Growing Tips for Gardeners

These growing tips articles were written for Pacific Northwest Gardeners, but much of the information will be relevant for gardeners in other climates as well.

• Apple and Pear Pruning
  Pruning and training apples and pears to central leader form
• Create a Backyard Sanctuary
  Using plants to attract birds, butterflies, and beneficial insects to your garden.
• Disease and Pest Management 
  Pest management through the seasons for backyard orchards in the Pacific Northwest
• Espalier Your Fruit Trees
  Train your fruit trees to espalier; create a living fruit fence.
• Gardening with PNW Natives
  Choosing the right native plants for the right spot in your landscape
• Growing Asparagus
  How to plant and grow asparagus from crowns
• Growing Currants and Gooseberries
  Tips for site selection, pruning, and disease and pest management.
• Growing Figs in the Pacific Northwest
  Tips on planting and pruning figs for best cropping in a maritime climate.
• Growing Hydrangeas
  Tips on planting and growing hydrangeas, including pruning of different hydrangea groups
• Growing in Containers
  Focusing on woody and perennial plants in containers.
• Growing Strawberries
  Planting and growing both June bearing and day-neutral or everbearing varieties of strawberries.
• Living with Deer
  How to garden in areas with deer
• Planting Plants
  Basic Information on planting balled and burlapped, bareroot, or container grown plants.
• Plants for Fall Interest
  Woody shrubs and trees that have exceptional fall flowers or foliage in the Pacific Northwest garden.
• Plants for Problem Places - Salt Spray
  Plants that work for seacoast plantings where salt spray is a problem
• Plants for Problem Places - Wet Soil
  Plants that thrive in soil that stays wet all year, and may at times be flooded.
• Plants for Problem Places - Dry Soil
  Drought tolerant plants for gardens without irrigation
• Plants for Problem Places - Shade
  Plants that thrive in partial to full shade and bring color to the garden.
• Pruning Dwarf Cherries
  Focusing on pruning and training dwarf cherries as a Spanish bush system.
• Starting Right with Blueberries
  Site selection, planting tips, and pruning information for Northwest gardens.
• Starting Right with Peaches
  Pruning and disease management for peaches and nectarines.
• Starting Right with Plums
  Initial planting and pruning guide for plums and prunes, along with basic disease control information.
• Success with Cane Fruit
  Planting, trellising, and pruning raspberries and blackberries.
• Success with Conifers
  Choosing conifers, growth habits and pruning tips.
• Success with Japanese Maples
  Site selection, cultural needs, and problems common in Japanese Gardens in the Pacific Northwest.
• Success with Kiwis
  Site selection, hardy vs. fuzzy types, trellis construction, and cultural needs of kiwis in the Northwest.
• Success with Rhododendrons
  Site selection, culture, and tips on choosing rhododendrons for Pacific Northwest Gardens.
• Successful Grape Growing in Cooler Climates
  Focus on mainly wine grapes for the Pacific Northwest: site selection, cultivar selection, training and pruning tips. Some table grape tips, too.
• Suggestions for Pest Problems
  Grid layout of pest problems in home orchards, and a range of solutions.
• Verticillium Wilt- Symptoms and Solutions
  A common root disease in the Pacific Northwest, causing decline of numerous species.  Tips on diagnosing symptoms, and how to choose plants that are resistant if verticillium is present.
• Winter Damaged Plants
  How to tell if your plants have winter damage, and what to do about it.