Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
A winter window box decorated with holly with red berries, white pine branches, dry ornamental grasses, and red and white Christmas balls.

Winter Decorating with Roadside Finds

Hello fellow readers, Busted! My buddy Paulette from Blairstown, NJ, caught me picking up the “roadkill” the other day. My philosophy is if you can’t find all that you need in your digs, there’s nothing wrong with a little roadside cleanup. Roadkill is Paulette’s witty des
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Winter Weather Predictions 2014-2015

Hello fellow readers, We sure had an early preview of things to come and I wasn’t ready. What a sight to see as I rallied in snow boots and cross country ski garb in the heavy pre-Thanksgiving Day snow to cut back my Eupatorium /Joe-Pye Weed and lay their seed heads under the snow ont
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Dozens of red worms in dark brown rich compost

Worm Composting Part 2

Hello fellow readers, I considered delaying part two of our talk about Worm Composting in the spirit of a more appetizing topic for Thanksgiving, but a promise is a promise. And dinner preparations will make plenty of grub for your worms. (For those that missed last week, here’s
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Worm Composting Part 1

Hello fellow readers, Yay! John from Belvidere asked about worm composting -what fun! The process is called vermicomposting. It takes very little space, and there’s little or no odor. Best of all, a couple of pounds of worms can make nutrient-rich compost out of your trash in ab
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a closeup of rhododendron with leathery dark green leaves and flower buds.

Last of the Season Chores

Hello fellow readers, As requested, here’s some last of the season gardening to-dos. Protect your outside pots. Most concrete, glazed or terracotta pots, with or without plants, will crack if left out in the winter; with the exception of the high-priced ones made to withstand freezing
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Wilt Pruf

In the Northeast, late fall is the time to bring out the big guns to prevent transpiration – the loss of water from plant parts, mainly leaves. Deeply water plants before the grounds freeze, and continue to water during winter months when above freezing if Mother Nature doesn’t
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Composting, Composting Leaves, Leaf Mold, Garden Dilemmas Ask Mary Stone, garden tips, gardening blog

Opening up a Can of Worms

Hello fellow readers, I think I’ve opened a can of worms; about composting that is. We’ve talked about using leaves in our gardens but Jennifer of Hackettstown shared that hers never seem to break down. If you shred your leaves and add extra nitrogen, they’ll compost more quickl
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Composting Leaves, Leaf Mold, using fallen leaves in the garden, Garden Dilemmas Ask Mary Stone, garden tips, gardening tips

Vitamin Packed Leaf Confetti

Hello fellow readers, Last week’s chat about how leaves change color inspired several to ask what to do once they litter the ground. First, consider them as free vitamin supplements, not litter, as they are packed with nutrients that trees absorb from our good earth. John from H
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Seiryu Japanese Maple ,Acer palmatum 'Seiryu', Garden Dilemmas, Ask Mary Stone, Gardening tips, Garden Blogs

Why leaves change color 101

Hello, fellow readers, I’ll bet Bridget of Forks Township is not the only one who wants to know what influences the glorious colors of fall. We all know it has to do with cooler temperatures and shorter days, but why do some trees turn red while others stay orange and yellow? Du
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Hickory Tussock caterpillars , Lophocampa caryae, Garden Dilemmas Ask Mary Stone, Garden Tips

Cute Creepy Crawlers

Hello Fellow Readers, Seems we’re crowded with cute creepy crawlers, caterpillars that is. I have an affinity for the woollybear caterpillars because of the folklore about winter predictions; the wider the brown middle band, the milder the winter, so it is said. In fact I love photogr
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