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Let’s Dig Deep into Gardening
Quick links to some great gardening information
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15 Tough Zone 3-4 Perennials for Hot, Dry Weather
Summer heat and resulting drought can be brutal on plants. In this post, I will outline some of the best and toughest perennial kids on the block that can handle heat and drought. These perennials are hearty and can withstand a lot of difficult weather during our hottest months. Well Established Perennials Can Take a Lot of Heat Before I present you with a list of perennial plants that can handle a lot of heat, I need to emphasize that they must be well established and thriving before anyone can expect them to manage summer heat. What does a well-established perennial look like? A well-established perennial has been growing in the ground for at least 3 years and is mostly independent of a gardener’s intervention in its daily growth. Transplanting perennials and getting them to develop strong, reliable roots takes about 3 growing seasons. I always say that the third year is a perennial’s magical year because, by this time, they start flowering and grow larger each spring. There is a saying about perennial growth that goes like this: the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap. Here’s what the typical growth pattern looks like for a transplanted perennial: Perennial Year 1: ‘The first year they sleep’ The season a perennial is transplanted into your garden is considered its first year of life. Treat a newly planted perennial like an annual during this season. Water and fertilize them regularly to encourage root

15 Tough Zone 3-4 Perennials for Hot, Dry Weather
Summer heat and resulting drought can be brutal on plants. In this post, I will outline some of the best and toughest perennial kids on the block that can handle heat and drought. These perennials are hearty and can withstand a lot of difficult weather during our hottest months. Well Established Perennials Can Take a Lot of Heat Before I present you with a list of perennial plants that can handle a lot of heat, I need to emphasize that they must be well established and thriving before anyone can expect them to manage summer heat. What does a well-established perennial look like? A well-established perennial has been growing in the ground for at least 3 years and is mostly independent of a gardener’s intervention in its daily growth. Transplanting perennials and getting them to develop strong, reliable roots takes about 3 growing seasons. I always say that the third year is a perennial’s magical year because, by this time, they start flowering and grow larger each spring. There is a saying about perennial growth that goes like this: the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, and the third year they leap. Here’s what the typical growth pattern looks like for a transplanted perennial: Perennial Year 1: ‘The first year they sleep’ The season a perennial is transplanted into your garden is considered its first year of life. Treat a newly planted perennial like an annual during this season. Water and fertilize them regularly to encourage root
Growing Food

The Best Annual & Perennial Flowers for Your Zone 3/4 Pollinator Garden [+ Free Pollinator Reference Chart]
Supporting pollinators and developing pollinator gardens has become a passion for gardeners at home and at the community level. Do you ever wonder which flowers

6 Ways to Care for your Garden in Hot, Dry Weather
Summer weather can be unpredictable and hot, dry weather can take a toll on a garden. How can you help your plants beat the heat?

Spring Garden Cleanup that Protects Pollinators
Isn’t the warm weather lovely?!?! As spring settles in, the pull to get into our gardens is powerful. Previously, it was thought that the earlier
Growing Annuals

The Best Annual & Perennial Flowers for Your Zone 3/4 Pollinator Garden [+ Free Pollinator Reference Chart]
Supporting pollinators and developing pollinator gardens has become a passion for gardeners at home and at the community level. Do you ever wonder which flowers

6 Ways to Care for your Garden in Hot, Dry Weather
Summer weather can be unpredictable and hot, dry weather can take a toll on a garden. How can you help your plants beat the heat?

How to Choose the Perfect Hanging Basket
Spring is finally in the air, and that means it’s time to choose the perfect hanging basket. Trying to figure out which hanging basket is
Container Gardening

15 Tough Zone 3-4 Perennials for Hot, Dry Weather
Summer heat and resulting drought can be brutal on plants. In this post, I will outline some of the best and toughest perennial kids on

6 Ways to Care for your Garden in Hot, Dry Weather
Summer weather can be unpredictable and hot, dry weather can take a toll on a garden. How can you help your plants beat the heat?

Eight Reasons Why Peonies Won’t Bloom
Peonies are a northern perennial gardener’s standby. They are tough, hardy, drought-tolerant, and not to mention outstandingly beautiful on the plant and as fresh cut

6 Ways to Care for your Garden in Hot, Dry Weather
Summer weather can be unpredictable and hot, dry weather can take a toll on a garden. How can you help your plants beat the heat?

Top Alberta Balcony Garden Ideas [+ Free Downloadable Chart]
Gardening is an incredibly popular hobby, and it has bubbled over into small garden spaces, like balconies. Gardening is no longer exclusive to those with

The Best Smelling Flowers to Grow in Your Garden
Growing fragrant flowers can be difficult as you want to grow the best smelling flowers for your garden that are complementary. Flowers have always been


Meet Sharon
Sharon Wallish Murphy grew up in her family’s greenhouse at the heels of her father, Charlie, who mentored and helped her develop her passion – to share the love of growing. After 20 years of having her own greenhouse, her desire is to empower others to find joy in their gardening journey and together we can make a more beautiful and life giving world.

The Perfect Place For Plants
Children's Book
In 2019, Sharon pulled out her pen and wrote The Perfect Place for Plants.