Native Bees Find Winter Shelter in Surprising Places
Garden Gate|Issue 175 - February 2024
As the buzz of busy bees gave way to the rustle of fallen leaves in my autumn garden, the last of the bumblebee stragglers hit up fading mountain mint blooms. Day by day, fewer sparkly green sweat bees and dwarf carpenter bees nectared on the asters, eventually vanishing along with the fluffy field thistle seeds.
Nancy Lawson
Native Bees Find Winter Shelter in Surprising Places

Despite appearances, the bees never really left us. While we snuggle under blankets indoors, bees of many shapes and sizes hide under leafy covers of their own. Seventy percent of the nearly 4,000 native bee species in North America build nests on or below the surface, and many of their progeny spend winter ensconced in soil, emerging as adult bees just in time to catch favorite blooms. The rest are cavity nesters, spending winter in logs, broken wildflower stalks and twigs of shrubs like elderberry and roses.

IT’S NOT ABOUT HIVES; IT’S ABOUT HABITAT

Esta historia es de la edición Issue 175 - February 2024 de Garden Gate.

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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 175 - February 2024 de Garden Gate.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

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Spinach - Learn the secrets to growing this tasty green in spring and fall.
Garden Gate

Spinach - Learn the secrets to growing this tasty green in spring and fall.

If you're one of those gardeners who can't wait to get started in spring and hates to throw in the trowel in fall, spinach is the perfect shoulder season crop. This mild, earthy-flavored green comes in many varieties, ranging from crinkly-leafed savoys to slightly textured semi-savoys and the flat, smooth-leafed types. Colors can be dark green, light green and even red-veined. Here's how to get the most of it every year.

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2 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Why Bulb Depth Matters - Dig deep enough to ensure your plants stand tall and live the longest
Garden Gate

Why Bulb Depth Matters - Dig deep enough to ensure your plants stand tall and live the longest

When you're planting bulbs, it's tempting to just dig a hole as deep as your trowel will reach easily, nestle the bulb in, cover it up and move on. But the fact is, each type of bulb will flower best and thrive at a different depth.A good rule of thumb is to plant a bulb two to three times its height. One reason planting depth is important is because it helps to keep the bulbs protected from fluctuations in temperature that happen closer to the surface.

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1 min  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
GARDEN ESSENTIALS
Garden Gate

GARDEN ESSENTIALS

FALL GARDEN CLEANUP TOOLS

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2 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Saving Seeds
Garden Gate

Saving Seeds

Saving flower seeds is a great way to get more plants with almost no investment. It's easy to do. Here's how to save seeds from some of your favorite annuals as the growing season winds down.

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2 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Cucumber Trellis Flop
Garden Gate

Cucumber Trellis Flop

I watched cucumber trellis growers online for several seasons with envy. What a brilliant way to save space in raised garden beds and make it look fancy! Finally, I was sold and decided to try it in my garden.

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2 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
9 Tough Perennials for Clay Soil
Garden Gate

9 Tough Perennials for Clay Soil

Whether you garden in the nutrient-poor red clay of the Southeast, the calcium combined-with-clay caliche of the West or something in between, the common denominator is that clay soil is difficult to grow in. Why? Tiny particles of clay hold tightly together, slowing drainage and limiting the amount of oxygen that can reach plant roots. You've seen the resultsanemic-looking or rotting plants.

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7 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Garden Fences
Garden Gate

Garden Fences

Discover the perfect blend of functionality, style, and materials for your ideal fence.

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5 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
A GARDEN OF STORIES
Garden Gate

A GARDEN OF STORIES

Learn plant and project tips from a couple who's been gardening here for nearly 50 years.

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7 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Switchgrass
Garden Gate

Switchgrass

Adaptable switchgrass goes with the flow.

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1 min  |
Issue 179 - October 2024
Establish a Monarch Waystation
Garden Gate

Establish a Monarch Waystation

Did you know that a single monarch butterfly can migrate up to 3,000 miles? That's a lot of ground to cover! This amazing insect makes a fascinating journey, unlike any other butterfly.

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3 minutos  |
Issue 179 - October 2024