Garden Bite with Teri Knight

I have coveted the buddleia or Butterfly bush for years. I’ve been tempted many times to buy one and see what happens. One of the experts I work with just hates them! It’s a zone 5 plant! I live in zone 4b and that’s pushing it. But what if we COULD do it???? Ha! Today's Garden Bite is about pushing the zone boundaries and how we might be able to do that! 

There are slight differences on building compost piles for the home garden, however there are certain elements that MUST happen. I explain what those are, what you cannot compost and how to create the layers to produce the best results - black gold! Go to my website, GardenBite.com and find much more detailed information that a 2 minute podcast can give you! 

The Summer Solstice happened at 4:13 this morning, central time! The astrological first day of Summer and the longest day of the year. What are some of the traditions? Learn more on today's Garden Bite. 

Peonies are the harbingers of Summer in our cold climates. They bloom with amazing flowers and there are plenty of breeders in our climate that have created some stunning options. Learn more about how to grow peonies to their utmost on today's Garden Bite and find some beauties on my website. 

We all get busy or, hopefully, go on vacation. Or maybe we have lousy soil or a myriad of other things that keep us from thriving gardens. On today's Garden Bite I share some gadgets that help with weeding, watering and even growing. The National Garden Bureau members, including me, voted on products that offer options. 

As you know, I’ve been an advocate of not using chemicals on my lawn, which means dandelions. Lots of gardeners, including me, have touted the benefits of those cheery yellow flowers. I just read an article from a man who really LIVES native plantings, Benjamin Vogt. Guess what? That dandelion is NOT native. It's a European invasive. Vogt shares what our native is and why that cheery dandelion we're all used to isn't "all that". Learn about it on today's Garden Bite. 

The hardest part of gardening is trying to figure out why a plant isn't thriving. Is it an insect, is it a disease, are my plants getting the nutrients they need. Enough water, too much water? Maybe this particular plant doesn’t like afternoon sun or one day you’re looking down on something that makes you go “eeewww, what’s that?” I have some tips, some examples and links to diagnostic tools on today's Garden Bite. 

Weeds a problem? Likely.. They are in my landscape. But ground covers come to the rescue! Be it plants of various types or mulch or some other type of material. Learn much more and find some awesome plant ground covers on today's Garden Bite. 

Heading into the heat of summer, it's time to train your lawn to be water wise! Huh? What's that? I tell you on today's Garden Bite. Watering tips to keep your lawn healthy while not wasting so much water. 

Phlox are one of the classic American perennials and one of the earliest North American natives to enter cultivation. The National Garden Bureau has named 2022 the Year of the Phlox and with good reason. An easy perennial, I have a lot of information on today's Garden Bite and plenty of pictures on my website too! Check out the podcast AND my website! And please, send me your comments, questions and suggestions for future 'Bite's! What do YOU want to know about? [email protected] and also Garden Bite with Teri Knight on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Youtube too!