Harvest the Season

This is the time of year I feel sorry for all of those people who don’t live in the Northwest. In the late summer and fall, there is no better place to be. I just love the harvest season, and right now my garden is in overdrive. I’ve harvested enough cantaloupe, Dorothy’s Delight tomatoes and corn to feed an army of Purple People. I hope our garden tips throughout this year have helped your garden be just as prolific. We joke that at this time of year you don’t want to leave your car windows rolled down or you might find a bag of tomatoes or zucchini waiting there when you get back. If you are not ready to put your garden to rest, there are many vegetables and herbs to keep it growing throughout the fall and winter. In fact, in just a few weeks it will be time to plant garlic. Availabe on our site, one of my head growers, Jill West, shares a few facts and tips for growing garlic. If you like the looks of the flower head that garlic produces, you might enjoy planting a few of their ornamental allium cousins.

Fall is just around the corner, and in our neck of the woods it is the best time of year to plant just about everything. Trees are especially happy to get their roots in soil that has been warming all summer. Does your landscape need a little shade? Lora Keddie shows you how planting a tree or two, or in her case 20, can transform your whole garden. Learn more about Lora’s trees and some outstanding shade tree options, in her article "Trees, Please".

Have your kids enjoyed gardening with you this season? Have they enjoyed picking the fruits and vegetables fresh from your garden? Kids are such natural gardeners. They are curious about everything, and not afraid of anything. This is a good time in their life to teach them about beneficial bugs like ladybugs and worms. In her article a "Wiggly Lesson on Sustainability", my daughter-in-law, Amy Bigej shows all the steps for creating your own Worm Farm and shares the benefits of these tiny garden friends.

I know too many people who put their gardening tools away after the 4th of July, and then head out of town. Right now is the time to celebrate the season and enjoy all the late summer color. There are many plants that are at their peak of perfection right now, like hydrangeas, echinaceas and of course my beloved Crape Myrtles. Your garden should be filled with these beauties so that you have something to enjoy when the weather is at its most glorious time. In "Keep Your Bloomers Up", I’m showing you my favorite plants that are in bloom this time of year. I love this season so much that at Al’s Garden Centers we are going to celebrate it. I hope you can join us for our first Crape Myrtle Festival, August 14th - August 23rd. Go to our events page to check out all the event details, sales and seminars.

There’s just so much gardening fun to be had right now, whether it’s a new plant or learning something new about your garden, we hope that our garden tips and ideas inspires you to celebrate this season.

Happy Gardening,

Jack Bigej

Owner of Al's Garden Centers and Greenhouse