Gurney's Blog
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How to Grow Persimmons in Your Backyard
Persimmon trees (Diospyros spp.) are an excellent choice for home gardeners looking to grow a unique, low-maintenance fruit tree. These trees produce sweet, honeyed fruit with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture...
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Best Seed Packets to Give as Gifts for Any Occasion
Giving the gift of seeds is a thoughtful, eco-friendly way to share the joy of gardening. Seed packets make unique and practical presents, whether for a special celebration or as...
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How to Grow and Enjoy Pawpaw Trees in Your Backyard
If you’ve never tried a pawpaw, you’re missing out on one of North America’s best-kept fruit secrets. These trees (Asimina triloba) produce delicious, custard-like fruit that tastes like a mix...
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How to Store Seeds for Long-Term Viability
When the gardening season finishes, it’s likely you will have leftover seeds in your packets or from harvesting your crops. Don’t throw them away! When properly stored, most vegetables seeds...
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Best Cucumber Varieties for Pickling: How to Choose the Perfect Pickling Cukes
Cucumbers are a staple in home gardens, offering a crisp texture and great flavor. While slicing cucumbers are great for salads and snacking, pickling cucumbers are specifically bred for preservation....
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Gardening on a Budget: Tips to Grow a Beautiful Garden for Less
Gardening doesn’t have to be an expensive hobby. With a few creative strategies, you can grow a flourishing garden on a budget. In this guide, we’ll explore some ideas for...
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Five Beginner-Friendly Vegetables for Your Garden
Starting a garden can be both exciting and overwhelming, especially for beginners. The key to a successful first garden is choosing vegetables that are easy to grow, forgiving of mistakes,...
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All About…Summer Squash
Most people grow summer squash, such as zucchini, for the vegetables. But I grow squash for the blossoms. Squash blossoms are delightful, with a taste that is both herbal and...
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How to Grow Eggplants in Your Home Garden
Eggplants (Solanum melongena) are a versatile and visually striking addition to any garden. While they may seem exotic, growing eggplants can be simple and rewarding. Whether for raised beds, containers,...
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The Joy of Growing Popcorn: A Complete Guide
Popcorn is a unique and rewarding crop for home gardeners. Whether you're drawn to its decorative charm, culinary potential, or the fun of growing something new, popcorn offers an enjoyable...
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How to Grow and Care for Beets
Beets have long been a favorite among home gardeners, offering both visual appeal and culinary versatility. Whether it’s their deep, vibrant colors or the wide range of ways they can...
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Why Every Gardener Should Understand NPK for a Thriving Garden
To grow healthy and vibrant plants, gardeners need more than just sunlight, water, and good soil; they need a strong understanding of plant nutrition. The three primary nutrients essential to...
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Perennial Vegetables for Your Garden
For gardeners interested in sustainability and reduced maintenance, perennial vegetables are a perfect choice. Unlike annuals, which require replanting every year, perennials regrow season after season, providing a consistent supply...
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Hybrid vs. Heirloom Tomatoes
If you’re thinking about growing tomatoes but don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. Tomatoes are one of the most popular plants for home gardens, but with so many...
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Here’s to Houseplants (part 2)
In addition to containers and potting mix needed for healthy houseplants, there are other variables that need to be taken into consideration. All plants need the basic elements of soil,...
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Here’s to Houseplants (part 3)
If you choose the right plants and provide what they need, your houseplants and fruit trees will be a lovely addition to your indoor garden for years to come! Light...
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How to make your own Herbal Tea
Strictly speaking, herbal “teas” are actually called “tisanes” or “infusions”, while real tea is made from the leaves of the tea plant. Even so, the term herbal tea is now...
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Home Sweet Home – How to Grow Fruit Indoors!
I’ve always had luck with run-of-the-mill tropical houseplants, but I had no idea that growing fruit indoors would be just as easy! And there’s nothing like biting into fruit you’ve...
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The Minimalist Garden: Vegetable Seeds
If you have a garden space, you can easily get by with a 4’ X 4’ area. No garden? No problem. Just get a half a dozen large pots, about...
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Starting Seeds Outdoors – Direct Sowing
Some varieties of vegetable and flower seeds can be started outdoors, while we recommend some seed starting occur indoors. Preparation is an important factor in successful outdoor seed starting. The...
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How to Grow Buffalo Grass from Seed
Buffalo grass has been described as rugged, dependable, and impossible to stop from growing. This hardy native of dry prairie states is a favorite of people looking for a new...
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How to Plant Bulbs for Beautiful Spring Flowers!
Fall has arrived! I love the fall season. Some gardeners give up after September because they think there’s nothing left to do. It is true that with the cooler weather...
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How to Plant Apache Blackberry
Blackberry plants are perennials with a biennial growing and fruiting pattern that provide a bounty of sweet and juicy fresh fruits year after year. Apache Blackberry, a thornless erect variety,...
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Honeycrisp Apple Trees
Close your eyes; try to imagine a crispy crunch that fills your mouth with the distinct sweetness of the absolute juiciest fruit- that’s what it’s like biting into a Honeycrisp...