NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Each winter, gardeners bid farewell to their outdoor growing spaces and turn their attention to other ways to occupy their days. Magazines and seed catalogs provide inspiration, but there’s nothing like gardening indoors to satisfy the inner gardener. Plant stands with grow lights are a convenient[Read More…]

CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Whether March came in like the proverbial lion or lamb for you, March is the time to pay more attention to houseplants. Instead of watering every Sunday, you probably need to water most things twice a week – except for cacti and a few plants that[Read More…]

BURLINGTON – Choosing seeds and starting transplants are among the most empowering ways to garden. In addition, purchasing unique varieties of seeds encourages growers to keep offering them. As a bonus, diversity in your vegetable garden can give our pollinators and other beneficial insects a wider diet. If looking for the[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – You may be familiar with its name from the bottle of astringent found in your home medicine cabinet or for sale on pharmacy shelves near rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide. What you may not know is that the leaves, bark and twigs from American witch hazel,[Read More…]

MONTPELIER – Compost, the dark, crumbly, earthy-smelling material produced by natural decomposers, provides many benefits to gardeners and non-gardeners alike. Converting garden waste, kitchen scraps and various paper items into compost at home reduces the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and saves households money on garbage fees.[Read More…]

Here in Cornish Flat, this seems like an old fashioned winter. Temperatures have been consistently below freezing, and the ground has had at least a light covering of snow most of the time. No deep snow, the kind that insulates the ground and keeps tender perennials safe, but enough to[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The middle of winter, with snow covering brick-hard, frozen ground, may seem like an odd time to plan a new garden bed, but it’s the best time. If making decisions now, the gardener will be ready when the weather warms and the ground is workable. Putting[Read More…]

SOUTH BURLINGTON – Imagine having sunny orange, bright yellow and luscious green fruit growing at home, especially during this gray, cold time of year. There are several varieties of citrus plants that can be grown as indoor/outdoor houseplants. Native to Southeast Asia, citrus plants have been cultivated for over 4,000[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – It begins in December. By January, seed and plant catalogs arrive at your mailbox (or email) almost daily. Browsing through their pages provides a welcome escape from the garden-deprived days of winter. These catalogs contain a wealth of information to help grow a successful garden. The[Read More…]

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Streptocarpus (Streptocarpus) are commonly known as cape primrose, not to be confused with the common primrose (Primula vulgaris), a perennial plant that may be grown outdoors at home. While the two share some physical similarities, their care requirements are quite different. The common primrose in the[Read More…]

CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – I’m not a big fan of unrealistic New Year’s resolutions such as “keep my papers organized and desk tidy”, for example. But I do like to spend some time each January reflecting on the gardens of the past year and making decisions about what I will[Read More…]