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
There is all kinds of information on what to do with your outdoor garden plants in the spring. But what should you do with your indoor plants? Let’s Begin With Nutrients If you have not already started feeding your indoor plants, you should start now. I usually start feeding mine end-February. Even indoor plants, in … Read more
It’s not quite time to plant your garden vegetables yet. Because our weather is so uncertain (four years ago, we had a frost AFTER May 1st), I always wait until May 1st to plant tender veggies (like tomatoes, peppers, cukes, beans, etc.). Even then, I double-check the long-range weather forecast just to be safe. Prepare … Read more
Did you know that composting is beneficial not only for your yard but also for the environment? The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) says, “Recycling food and other organic waste into compost provides a range of environmental benefits, including improving soil health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, recycling nutrients, and mitigating the impact of droughts.”1 This … Read more
I’ve had many questions this year about our last frost date. The University of Virginia Climatology Office says that here in Richmond, we have a 50% chance of having a frost on or after April 6th and a 10% chance of frost on or after April 23rd. Officially, our last EXPECTED frost date is mid-April. … Read more
Yesterday was St. Patrick’s Day. Did you get a shamrock? We can tell you how to take care of it. But first, a few interesting tidbits about St. Patrick. St. Patrick was NOT Irish. He was born in Britain and was of Roman descent. His birth name was Maewyn Succat. St. Patrick made it to … Read more
