Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, Ask Mary Stone, New Jersey Garden blog
Kearny Community Garden using strawbales

Straw Bales Baby: Kearny Community Garden

Hello fellow readers, I knew little about straw bale gardening until I met Peg and Ed, who are entrenched volunteers of the Kearny Community Garden. Peg, a retired 6th-grade teacher of 52 years, I believe she said, is still teaching; but now her students are gardeners from age 8 to 93
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Seed Drooling Devices

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
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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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Garden Dilemmas Ask Mary Stone, Crabgrass

Crabby about Crabgrass

Hello fellow readers, A visit with my dear Mom leads to a story about how to overcome being crabby about crabgrass. Last week we spoke about the pesky Japanese beetle, and I chuckle at how many of you shared your intense aversion towards the bothersome bug. What is there to like about
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Burn-Out an Organic Weed Control

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
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