Robby 
Many herbs come from the Mediterranean and can’t handle cold winters, but you’d be surprised at how many beautiful, fragrant herbs can grow in zone 5 climates. In fact, hyssop, catnip, and other cold-hardy herbs can survive harsh winters as far north as USDA plant hardiness zone 4. Read on for a list of hardy … Read more
Here at Smith’s Pest Management, we help homeowners in California keep these pests away for good. In this blog, we share our professional ground squirrel control tips so you can quickly reclaim your yard. Ground squirrels can be incredibly destructive to yards and gardens with their constant digging. The holes and mounds they create are … Read more
Air plants are having a major moment right now in home decor and gardening These quirky epiphytes grow without soil and don’t even need to be planted! With their sculptural shapes and textures, air plants make perfect inhabitants for unique indoor terrariums In this beginner’s guide, you’ll learn everything you need to know about choosing, … Read more
We offer tree pollarding as a service to the people of Kalamazoo. This is something that most people have never heard of, but you’ve probably seen it. You can use this method on trees in a lot of different places to help shape them and keep them healthy and safe. The magazine Horticulture says that … Read more
Starting cucumber seeds indoors is a great way to get a head start on the growing season. By nurturing young cucumber plants inside before transplanting them outside, you can maximize your harvest. But knowing when and how to start cucumber seeds indoors takes some planning and preparation. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through … Read more
Apricots are one of the most delicious fruits that can be grown in home gardens. Their sweet, juicy flavor is hard to beat when picked fresh off the tree. But before planting an apricot tree, it’s important to understand how big they can get. Their mature size can impact where you locate it and how … Read more
With their sweet flavor and velvety texture, apricots are a tempting fruit to grow in home gardens. But not all climates are suitable for apricot cultivation. These trees have particular climate requirements when it comes to winter chill hours, summer heat, and potential for spring frosts. Read on to learn exactly where apricots can be … Read more
Sunflowers are one of the most iconic and cheery flowers. With their big, bright yellow petals and tall stems they instantly bring a touch of sunshine. But when it comes to decorating are sunflowers more of a summer or fall flower? The answer is that their versatility allows them to shine in both seasons. Sunflowers … Read more
One question that plagues gardeners in areas with heavy deer pressure is: Will deer eat dahlias? We opened a second flower farm in 2022 as part of our business, but the fence wasn’t put up until the end of the year. That meant that everything we planted, including the nearly 1,000 dahlias we grew that … Read more
Every year, year after year, we at Chateau Grand Traverse marvel at the seasons of the grapes’ lives. The vines and how they react to their surroundings and the care we give them tell the story. Learn about the glorious grape life cycle in northern Michigan. As a wine lover, I’ve always been fascinated by … Read more