Plant garlic cloves 4 to 8 inches apart, and about 2 inches deep. Be sure you plant the cloves with the root side pointing down. Your garlic needs well-draining soil, such as Miracle-Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil. Add a little compost to bump up the nutrients of soil.

Garlic can be planted next to other veggies such as beets, celery, lettuce, potatoes, strawberries or even tomatoes. It’s best to avoid planting near peas or beans.

Once your garlic has sprouted some leaves, and a few of the lower leaves have turned brown, your garlic is ready to pick. The only way to tell is to pick a few bulbs as a test. If the cloves have filled the skin, they’re ready to harvest. Be sure not to let them wait too long once you notice the lower leaves browning, otherwise the protective layers around the cloves will be too thin. This means the garlic won’t store well.

White rot is a common disease that can wipe out an entire garlic crop. This is identified by little poppy seed sized bumps on the stem, and white fuzzy growth on the bottom of the bulb. If left untreated it can remain in the soil for many years. Keep an eye out for symptoms from mid-summer to autumn. If you’re noticing this has been a problem where you’re planting, apply a fungicide. For best results, apply the fungicide in a 6 inch band over the planting trench. This should happen immediately before planting.

Could be time to harvest. When garlic is ready to be harvested, a few of the bottom leaves will turn brown and droop. The easiest way to tell if your garlic is ready to harvest is to count back. Garlic needs about 240 days to mature.

Nutrient problems. Your soil could be lacking in some key nutrients like nitrogen, potassium, calcium, and magnesium. Consider using a plant food like, Miracle-Gro® Shake ‘N Feed® Tomato, Fruits & Vegetables Plant Food.

Extreme weather conditions. Sometimes after a particularly harsh winter, garlic crops can come out a bit crumpled or very small. One way to prevent this is to water and mulch immediately after planting. Be sure not to add too much mulch though! Too much mulch applied too late in the season will insulate the ground and delay it from going dormant. This can cause root rot once the real cold weather sets in.

Kale works well when planted by artichokes, beets, celery, cucumber, lettuce, onion, peas, potatoes. Avoid other brassicas being planted alongside kale. These include broccoli, kohlrabi, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, and Swiss chard.

When your kale’s leaves are about the size of your hand, it’s ready to harvest. Be sure not to pick more than a third of your plant’s leaves at a time.

What are these little white flies? They are literally Whiteflies. They drink sap and excrete a sticky ‘honeydew’ which also encourages mould. Use sticky traps or Ortho® Bug B Gon® ECO Insecticidal Soap to keep your plants healthy.

Cabbageworms. You can use companion plants to help naturally combat these pests. Quickly hand pick your kale, and don’t forget to use row covers to help keep your kale safe.

Probably black rot. This is a fungus that leave yellow v-shapes on your kale’s leaf edges. To prevent this, make sure to rotate your crops and remove debris from your garden. Don’t forget to make sure your garden has good drainage.

Could be aphids. To prevent aphids from infesting your kale plants be sure not to water the foliage. If aphids persist, you can use an insecticide like Ortho® Bug B Gon® ECO Insecticide Ready-to-Use.

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Lilies love to have their roots in cool soil, and their heads in the sun. The best soil option to keep your lilies happy is a rich, moist soil. that is also well-draining. Consider adding in just a little bit of organic compost.

You can find a wide variety of companion plants from annuals, bulbs to
other perennials. Consider using annuals such as dill, geraniums, pansies, or new guinea impatiens. Dahlias, daffodils, or irises make great companions when planting other bulbs. Perennials such as peonies, daisies and lavender are excellent companions for lilies.

Lilies only bloom once per season. You can remove, or deadhead, faded flowers to keep your plant from wasting energy making new seeds.

The most common pest issues for lilies are infestations of scarlet lily beetles. These little guys like to hang out on the underside of leaves. The easiest way to get rid of these little pests is to catch them manually by holding a bottle of warm water under the leaves you’re inspecting. The bugs will be startled and drop off into the water waiting below.

Lily disease. This is a fungal infection that creates oval-shaped dark spots on your lily’s leaves. Make sure you use clean tools before you get started. Then clear out the infected soil and debris and get rid of the infected plant. Be sure to not plant lilies in an infected spot again.

Could be overwatering, sunburn, or underwatering. If the tip of the leaf is brown and crunchy, this means the soil is likely too dry.

Likely a fungus. Many fungi (Rhizoctonia, Phytophthora, Pythium, Fusarium, and Cylindrocarpon) attack the bulb and cause the roots to rot. This will also cause the plant to wilt, and eventually die. Be sure to remove the infected plants and check all bulbs carefully before planting.

Could be the result of small bulbs or over-crowding in the soil. Planting your lily bulbs too shallow could also lead to your lily not producing big blooms. If you cut away the leaves after a lily has flowered, it may also decrease the likelihood of flowering the following year. Keep in mind, some lilies won’t flower in their first year of planting due to transplant shock.

Sunflowers are not sensitive to the pH level of soil. Use an well-draining soil like Miracle Gro® All Purpose Garden Soil and introduce a water soluble fertilizer about halfway through the summer.

Sunflowers pair well with many other plants. Consider pairing with shade-loving plants. Sunflowers can cast some shade on veggies like cucumbers or lettuce. Due to their flexible soil needs, they can be planted alongside plants like bush bean varieties, like lima beans or green beans.

To encourage side blooms, cut indoor varieties on the main stem just before the flower bud has a chance to open. Cut stems in the early morning vs the afternoon to avoid flower wilting. For cut sunflower bouquets, ensure their container provides enough support for their heads. Change the water daily to keep them fresh.

Birds and squirrels love to scavenge sunflower seeds. Consider covering the head of the plant with garden fleece or protect them with a tall, wire barrier.

They’re probably gray moths. Sunflowers are pretty much pest-free. If you see tiny worms in the head of the sunflower, it’s likely they’re gray moths. Just pick them off the plant.

Could be grasshoppers and caterpillars. These little guys enjoy snacking on the leaves of sunflowers. This doesn’t usually damage the plant, but if there are a lot of these pests, they can defoliate your sunflower quickly.

Could be rust, verticillium wilt or mildew. The damaged leaves will fall off as the disease progresses. Control fungi through proper removal and disposal of infected plants and with a general fungicide.

Probably white mold. This is a fungus that causes wilting leaves, stem cankers and root rot. Crop rotation can usually prevent this from happening, as well as maintaining proper watering practices.