Hello fellow readers, Some of my houseplants are desperate. The low humidity of the heated house has wreaked havoc. Plus, some of their pots are too tight, much like my pants after the holidays. Thank goodness for stretchy jeans. Even if there were stretchy pots, it’s the lack o

Hello fellow readers, It occurs to me when we are young, entering adulthood, we are in a stage of growing and gathering. Typically choosing a partner, thereby adding an extended family. Pursuing a career, nesting in a home, maybe having children. When young, we tend to look forward ra

Hello fellow readers, Tis a few days before Christmas and all through the valley, folks are scrambling like lunatics with their last minute rally. ‘The stockings all hung by the chimney with care. In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.’ Anticipating Santa coming sure takes th

Hello fellow readers, There are oodles of folklore on winter weather predictions. Plentiful acorns, thick corn husks, squirrels gathering nuts early, crickets in the chimney, halos around the moon, early rodent infestation or bird migration, when pigs eat sticks, and my favorite – nar

Hello fellow readers, “They’re long and leggy,” wrote Melanie of Newton, NJ. She and her husband acquired a lake-side fixer-upper built over a half-century ago. The rhododendrons have grown taller than the house, and branches are resting on the roof. Fortunately, you

Skunk cabbage's unusual chemistry creates heat, melting the snow around itself. It's one of the first things to sprout and serves a role long ago as well as today.

Hello Fellow Readers, I learned from Patti of Little Big Farm in Blairstown that she started seeds in early February, which piqued my curiosity; actually, it made me green with envy. Aren’t we all longing for green? The rule of thumb is eight weeks before the last frost date is

Hello fellow readers, This time of year my indoor plants start to show signs of distress. Which, frankly, may have to do with over doting; that’s my gardening term for overwatering and maybe overfeeding. Because of the dry heat indoors, watering your indoor plants can be tricky. It’s

Hello fellow readers, It’s been fun hearing about your favorite seed catalogs. Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds is one of your favorites. And what a history of the American Dream! At age 3 owner Jere Gettle began growing plants and in 1998, at 17, he printed his first catalog. Since t

Hello fellow readers, Last week The Press published a wonderful quote by Robert Brault. ‘In every gardener there is a child who believes in The Seed Fairy.’ Turns out the day before it published I happened to speak with the seed fairies at Catherine Dickson Hofman Library in Blairstow