One of the most ornamental and functional vines where a close screen or shade is desired is the wild cucumber or balsam apple (Echinocystis lobata). Its rapid growth, as much as 10′ or 12′ feet a season, large leaves, and clusters of small greenish-white flowers followed by unusual fruit make it desirable. Native to North … Read more
Vegetable gardens usually include the minimum essentials for summer salads but a small area devoted entirely to salad greens can contribute to daily enjoyment and endless variety. If you share my problem of limited space, the first question will be, “Where in the world could you put it?” Convenient Narrow Edging A narrow edging of … Read more
Every gardener has some successes and some failures. Some can be accounted for, and others cannot. Let’s see what some main factors contribute to good or bad results. Various Contributing Factors For A Successful Garden Moisture Level In Your Garden Moisture is often the limiting factor. Even though ample rain falls, there are still spots … Read more
Truffles, subterranean mushrooms, are said to be rarities. They have been found mainly in France, England, and Italy for hundreds of years and have been considered a strictly European delicacy. Pigs and poodles there have been trained to sniff out truffles so they could be dug and sold. In 2021 white truffles will cost over … Read more
A garden notebook is a “must.” Now is as good a time as any to start one. Make a note of varieties you see and like. Jot down all your garden activities —even your mistakes. You’ll have a better garden for your effort. Peonies To Choose From Single Peonies Single peonies have a grace and … Read more
Last winter, while visiting a school room, I was interested in several kinds of plants growing in water. Most were common, but the growth method was an outstanding feature. Indoor gardeners grow their plants in certain soil mixtures, but they grow in water alone with no soil visible. The intriguing thing about it was that … Read more
Part One: The Plan, The Journey, and the First Two Months “Oh, it’s wonderful to be able to retire . . . and you’re moving to Florida! But won’t you miss the change of seasons, your roses, and the spring bulbs?” Our northern friends were probably concerned about our decision to move South, but no … Read more
When my mom was a kid she had a cellar on the farm. It was no problem to know where to store the jars of vegetables and fruits, potatoes, and apples. There was a back porch and space upstairs to ripen pears and store pumpkins and squash. Sweet potatoes were cured near the coal-burning furnace … Read more
We learned in elementary history that: “one great cause of the continued prosperity of the United States has been a large number of rich acres, covered for the most part with gigantic forests and the great stores of coal, oil, and gas which are hidden away in the earth.” Over 100 years ago (May 1908) … Read more
Another growing season is about to end in the more northerly parts of our country, and frosts can soon be expected in New England, upstate New York, and the Great Lakes and northern Great Plains. Therefore, it is not too early for gardeners to reminisce over the past outdoor gardening season and begin planning for … Read more