May 5, 2016 | Garden Care, Video, Watering
Did all the spring blooms get you excited about your garden? Did you buy new plants or trees from your local nursery or plant sale? Now what? You will be more successful if you start out right: prepare the hole, plant at the proper depth and width, and give the new...
Apr 27, 2016 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Lawn Care
When we first met Ann Lovejoy many years ago, we were delighted to find a kindred spirit. Like us, Ann has always believed that a natural, organic-based approach is the best way to make gardens lush and beautiful. So we weren’t surprised when Ann elected to...
Apr 12, 2016 | Garden Care, Lawn Care, Video
In order to grow a healthy lawn and garden, you need to know your soil. A soil test will tell you what nutrients your soil needs, its acidity and the organic matter content. This video explains how to take soil samples in your lawn. We recommend sending your samples...
Mar 22, 2016 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care
Ladd Smith and Ciscoe Morris had a rollicking time talking about the five myths of sustainable gardening on Ciscoe’s KIRO radio show. Share the fun with the podcast. Here are a couple of highlights: Myth #1: One person can’t make a difference. Fact: One...
Mar 8, 2016 | Disease Control, Garden Care, Recommended Plants
Many people love the beauty and fragrance of roses. But growing roses in western Washington can be challenging. Our moist, cool weather is ideal for diseases such as black spot, rust and powdery mildew. Roses are high-maintenance plants in our region. They are not...
Mar 1, 2016 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Landscape Design, Lawn Care
Homeowners and gardeners have heard the term “sustainable gardening” for decades. A Google search leads to 18,700,000 results. But there are many myths, or misconceptions, about how sustainability applies to gardening. Here are five common myths. Visit the In Harmony...
Feb 9, 2016 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care
You’ve probably read about the alarming decline of bees. Bees face many threats, such as pesticides, loss of habitat and the spread of diseases. This is a big deal because bees are essential to most of the food we eat. You can help in your own garden by bringing in...
Jan 5, 2016 | Disease Control, Garden Care, Tree Care
January and February are great months to prune your trees and shrubs. Woody plants are dormant, and deciduous trees and shrubs have lost their leaves, making it easy to see their shape. In Harmony has ISA Certified Arborists on staff. They are experts at selective...
Nov 12, 2015 | Disease Control, Garden Care, Tree Care, Watering
Phytophthora is a soilborne pathogen that causes crown and root diseases in a number of western Washington plants. There are several species of Phytophthora. These organisms may infect fruit and nut trees, ornamental trees and shrubs, tomatoes, peppers, eggplant,...
Nov 3, 2015 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care
There’s a good article this week on Houzz about why you should plant in the fall. Here’s a quick summary. Planting in fall will stress your plants less: cooler temperatures and no hot sun to scorch them. You don’t have to spend a lot of time watering...
Oct 15, 2015 | Disease Control, Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Lawn Care, Tree Care
After it rains, mushrooms may pop up in your lawn or garden beds. Don’t panic! Some of our clients are concerned when they see mushrooms sprouting in their yard. They want to know: Are they harmful to my children or pets? Are they associated with a soil disease?...
Oct 8, 2015 | Disease Control, Garden Care, Pest Control, Tree Care
The fall rains have started. It’s time to clean up your yard for the winter. You’ll have a healthier landscape next year. Sanitation is an important step to reduce problems from pests and diseases. Like people, plants need a healthy environment. To reduce...
Oct 1, 2015 | Disease Control, Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Lawn Care
Many trees provide a wondrous show in the fall, with leaves in hues of red, orange, brown and gold. But once the show is over, those leaves can damage your lawn, so it’s time to get out the rake. What’s the problem? Leaves, especially wet leaves, can thin your...
Sep 15, 2015 | Garden Care, Tree Care
Sometimes clients ask our staff, “What’s wrong with my cedar (or pine or fir)?! It’s dropping its needles!” Most frequently, the answer is “Nothing.” This is a natural condition. Every fall and especially after exceptionally dry summers, some evergreen trees...
Sep 8, 2015 | Eco-friendly Gardening, Garden Care, Pest Control
Have you seen these long-legged insects flying around your lawn or home recently? No, they are not large mosquitoes. They are adult European crane flies. Contrary to what chemical companies may tell you, right now is not the time to worry about or treat for this...
