Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
yellow forsythia in bloom with the ealry morning making it glow

Forsythia not Blooming?

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Denise from Mt. Tabor, PA, asked why her forsythia aren’t blooming. You’re not the only one, Denise; mine hasn’t either for over two years. Non-blooming forsythia most often results from improper pruning, though deer browse, not enough s
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a single reddish orange nasturtium flower with foliage peeking throuhg wall boards.

Plant Companions for Vegetables

Hello, fellow lovers of all things green: Many of you reached back with kind wishes and shared stories about your furry companions. Your kindness means so much. Jolee recovered quickly from her foot full of porcupine quills. As it turns out, Maria, the selfless hiker who stepped in to
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closeup of a black and white dog with a nametag Jolee

Three Sisters Gardening & Jolee’s Emergency

Hello fellow readers, I intended this week’s topic to be about Three Sisters Gardening—companion plants in your vegetable gardens stemming from Native Americans. They combined corn, pole beans, and squash, creating an ecosystem for sustainable gardening. Rather than planting in
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two woman and a man planting a redbud tree in front of a highschool

A Forest Pansy Redbud of Hope

Hello, Fellow Readers. The printed version of our column in The Press is back on the stands. It’s nice to see some things returning to how they used to be. Others will never be the same, which is always the case. A sure thing in life is it’s ever-changing. May a rainbow of
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robin in nest

Robins of Renewal in the Garden

Hello Fellow Readers, The American robin is considered a sign of renewal adored in the garden. Though migratory birds, you can create a garden to keep them in your yard year-round— if I may share a story of my family of robins. On Sunday, after “first call” with Miss Ellie
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sunbeam through branches of beach tree with emerging leaves

Unusual Spring & Soil Temperature

Hello Fellow Readers, The spring sure is unfolding at an unusual pace. Many are asking why the leaves on trees look stunted—or reporting perennials that haven’t come back. Give it time. Much has to do with soil temperatures, but Mother Nature has a way of sorting things out. Dur
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Pale pink peony flower wiht yellow center

History & Meaning of Mother’s Day

Hello Fellow Readers,  A friend’s mom passed away recently. Eleanor, a grand 98, lived an exceptionally long life. Still, losing a mom is heartbreaking. When Barbara called to share the news, she said how close it is to Mother’s Day. We always celebrate our Moms, I assured
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A woman cutting cabbage out of garden

Vegetable Garden Basics

Hello fellow readers, It is undoubtedly is a challenging time in the history of our country. I pray the precautions and consequences of the coronavirus brings us together—each of us sharing kindness, provisions, and seeds of love with our neighbors, which brings me to the topic of sta
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Black lab mix dog wearing a St. Patricks day hat.

History of St. Patrick’s Day

Hello Fellow Readers, While shopping in a nearby grocery, I came upon a display of clover with cute little shamrock decorations on top of each pot. It occurred to me, as I admired them, I didn't know the history and significance of St. Patrick's Day. I'll bet that may be true of some
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Hakonechloa-Hanoke-Grass-Mountsier-Garden-Lawn-Alternative

Lawn Alternatives Part 2

Hello Fellow Readers, Last week’s chat about Dutch clover (Trifolium repens) as a lawn alternative created quite a buzz. Beyond the buzz of our happy pollinators scurrying from bloom to bloom. It seems the algae bloom on New Jersey’s Lake Hopatcong has brought the devastating di
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