gardening
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Companion Planting for Missoula Gardens
A practical look at companion planting for Missoula gardens: what actually works, how to bring in pollinators, and how to make the most of a short season.
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Best Cucumber Varieties for Short Growing Seasons
The best cucumber varieties for Montana’s short season, from quick slicing and pickling types to compact and specialty cucumbers that finish before frost.
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Best Beans for Montana Gardens
Bush beans, pole beans, and dry beans in Missoula. Which to plant for Montana’s short season, when to sow, and how to keep them producing all summer.
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How to Grow Lettuce and Salad Greens in Montana
Lettuce and salad greens grow fast and tolerate cool weather, which makes them perfect for Missoula’s short season. Here is how to grow them spring through fall.
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How to Deal With Missoula’s Dry Summers in the Garden
Missoula summers get hot and dry, and most years the heat arrives right when vegetable gardens are in full swing. July and August can go weeks with almost no rain, temperatures pushing into the 90s, and humidity low enough that soil dries out faster than most people expect. For gardeners used to a rainier climate,…
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How to Grow Cucumbers in Missoula
Cucumbers are one of the easier vegetables to grow in Missoula once you understand two things: they hate cold soil, and they grow fast once conditions are right. They share the garden well with tomatoes and peppers, which have similar heat and timing requirements. Get those two pieces right and you will have more cucumbers…
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Spring Gardening in Missoula: What You Can Plant Before Last Frost
Most gardeners in Missoula wait until late May to plant anything, and for tomatoes and peppers, that’s the right call. But there’s a whole category of vegetables that not only tolerate cold weather but actually prefer it. If you’re only gardening after last frost, you’re missing weeks of good growing time. What “Before Last Frost”…
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Hardened Off vs. Greenhouse Starts: What’s the Difference
If you have ever bought vegetable starts that looked perfectly healthy at the nursery, planted them on a warm May day, and watched them wilt, curl, or turn pale within a week, there’s a good chance they were not hardened off. It’s the most common reason transplants struggle in Missoula gardens, and it’s easy to…
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When to Buy Vegetable Starts in Missoula (and When It’s Too Late)
There’s a right window for buying vegetable starts in Missoula, and it’s narrower than most people expect. Buy too early and you end up with rootbound plants sitting under grow lights for weeks while you wait for the weather to cooperate. Buy too late and you’re picking through what’s left, planting into a season that’s…
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What to Look for When Buying Vegetable Starts
Buying vegetable starts feels straightforward until you get a tray of leggy tomatoes home, plant them, and spend the rest of summer wondering why they’re struggling. Most problems start at the point of purchase. Knowing what to look for takes five minutes and makes a real difference in how your season goes. Check Days to…