Hello fellow readers, The week of July 4th ignites the summer vacation season. With the plentiful rains so far this summer, plants will likely be more vulnerable to heat stress once the heat and dryness kick in.  So, before you head off to de-stress, here are a few tips to help your p

Hello fellow readers, Last year a den of fox provided a reprieve of my chipmunk dilemma. They’re back! Leaving piles of dirt around the garden pots. But my dilemma pales in comparison to Phil’s in Whitehall PA, worthy of a standup comedy routine. In early spring Phil asked “how to dis

Hello Fellow Readers, Just before our gardens kicked into gear, I had the privilege of dropping in on a succulent event hosted by A&J Messina Greenhouses in Blairstown NJ which served as a mini-gardening warmup. What a lively group of over seventy guests learning how to make a ter

Hello fellow readers, What a whirlwind trip venturing to Tennessee to attend my nephews wedding. Ellie in tow, brother Rick suggested a great walking spot in Knoxville called Lakeshore Park, with spectacular views of the Tennessee River and Great Smoky Mountains. What a glorious day!

Hello Fellow Readers, What fun I had perusing a favorite wholesale nursery to fill my naked late season pots. Rarely am I able to shop for my own gardens during peak season. I found the ‘Mini Penny’ mophead hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) I was looking for to serve as the anchor pie

Hello Fellow Readers, The pots between the garage doors remain largely vacant since our yellow jacket dilemma. Due to the proximity of the nest and the risk of anaphylactic shock of loved ones, a non-organic approach was sadly called for. If the yellowjacket nest was not in a tenuous

Hello Fellow Readers, Greetings from Cape May located at the very tip of New Jersey. It’s a joy to walk the streets of the Victorian architecture which has attracted vacationers since the mid-18th century designating Cape May as the country’s oldest seaside resort. Glorious gardens ab

Hello fellow readers, Jacquie from Andover bought some comfrey seeds to try. She heard comfrey leaves are great for the soil and it’s true. Common Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis), native to Europe, can juice up your garden with nutrients. But before you opt to plant it, consider that

Hello fellow readers, I knew little about straw bale gardening until I met Peg and Ed who are entrenched volunteers of the Kearny Community Garden. Peg, a retired 6th grade teacher of 52 years I believe she said, is still teaching; but now her students are gardeners from age 8 to 93.

Hello fellow readers, Busted! My buddy Paulette from Blairstown caught me picking up road kill the other day. My philosophy is, if you can’t find all that you need in your own digs there’s nothing wrong with a little roadside cleanup. Road kill is Paulette’s witty description of wintr