Gardening, sustainability, conservation and alternative energy
For a long time, I have been toying with the idea of getting rid of the lawn in the front of the house. It’s on a slope and gets the west sun which bakes it all summer and even large amounts of water can’t keep it green.
When I imagine a stream flowing down this slope, [...]
Sunday was a beautiful sunny day. We transplanted a Japanese Maple and a Weeping Hemlock. The Hemlock had become a big shaggy ball. I gave it a haircut, pruning it and giving it some structure so that its beautiful sweeping branches can now be seen.
Wow, we saw the first tomato seedlings emerge. On a cold rainy spring morning the sight of the tiny bright chartreuse leaves bravely emerging from the brown peat pots evoked in me a primal sense of satisfaction and awe that life is unfolding.
Winter can seem unending and bleak, but even at the hint of [...]
Today we saw fresh mole hills in our pathway. Initial reaction: AAAAARRRRGHHHH!
Then I remembered a tip I read a long time ago. The texture of the soil that moles dig up is fine and excellent for making seed beds, just in time for our vegetable garden.
Many people see uprooted perennials around molehills and think [...]
I was pruning the butterfly bushes which were long overdue for a major rejuvenation. The leaves had already unfurled and the shrubs had become ten feet tall.
I reduced the height by a third and cut out old and dead branches to the ground. This treatment will produce new shoots from the base of the shrub. [...]
Today, we planted tomatoes indoors in peat pots. It was a fun family affair. Rather than waiting for the weather to improve, this can extend your tomato growing season by a couple of months.
One can even grow tomatoes, herbs, and vegetables in a container on one’s balcony, especially the ones that grow vertically, leaving ground [...]
I’m very excited about my new fig tree, hydrangea and potatoes!
Once in December, in the middle of winter, I got this great urge to garden. Now, this is not the most appropriate time to take cuttings and start planting, but I simply could not help myself. The weather was actually great, and I wanted to [...]
What a pleasant surprise it was to find a layer of ready to use compost in the bottom third of the containers!