CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – For some of us, planting time is long past – but not for me. I am always busy in the fall, planting everything I can. It is almost time to plant garlic, which is my easiest crop of all. And I’ll soon be planting spring bulbs,[Read More…]

CABOT — Most of us were taught to clean up gardens in the fall. Our parents, grandparents, and the neighbors who hired us as kids would tell us to cut everything to the ground, and rake out any remaining debris. Lately, you may have seen articles saying the opposite: leave[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – They’re the most familiar of fruits, but how much do you really know about apples?  Apples (Malus domestica) are members of the rose family (Rosaceae). So are crabapples, pears, apricots and cherries. If looking for a native apple tree, apples aren’t native to the Americas. They[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – When the air becomes cooler, and leaves begin to turn colors, it’s time to gear up for fall garden maintenance. Or is it? If you’re interested in doing more sustainable fall garden maintenance, then fall might be less busy for you than usual. The first big thing to[Read More…]

PANTON – An excellent choice to consider for late-season interest in the garden is the New England aster, a North American native plant with many benefits. When other plants start to wither, New England asters bloom with brilliant shades of violet and purple daisy-like flowers prolonging the color in your[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – When the air becomes cooler, and leaves begin to turn colors, it’s time to gear up for fall garden maintenance. Or is it? If you’re interested in doing more sustainable fall garden maintenance, then fall might be less busy for you than usual. The first big thing that[Read More…]

CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Despite some hot sunny days, Fall is fast approaching and it’s time to start thinking about cleaning up the garden and putting it to bed. No, I am not suggesting you cut back all your perennials or pull all your vegetable plants. But October, the time[Read More…]

BURLINGTON – With our recent rainy weather and storms, I am not surprised that we diagnosed late blight (Phytophthora infestans) in the University of Vermont Plant Diagnostic Clinic in late August. So far, it has been found in a garden and a high tunnel only on tomatoes although this aggressive[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – For those looking for a low-labor, chemical-free method to help eradicate weeds and soil-residing pests in the garden, the answer may be solarization and occultation, often referred to as tarping. Tarping covers the soil with plastic, clear or opaque, depending on the method used. Solarization utilizes[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – When someone mentions wildflowers, what comes to mind? Daisies? Black-eyed Susans? They’re as familiar as the summer days of youth, so well-loved that wildflowers are often added to a garden. A weeds tend to be any plant claiming a place for itself uninvited and unwelcome.  Goldenrod[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – Did you know that the condition of your yard can have an impact on regional water quality? Areas where soil is left open and unvegetated are spots that are susceptible to erosion. Erosion happens when unprotected earth is moved by water from one place to another.  Sediment from[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – Weeding is often a reality of summer landscape maintenance. Some people don’t mind weeding, some highly dislike it, and other people fall somewhere in between.Weeds are not necessarily a certain group of species. They are plants that are unwanted in a particular area. Therefore, a weed to one[Read More…]