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For decades, the people at Weston Nurseries have been known for their knowledge and enthusiasm about gardening. Our customers have relied on our staff to answer questions about plants, gardening, and the wide range of dependable products we carry.

In recent years, we have expanded our selection of hardy trees, shrubs, and perennials, and expanded the display area to make room for more annuals and patio plants. We have created a garden-like shopping experience with pre-planted containe

Caring For Your Living Christmas Tree

• The tree will come in a pot or burlap. You can dress this up however you wish.
• Keep the tree away from any heated sources. If the room is cool, like an unheated sunroom this is preferable.
• Do not leave the tree inside for over 10 days. While inside keep the soil evenly moist.

If you intend to plant the tree outdoors:

• Dig the planting hole as soon as possibl
  
  

Caring For Your Living Christmas Tree

• The tree will come in a pot or burlap. You can dress this up however you wish.
• Keep the tree away from any heated sources. If the room is cool, like an unheated sunroom this is preferable.
• Do not leave the tree inside for over 10 days. While inside keep the soil evenly moist.

If you intend to plant the

Some trees stay small and grow well under the taller ones. Japanese Spicebush is one such tree. Lidera obtusiloba is a great addition to the understory landscape. Hardy from zones 5 to 9 this small tree does well under larger trees that allow filtered light. There are no special conditions for this plant although it prefers acidic soil.

After about a decade and a half the tree will average 8-14'''' in height and may reach up to 20'''' under ideal conditions.

6. Sharpening & Caring For Garden Tools
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Description:

Tools can be expensive to replace. However, many times you can just replace the blade or handle and the tool will be good as new. Proper care is key to maintaining your tools for years to come. When you replace a blade or handle be sure you check the sizes of both. I like to measure the blade and then go to a catalog or store to see that I have the correct replacement part. Of course following directions is important and store the screws somewhere carefully so you do n

When winter comes it''s time to put together a great window box filled with your favorite evergreens. This is one of the easiest things you can do to really spruce up the outside of your home for the holidays.

STEPS

1. Gather or purchase various greens, colored twigs and berried branches.

2. Have ribbon, pinecones, or other added elements for your box.

3. Fill box with sand or soil. Be sure it is damp.

4. Cut ends of greens and branches.

Each spring and fall after I have planted I watch the weather closely to see if an unexpected frost is going to occur. If it is, I run outside covering everything with sheets, tarps, whatever I can find. One great way to extend the season is to build a hoop house. Hoop houses give you more flexibility to grow. It will be as if you have moved south two zones. Those late season frosts in the spring and early frosts in the fall will not affect

Lawn

Be sure to rake up leaves off the lawn during the month. If you leave them on all winter they can kill the grass. If you have a mulching mower you can mulch some of them on the lawn, but do not do this too thick.

Wate

As the weather cools, the grass can green up just like it did in the spring. Fall is a great time to start a new lawn or work on an existing one. Across the USA there are basically two grouping of grass. Depening on what type of grass you grow will determine what steps you need to take and during what time of the year.

Check this group of

Daylilies are one of the easiest perennials to grow. They just need average soil, plenty of sunshine and regular water and they will reward your for years to come.

When planting dig the hole twice as wide and as deep as the plant is in the container. Be sure to tease the roots by ripping them apart and fanning them out against the soil at the bottom of the hole. Water them in well and voila, you are good

Canning tomatoes is quite easy and you can use this method for other fruits and vegetables that have been processed for 15 minutes or longer.

Heat jars and lids in simmering water until they are ready for use.

Ladle hot tomato sauce into jars leaving 1/4” of head space or room at the top.

Remove any air bubbles.

Wipe rim

Center hold lid on jar and apply band so finger tight

Process in boiling water

With all the benefits green roofs yield, it’s hard to understand why they weren’t more popular sooner. Actually, they were. Green roofs have a deep history. Many plants are even named for their use almost exclusively as green roof plants, such as house leeks and Japanese roof iris. The American Orchid Society began as a green roof club.

Rose of Sharon Hibiscus syriacus is one of the best late summer flowering shrubs you can grow. Coming in a variety of colors from white to blue, red to pink they do best in Zones 5 to 9.

These small trees/shrubs can be trained to take a variety of forms. Although they grow naturally as a multi-stemmed clu

Sometimes you want to cover your plants to protect them from frost, too much sunshine, strong winds or bad insects. A great organic technique is to use row covers. Made of fabrics of different strengths, row covers protect plants from the elements.

There are many different grades of fabric for row covers. Some will protect as low as 26 degrees while others are g

Saving Energy: That seems like something we can all agree is a good thing. You might not think about plants and energy savings in the same sentence but there is a connection in two distinct ways. First, if you garden and plant trees and shrubs you are helping to keep the air clean. Plants add valuable oxygen to the air and many remove pollutants in the process. Second: Strategically placing plants around your yard can help conserve energy year round. Third:

I love to make and can tomato sauce every fall. It is so easy and gives me so much pleasure in the winter when I open a fresh jar.

Ingredients

I could have called this video the death stick video. That is what John Bakewell calls the contraption he invented that makes getting rid of invasive plants much easier and much more affective.

One of the problems with invasive plants, non native plants and other undesirable plants is that cutting them back often promotes stronger and more vigorous growth. Digging them up is either impractical or too difficult. That leaves herbicides which can be ha

When I garden I look for plants that give me the most bang for the buck.Long lasting flowers, interesting foliage, autumn color or great bark are characteristics that make a plant desirable.There are some plants that have all four of these characteristics and those are the must haves in the garden.

As I write this article I am looking outside through the rain at my humingbird feeder. If you look closely on the left side you can see the red hanging from a post. The right side of this picture is the computer screen. This article is about attracting humingbirds to the garden with one of my favorite red flowers the cardinal flower. So while I have humingbird feeders in the garden, I plant lots of flowers that attract them as well.

In the perennial garden the back of the border is one of my favorite areas to be creative. Since it is in the back you can some risks you might not want to take in the front. For example, plants that loose their lower leaves can be placed in the back of the border because all the other plants in the front hide that fact. Also later blooming plants work well in the back of the border because they draw your eye back later in the season when some of the other plants might not l

Daylilies are wonderful. There are so many varieties that are available in so many colors and wide range of height. Although they require not much care there are a few things you can do keep them healthy all year long.

First, Daylilies like 1/2 day sunshine or more. They will sometimes flower in the shade, but the blooms are not nearly as prolific.

Daylilies like regular moisture but will tolerate drought if established.

Depending on how often y

Weeds in the lawn are very annoying and get in the way of that perfect lawn we all want. Ok, let me stop right there. The perfect lawn is something that a marketing company came up with decades ago to convince us that every blade of grass had to be the same color, height and texture and even one patch of clover in the yard was a bad thing.

The reality is that

September is one of my favorite months to be working in the garden. There are so many things to do you almost feel like it is spring. The thing is that winter is looming ahead like an hourglass filled with sand. I am just trying to get everything done before the sand is gone.

There are all sorts of varieties of Japanese maple trees. Some are green, others red, some have red bark and others brown. Some of the trees grow tall and wide, others stay short and squat. In this video I talk about how to prune those types of Japanese maples that are smaller and have a weepier look to them.

You can find all sorts of sites on the web that show you pictures of the trees before and after and tell you exactly how to prune. The best way to l

Whether you have a just a few tomatoes or hundred of plants to put in the garden, the Hatfield Transplanter makes planting faster, easier, and saves your back. The transplanter opens a 2" X 2" square hole from the standing position. It works with plugs from 72-cell flats and smaller transplants with larger canopies. There is also a depth stop. Lower edges can be sharpened to cut through plastic. The height of handles is adjustable which is great no matt

Butterflies are a wonderful bonus that comes with growing native wildflowers. You can create your own butterfly garden in your own yard that covers an entire acre or just a small container. The butterflies will find you that is for sure. One place I love to visit is the New England Wild Flower Society in Framingham, MA. At the New England Wild Flower Society late August is the time that thousa

After a hard summer or a long winter there are often patches of the lawn that need to be fixed. As a fan of recycling, I do the same thing with grass. There is never a shortage of spots where I have grass growing where I don''t want it. So I just carefully remove the grass from the unwanted spots and rough up the soil in the bare spot to transplant the grass in that spot. Mid-spring and late summer or early fall are perfect times to do this. In the spring t

Poison Ivy. Just those two little words make my skin itch. I hate the stuff and I am highly allergic as well. I get it every year and have a whole host of products to combat the nasty plant. Of course one of the best ways to avoid poison ivy is to not touch any part of the plant. This includes the roots and the vines, even in winter. So this video is meant to help you identify how to recognize poison ivy in the landscape and how to control it as well.

Whether you are living in Massachusetts or just hear for a visit, Garden in the Woods, the headquarters of The New England Wild Flower Society, is a must see.

New England Wild Flower Society is a 107-year-old success story! They are recognized nationally as one of the nation''s leading plant conservation organizations.

The founders of New England Wild Flower Society had a compelling vision - a plant conservation society that would protect our

Do you grow hydrangea? Did the tag tell you they were suppose to be blue yet they are pale white or even light pink? Unless the tag was wrong, the problem is the soil and the nutrients in the soil. One of the most important nutrients that helps change the color of the hydrangea is aluminum. If you add aluminum to the soil the hydrangea tend to turn blue. Your next question might be where do you get aluminum? Some people add a nail or penny to the soil.&nbsp

August Garden Chores

Water is your most important nutrient this month. If there is not enough rain be sure to water deep and early in the day. (SHOT WATERING)

Dividing.

You can divide phlox, daylilies and iris this month.

Start marking plants that need dividing next spring as well. I like to put a stake there so I know what to do. I always forget co

I have a small vegetable garden and I am always starved for space. In the past few years I have tried to grow my vine crops up and use the space above the garden. There are all sorts of ways you can achieve this type of growing. You can use commercially made products or build something yourself. A large tree branch and some twine will work great to support something like cucumbers or pole bean and save you a lot of space. Just remember that some vegetables can gr

Oregon Grape Holly or Mahonia as it is called is a great plant for certain parts of the country and world for that matter. There is one important caveat. In some areas this plant is considered invasive. It will spread and take over areas forcing out natives. Rather than take the approach that any plant thatis invasive anywhere is bad, I like to make you the reader aware that it might be a problem in your area.&nbsp

Do you have a tree in your yard that you are concerned about being hit by lighting? Have you perhaps had lightning hit something close to your house and blow out some of your electronics? Lightning protection systems for trees are a great way to protect that special specimen tree and perhaps save you thousands of dollars of in replacement costs for your TV, stereo or other electronic devices. Even if your homeowner’s pol

Growing tomatoes is a rite of summer. The taste of a home grown tomato with fresh basil and some olive oil is something I look forward to every year. What I dread every year is tomato diseases. I never know how the weather and sometimes my soil will affect the plants.

There is no shortage of diseases that can hit your plants. The leaves, the fruit when its green, the fruit when it''''s red, the stem, the roots all parts of the plant can be attacked by som

Slugs are a nasty pest that eats the leaves, flowers and fruits of our various plants in the garden. I am forever trying to find new ways to combat these slimy critters.

Slugs love damp, humid, moist conditions. It is during this type of weather that they are most often found. Hot, dry and sunny weather is not conducive to slugs so their numbers

If you look at nature she rarely leaves the ground bare. There is usually a collection of leaves, twigs, dead trees and yes ground covers on the floor of the woods or an open field. The soil is not left exposed to the elements. In your own garden ground covers are an important part of any landscape. They keep weeds down and moisture in.

Using ground covers as a base for the floor of the garden is an vital component of any yard. The challenge w

Pruning tomatoes is one of the easiest and most beneficial things you can do to increase fruit size and help lessen the chances of disease. First, let’s talk about which tomatoes to prune. Indeterminate (climbing) tomatoes should be staked, trellised, or caged, and pruned for best results. Determinate (bush) tomatoes do not need pruning and may be grown with or without support. Now what is the difference?&nbsp

Hellebores, the name even sounds different. These perennial plants have been popular in some parts of the world for centuries. During the past decade or so they have gained popularity in the United States. Hellebores are winter or early spring bloomer depending on the location. Most are hardy in zone 6 or higher and there are some that are hardy in zones 4 and 5. They like well drained soil and partial sunshine. I have found that areas that get dappled sunl

Are you looking for a splash of color all season long in the garden? If you are a regular reader of http://www.GrowingWisdom .com you know that I am a big fan of leaf color. Several years ago I discovered red-veined sorrel or bloody dock. The Latin name is Rumex sanguineus var. sanguineus and it makes a stunning addition in the front border of the garden. I use mine near some heuchera and some s

What is a rain garden

Designed to capture water from impervious surfaces such as roofs, driveways, walks & patios, rain gardens are depressions built into the landscape and planted with native plants. They allow water to pool during

If you are reading this, chances are you are passionate about plants, the environment or both. One of the great conservation organizations in the country is the New England Wild Flower Society. Recently I took a walk at Garden in the Woods located in Framingham, MA. This is one of the properties owned and operated by the New England Wild Flower Society. I was very fortunate to have as my guide Bill Brumback, who is the conservation director of the society. He exp

Rhododendron might be one the most popular shrubs in the landscape. There are hundreds of varieties and they can be found in some form in most parts of the country. After they flower in spring and early summer that is the time to prune them for the following year. When pruning, you want to take out dead wood, remove branches that grow at strange angles, and bring down the height if you so desire.

I like to prune near the junction of the previous yea

My favorite white azalea is Delaware Valley White. It is a wonderful plant that gets to be 4-5ft tall, loves part sun but will live in full sun and even mostly shade. It is hardy to zone 6 but I recommend planting it in a sheltered location in zone 6 in case you have a cold winter. You can even try it in zone 5 if you plant it close to the house and out of the winter winds.&nbs

Mosquitoes are a nasty but inevitable part of being outside in warm weather. There are lots of products out there that can help protect you and your family against these biting and potentially dangerous insects.

The Mosquito Vacuum™ should be a part of a multipronged approach to fighting mosquitoes. There are other things you can do as well such as:

Use insect spray and insect repellent face wipes.

June is a great month for gardens and gardeners. There is an abundance of flowers and even vegetables to bring indoors. The lawn is still green as we start the month and the plants are growing rapidly in the strong summer sunshine.

Drought can be a problem this month so water early in the morning if things look dry. Do not water in the sunshine because you can burn the leaves of tender vegetation. You will see brown spots whe

When using tools like shovels and rakes there is always the risk of injury. It is important to not use your back rather use your legs. Work slowly and take rests after a few minutes. Always do stretches as well before and after working in the garden.

In the rhododendron world there are several different categories of plants. Large leafed plants, small leafed plants, those who keep all of their leaves, some of their leaves and even loose their leaves in the winter. There are those that flower very early in spring and those that flower well into summer.

You could with some careful planning have a rhod

If you do any sort of yard work from raking leaves to moving rocks to planting trees you know that it is easy to injure certain parts of your body. Stretching before, during and after your yard work will lessen the chances this will happen.

There are a few parts of the body that are most susceptible to injury. Hands, back and hamstrings can easily be pulled d

Although this video is about Heuchera you can apply this knowledge to many other kinds of perennials as well. Perennials are those plants which return year after year. In many cases perennials get better with age. Some perennials like hosta die back to the ground after a killing freeze. The dead leaves are best removed before the deep cold and snow of winter. There ar

May is the time of year that things really bloom in the yard. It can also be a frustrating month with cold and wet weather. Needless to say spring is in full swing.

Seeds can be started outside anytime this month. Watch for any wet periods when seeds can rot.

Cool weather crops can be started still but time is running out. Start them before the 15th of the month. Peas will catch up to their April planted c

Trees are really amazing. Some grow for decades, even centuries. They have wonderful shapes, flowers, and create shade. During the winter in colder climates they remain lifeless until the spring warmth rejuvenates them for another year.

However, even the largest of trees can be susceptible to drought if the rains remain away for a long period of time

There are many types of mulch available all across the country for peoples gardens. Mulch gives any landscape a finished look. Mulch helps keep the weeds out and saves on water by limiting the amount of evaporation from the soil. However, there are some important differences in mulches.

Some mulch is primarily made of cut up logs. This type of mulch will break down very slowly and add little or no nutrients to your garden. Other m

PEAS

Ever since I was a kid I have grown peas. They are so easy to grow in the garden and they are, other than some of the leafy veggies, one of the first real crops to be harvested in early summer. Som

Dividing Perennials is a great way to keep plants healthy and make more room for other plants. You can also get two, three or even 4 plants for the price of one. When you divide is important. The S below means spring, the F is for fall dividing.
A few key points.

Flaking bark; easy to transplant; no serious insect or disease problems; tough adopt

Rose of Sharon, (Hibiscus syriacus.) is a great summer flower shrub hardy from zones 5 and higher. Although naturally a multi-stemmed shrub, rose of sharon can be trained through pruning (in late winter) to have simply one main trunk; thus some people refer to it as rose of sharon "tree." It's easiest to give rose of sharon its desired shape by pruning it accordingly during its first two seasons. It can also be trained for espalier.

When pruning, use sharp pruners

According the University of Maine Extension web site, "Pruning is a vital part of maintaining a healthy raspberry planting. This practice greatly inhibits the spread of raspberry diseases and improves fruit quality and yield. During the summer months, regularly remove all new canes that emerge outside the desired plant row width of 12 to 18 inches. This improves light penetration and air circulation for the canes in the middle row that will fruit next year. Also r

On of my favorite early flowering shrubs or small tree is a hamamelis. These spectacular specimens flower in late winter and give winter weary folks their first taste of spring when winter is far from over. Many years I have had my hamamelis flowering in late January!

These plants are easy to grow prefering sunshine and moist soil. They look nicest against some evergreens as it will set off the blooms nicely in the late winter.

If you are thinking that these

Looking for early spring color? There is a great tuber/corm that will spread year after year and dazzle you with warm rich yellow color early in spring.

Winter aconites or Eranthis appear almost overnight, providing a very welcome splash of colour in late winter, often flowering with snowdrops. They have an underground corm, from which the yellow wild flowers and characteristic "frill" of leaves emerge, sometimes as early as Christmas in the southern zones.

April brings no shortage of things to do outside in the yard. The list may seem overwhelming but take it a few steps at a time and your garden and lawn will be sure to grow all season long.

Now is the time to prune roses. The exception is the rambler rose. They bloom on last year’s wood so leave them alone until after they flower.

Plant new roses now. This is a great time to put in a new rose bush so it is well establis

Do you ever look at your lawn and wish the grass were thicker but don't want to start from square one digging up the entire yard? If you have some grass, but your lawn is a bit thin overseeding might be just right for you. Overseeding involves putting down grass seed to augment thin areas.

You can actually overseed at any time as long as the seed does not dry out. However, spring and fall are your best bets for success. I have actually thrown seed down in the w

1. Visually observe the blueberry bush.
2. Imagine
   
   

March Gardeners Calendar

• March is the time of year that things start to come alive again in the yard. It can also be a frustrating month with cold and snow. Needless to say spring is coming.
• Start Seeds of some annuals like verbena, snapdragon and salvia.
• You can also start cool weather vegetables in the colder zones and warmer vegetables in warmer climates.
• Late in the month, those plants t
  
  

A tall vase of blooming forsythia branches can bring spring inside weeks early. By gathering branches of flowering deciduous shrubs and trees and forcing them to bloom or leaf out early in your home you feel better especially in the bleak early spring months.

When temperatures rise above freezing in late January, February and Marchselect and cut branches that have many plump buds. Cut a few more branches than you expect to use because some may not absorb water satisfactorily. Us

Pure maple syrup is made by concentrating the slightly sweet sap of the sugar maple tree. The basics needed for making maple syrup therefore are some sugar maple trees and a method of concentrating the sap into syrup As winter comes to an end, usually in late February or early March, sugarmakers prepare for their annual harvest of the maple trees. The group of maple trees that is used is called sugarbush, or maple orchard. The sugarmaker

Fall crocus are indeed fall-blooming species of this popular spring-blooming bulb (a corm actually). The fall blooming species include: C. kotschyanus, C. sativus, C. ochroleucus, and C. niveus

In general, they are more tender than the typical spring blooming Crocus vernus varieties but if you have the proper garden, they do indeed bloom in the late summer to early fall. While there are other fall blooming crocus grown by collectors, these are the ones m

Want to get your kids to eat their veggies? How about trying to roast some root vegetables for a wonderful treat? You can use all sorts of spices to make them tasty.

Save any leftover vegetables and add them to your next pot of soup.

1/2 butternut squash
3 carrots
2 onions
2 parsnips
3 turnips
olive oil
fresh rosemary or thyme, about 1 Tbs leaves(you can use cayenne pepper, cinnamon, brown sugar, or s

Birds in Your Backyard 101

This article will explain the secrets of successful birdfeeding. Learn about the basic type of feeders, the different types of seed and the wonderful birds that you can attract right outside your door. We will discuss the essentials of shelter, cover and water. We will talk about creating a garden for the birds. We will even share our secrets in controlli

Have you ever wondered how some of your favorite products are selected to appear in your local nursery or greenhouse? What about why one brand of tractor is used by landscape company A and another brand by landscape company B? Like the fashion industry, the horticultural space has their own fashion shows all around the country. Recently, I got the chance to attend the NE Grows show held at the Convention Center in Boston.

The great aspect of these shows is the diver

Zamioculcas zamiifolia is commonly called the "ZZ plant" in the trade. I find the ZZ to be an exceptional performer in any light. Especially the low light levels where few plants grow well.

This plant has very dark green, shiny foliage. In fact you would think that the plant has been shined. The ZZ carries a unique look which allows it to be used as a stand alone specimen but can also

Everyone loves to get fresh cut flowers. When you get them, you want to keep them as long as possible. Here are some great tips to keep those blooms beautiful longer.

Flowers keep best when cut with a sharp knife (un-serrated) and plunged immediately into water. Always make a cut on a slant, as it exposes more stem surface area. Also, remove leaves that will be under wate

February brings some important changes to the garden most notably light. The sun is rapidly growing higher in the sky across the northern hemisphere and by the end of the month will have gained hours of daylight. Plants respond to this increase in light.

Houseplants