Prolonging the Strawberry Season
A lot of my plants are blooming a tiny early this year, but the strawberries seem to be right on schedule. I grew a dozen plants in an upside-down container, ...
Record-breaking $90 million penthouse sale in N.Y.
The two-level penthouse features glass walls that offer near-panoramic park views. What real estate downturn? A two-level penthouse with sweeping views of Central Park just sold for more than $90 ...
New York condo sells for a record $90M
Take a look inside New York’s most costly penthouse by clicking on the picture above. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — An unnamed buyer paid more than $90 million for a Midtown ...
Design for the Birds
I’ve been watching the Cornell Lab of Ornithology webcams for the past week, as great blue heron and red-tailed hawk eggs hatched. It’s been fascinating watching the parents feed, shelter ...
Pinch Me! Helping Your Plants Branch Out.
Is it that time already? I feel like I just got my plants in the ground and yet they are begging to be pinched back and deadheaded. Perennials really are ...
Rose Gardening – A Problem Waiting to Happen?
Rust – Powdery Mildew- Black Spot. Could we be speaking about roses” I’ve stated before that growing roses shouldn’t be so worrisome and dreaded. Unless you are growing your roses ...
Keeping Your Garden In Color
When I first started gardening, many of my plants were either hand-me-downs or impulse buys. My garden plan consisted of “squeeze it in.” Some of those plants have since disappeared ...
Plants that Battle Bugs
Last week we talked about using onions to deter pests in the vegetable garden. So far, so good. Why stop there? Several herbs can not only deter pests, but also ...
Living Mulch
We’re having a problem with a ground covering weed, in our Master Gardener display garden. It’s probably caused by a combination of a mild winter and overly rich mulch. My ...
Consumer agency targets predatory lending
Richard Cordray, director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, testifying on Capitol Hill in January. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) — The federal government is considering a new set of rules on ...
What Do You Want from Your Plants?
Last October I mentioned that I had been sent samples of Cool Wave pansies, a new introduction from the folks who brought us Wave Petunias. Well I’m happy to report ...
Onions to Cry For
Where would we be without onions to cook with? There’s no substitution. And still onions get very tiny respect. Probably because they go about their business and ask very tiny ...
Free Fertilizer with Comfrey
Comfrey is kind of an awkward looking plant, growing 5′ tall with giant lower leaves and clusters of small dangling flowers at the very top. But it has a cottage ...
Deterring Birds from the Garden
Gardeners love the company of birds in the garden… most of the time. They’re not such beautiful creatures when they strip your bushes of berries the day before they ripen. ...
Americans anticipate to work longer, retire later
Americans now anticipate to work longer If the date you anticipate to retire seems to be getting further away rather than closer at hand, join the club. The average age at ...
6 ways to get a great mortgage deal
Finding a great deal on an inexpensive house is no longer a problem but qualifying for a mortgage can be. (MONEY Magazine) — Finding an inexpensive house is no longer ...
Now Blooming – Solomon’s Seal (Polygonatum)
Polygonatum is an awkward name for such an elegant plant. Even Solomon’s Seal doesn’t really do it justice. Polygonatum gracefully arches and nods in the shade garden. It’s one of ...
Vinegar and Weeds
Here’s a question I’ve gotten from more than one reader: Can you use vinegar as a herbicide? The short answer is – yes. There are some ifs, ands and buts, ...
Word for Wednesday Inspiration Visit a Garden
Some days it seems that inspiration has put out the do not disturb sign and other times I have more ideas than Post-it Notes to write them on. That always ...
Rosy Shade – Roses for Sun Challenged Gardens
Roses for shade? Well, almost. While all roses enjoy a full day in the sun, many will grow just fine in partial shade. Heavy bloomers and rugged rugosas that thrive ...
It’s a Vegetable! A Fruit! An Ornamental Plant?It’s Rhubarb!
Rhubarb is a very ornamental vegetable that is usually prepared and eaten much like a fruit. All that and it’s perennial in many areas. Rhubarb, in shades of green and ...
What’s Eating My Edible Yard?
I do not have unlimited space for gardens, so I try to squeeze things in wherever I can. Although I love the idea of edible landscaping, I have a enough ...
Disappointing Daffodils?
One of the reasons so many of us plant daffodils is that they seem to last forever. According to the American Daffodil Society, “Under good growing conditions, they should outlast ...
That’s Just Dandy!
What is it about dandelions that we find so offensive? We’ll intentionally plant bulbs in our lawns, but volunteer dandelions must be eradicated. I suppose it’s the way they shoot ...
More Native Wonders
Last week I wrote about wildflowers that you might not even know were wild. There are several new books out that take a closer look at wildflowers. If you are ...
Divide and Multiply – Plants
Spring is a great time to divide your over-grown perennials, so if you are still putting it off, get moving. Division will not just extend the life of your plants, ...
Here’s Why Radishes Get Hard and Woody?
Everyone states radishes are one of the easiest vegetables to grow. They certainly grow quickly, which is why they are often recommended for gardening with small, impatient kids. They grow ...
And the Orchid Wins!
The winners of the February / March Indoor Plants pic challenge have been chosen and once again, we have an orchid as the winner. As lovely as orchids are, it ...
Wild and Wonderful Flowers
This is a great time of year to take a walk and enjoy the “weeds” growing off the beaten path. Wildflowers have been getting a lot of attention lately, but ...
Leeks Gone Wild
When I wrote about ramps last year, I mentioned that their surge in popularity was making them as pricy as truffles. I’ve seen several new ramps festivals popping up in ...