Regular readers of this blog know that I have a flock of chickens that not only provide eggs but also help out in the garden. For example, in the spring I let them out to weed fallow areas and to dig up grubs and other underground garden pests before I plant. I’ve had hens for … Continue Reading →

Last week I talked about the potatoes that I dug up very late in the season. What I didn’t mention was that same day I also dug my dahlia tubers that were still in the ground. Turns out they where in fine shape as well. It makes perfect sense that the tubers would look so … Continue Reading →

Earlier this week I was out working in my vegetable garden. I finished off the season by digging the last of my potatoes. Since we’ve had a cold November,  I was somewhat concerned about the shape they might be in. Now, I have occasionally found potatoes in the spring that have gone through an entire … Continue Reading →

I’m running behind in my fall garden projects, including taking care of the fallen leaves all over my lawn. Maybe it just feels like I’m behind because of the snow we’ve been having recently. This past weekend while driving back from up north, I spotted several people catching up on their fall tree leaf clean … Continue Reading →

While much of the country is focused on the mid-term elections, two opposing camps of gardeners are lining up against each other this fall.  Each side has compelling reasons why they are right and the other side is wrong. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground. One side is more, you might say, traditional … Continue Reading →

Since I ordered my garlic bulbs way back in the spring, I was not thinking of them at all when they arrived in the mail several days ago. I got those garlic cloves into the ground right away even though they could have been planted anytime from October through November. Getting them in earlier gives … Continue Reading →

This gardening season, I adopted another unique heirloom seed to try to save from extinction.  Currently, I’m saving four dry bean varieties that are not available commercially plus my own heirloom variety of tomato. Now I’m adding the first flower to my growing collection of unique heirlooms, a variety of zinnia. It was given to … Continue Reading →

During an afternoon walk while visiting our daughter Robin, we came across a grouping of Chelone, more commonly known as turtleheads. We found them growing in a park planted by the city’s talented landscapers. You don’t need much imagination to see why they are called turtle heads; their flowers really resemble a turtle’s head, especially … Continue Reading →

This week while scouting for garden for pests, I came across an interesting coincidence. Two look-alike, but completely unrelated, insect pests showed up at the same time. They were in the same general area but on different plants in nearby gardens. The first insect I spotted was rose sawfly larvae feeding on the roses. There … Continue Reading →

It seems like it’s been a tougher season than normal for our tomatoes. First they got a late start because of the cold wet spring. Then we had a blast of heat just when they were blooming, causing the flowers to fall off. Now insects are attacking any tomatoes that have made it this far. … Continue Reading →