Connecticut Garden Journal hosted by horticulturalist Charlie Nardozzi provides gardening tips for every season. Charlie focuses on a topic relevant to new and experienced gardeners, including pruning lilac bushes, growing blight-free tomatoes, groundcovers, sunflowers, bulbs, pests, and more. Learn more about Charlie at gardeningwithcharlie.com.
Latest episodes
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Prepping for winter, and a series wrap
With the changing season, it’s time to close the garden down. Before the cold weather hits, drain and bring in outdoors hoses, clean and sharpen garden tools and start protecting p…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Get a jump on spring by planting bulbs in containers
It's hard to think about winter with such warm, fall weather, but spring flowering bulbs need to be planted soon. If you want to enjoy your spring flowering tulips, daffodils, croc…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Fall-planting garlic and shallot varieties
With our warm fall, we're still enjoying fresh tomatoes, peppers, greens, and zucchini from the garden. But it's also time to start thinking about planting garlic and shallots. The…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: For fall cleanup, remove diseased plants, leave the rest
As the days shorten and weather cools, somewhat, it's time for some fall garden chores. One of the rules that's changed is around perennial flower garden cleanup. Traditionally, we…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Alliums are a trouble-free bulb to plant right now
October is spring bulb planting time. While the tulips, daffodils, and crocus head the list of popular bulbs to plant later this month, don't forget some of the more unusual bulbs…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Time to bring some herbs indoors
As the temperatures dip, it's time bring some of your favorite herbs indoors. Some of the best herbs to move inside to grow and cook with include parsley, rosemary, geraniums, chiv…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Boltonia for a meadow, slope or cottage garden
Fall is for asters. Asters are reliable native plants that give us color in our autumn gardens. But there are other natives that are equally as beautiful and trouble-free. One of t…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Don't eschew sneezeweed; Helenium is a fall alternative to mums
If you're looking for some color this fall in your perennial flower garden, certainly mums are always a nice addition. But here is a carefree, native perennial to grow for fall col…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: How to spot when apples and pears are ripe for the pickin'
It's apple and pear season and time to start harvesting. Actually some varieties are already ripe, but most will be harvested this month. If you're growing apples or pears in your…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Connecticut Garden Journal: Effective grub control that's safe for the environment
If you've had a rough year battling Japanese beetles, now is the time to control them. Many gardeners are familiar with Japanese beetle adults that cause damage to many flowers, ve…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Easy greens to plant now and eat in fall
One of the trends I've noticed in our region is longer and warmer falls. This is an opportunity to garden more and now is the time to start planting quick maturing, cool weather lo…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: It's hot and muggy...and the melons are eating it up
The hot, wet summer has been particularly good for growing melons. Cantaloups, honeydews and watermelons all seem to be enjoying the heat and humidity, more than I am. Once the mel…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Rose of Sharon may not be a rose, but it's still sweet
Late summer is often a time with little color from shrubs in our yard. That's why I love Rose of Sharon. Rose of Sharon's name is misleading. It's neither from Sharon, Israel or a…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Don't let raccoons stop you from growing corn
There are few animal pests as clever as the raccoon. With their dextrose hands and feet, they can get into garbage cans, sealed compost bins and gardens with relative ease. I avoid…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: The perennial hardy hibiscus is a showpiece
One type of perennial flower that I really love is shrub-like perennials. These are plants that quickly grow large in one season and even when they aren't flowering, put on quite a…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Once lettuce and peas are done, plant okra
If you’re lucky, around mid-July, warm weather loving veggies are thriving. I recently returned from a trip to find our okra had grown a few feet while I was away. Okra is a tradit…
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2 min
CT Garden Journal: Crepe myrtle may thrive in a warming Connecticut
With our warming climate comes many challenges. But one advantage is the possibility of growing some plants that normally would not thrive in Connecticut. This is true of crepe myr…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: A deer deterrent that's likely in your refrigerator right now
I'm always looking for the most recent techniques to help protect our plants from deer and other critters. Deer browsing our shrubs, vegetables, and flowers is a constant source of…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Strategies for putting the kibosh on squash bugs
The warm, wet spring and now summery weather has encouraged our summer squash and zucchini to thrive. But we're not the only ones enjoying these plants. Squash bugs are here and la…
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2 min
Connecticut Garden Journal: Thinning the crop helps fruit trees thrive
We're potentially going to have an abundance of tree fruits this summer. With the mild winter and spring and the right about of sun and moisture, our cherries, plums, pears, apples…