Charlie Nardozzi
Host, All Things GardeningCharlie Nardozzi is a nationally recognized garden writer, radio and TV show host, consultant, and speaker. Charlie is the host of All Things Gardening on Sunday mornings at 9:35 during Weekend Edition on Vermont Public. Charlie is a guest on Vermont Public's Vermont Edition during the growing season. He also offers garden tips on local television and is a frequent guest on national programs.
- Be part of the fun and send your gardening questions here, for Charlie to answer on the air. Please include WHERE you are, as that will help Charlie answer your question.
- Find lots of great gardening tips and information for all seasons, here.
- For more gardening information, check out Charlie's website,Gardening with Charlie Nardozzi.
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Color outside of the lines when it comes to fall decorations this season. Instead of just traditional orange pumpkins and yellow hardy mums, get inspired by some of the pastel-colored blue and pink pumpkins, winter squash and gourds then pair them up with bright mums and fall greenery.
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Planting some low-growing grasses can add movement and color to your yard and garden. These plants can also be planted in places where you might have traditionally chosen to lay down a layer of mulch.
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Certain vegetable plants, if left to bolt or go to seed, will self-sow and grow again next spring. You won't have to buy new seed and replant, which saves money. Plus, by letting the plants self-sow and regrow naturally, you're spending less time guessing when to plant.
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This flower's name contains a clue to what kind of growing conditions it likes: hydrangeas love water! And this summer's wetter weather really made these bushes blossom and bloom. Right now, blue, pink and white hydrangeas are really thriving. Enjoy them while they are still in bloom, then learn how to preserve those petals to use in decorations this fall and winter.
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Tropical fruits like persimmon and paw paw (a fruit in the cherimoya family) did well in Vermont this year and here's why: because they bloomed later in spring, the late frost didn't affect them. They also did well despite heavy rains this summer.
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The fruits from certain berry bushes pack a bigger nutrient punch for migrating and over-wintering birds.
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Invasive jumping worms are in all parts of Vermont except for Essex and Orleans counties, according to Vermont Invasives. These earth worms can cause trouble because of their excessive consumption of organic matter that adversely affects biodiversity.
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Choose an annual or perennial flowering vine to add color to your late summer and early fall gardens. Some will bloom right up until frost.
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Common milkweed is great for attracting pollinators and especially monarch butterflies. The plants can take over a small space quickly so try some less-aggressive milkweed types that can grow in a variety of soils.
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If, earlier this year, you took "no-mow May" to heart and left a portion of your lawn unmowed for bees, beetles and butterflies, you can take it a step further now! A University of Minneapolis "bee lab" studied the kinds of grasses and ground covers that grow a green lawn that benefits pollinators. And you can still mow it.