May 8, 2008 11:36 - Woodpeckers, Viburnums And Poison Hemlock
When you are out walking and you hear a drumming noise from a nearby tree you know that a woodpecker is not far away even if you cannot see him. But if the woodpecker is performing on a tree in your backyard or, worse still, on your siding then it can be too much of a good thing. According to Ann Lovejoy drumming is a woodpecker male's way of wooing and females are attracted by the sound. Woodpeckers also drum to find insects so can be seen throughout the year. If you find the constant drumming annoying is there any way of discouraging the birds? Try a little bling. Read more.. If you are looking for a plant that is easy to grow, flowers in the spring, has attractive leaves in summer followed by fall color and winter berries then Molly Day has a suggestion for you.
Virburnums are what she recommends since they meet all these requirements and also have few disease or insect problems. With varieties that range from two to thirty feet tall there is one to suit every situation. Read more..
Many of us complain that tomatoes purchased from a supermarket have no taste and even some modern home grown varieties are no better. If this is how you feel perhaps you should investigate Heirloom Tomatoes. In this article Charlie Nardozzi discusses his five favorite varieties. Read more.. And for a novel way of growing them take a look here.
"Dharma in the Dirt" is the title of this next piece by Patricia Leigh Brown. All about Wendy Johnson who couples zen gardening with a passion for poison hemlock. How does a life-embracing Buddhist crush snails or trap gophers? Read more..
Dutch Gardens are having a Spring Clearance Sale
where you can save up to 70% on all spring-shipped bulbs and perennials. And their other offer is worth remembering.Take $25 off orders of $50 or more! Offer valid through 5.29.08.
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May 1, 2008 11:16 - Guerilla Gardeners, Blueberries And The Top 10
"They work under the cover of night, armed with seed bombs, chemical weapons and pitchforks. Their tactics are anarchistic, their attitude revolutionary. Their aim: to beautify". They call themselves Guerilla Gardeners and their numbers are growing across the world. Their target is any neglected area of urban wasteland which they can transform into a colorful flower garden. Richard Reynolds whose website guerillagardening.org has been responsible for spreading the idea around the world has now published a book "On Guerrilla Gardening". Read more.. Blueberries which are now one of the most popular fruits are very productive and not difficult to grow according to Andy Qualls who works for Muskogee County Conservation District. And he should know because his family grows more than 2,000 blueberry plants on land south of Muskogee. There are three requirements for growing blueberries: Site selection, Soil acidity and Soil moisture and drainage. Read more..
"Spring is here and so are the Top 10 spring garden chores" says Marianne Binetti. "These are the tasks that will save you time and money and are an investment in future beauty and summer bounty" she adds. The first five all concern the lawn then clean the beds, attack the slugs and improve your soil. Once you have completed the nine chores your final task is to look around and enjoy the spring blooms. Read more..
In its "Home gardening tips for May" the Acorn has a list that is only half as long, but its five points contain some useful reminders of what we should be doing this month. Read more..
Finally The Bay Gardener in the guise of Dr Frank Gouin advises us to "Take time to celebrate the plants you work to nurture". After reminding us that the patron saint of gardens is St. Fiacre, he lists some novel ways of cultivating lettuce, squash, peas, beets, turnips and thyme. Read more..
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April 24, 2008 10:58 - Unusual Weeds, Locavores And Composting Slugs
The common description of a weed as "a plant that is growing in the wrong place" took on new meaning for me when I noticed this press release from New Zealand. The Agapanthus is one of my favorite summer flowers. Unfortunately it does not seem to appreciate the conditions in my garden and so often fails to flower. The opposite is true in the northern parts of New Zealand where it has become such a problem that it will be banned from sale, propagation and distribution in the Auckland region from 1 July, 2008. Read more..
"I don't want to give up a nice green lawn, but I would like to know about natural alternatives to commercial fertilizers and pesticides" writes Jan H. from South Brunswick. Bill Hlubik who is a professor and agricultural and resource management agent at Rutgers University provides some helpful tips. These include using compost and encouraging earthworms. He also joins the chorus of those telling us that we should give up our gas powered mowers. Read more.. It seems that the latest fashion in Salt Lake City is to become a "locavore". Kathy Stephenson reports that people all across America and in Utah are embracing the idea of "eating local." One way is to shop at a farmers market, but the real answer is to "find a sunny spot in the backyard and grow an organic garden". Now is the time to make a start and she lists ten steps that will enable you to enjoy fresh and tasty produce from your backyard. Read more..
The garden pest that is top of my hate list is the slug. Every year I wage a constant battle with these pests that cause so much damage to young plants in particular. "But they do have some redeeming qualities" says Mike McGroarty. "They are actually beneficial creatures who recycle organic matter and help build soil. Think of slugs as tiny composters" he adds. He does concede that when slugs start causing damage to your plants then it is time for them to go. He suggests putting out boards or damp newspapers overnight to attract them. In the morning lift the boards and empty the slugs into a bucket of soapy water. Do this for a few days and the slug population will be significantly reduced. Source: One Minute Gardening Bits Newsletter
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