by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Young, immature plants rarely need pruning except to deadhead faded flowers or remove dead and broken branches. Once a lilac reaches a mature height, it appreciates rejuvenation pruning. Young bushes with branched under three…
Read Moreby Lisa Watters-Lain, Arizona’s Garden Gal Lilacs have such a profusion of blooms in spring they are one of the easiest flowers to make jelly. The heady aroma fills a jelly jar like it does the landscape. Ensure your lilacs…
Read MoreSafe, Natural, Organic Hummingbird Food from Home by Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Hummingbirds like various flowers from the gardens, but the most attractive food is this basic hummingbird nectar recipe. The recipe approximates the natural sucrose content of top…
Read Moreby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Rosemary is a hardy mountain evergreen shrub that’s easy to grow out of doors and even easier to use indoors. Prized in the culinary world for its flavorful leaves, rosemary also has a…
Read Moreby Ken Lain, the mountain gardener Arizona’s famous for our outdoor lifestyle and the season has just begun. This may surprise you, but we are also famous for the ease of which we have grown our own herbs, right outside,…
Read MoreWe’ve recently discovered herb salts as savory, mouth-watering additions to recipes, and also as an ingenious way to prolong the life of fresh herbs. Salt preserves the herbs, and the herbs infuse the salts, making a flavor combo you can’t…
Read MoreNothing says summer like fresh, sun-ripened tomatoes from the garden! As many of us start our tomato seeds, we can also start thinking about the endless ways to enjoy these garden gems. One of our favorites is drying, for a…
Read MoreHome-grown beets are delicious root vegetables, and the leaves are considered by some to be the best of all greens! Roasting and pickling are traditional ways to prepare beets, but we’re marching to a different “beet” with these oven-baked beet…
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