The heated controversy over organic versus inorganic gardening, which a few years ago raged up and down and across the land in horticultural circles and garden clubs, has largely subsided. As is usual in such fiery debates, it is doubtful if the heat generated had much effect in melting down the resistance of either side … Read more
Many who have reached retirement age feel they have come to the end of their trail. The future seems dark and uncertain. When they are suddenly released from a job that has occupied 30 or 50 years of their lives, they are like a ship with anchors dragging and engines dead. Some have a hobby … Read more
Once upon a time, it was my happy fortune to be active in the world of song. This usually creates a gorgeous picture of glamor, exciting travel, and general adulation. But the hours of relaxation are few and far between. Despite tire plaudits and the enthusiasm of public acclaim, a career because of its many … Read more
Some 20 years ago, the idea came to me that strawberries planted in the fall might be the secret of greater production, especially when the matted row system grew the crop. The matted row system means that the mother plants are usually set from 18″ to 30″ inches apart in the row, with rows from … Read more
Through the years, men and bees have worked together to create improved flowers and vegetables. Awe-inspiring artificial moons are drawing our attention toward the skies as never before. Amid all this, it may be reassuring to realize that we have, or can have, more pleasantly diverting scientific marvels to ponder at arm’s length in our … Read more
The common garden flowers “beloved,” according to many garden books, “by our grandmothers,” date beyond our grandmothers to ancestors far too remote to be included in any family tree. We will never know who was the first man — or was it a woman? — who snatched an ordinary flower, a rose or a lily … Read more
Clean up and paint up is the slogan for the owner of the home greenhouse this month. This means hard work, akin to struggle unless one can remember the colorful plants and flowers for which we are preparing a home. It is much easier to prevent an influx of insects and spores of fungus diseases … Read more
The pungent, fruity odor of ripening grapes on the side of an old barn is a sure reminder of Autumn with its bounteous harvest and its changing tints and shades, which enliven the landscape. The clear, sunny days and that curious, encircling purplish haze which often settles down on hilly regions in the afternoon when … Read more
Late summer is a good time to consider the advantages of fall planting and the ways to ensure the best results with fall-planted material. In the fall, the soil is warm and flaky—a condition ideal for planting and rapid root growth. Favorable soil temperatures influence to a great extent, the behavior of soil microbes and … Read more
Tulips are among the most brilliant and cheerful of spring flowering plants. Fortunately, too, they are among the easiest to work with in creating artistic landscape effects. If you buy top-grade bulbs and follow a practical plan when you plant them this fall, tulips just can’t disappoint you. Good Landscape Effect For a good landscape … Read more