Gardening

Gardening: In the midst of the COVID-19 houseplant spree, new plants and old standbys are becoming more readily available — and some of them are a delight to have in your home.

Alaska gardening: There is a reason Outside gardeners who suffer deer call them “hoofed rats.”

Alaska gardening: Snowflakes collect nitrogen after they are formed and as they fall. This is then released as the flakes melt.

Gardening: These are often referred to as “orchid cacti” because the flowers are so fantastic.

Also: If you haven’t gotten your spring-flowering bulbs in the ground yet, you might still have a chance — but don’t delay.

Gardening: For starters, toss those plants that are beyond repair.

Gardening: Once you have lights, indoor growing has the benefits of consistent and controllable conditions, fewer insects and no moose.

Gardening: Did you disconnect your hoses from outdoor faucets? Does your water need to be turned off from the inside? Busted pipes are no fun and can be hard to fix.

Gardening: Chipped debris will decay and return nutrients to the soil instead of getting hauled to the dump.

Gardening: We’ve grown beyond high-nitrogen lawn fertilizers and glyphosate weed killers. But the real hallmark of our skill set is seen when the leaves drop.

Gardening: It takes less than an hour to plant 100 tulips, and the rewards next season will make that meager effort well worth it.

Gardening: As you walk in your garden, consider what did well this year and what did not. What would do better if moved into sun or shade? As things go dormant, it is easier for them to survive transplanting into new locations.

Gardening: Those mushrooms are but a tiny fraction of the soil network supporting the microbial life that feeds your plants.

Gardening: It isn’t exactly time to get out the driveway markers to guide the snowplow, but we could be hit by a frost any night from here on.

Gardening: Changing your yard care practices is part of the solution when it comes to the environment.

Gardening: If your lawn looks ratty and is full of weeds, then rototilling it is not a good idea — it will just make the weed problem worse.

Gardening: It’s a great time to walk, bike or even drive around and get some ideas for your yard next year.

Gardening: When a company pulls a product they make lots of money from because of lawsuits, there is a good reason for you to stop using it.

Gardening: You can use all the traditional weed removal methods on clover. But why not learn to love it instead?

From weeding to thinning to combating slugs, columnist Alli Harvey finds a lot not to like about gardening.