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Arborvitaes are multi-stemmed plants so when heavy, wet snow falls sticks to the foliage these stems are pulled apart. What used to be a slim, green plant suddenly resembles the Wizard of Oz scarecrow pointing in two directions. “Of course, some people go both ways.” Such split arborvitae stems can become permanently bent and the [...]
Garden geeks focus primarily on plants, and with good reason. The plant is where the action is…where growth and life exists. We’re willing to acknowledge, however, that the environment where that plant grows is equally important. The soil, moisture, and all the intertwined biology and wildlife matter to that plant’s ability to survive and grow. [...]
This summer we tried planting several vegetable crops in Smart Pots, and I have to admit that we are impressed. At the beginning of the season we filled these fabric bags with a mix of our own soil, our own compost, and Moo Dirt. Three of the Smart Pots were immediately planted with seed potatoes. [...]
Report From An Opinionated Gardener – March 3 I came home in the early afternoon in order to write. As usual I sat in my bedroom near the windows, and was typing away on the laptop when I saw a flutter out of the corner of my eye. A bluebird had perched on the railing [...]
Report From An Opinionated Gardener – January 8 At the end of October I wrote somewhat of a rant about the practice of wrapping plants in burlap for the winter. At what price protection, was the question posed. Looking out at my bamboo cloches I see that there is another way to think about this [...]
Report From An Opinionated Gardener – September 28 There are times when something functional is also highly ornamental. Watering cans and terracotta flowerpots fall into this category. Baskets too, but usually not hoses and sprinklers. I think that a common clamming basket, as is or adorned, is perfect in the garden, form and function. They [...]
Report From PIA – June 15 Today I bought batteries and set up my Wireless Deer Fences. They need to charge overnight so that when I put them out, and the scent tubes draw the deer to them, they are ready to shock. You see, the Wireless Deer Fence works because we know that deer [...]
Report From PIA – June 13 Are there plants in your garden that make your heart soar? Just a glance at the flowers or foliage make you smile, right? This is how I feel about my Salix ‘Hakuro Nishiki’, the dappled willow. The new foliage is most striking in early summer. I’ve had many people [...]
Report From PIA – May 8 When I was in the third grade my father told my brother and me that he would pay us a penny for every dandelion we dug out of the lawn. We went to work with enthusiasm, feeling rich from the get-go, because at that time in the 1950’s a [...]
It is Thanksgiving morning and as I drink my coffee I watch the birds crowd into the feeder. Cardinals, morning doves and a titmouse take turns with the blue jays. We have lots of blue jays. Just below the birdfeeder, four crows walk up the grass path from the lake, looking like religious elders in [...]
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