When people think about growing food in urban areas, the first idea is usually to hide the vegetable garden somewhere in the backyard. Edible landscaping offers an alternative to conventional residential landscapes; edible plants can be just as … [Read more...]
Ye Olde Kitchen Garden In the Garden
Kathleen Wall, who cooks and gardens at Plimoth Plantation in Plymouth, Mass., holds skirrets, a root vegetable popular in colonial days. Like other plants used during that era, it fell out of favor over time. Credit: Erik Jacobs for The New York … [Read more...]
DID YOU KNOW? By Sue Becker, Bedford Extension Master Gardener
Great “Gourds” Almighty! Did you ever wonder how the custom of carving scary faces into hollowed-out pumpkins or “Jack O’ Lanterns” at Halloween came about? The term Jack O’ Lantern came from the 17th century British Isles. “Jack” was the common name … [Read more...]
Interesting and Useful Websites
Recently, I’ve run across several websites that have interesting, credible and useful information that I want to share. If you find yourself with nothing to do for a while, it’s easy to get lost in this stuff. And I’m certain there are … [Read more...]
DRYING FLOWERS
Even with the increased popularity of plastic and fiber flowers (silk for example), many people still prefer “the real thing” preserved in a lifelike manner. Flower preservation has become a popular hobby. Flowers such as marigolds, zinnias, … [Read more...]
Ripening Of Grapes: When To Harvest Grapes
For the home gardener, growing grapevines may create a lovely shaded oasis or arbor, or an ornamental detail with the added bonus of edibility. But how do you know when to harvest grapes at the peak of their sweetness and optimum flavor? Read More: … [Read more...]
Fall Pruning for Peonies
A client asked about the best time to prune peonies, as the foliage was dying back this time of year. It is important to wait until after 1 or 2 frosts to be sure the plant is dormant before pruning it back. Doing so earlier is likely to … [Read more...]
7 Lawn Care Musts for Your Fall Yard
Among turf care experts, it's a well-known fact that the best way to ensure a thick, green, and healthy lawn in the spring is to give it some well-timed care in the fall—in other words, right now. Continue Source: This Old House … [Read more...]
The ultimate guide to weeds: What to yank, what to leave and what you should never ever touch
But no matter how many weeds they've plucked, even veteren gardeners get stumped at times trying to determine what is, and what is not, a weed — particularly in the spring when everything is just beginning to peek out of the soil and your winter … [Read more...]
Build a DIY Cold Frame Using An Old Window
One of the projects that I knew I wanted to include in my book, Raised Bed Revolution, was a cold frame. I had seen some neat DIY cold frame examples through garden visits over the years, great cold frame kits through various retailers and … [Read more...]