Last week the EPA’s Administrator issued a proclamation announcing June 17th to the 23rd as National Pollinator Week. My thoughts? It’s about time! One third of our food supply requires pollination. And that’s not even counting food that our wildlife eats. How to Help Our Pollinator Friends We all know we should plant more pollinator-friendly … Read more
This coming Thursday, the 20th, is the Summer Solstice—the first official day of summer. On this day, the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, creating the longest day of sunlight and the shortest night. In the Southern Hemisphere, it’s the beginning of winter. Meteorological Verses Astrological Summer However, meteorologically speaking, the first of June … Read more
I’ve talked before about insect problems on vegetables, but other insect pests may also be found on indoor or outdoor plants, including flowers. Common Pests and How to Handle Them Here is a list of some of the more common ones and what you can do about them. Spider Mites If you see tiny white … Read more
As the days get warmer, fireflies come out to play—and mosquitoes come out to feast. However, there are a few things we can do to interrupt their banquet. And there are plants that can actually help to repel mosquitoes or help to hide your scent from them! That’s the good news. Some Primary Anti-Mosquito Plants Lemon Grass … Read more
What to Do Now Now you need to get into a routine of things to do to keep your garden at its best. Get in the habit of taking a few minutes, every couple of days to walk through your garden and get to know it. Look at the foliage, admiring any tiny blooms just … Read more
I was surprised to find out I could eat sweet potato vines—yes, that’s right—the VINES. I went to a friend’s house and she had a huge bowl on the table of greens sauteed with garlic. After eating them, her son said, “Bet you didn’t know these are sweet potato greens.” Well, he was right. I … Read more
Most people have heard of the Three Sisters garden—corn, beans, and squash. Well, believe it or not, it makes sense. The corn gives the beans something to climb. The beans affix nitrogen to the soil (and corn loves nitrogen), and the squash suppresses weeds by acting as a mulch. This is companion planting at its … Read more
Allepathy is how a plant interacts with the growth or germination of another plant near it. Sometimes, it hurts. Black Walnut Trees, Hickory Trees, and Juglone – Oh My A Black Walnut tree releases a chemical called Juglone that can inhibit the growth of certain plants. It mainly doesn’t get along with Solanaceae (potatoes, tomatoes, … Read more
My neighbor came to me yesterday, showed me a bottle of insecticide, and said that caterpillars ate all of their parsley and dill last year. This year, he wasn’t taking any chances. Would this work? I asked him, “You plant milkweed for the Monarch butterflies, right?” He said he did. I said, “Well, the Monarch … Read more
Today, April 22nd is Earth Day. Wisconsin Senator Gaylord Nelson proposed it in 1970 in response to the environmental interest created by Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring in 1962. Let’s Thank Rachel Carson, Author of Silent Spring Rachel Carson, a marine biologist, voiced her concerns about DDT and certain other pesticides in her book. This … Read more
