Articles and Tips December, 2008
Organic Gardening New Year’s Resolutions
2009 is almost here, and I’m making my gardening New Year’s Resolutions. In theory, these resolutions should be fun to keep. In practice, I might need a nudge from time to time. Thinking about the previous year of gardening, blogging, copy writing and more, I’ve come up with some things I definitely want to try so that I can I can write about them (and enjoy …
Bye Bye Botrytis
Last week, in preparation for what appears to be a long, warm, winter, I planted four flats of pansies, two flats of snapdragons and some camellias. Now, I have to see if botrytis strikes. I certainly hope it doesn’t, as I prefer to not spray my plants with anything, if possible, even organic fungicides. However, if it does strike, I suppose I will treat it. After …
Gifts for the Organic Gardener
It is getting to the point where, if you don’t have a gift for your special someone, it is almost too late. However, you can still get some good deals out there, and, with express shipping, you can still make it happen: that MasterCard commercial with the trampoline, Kleenex and paper bag, oh and the door opening to show two brand new cars. If you can’t get two brand new cars for …
What about Witchhazel?
Continuing with the seasonal plant profiles, this week ends with Witchhazel. Underloved until it starts blooming, Witchhazels are mysterious and beautiful additions to fall and winter gardens. Organic gardeners have much to love about the witchhazel because the plants are rarely affected with pest or disease problems. There are two main species in North America. Hamamelis virginiana, or common witchhazel, blooms in the fall–October and November …
Hello Holly!
The Christmas Holidays are almost upon us. I have been procrastinating terribly, in terms of decorating my house. No tree yet, no decorations up, no wreath on the door. I will probably end up poaching from my neighbors’ yards at the last minute to “Deck the Halls.” If I end up needing some “help” from my neighbors, I will be going in search of holly trees. …
Camellias: Organic Garden Workhorses
The first time I saw a Camellia, I had no idea what it was. In the beginning of February, with a light dusting of snow on the ground, I strolled through the conservatories of Longwood Gardens, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. The Camellias were blooming in the as-yet-unrenovated East Convervatory. To me, they were a miracle. A rose blossom on a tree without thorns. A magnolia in …
Indoor Worm Composting
Worms are great! They are, hands down, the unsung heroes of the garden. Worms are great for home gardeners, especially organic gardeners, who want to make crumbly, luscious compost for their vegetable beds. Even though winter is upon us, we can still put worms to work to help us break down our vegetable scraps and any scrap leaves from houseplants and such. Here’s how to build …
Orchids for Beginners
The last post was all about interesting attributes and intriguing stories about orchids. Now that your appetite is expanding for orchids, we’ll teach you how to grow them! There are lots of interesting species orchids, but the easiest to grow are some of the new hybrids. Once you get your feet wet with the orchids described below, you can branch out into more intersting varieties. You will have the confidence and the green thumb …
Winter Houseplants: Orchids Part I
The merest mention of the word “Orchid” is enough to send some people running for the exit at the garden center. Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be that way! Tissue culture techniques and hybridizing have made lots of easy-care varieties available. But first, a little bit of the mystery and magic behind orchid fever. . .
The Orchid Thief
Susan Orlean, a writer for the New Yorker, wrote …
