Hello fellow readers, “Is fall a good time to mulch,” asked John of Washington, NJ? I think so, mainly because when spring arrives, there’s much to do in the garden. And for me, the madness of the season speedily unfolds. This spring, like most springs, mulching didn’t hap

Hello fellow readers, This growing season provided a perfect environment for foliar disease. Earlier in the summer Hector from Morristown, NJ sent a photo of his Mom’s maple tree dotted with black spots. “All the leaves seem to have the cooties.” I sent the photo off to my favorite as

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 abo

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 of all, think of them as free vitamin supplements, not litter, as they are packed with nutrients that trees absorbed from our good earth. John fro

Hello fellow readers, About leaf manners. It is not neighborly to put your leaves into other’s woods or fields without permission.  And, unless your town has a leaf sucking-up program (curbside vacuuming), putting them in the street is not a polite solution as they will blow onto your