April is National Gardening Month. Is that perfect timing or what? Right now my yard is a riot of color—the lush rose pink of the redbud, the sunny yellow of the forsythia and daffodils, the little patches of rich blue muscari and light blue starflowers, and the yellow dandelions and purple violets dotting my backyard … Read more
EDIBLE LANDSCAPING IS BECOMING A VERY POPULAR LANDSCAPING TREND I have been transforming my landscape to include more edible plants and fruits — especially with my container gardens. I recently moved a couple of years ago and I love my edible container gardens. So, you may be asking ‘what is edible landscaping’? Edible landscaping replaces … Read more
So the first day of “official” spring was March 20, but when is spring really? Well, that depends on who you ask. In the United States, spring begins on the Vernal Equinox (on or about March 20/21) and ends on the Summer Solstice. Meteorologists, on the other hand, consider spring consisting of the months of … Read more
AND, WHAT ARE MYCORRHIZAE? To put it simply—Bio-Tone is a starter plant food for organic gardening. And, it contains Mycorrhizae. Together they promote stronger roots, bigger blooms, and healthier plants. ORGANIC I can’t stress enough how I feel about using Bio-Tone. I will never plant anything without incorporating Bio-Tone in the hole when planting. So, … Read more
What’s more delicious than a steaming hot potato with melting butter or sour cream and chives? Or mashed potatoes? French-fries? Potato Chips? Potatoes are on many people’s favorite food list. But where did they come from? Whoever came up with the idea for potato chips or French fries? Let’s “Dig” for the Potato Facts Potatoes … Read more
A SURE SIGN THAT SPRING IS ARRIVING Yes, we have our peepers being noisy and some people use this as a sign that spring has arrived. To me, I like seeing our Redbud trees in bloom as the sign of spring. As I drive around the Richmond area I love seeing these trees in bloom … Read more
JAPANESE MAPLE TREES LEND A SENSE OF GRACE TO ANY SPACE Are you awed by Japanese Maple trees? I sure am and have been for quite a few years. My first true exposure to Japanese Maple trees was as a buyer and doing buying trips to Oregon. I fell in love with them. In Portland, … Read more
Composting is beneficial for many reasons. It reduces waste in landfills and improves soil quality by providing food for earthworms and beneficial microbes that break it down into nutrients. Part of being an organic gardener is learning to compost. Can you just toss leaves, weeds, and kitchen scraps together? Well, yes — and no. To … Read more
Did you know this past Saturday was National Strawberry Day? A whole day devoted to my very favorite fruit—who knew? Strawberry Legends How did strawberries get their name? No one knows for sure, but the most widely accepted story is, because strawberries spread profusely by runners, after a couple of years, the fields look “strewn” … Read more
Orchids are the largest family of blooming plants in the world with nearly 28,000 naturally occurring species and well over a hundred thousand man-made hybrids. They are also the most highly evolved family of blooming plants. Orchids are native to every continent in the world with the exception of Antarctica. How Orchids Became Popular Orchids … Read more
