I have been struggling with the mysterious death of my broccoli, and then cabbage, for a few years now. At first, I thought the ants had to be doing it, since they were the only thing I could see. Finally, this year, I learned about cabbage maggots. I had no idea that there is a […]
Gardening Properly with Property Lines
Borders and property lines. Everyone has them if you have any kind of garden space. These demarcations present unique problems, with both a physical and social implications. You can save yourself trouble and heartache by being aware of a few things. (click on any photo to enlarge) 1. Property lines mean a mingling of plants. […]
Fun Flowers to Grow From Seed: Tidy Tips
Tidy tips are also known as poached egg flowers. I had some years ago that I bought as plants. They reseeded for a couple years, then got lost in the scheme of things because their seedlings look a lot like a weed that is very prolific in my yard. I always liked their white […]
My Backyard Weeds – Elm Tree Flying Saucer Invasion
My neighbor has three majestic Siberian elm trees on the other side of his field that invade my yard every April with seeds like aliens invade New York. One reason the seeds make me think of an alien invasion is their shape. They are thin disks, with a tiny bulge in the middle where […]
Transplanting (or Herding) Volunteer Potatoes
If you have ever grown potatoes, you know that it is nearly impossible to dig up every single one of them at harvest time. If they stay in the ground, many are far enough below ground level that they are not turned to mush by freezing winter temperatures. Thus it is that they sprout readily […]