As someone who tries to stick to organic principles and avoids the use of pesticides wherever possible, I am always interested to hear of ways to encourage natural predators. We all know that ladybugs eat aphids and so I always try to give them a helping hand to find their prey. And there are now [...]
Tags:biocontrol·crabapple·gardener·invasive plants·natural predators·personality test
Vertical gardening is not a new idea. Garden writers have for many years suggested that people with small courtyard gardens should make the most of the space by growing climbing plants up the walls and fences bounding their property. But new forms of vertical gardening are emerging. Some like the “green wall” covered with ferns [...]
Tags:arbors·brown marmorated stink bug·Capability Brown·climbing plants·Diarmuid Gavin·fence·giant veggies·trellis·vertical gardening
I’ve just come across a recent study that claims that vegetables grown using chemical fertilizers contain more vitamins and so may be better for you than organic produce. This is a report by the British consumer magazine Which? and has caused some consternation among organic gardeners. The claims follow a two year study growing potatoes, [...]
Tags:chemical fertilizer·organic·pesticides·unusual seeds·vegetables
Maybe you think it’s still too cold, but “There are actually many tasks that need to be done in February to kick off a great growing season” according to Susan Owens a Celina resident and a Collin County Master Gardener. She recommends you should start with a soil test and then complete your pruning before [...]
Tags:Aquaponics·groundcover·hydroponics·lawn·pruning·Walls o’ Water
Did you know that pound-for-pound the common garden mole is more efficient than the 642-ton Emerald Mole tunneling machine? While the Emerald Mole achieves 5 feet per hour on a good day, the little critter can dig 15 feet per hour in good soils. What most gardeners will be interested in is not how quickly [...]
If you want some indoor gardening activities while waiting for spring and a window farm does not appeal, why not grow some sprouts? Brussels sprouts are one of those vegetables that you either love or hate, but they are not what I am talking about. “How to grow sprouts” is the title of an article [...]
Tags:bindweed·couch grass·ground elder·horsetail·pruning·Roses·sprouts·weeds
In my last post I mentioned an article “Waiting out winter: strategies for gardeners” which contained a list of things you can do indoors while waiting for spring. Top of the list was “Start something from seed. One seed tray on a windowsill can make a difference”. Taking this to the next level is the [...]
Tags:asian greens·fast food·Hydroponic·windowfarm·windowsill
January is the seed catalog month when winter prevents outside activities, but gives us plenty of time to plan for the coming season. All those new varieties are so tempting especially when the catalog pictures all show perfect specimens which never seem to be recreated in our own gardens. I found this article in the [...]
Tags:catalogues·raised beds·seed·winter
Image via Wikipedia As usual as the holiday season approaches there is no shortage of advice on suitable gifts for gardeners. Plants are popular presents, but some common varieties are a little tricky to care for indoors in the middle of winter. Poinsettias are a particular problem. In past years I have found articles advising [...]
Tags:amaryllis·Egypt·holiday plants·houseplants·mistletoe·pharaoh·poinsettias
Decorating the Christmas tree is all part of the fun as we head towards the holidays, but hanging the lights on the tree can be quite a pain particularly if the wires are tangled. So would’nt it be handy if the tree came with its own lights built in? And I’m not talking about an [...]
