted that Monarch butterfly populations are in severe decline. In fact, the winter of 2013 recorded the lowest population of butterflies returning to Mexico ever with populations reduced by 90% over the last 25 years. So this year, as summer draws to a close and these incredible insects prepare …

Mowing the lawn is wasteful. If you hire a service, you’re spending dollars and if you mow your own lawn, you’re spending your time (arguably more valuable!). But regardless of who does the mowing, the process is consuming fossil fuels and releasing air pollution.

So your landscape is filling in, and it looks simply gorgeous, but for how long will it last? Often the key to maintaining a healthy, vigorous garden is actually to cut it back. Promote the kind of growth you want and manipulate plants for their best features by pruning. Definitions To get started, let’s define some general pruning terms: Prune …

By now all of you GreenWeaver fans should have your native shade tree planted on the southwest corner of your house for energy efficiency, wildlife habitat, and comfort just in time for the summer heat! The next question is: What do you plant under it? Or in any shady location on your property? We all know that turf grass does …

Let’s face it, pruning can be a real pain in the . . . wrist – or hand — or forearm. A couple hours spent squeezing a pruning tool with force and repetition may cause muscle tenderness or even debilitating pain within 12-24 hours. This kind of post-pruning (or post-workout) discomfort is referred to as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). …

Go Philly! Did you know that the city of Philadelphia leads the nation in: Commuter Biking Per capita consumption of sweatshirts and sweatpants Life sciences research and development Stormwater management Pretty cool stuff! And although I certainly have opinions about the whole list, I can only speak intelligently about the last item, so let me explain a little about Philadelphia’s …

Every garden can benefit from a water feature. From still reflecting pools to vibrant fountains, water adds an important element to our outdoor spaces. Water also brings life to a garden, figuratively, as well as literally. So in deciding how we want to incorporate water into our spaces, let’s look at several considerations. Purpose Water can perform many functions in …

As much fun as it can be to work in the garden, we’re ultimately working to make it an enjoyable place to use. How do you use your landscape now? How do you want to use it? Try thinking of your landscape as an extension of the home and you may quickly identify it as your outdoor “kitchen” or outdoor …