by KYW's Phran Novelli
Phran Novelli is the descendent of grandparents with extremely green thumbs. A freelance writer, she's been a home gardener for 20 years and completed the three-year horticultural program at the Arboretum School of the Barnes Foundation in Merion, Pa.
Her landscaping assistant (in photo) leads the bunny patrol, prunes hydrangeas with confidence, and digs planting holes without being asked.
(Send your questions to Phran Novelli at GardenReport1060@aol.com.)
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Say No to Burning Bush and Yes to Blueberries!
Even though it is widely used, there is a downside to 'burning bush' - that thick hedge that turns scarlet in the fall. Consider an alternative.
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Winter Gardens
As winter comes, you get to appreciate gardens in new ways, and it's also a chance to visit gardens you may never have seen.
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Tricks with Sticks for a Halloween Treat
Want some quick Halloween decorations that are free? Check out your garden.
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Do You Have to Rake Up Those Leaves?
Can you leave your leaves on the lawn all winter? Well, yes - and no.
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Make the Most of Those Pumpkin Seeds
Save your pumpkin seeds for eating or planting!
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Drying Hydrangeas
Ever wish hydrangeas bloomed forever? Drying hydrangeas is the next best thing, and when it works, they can last for years.
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Digging Up Bulbs for Replanting
If you dig up old bulbs, you can replant them elsewhere, or next to what you're planting now, and it gives you a chance to divide some ones.
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Plant Trees and Shrubs Now
You still have plenty of time to plant trees and shrubs this fall because the soil stays warmer longer than air temperatures do.
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Keeping Your Annual Geraniums for Next Year
Keeping your annual geraniums for the following year is easy if you know how to do it.
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Plant Bulbs Now for 'Hope' in the Spring
When crocuses shoot up in the late winter and their purple flowers bloom on sunny cold days, you have proof that spring will come.
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Share Your Seeds with the Hardy Plant Society
You can gather seeds now and, if you have enough to share, give them to friends or send some to the Hardy Plant Society.
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Native Dogwoods Always on Show
Trees that put on a show more than once a year keep your garden looking lively, and Cornus florida is one of those trees.
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Plant Pansies and Watch Smiles Grow
When you plant hardy pansies in the fall, they'll have time to grow deep roots that help them last into the heat of summer.
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A Good Time for Planting Trees
If you never got around to planting trees and shrubs this summer, be glad you waited, because autumn is the best time for it.
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Help Plan Riverfront Park
This is your chance to speak up and tell park designers how you think the space at Pier 11 should be used or what you'd love to see planted there.
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Add Asters to Garden For Fall Color
Fall gardens can be desperate for color, so now is when you'll be happy to have asters blooming.
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Stop Deadheading Your Roses
During the summer, it makes sense to deadhead roses to encourage the plant to keep blooming, but now is the time to leave roses alone.
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Now's the Time to Seed Your Lawn
Take a look at your lawn. Fall is a great time to do a few things that will help you have grass that's healthy, lush, and less weedy next spring.
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Composting
If you've never composted because the thought of saving vegetable peels and carrying them across your yard seems icky, at least keep your leaves.
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Saving Seeds From Your Impatiens
Now's the time to gather impatiens seeds while you can. This is how it's done.
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'Sweet Autumn' Clematis Not So Sweet
'Sweet Autumn' clematis may look pretty, smell lovely, and bloom when not much else does, but it can also be a real problem.
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Let Herbs Bloom, Honey
It's so late in the season, you might as well let your herbs go to flower - they're pretty and the bees and other pollinators will enjoy them.
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Plant Bulbs in Fall for Bloom in Spring
One of the quickest, easiest and most rewarding things you'll ever do in your garden is to plant bulbs in the fall to bloom in the spring.
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Crape Myrtles
Do you have a sunny spot for a crape myrtle? They're late-summer bloomers so you can still find them in garden centers now.
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Remembering Good Plantings From Year to Year
This is a good time to reflect on what flourished in your garden and what flopped, and make a few notes for the future before you forget.
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Scott Arboretum Plant Sale
Autumn is a great time to plant trees, shrubs and perennials and you'll find some great ones at the Scott Arboretum plant sale.
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Simply Beautiful Vinca Rosea
Vinca rosea blooms non-stop all summer, and it doesn't need deadheading, so it always looks pretty without you lifting a finger.
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Back to School for Gardeners
If you've ever thought of turning your gardening hobby into a job, taking some classes is a good way to start.
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Morning Glories
Once established, morning glories quickly cover poles, wires, and any plant in reach, and they keep coming back.
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Drying and Freezing Herbs
If you grew more herbs than you can use, save them!
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Removing Black Spot From Your Roses
Black spot can ruin roses and it thrives in wet weather - but there is something you can do about it.
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Fix Gardening 'Mistakes' As Soon As You Can
The only real problem with garden mistakes is not doing something about them, because most things can be fixed.
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A Vote for Geraniums
Hardy geraniums grow in a nice mound, and they look good between other perennials or beneath shrubs because they're happy in sun or part shade.
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Sharpen Your Lawn Mower Blade
When was the last time you sharpened your lawn mower blade? You should do it at least once a year.
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Gardening Tips From Mom
My mom gardens the way she does everything - with smartly-simple habits that get things done easily and efficiently every time.
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Late Summer Color for the Garden
If you have a sunny spot that could use some late-summer color, consider a Caryopteris to brighten your garden.
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Grow Your Own Blueberries
Blueberries are native to this area so, all you need to grow your own is a sunny spot with well-drained, acid soil.
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Franklinia Trees
Trees that bloom in late summer are special, and one of the most rare is the Franklinia, a small, delicate tree with big white, fragrant flowers.
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Let Go and Let Garden
You can plan all you want in your garden, but plants will often do as they please - and sometimes that may be more pleasing than you planned!
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