GARDEN DILEMMAS? ASK MARY!

Hello fellow readers, On August 7th, I proudly announced Happy First Tomato! Excited chipmunks didn’t get the first bite; the fate of all my tomato attempts in years past. Don’t laugh -I displayed my single bounty for a few days on the windowsill before I indulged in its f

Hello fellow readers, Many of you like to dance!  Jane from Mt. Bethel, PA, emailed me about the fun of watching butterflies in her garden and asked how to attract more. Ben from Belvidere, NJ, wondered if he planted butterfly loving plants, would he be inviting deer to the party. It

Hello fellow readers, While walking Miss Ellie, Lori and Gary of Blairstown were out doing yard work and shared their dilemma of a challenging slope along the driveway. Steep hills can be an eyesore and difficult to maintain. As with any plant selection, consider soil,light, root spac

Hello fellow readers, I had the privilege of digging in with the North Warren Garden Club who held their monthly meeting in the new park behind Agway in Blairstown next to where the seasonal Farmers’ Market is hosted. You may recall I met with the club almost two years ago to talk abo

Hello fellow readers, Last week we spoke about annoying crabgrass and how to keep it at bay. There’s more to be crabby about writes Carol from Blairstown who sent a picture of what looks like mini-bamboo, which she’s trying to wipe out to allow her pachysandra to spread. Japanese Stil

  Hello fellow readers, Last week we spoke about the pesky Japanese beetle and I chuckle how many of you shared your intense aversion towards the bothersome bug. What is there to like about them other than the 5 cents a jarful good old Mom offered up when we were kids? Speaking o

Hello fellow readers, I saw the first of the season as did Tom of Mt. Bethel who asked if he should hang the Japanese beetle traps you find at the hardware store.  The subject opens up a can of worms… or should I say grubs? Studies have shown that these pheromone lures attract many mo

Welcome to Rave Reviews! One of my favorite and most important recommendations:  Use Burn-Out, an organic alternative to Roundup, for weed control. Burn-Out Weed & Grass Killer by St Gabriel Organics made from clove oil and citric acid is a broad spectrum natural herbicide that ki

Hello fellow readers, 1-Mississippi, 2-Mississippi was the advice of the JCP&L operator who suggested not taking a shower during a thunderstorm – precisely where I was when a storm clambered through and kicked out the power, cable, internet, and telephone. “It came out