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 last appeared on 30 June 2021.   What to do this week Now that the cold, rainy weather seems done with (for the momentRead More

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 1 February 2017.   What to do this week: When you think about what seeds need to germinate, the main thing is soil, obviously. You want your soil to hold water, but not too much. Roots need air too, just like us. SoRead More

Editor’s Note: We’re re-running another of Michelle Smith’s timeless farming columns, this one originally published on 24 January 2018.   There is a country proverb that the best fertilizer is the footsteps of the farmer. Anyone who follows me through an average day could be forgiven for taking this literally,Read More

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 2 May 2018.   What to do this week This week is a good time to divide rhubarb, as well as a few other perennial plants, but rhubarb especially. If at all possible, you want to do it when you just see theRead More

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 4 April 2018.   What to do this week I took a walk in my back field this week. Now that the snow is pretty well gone, I was able to notice that my raspberry bushes need a bit of tending. This isRead More

Editor’s Note: We’re dipping into Michelle Smith’s archives to provide timely tips for gardeners.   What to do this week This week,  I have been trying to get a jump on the perennial weeds. My soil has dried up a bit with the sun and warmth we have had theseRead...

Editor’s Note: We’re dipping into Michelle Smith’s archives to provide timely tips for gardeners.   What to do this week This week, we continue with the soil nutrients I introduced last week. We are left with N, P and K. I would like to give you an idea of whatRead More

Editor’s Note: We’re dipping into Michelle Smith’s archives to provide timely tips for gardeners.   What to do this week As promised last week, here we go with a little bit of science. There are four main nutrients your plants look for in the soil, so you have to knowRead More

Editor’s Note: The Spectator is reaching into Michelle Smith’s gardening column archive for some tips about weeds which apply as much today as when they were written in April 2017.   What to do this week Let’s talk a bit about garden weeds. The particular weeds you struggle with inRead More

What to do this week Soon we will be getting very itchy to plant, but how do you tell for sure that your soil is ready? One of the most common questions I get this time of year is if it is time to plant yet, and I always say,Read More