THESE DAYS, I'm spending a good deal of time in my rose garden (pictured above, during summer), and feeling grateful that I do not use chemicals there. Too often gardeners resort to systemic poisons (like Bayer's honey bee-killing "Rose & Flower Care") in order to avoid the pests and diseases which target roses. But I have found that if hardy varieties are selected, and a sensible cultural routine is practiced, chemical controls are not necessary. And here are my time-tested tips for growing beautiful, healthy roses the organic way: Read more » The Organic Way to Beautiful Roses
April 19, 2012
THESE DAYS, I'm spending a good deal of time in my rose garden (pictured above, during summer), and feeling grateful that I do not use chemicals there. Too often gardeners resort to systemic poisons (like Bayer's honey bee-killing "Rose & Flower Care") in order to avoid the pests and diseases which target roses. But I have found that if hardy varieties are selected, and a sensible cultural routine is practiced, chemical controls are not necessary. And here are my time-tested tips for growing beautiful, healthy roses the organic way: Read more » Transplanting Winter-Sown Seedlings
April 16, 2012
GOT MILK-JUGS? I certainly do! Twenty-four of them, all filled with annuals and perennials achieved from last January's winter-sowing efforts. It's time to give some of these naturally hardened-off seedlings permanent positions in the open garden. Here are three techniques I use for separating and transplanting the seedlings, along with a tip for releasing the seedlings from their milk-jug greenhouse all in one clump: Read more » Can You Help the Honey Bees?
April 10, 2012
YOU'VE PROBABLY ALREADY HEARD that bee populations are dwindling. And that's bad news, because these buzzing insects are responsible for pollinating at least 1/3 of our nation's crops. Fortunately there are three things we gardeners can do to help local populations survive: Read more » Boxwood Beauty the Easy Way
April 8, 2012
Is there a more elegant shrub than boxwood (Buxus)? I don't think so. Evergreen and tolerant of all kinds of "shape-shifting," it is the ideal plant to edge a pathway, or to frame a garden bed or border. Despite its beauty this box, however, has one major drawback: it is very expensive. But you can have a sophisticated boxwood hedge without breaking the bank. My own ribbons of enduring green, pictured above, are living proof of this fact. Read more » First Aid for Non-Blooming Daffodils
April 2, 2012
THE TIMELY TOPIC OF DAFFODILS CAME UP THIS WEEK, when a reader asked "Why don't my daffodils have flowers?" Actually, these Narcissi have a number of requirements. If their needs are not met, the bulbs will deny us their bright bouquets. And here is my list of causes and cures for poor- or non-flowering daffodils: Read more » April Garden Chores
March 31, 2012
DO YOU PANIC IN APRIL? I don't blame you. This is the month when the garden requires us to move in 10 directions at once. Still, spring is too beautiful not to keep a few hours for savoring. Between planting, pruning, feeding and weeding jobs, let's stop to enjoy the parade of tulips (that's 'Purple Flag' in the photo up top), and to inhale the sweet air of hyacinths and daffodils. Then it's on to the following chores: Read more » Clara’s Dandelion Salad
March 28, 2012
THIS MORNING, while researching dandelions, I found myself face to face with Clara Cannucciari -- a 94-year-old woman who, in a series of webcasts, describes and prepares the food her family ate during the Great Depression. "The dandelion was a good meal to have during the depression because it was free and it's good for you," she says. Watch this episode, and then tell me if you feel inspired to keep, not eliminate, the dandelions in your yard. Read more » 
