Vermont Garden Journal

You've seen this shrub around town blooming its little head off with hibiscus-like flowers. The Rose of Sharon isn't a rose at all, but it is a reliable bloomer and adds great late summer color.

Recent heavy — though quick — rainstorms, paired with heat, have created monsters in the garden! And those gigantic squash, cukes and melons need containing, and they need you to ensure the fruits that are forming can ripen before the first frost. Say hello to *pinching.*

You might see this shade garden plant so often as you stroll around your neighborhood that you might be inclined to not notice it. But the coleus is just the sort of plant that you should take note of, because of how versatile it truly is.

Abundant, multi-flowering helenium is hardy to Zone 3 and nearly drought-tolerant. Known by its common name, sneeze weed , this plant used to be harvested, dried and then made into a powder which some people then used as snuff to promote sneezing!

The adult Japanese beetles are out. They're hungry and they're not picky eaters! This insect will munch on more than 300 different plants in your garden and flower bed. So before you lose a good chunk of your produce and posies, you can do a bit of work to control them by knowing how and when it's most effective to do so.

Insect pests are out in force in the vegetable garden. One primary line of defense is searching for and destroying the egg clusters, to help stop an infestation before it gets going. The key is knowing how to identifty each type of insect's eggs before they hatch and take over.

When you think of this certain flower, you might recall a scene when Dorothy from "The Wizard of Oz" begins to feel very sleepy or perhaps you learned to recite this poem of remembrance . The delicate, papery-petaled Flanders or Iceland poppies are in bloom right now and Charlie Nardozzi has tips for their care.

When your veggie cousins are broccoli, kale, Brussels sprouts and cabbage, you might just be kohlrabi! This plant grows well here, is fast-maturing and has a mild flavor that can be eaten cooked or raw.

This past week, four of Vermont's counties are dry enough to be considered officially in a moderate drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor .

Pies, buckles, tarts and crumbles all call for different sorts of berries, and you may well already be growing raspberries and blackberries for all your baking. Perhaps now is a good time to add another berry to your repertoire: The elderberry!

If you are a gardener who is squeamish about squashing garden pests or using sprays and insecticides, there is another way to protect your plants from critters!

Looking for an easy-care plant that shows off colorful flowers, beautiful foliage and even seed pods? Look no further than baptisia australis , or false indigo. This perennial checks off all those boxes and more!

It's time to tackle those weeds before your lawn, garden plot or raised bed begin to look like that abandoned lot in every scary movie. There are safe ways to remove them beyond just hand-digging!

Each year, the Perennial Plant Association names a plant of the year. This year's top prize winner is the Aralia cordata "Sun King ," also known by its common name, the Golden Japanese Spikenard.

If you've had more time at home to spend perfecting the ultimate pie crust, you might find yourself dreaming of summer when you can pick your own berries to fill it with. So why not grow your own? For cultivated raspberries, the best time to plant new ones and care for already established bushes is now.