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Horticulture Blogs

colorful pumpkins, squash, and gourds

Before pumpkin pie: The ancient origins of squash

Good Growing
From decorations to jack-o'-lanterns at Halloween and pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving, pumpkins and squash play a central role in many of our fall holiday traditions. But long before they were cultivated by people, their wild ancestors depended on a very different set of partners: the massive mammals...
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A man wearing a cap stands grimly behind a fence, glaring angrily at the neighbors.

Horticultural Pet Peeves

Good Growing
Every Job Has Best PracticesIn all professions, from astronauts to zookeepers and everything in between, we learn and perform tasks that, in our minds, are the best practices. Imagine you are a professional shower-tile installer, and I am a guy who learned to tile a shower on YouTube. If you were...
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a freshly harvested pile of garlic bulbs with roots and stems intact

Ready, Set, Garlic!

Good Growing
The crisp fall weather has arrived, and I’m here for it. For gardeners, this season is often associated with closing the garden for the year, but before we get too excited about taking a slight break, there is one final planting that can help you get ahead for next year: garlic. I inherited...
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Golden maple leaves backlit by autumn sun, close-up of fall foliage on tree branches

What is the best maple tree?

Good Growing
“Which maple should I plant?” is a question I routinely encounter. My response: “None!” Maples (Acer spp.) aren’t bad trees. In fact, they are great trees. Drive down most streets, and you will see a maple in everyone’s yard. When speaking with landscapers about their inventory and...
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Cereal rye cover crop growing in a garden

Getting started with cover crops in the garden

Good Growing
Cover crops have been used for thousands of years and have seen a resurgence in recent years. While we usually think of cover crops in production agriculture, they can also be used in home gardens. By keeping living plants growing in the soil when vegetables are not, gardeners can build healthier,...
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different species of lichen on tree branch many shades of green

Lichen in the landscape

Good Growing
Earlier this year, I received a question from a community member who stopped into the office, concerned about things growing on their tree that had spread to their deck. After sharing a few photos, I was able to identify the “plant” in question as none other than the non-plant organism lichen. Ever...
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