Limited resources in the agricultural sector are common pressure points for modern farm operations. Whether the resource is land, labor, water or capital, lack of assets can cause strain. But there are practical ways to ease the pressure, and most solutions work best when combined with other methods...

Gardening is more than planting seeds and watching them grow. It’s also about creating a healthy environment for plants to thrive. One way gardeners do this is by using different types of crops that support the garden in unique ways. These are called companion crops, trap crops and cover crops. Each...

While indoor gardening helps stave off post-holiday blues and cabin fever, windows providing full sun can be scarce. Light stands take up needed space. What’s a gardener to do? Build a dish garden! Dish gardens are collections of plants sharing a single container. Terrariums are enclosed dish garden...

The TurfMutt Foundation, which advocates for the care and use of backyards, public parks, school yards and other green spaces, predicts 2026 will be a year of purpose, precision and pet-friendly landscapes. The era of the purely aesthetic lawn is over; the future is about the high-performance, consc...

Winter has officially arrived, bringing unique challenges in caring for houseplants. At this time of year, we experience less intense and fewer hours of sunlight. For most indoor plants, the lack of daylight signals a special kind of dormancy called quiescence. During this period, plants conserve th...

Pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems, and they are key to vibrant, thriving community landscapes. Whether you’re responsible for municipal parks, downtown green spaces, campus landscapes or neighborhood initiatives, this free webinar on Jan. 20 at noon will equip you with the knowledge an...

Maple syrup is a sugary staple of breakfast foods and desserts made primarily from the sap of the sugar maple species of maple trees. Syrup production involves a process of tapping the trees, collecting the sap, evaporating the water and filtering the syrup to the final product. Maple syrup producti...

As the new year begins, many of us resolve to eat healthier, cook more at home or reduce food waste. One resolution that often gets overlooked but protects everyone at the table is food safety. Foodborne illness affects an estimated 48 million Americans every year, leading to hospitalizations, misse...

In celebration of America’s 250th anniversary, the American Horticultural Society (AHS), the national nonprofit promoting the beauty and benefits of plants, has collaborated with Burpee and three highly regarded historical and horticultural institutions – Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello, George Washin...

As you prepare to decorate your home this holiday season, consider the bounty of garden elements and other natural options available to brighten up your holiday displays. Many of these can be gathered up at no cost and, better still, can be simply tossed in the compost pile during clean-up. Juniper,...

During the hectic holidays, an eye-catching display of plants may seem like the perfect gift solution, particularly at the last minute. But is it? Is the intended recipient a plant lover? Will they welcome the gift, or will it be something they’ll feel obligated to water (when they remember) and fee...

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, with cranberry sauce playing a supporting role in traditional holiday feasts. While the question “whole berried or jellied?” may come to mind, what do you really know about cranberries? Native to the northern U.S. and Canada, they grow in rich, moist soil in b...

While many management activities for insect pests of trees and shrubs end when the frost arrives (like most, if not all, insecticide treatments), some are still applicable in the cold winter months. Examples include: • Scout for egg masses and act accordingly. Many (not all!) insect pests overwinter...

Storing garden tools is likely one of the last projects you’ll tackle when putting your garden to bed. You could just stash everything in the garage or garden shed and be done with it until spring. Instead, take the time now to clean, inspect and make any needed repairs. If you do, they’ll be ready ...

UConn Extension’s new fact sheet series is helping farm operations prepare for extreme weather. The first in the series, “Preparing Farm Operations for Extreme Weather: General Strategies for Producers,” is authored by Diane Dorfer, Sara Tomis and MacKenzie White. This timely resource is designed to...