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

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

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

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

Hello Fellow Readers, Stephanie from Denville NJ wrote ‘I’m so excited! I ordered a bunch of daffodil bulbs but it looks like they won’t ship until late October.’ That’s right Stephanie, you don’t want to plant bulbs too early as it can lead to fungus or disease problems. Ideall

Hello Fellow Readers, A few weeks ago we spoke about fall tasks and one is to take advantage of the great season to plant. What should he plant asked Harry from Hardwick. By and large anything that’s available and fits into your landscape plan and cultural environment – wi

Hello Fellow Readers, A faithful Blairstown reader, dear friend, and fellow fan of Bottlebrush Buckeye (Aesculous parviflora) suggested I write about what to do in the garden each time of year. Roger Roger here goes. You’ve likely noticed the squirrels and other critters are foraging

Hello fellow readers, One hundred columns ago, we began out garden chat. It’s far more than about digging in the dirt. Gardens relate to all that grows in this garden of life. So for column 101, it seems fitting to reflect on our very first topic; Proper Planting & Mulching.

Hello fellow readers, Not a single write-in this week, but I won’t take it personally.  No doubt you’re up to your eyeballs in the fa la la la la of the holidays, so if I may ask a question about the timing of my 15-year old Christmas cactus, which has bloomed well before

Hello fellow readers, Winter predictions are always a popular topic this time of year. You’ve heard the folklore; the wider the middle brown section of the wooly bear caterpillar the milder the coming winter. The more frenzied the nut collecting of squirrels the harsher the wint