The Strader's Blog

Check if your plants survived winter using the scratch test, visual clues, and flexible stem checks, plus tips to help your garden recover.

Use your April garden checklist to heal winter damage, feed plants, sow greens, divide perennials, and welcome early pollinators this season

Learn how to train your cat to use scratching posts with tips on placement, rewards, and choosing the right surfaces for scratching.

Ease into spring activities with your dog by starting slow, watching for fatigue, and enjoying safe walks, play, and outdoor fun together.

Create a backyard ecosystem by combining healthy soil, native plants, water, shelter, and food to support wildlife and biodiversity.

Mulch protects soil, conserves moisture, suppresses weeds, and feeds plants. Apply at the right time for a healthy, thriving garden.

Cold-hardy vegetables like peas, spinach, radishes, and lettuce thrive in early spring soil for an early, continuous harvest.

Plant cold-tolerant shrubs in early spring once soil is workable, water carefully, mulch later, and avoid fertilizing immediately.

Support queen bumblebees by planting early flowers, providing shelter, water, and avoiding chemicals to boost spring pollinators.

Prune perennials as new growth appears to boost healthy blooms while protecting overwintering pollinators and beneficial insects.