by Ginger Nickerson, Extension Forest Pest Education Coordinator, University of Vermont BURLINGTON – February 20-26 is National Invasive Species Awareness Week. Each year, organizations around the country use this week to raise awareness about invasive species, the threat they pose and how to prevent their spread. Most invasive insect infestations are first[Read More…]
Columns
It’s Been a Week of Ups and Downs
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – I just bought a brand-new candy apple red four-wheel-drive sport model, big-wheeled walker. Its name is Herschel, and it will replace my old walker, which features two small wheels and two pierced tennis balls. In him I am currently terrorizing the halls of my[Read More…]
Tomatoes: From the Wild to Domestic
by Deborah J. Benoit, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum) have been on our tables and in our gardens for so long, it’s nearly impossible to think of them as growing in the wild. Once upon a time they did just that. That’s[Read More…]
I Can’t Reach Very Far
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – During the 1950s I had a friend who was kind of quirky. We were both aspiring mountaineers and did some really nice hikes and climbs together. But there was this about him: He took the label off all his possessions because he didn’t want[Read More…]
Benefits of Organic vs. Chemical Soil Treatment
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – On a cold and snowy day I paused to think back a few years to a conference I attended run by the Ecological Farming Association in Pacific Grove, Calif. There were several sessions by scientists presenting research confirming what organic gardeners have always[Read More…]
Winter Wonders: Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice
by Susan Shea BROOKFIELD – A few winters ago, I snowshoed along a trail that led below a series of cliffs with rows of huge, hanging icicles. These icicles were up to 40 feet long, with colors ranging from blue-green to yellowish-brown. In some spots, the icicles extended from clifftop[Read More…]
With apologies to T.S. Eliot:
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – Here I am, an old man in a cold month, waiting for spring, dictating to a young lady. It’s hard to grasp the difference in perspective between what I was doing happily – living alone at home in the company of a small dog[Read More…]
Brighten the Winter with Microgreens
by Andrea Knepper, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont BOLTON – What could be better than fresh greens during the dreary winter months? What if you grew and harvested them yourself? Growing microgreens in your home is easy, cost-effective and satisfying. All you need is some soil, seeds and a[Read More…]
Building a Simple Plant Stand
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – As I write this, the wind chill factor is well below zero, and summer seems a lifetime away. But if you are thinking about starting seeds indoors this year, this would be a good time to build a simple wooden plant stand. You[Read More…]
Pigeons in Love
by Anna Morris QUECHEE — Humans often ascribe traits that we admire to other animals. We treasure a dog’s loyalty, revere an eagle’s power, and applaud a dolphin’s intellect. We hold these creatures in high esteem, whether they are spotted rarely in the wild or are daily lounging at our[Read More…]
Another New Experience
by Willem Lange BERLIN – This piece will be perforce much shorter than my usual exhalation. I’m writing it flat on my back in a hospital in Berlin, Vermont. My lovely daughter Martha is typing this as I attempt to pull together the events of the last four weeks. In[Read More…]
Some Houseplants are Toxic for Pets
by Jodi Larison, Extension Master Gardener Intern, University of Vermont WEST DOVER – In their book, “How to be your Dog’s Best Friend,” the Monks of New Skete suggest that for many people, dogs and houseplants are the only readily available touchstones with the natural world. They also say that owners[Read More…]
