Hello fellow readers, One of my favorite evergreen conifer specimens is the Umbrella Pine (Sciadopitys verticillata). It sits to the right of the garage giving it protection from winds as advised by experts when planted in zone 5. Michael Dir, the guru of woody plants, lists its hardi

Hello fellow readers, We are inundated with requests for donations that come in varying forms and disguises. While we wish to give back and help others, evaluating good causes can be confusing. I recently received an official-looking envelope labeled 2018 New Jersey Tree Survey and th

Hello fellow readers, A new year often brings resolutions like exercising, getting organized, or quitting habits like smoking or stacking up garden magazines (busted!). I spent an afternoon in the basement tending to a long overdue task of clearing things out. Basements are limbo plac

Hello fellow readers, So long 2017. It has been a wonderful year of learning. In revisiting our topics, we sure spoke about a bunch of critters. About the birds in a two-part bird fodder series. And about the bees – the story about relocating fifty thousand honeybees that took up resi

Hello Fellow Readers, The Press publishes a pictorial issue during Christmas week – few written words, simply photo highlights from their year of publication. While I enjoyed the deadline respite, I couldn’t let the week go by without posting for my followers online (Thank

Hello, fellow readers, Miss Ellie learned to flail her tail by the door where the ribbons of bells hang, making a sound like a reindeer making a landing. The bells are right next to where we stash her biscuits. Ellie’s cleverness earns her a treat. Fluffy snow and frigid temps g

Hello fellow readers, I was chatting with Linda, my college roommate in southern California, who mentioned her friend Lore’s home is being swarmed by ladybugs. Many of us think of ladybugs as good luck which is said to have stemmed from farmers long ago, who prayed to the Virgin Mary

Sara from Oxford NJ asked how to prepare a plot in her backyard for organic vegetable gardening come spring. She suspects the previous owners used chemicals as when they moved in, the lawn "looked like a golf course." Kudos Sara. It's smart to consider the prior use of chemicals when

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, What a whirlwind trip, venturing to Tennessee to attend my nephew’s wedding. Ellie in tow, brother Rick suggested a lovely walking spot in Knoxville called Lakeshore Park, with spectacular views of the Tennessee River and the Great Smoky

Hello fellow readers, Nuts are abundant this fall which, in weather folklore, means a harsh winter is ahead. When walking around our Shagbark Hickory trees (Carya ovata) it feels as though I’m skating on marbles. The first time I was introduced to shagbark nuts was when a golf ball si