The Case for Investing Good Fall Garden Practices The leaves are changing colors, and beginning their rapid downfall into my garden beds.  My perennials are browning out and drooping heavily in the beds.The acorns are dropping by the thousands!  I am often pelleted by  them as I begin my fall garden work.  Hmmm….lots of...

This month my gardens and I begin to show signs of slowing down for the season.  I actually begin to reap the rewards of my seasonal efforts.  The initial efforts in spring preparations, fertilization and simple design re-configurations now give me time to pause and truly appreciate my hard work. The Joy of the...

This week is National Pollinator Week.  So get out to a garden and see what birds, bees, butterflies and other garden creatures do to provide us food and beauty.   The National Pollinator Project  reports that somewhere between 75% and 95% of all flowering plants on the earth need help with pollination.   They need...

Flowers have symbolic meaning for a wide range of things.  Many can be powerful.   I recently came across the origins of the red poppy as a symbol of remembrance on Memorial Day.  I  recall my parents buying those little crepe paper poppies for us to wear at the Memorial Day parade.    The Farmers...

I am old enough to remember the Sears Toy Catalog.  Each Fall it would arrive at our doorstep.  My brother and sisters would argue over who gets it first.  We would them spend the next month or so circling or dogearing the page that displayed the toys we most wanted Santa to bring for...

What’s Your Soil Look like? I finally got out into the gardens this week.  On Tuesday the last pile of snow finally disappeared.  So I am out digging in the gardens and examining my soil base.    It is nice and  loomy, easy to dig into with lots of earthworms.  They are all signs...

“The wonders of childhood live in a garden” -Sue Ann DuBois As we await the true arrival of spring here in the North Country, why not start planning ways you can encourage children to get outside and “get their hands dirty” with gardening! April is Kids Garden month!  It is never too early to...

Making the Decision to Start with Seeds Will you begin your garden journey this season starting plants from seeds?  It is a decision that is unique to each gardener.  Much will depend on what you want to plant, the time you have to commit and indoor resources for success.  Only you can decide what...

What are Frost dates? Savvy gardeners plan their garden activities in our region by regional frost dates.  A frost date is the average date of the first or last light freeze that occurs in spring or fall.  Before vast sea of information available on the internet, local experienced gardeners would take the last full...

Plant Tag Basics Just like any newly purchased piece of merchandise, a plant comes with its very own use and care manual: the plant tag.  It can be a valuable piece to build your garden practice repertoire and assure success for your hard work.  Every plant sold, just like the clothing you buy everyday,...