Planting time is almost here. While some crops will be directly sown, many others will begin as starter plants that have been grown from seed at home or purchased locally. The trick is to successfully move those plants outdoors from the controlled environment where they’ve been nurtured. The first thing[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – If looking to boost the health of a vegetable garden, consider adding annual flowering plants that will attract beneficial insects to help support and protect plants from pests. Insects that are beneficial behave either as predators or parasites. They will prey on other insects like aphids or lay[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Easily recognized by their sweet fragrance and cone-shaped clusters of tiny flowers, the common lilac (Syringa vulgaris) has been a part of America’s gardens for much of the country’s history. Lilacs arrived with colonists in the early 1700s, bringing with them memories of homes and lives[Read More…]

NORTHFIELD – Dogwoods, in the genus Cornus, are among the most versatile native shrubs. With seasonal interest, tolerance of less than perfect conditions and benefits for wildlife, these shrubs are worth considering. There are many benefits of planting native dogwoods. They flower in the spring, offering food for native insects and[Read More…]

BURLINGTON – Newly emerged maple leaves coupled with the recent cool, rainy weather provide perfect conditions for a common spring fungal disease called maple anthracnose.  There are several fungi responsible for the damage. All native and ornamental maples are susceptible including sugar maple (A. saccharum), red maple (A. rubrum), Norway[Read More…]

CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – In recent years there has been a push to reduce lawn and to substitute native trees, shrubs and perennials that support pollinators and birds. I am all for that. Entomologist Doug Tallamy’s excellent new book, “How Can I Help: Saving Nature in Your Yard” explains the[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The lady in the bath flower is just one of the common names for bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis, formerly Dicentra spectabilis). The name comes from looking at the flower upside down.  Other common names include heart flower, lyre flower or Asian bleeding heart.  There is a bleeding heart[Read More…]

BOLTON – There’s no need to guess what a garden needs for optimal results. Take a soil test this spring to create the right conditions for the garden from the start.  A simple soil test will help prevent problems later in the season. By following the recommendations in results, plants[Read More…]

PANTON – With abundant blooms in a wide range of colors from soft white to dark purple, pink and even yellow, clematis reign supreme among climbers. A genus in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family, clematis are versatile, easy-to-maintain perennials that grow as climbers, spreading shrubs or groundcovers. More than 300 species grow worldwide,[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — We’re all familiar with roses (Rosa):  their fragrance, their flowers, their thorns. If thinking about adding a rose (or roses) to a garden this year, it might be a surprise to discover that there’s more to a choice than color. Roses come in a seeming multitude[Read More…]

MONTPELIER — Early spring is an exciting and busy time for Vermont gardeners. Many prefer the thrill of choosing from a vast variety of seeds rather than settling for the offerings available at local nurseries. San Marzano tomatoes, Strawberry Blonde calendula, Dragon carrots: check, check and check. However, as gardening[Read More…]