Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
A light brown bottlebrush buckeye seed with tough leather-like capsules

Sowing the Treasures of Buckeye Seeds

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green, Once again, I was late tending to my garden, scurrying about just before the first snow. You’ve likely heard the phrase “a shoemaker without shoes.” It’s ironic how folks who provide a service often neglect to provide i
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white bowl with watermelon cubes and blueberries

Oxymoron of Seedless Watermelon

Hello fellow readers; Independence Day is a day to celebrate and cherish the freedoms our forefathers fought for and to thank those that serve to protect our freedoms today. Along with the July 4th festivities comes watermelon. Remember the seed-spitting contests? Maybe young uns don&
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Mary Stone, Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone,Gardening tips, Garden Blogs, Stone Associates Landscape Design, Garden Blog,Northern New Jersey Landscape Designer, NJ Garden Coach and Speaker,How seeds disperse, seed dispersal, Seeds, eating dandelions

Seeds Rooted in Love

Hello Fellow Readers, There’s a country song sung by Kathy Mattea that I adore titled Seeds, and the chorus speaks volumes starting with: “We’re all just seeds in God’s hands.” I recall singing it for my parent’s 50th wedding anniversary. All of the
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A colander of funky vegetables on a wooden table

Are Funky Vegetables GMO?

Hello Fellow Readers, Green beans aren’t only green anymore. And tomatoes come in all sorts of shades and mottled blends of colors. There are even tomatoes that stay green when they’re ripe. Charlotte of Stone Church, PA, asked if the funky vegetables are genetically modif
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white pine pine cones on the side of the road next to feet in black sneakers with pine needles

The Secret Life of Pinecones

Hello fellow readers, We ventured to Blue Mountain Lake, part of the Delaware Water Gap Recreational Area, on Sunday, having not visited since last May when I shared the Flora & Reflections. In winter, evergreens take center stage, and it was fun to see all the young white pines a
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a woman's hand holding a dark brown aged pawpaw fruit

Planting Pawpaw Seeds

Hello fellow readers, What a treat to gather a biweekly allotment at Genesis Farm in Blairstown, NJ, gifted by a client who’s become a friend. Nancy said her friend Lois would be there volunteering as a greeter if I picked up the provisions before two, which I did, and what a tr
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an avocado seed suspended with toothpicks on a crystal glass on a windowsill

Sprouting Avocado Seeds in Water

Hello fellow readers, I adore meeting folks who take time to chat. Jolee pulled me towards Cheryl of Blairstown, NJ, as she was grabbing her mail, resulting in a lovely chat leading to her avocado dilemma: How fun to revisit the magic of sprouting avocado seeds in water. After nicetie
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the hands of a woman working on a tray of seedlings

Plant Grow Lights 101

Hello Fellow Readers, A few weeks ago, I heard from my high school sweetheart, who remains a lifelong friend. Rusty writes, “Sara is starting her hot pepper plants from seed this year. Is there effective plant grow lights that we should get? Many thanks.” I sent a long-ago
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spoon with tomato seeds and gel scooped out from a tomato

Saving Vegetable Seeds

Hello Fellow Readers, The idea of saving vegetable seeds came to me a few years back while buying produce at a farm market. One tomato weighed in at five bucks. True, it was a beefy one. When I shared my sticker shock, the farmer said it was an heirloom tomato grown organically. And s
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white bowl with watermelon cubes and blueberries

Are Seedless Watermelon GMO?

Hello Fellow Readers, We attended a pool party over the weekend with close friends; the host is a full-fledged organic gardener. “Aren’t seedless watermelons genetically modified not to have seeds?” one guest whispered as we dished the delicious fruit. “How can
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