Evan Gillespie

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Garden Guides uses a knowledgeable team of editors, writers, and experts to create all our content. We dive deep into the ever-evolving conversations surrounding gardening and landscaping, striving to deliver the most current and helpful tips, strengthened by expert insight and tutorials from our talented team.

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Stories By Evan Gillespie

  • Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Dwarf Boxwood Varieties

    Dwarf Boxwood Varieties. The boxwood family includes a number of evergreen shrubs used for a variety of ornamental plantings. About 150 different cultivars of the boxwood exist in a variety of sizes and configurations. The dwarf varieties commonly mature at less than 36 inches in height, but can be as small as about 1 foot. Gardeners choose the boxwood variety based on how the plants will fit into the landscape. The dwarf varieties often are used for foundation or border plantings.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Produce
    Produce By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Grow Blueberries In Michigan

    How to Grow Blueberries in Michigan. When it comes to growing blueberries (Vaccinium spp.), Michigan is just about the best place on the planet. The state is the top commercial producer of highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum), which are generally hardy in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 7, and at least in certain parts of the state, conditions are just right for blueberries in the home garden, too.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Lawn Care
    Lawn Care By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Symptoms Of Water In The Gas For Lawn Mowers

    Symptoms of Water in the Gas for Lawn Mowers. Just a little bit of water in your mower's gas can cause a lot of problems. Contamination of your mower's fuel system by water will, at best, cause frustrating performance problems, and it may also cause long-term damage to your mower. Knowing what to look for will help you prevent a ruined mower.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Lemon Trees In Alabama

    Lemon Trees in Alabama. For gardeners in Alabama, planting and maintaining healthy lemon trees presents a challenge. The cold-sensitive trees do not fare well in northern Alabama, as the region experiences freezing weather. Along the coast and in southern parts of the state, however, three varieties of lemon trees can be planted in the ground. Gardeners in other parts of the state should consider container-planted trees, as they offer the convenience of moving the plant to a protected location when winter sets in or during the threat of frost in early spring.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Produce
    Produce By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Grow Blueberries In Illinois

    How to Grow Blueberries in Illinois. The neutral to mildly alkaline soils in much of Illinois can make it difficult to grow acid-loving blueberries (Vaccinium spp.) in most parts of the state. However, ambitious gardeners who are willing to put effort into improving and maintaining their soil may be able to coax a blueberry harvest out of their Illinois gardens.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Forest grape leaves lit by the sun.
    Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Grow Grape Vines In Illinois

    How to Grow Grape Vines in Illinois. When you think of a grape-growing region, you might picture arid Mediterranean hills or the mild climate of Northern California, but many varieties of grapes grow quite nicely in the chillier climate of Illinois, even in the sometimes frigid region north of Chicago. Prudent pruning helps boost grape production.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Produce
    Produce By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Plant Blueberries In Minnesota

    How to Plant Blueberries in Minnesota. Both the harshness of Minnesota's winters and the composition of the state's soil make growing blueberries a challenge for Minnesota gardeners. Choosing the right plants and getting creative with soil preparation, however, can bring a bountiful blueberry harvest to the north country.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Prairie dog in a hole
    Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    What Is In Black Dirt?

    What Is in Black Dirt?. The decomposing plant material that gives black dirt its rich, dark color contains a feast of chemical nutrients. The form in which those nutrients are stored may not be the best form for your plants' needs, however, and other characteristics of black dirt may make it a less-than-ideal medium for most garden plants.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Tell The Difference Between Virginia Creeper & Ginseng

    How to Tell the Difference Between Virginia Creeper & Ginseng. Gardeners sometimes think they've stumbled upon the rare American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) growing wild in their woodland gardens, only to be disappointed to discover that the plant is, instead, the much more common Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). The two plants are similar in some ways, but a few distinctive characteristics set them apart from one another.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Highbush blueberries
    Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    The Difference Between A Bilberry & A Blueberry

    The Difference Between a Bilberry & a Blueberry. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus and Vaccinium oreophilum) is closely related to the several species of berry bushes commonly called blueberry (Vaccinium spp.). It is, in fact, in the same genus as the blueberry species, and the plants and berries of all the species appear very similar to one another. Differences in the growth habits of the plants and their berries, though, can help you distinguish the species from each other.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Produce
    Produce By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Varieties Of Ginger

    Varieties of Ginger. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) seems like an exotic plant, and it is, in a way. It originated in the steamy Far East, and most commercial ginger is still grown in India, Africa and southeast Asia. It's not hard to grow exotic ginger if you live in a warm climate. If you live in a cool climate, grow ginger in a pot and bring it indoors for winter.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Girl and boy (9-11) lying on grass, hands behind heads, smiling
    Lawn Care
    Lawn Care By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Zoysia Vs. Centipede Grass

    Zoysia vs. Centipede Grass. Both zoysiagrass (Zoysia spp.) and centipedegrass (Eremchloa ophiuroides) are medium-textured warm-season turf grasses that are well adapted for use in lawns in Southern climates. Both grasses stand up relatively well to heat and drought, but centipedegrass is more prone to pest and disease problems than zoysiagrass.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Trees
    Trees By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Growth Of Fat Albert Spruce

    Growth of Fat Albert Spruce. The Fat Albert spruce Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' is a wide, blocky version of the Colorado blue spruce. It grows at a rate of 6 to 8 inches per year, reaching 8 to 15 feet tall and 7 to 10 feet wide in 10 years. Like most spruces, it is a slow grower. This evergreen has short, steel-blue needles and grows into a perfect pyramidal form.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    How To Plant Strawberries In South Florida

    How to Plant Strawberries in South Florida. Strawberries are creeping plants that grow low to the ground and survive for years, to produce fruit every spring and summer. Although strawberries are hardy and can survive even in northern states like Illinois and Maine, they require long days of bright sun and warmth to flower and bear fruit. According to the University of Florida IFAS extension, the spring, summer and fall seasons in peninsular South Florida offer ideal strawberry-growing conditions in regard to light and warmth.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More
  • Path of bamboo forest
    Flowers
    Flowers By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022

    Characteristics & Adaptations Of Bengal Bamboos

    Characteristics & Adaptations of Bengal Bamboos. Bengal bamboo (Bambusa tulda) is a large species of bamboo characterized by thick green canes, sometimes with two or three yellow stripes on the lower part of the canes. It's not cold hardy, but it's well behaved compared to some other bamboo species, so it's a safe choice for roomy landscapes.

    By Evan Gillespie November 4th, 2022 Read More