Editor’s Note: The Spectator is reaching into Michelle Smith’s gardening column archive for some weekly advice that is as relevant now as when it was first written. This column was first published on 26 June 2019.   What to do this week By now, the bulk of the spring planting should be accomplished,Read More

Editor’s Note: My day perennials have poked their heads up already, so I reached out to the Spectator’s gardener to ask how to deal with this situation.   What to do this week The flowers are understandably confused this year. They are going to be in for a shock laterRead More

Editor’s Note: This column was last published on 21 October 2020.   What to do this week This week, I want to do a checklist for putting your garden to bed for the winter. Some of the items on my list have been covered recently in more detail, so IRead More

Editor’s Note: This week, we are re-running the third in a series of three columns from 2017. They are perfect for this time of year, and will help you get ready for spring while Michelle deals with a few things that have her tied up right now.   What toRead More

Editor’s Note: We’re reaching into Michelle’s Smith’s archives for posts as useful now as when they were first published.   What to do this week It’s time to wrap up the gardening season, but there doesn’t need to be a wholesale effort to rake and tidy up before winter. It’sRead More

What to do this week It is garlic-planting time again. In this part of the world, it is a good idea to plant your garlic before the end of October. It needs a bit of time for the roots to get established before the freeze-thaw cycles. One never knows howRead More

What to do this week What a wonderful fall we have had, but winter is near, and this winter it might be even more important that you take the time now to mulch your trees, bushes and bulbs. We will very likely be getting heaving with the freezing and thawingRead More

What to do this week Gardens may have to be watered mid-summer, and maybe even fed, but not quite as much as you might expect. We have been having a rather dry spell, so the current rain is very welcome on my farm. I have drip irrigation in certain delicateRead More