Trees with Invasive Roots
I regularly get questions from home owners worried by the presence of a tree near the foundations of their house orContinue Reading
Author: Larry Hodgson
Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career.
Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.
When Is Commercial Compost Really Compost?
Homemade compost really is compost… but what about the other products sold under that name? Photo: Paul Maguire, depositphotos It’sContinue Reading
Analyze This!
If you’re starting to take gardening seriously, you really should have an occasional soil test done. It’s important to understandContinue Reading
Blue Spruce, Beautiful but Overwhelming
It’s hard to believe, given its brilliance and majesty, but the Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) has a few flaws.Continue Reading
Caring for Easter Plants
Tradition has us filling our homes with flowers at Easter, and who can complain about that? But whereas cut flowers areContinue Reading
An Oil Treatment for Woody Plants
Dormant oil, also called dormant oil spray and dormant spray, is a horticultural oil normally applied in the spring at snow melt, somewhere betweenContinue Reading
Tips & Tricks for Top Quality Seedlings
If you’re like me, you grow dozens of plants from seed indoors every year — annuals, vegetables, herbs, and perennialsContinue Reading
Pruning Shrubs Is Rarely Necessary
Strangely enough, when someone buys a shrub, his first question is often: “When do I prune it? ” But that’s notContinue Reading
Pruning That Does Good
Think it’s still winter? But look at the trees and shrubs in your yard: as soon as the temperatures rise,Continue Reading
Beautiful Winter Bloom
Yes, I know it may not be winter where you are, but it sure is here. Cold, sunny, with aboutContinue Reading