by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – I’m a sucker for a good looking flower. Back when I was first developing my flower beds I would go to a plant nursery and grab everything and anything that was in bloom and looking great. And I believe in buying multiples: not[Read More…]
Columns
Communities Need to Plan for Emerald Ash Borer Now
by Ginger Nickerson, Forest Pest Education Coordinator, University of Vermont BURLINGTON – The week of May 22-28 has been designated National Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week to help increase public awareness of this tree-killing beetle and the damage it can cause to all species of native ash trees within the[Read More…]
Clearly, it was not Answered
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – It was always a pleasure, at the beginning formation of Boy Scout meetings, to respond to the command, “Report!” with “All present or accounted for, sir.” Now, over 75 years later, it’s still very satisfactory to count noses in the airline gate area at[Read More…]
Tips for Growing Great Tomatoes
by Dr. Vern Grubinger, Extension Vegetable and Berry Specialist, University of Vermont BURLINGTON – A vegetable garden is not complete without tomatoes. Local farm stands will soon be offering a wide selection of tomato transplants for your garden. Try a few different varieties. Most modern tomato varieties are hybrids. They’re[Read More…]
The Early Bird Gets the Jumping Worm
by Jen Weimer HILLSBOROUGH, N.H. — We’ve all heard the idiom, “The early bird gets the worm.” When it comes to invasive jumping worms, unfortunately, there are more than enough to go around. These invasive worms can consume excessive amounts of organic matter and leaf litter in a garden or[Read More…]
Tips for Planting the Vegetable Garden
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Although there are many old sayings like, “Plant your potatoes when the oak leaves are the size of a mouse’s ear,” I would rather depend on soil temperature and calendar dates. Besides, who really knows the size of a mouse’s ear? Mid-May is[Read More…]
The Frost Changes Everything
by Lynette Courtney GREENSBORO BEND – What a difference a single week can make. We were having lovely weather for being outside, but wait a few hours, and a killing frost creeps in. I’d dug and potted all sorts of beautiful plants for the nursery’s opening, this Friday, but when[Read More…]
Growing Herbs for Tea
by Andrea Knepper, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont BOLTON – Herbs are attractive in the garden, easy to grow and a pleasure to use. Many common herbs can also be brewed into herbal teas. Chamomile is one of the most popular herbal teas and is easy to grow in[Read More…]
Start Gardens Early with Cold Frames
by Bonnie Kirn Donahue, Extension Master Gardener, University of Vermont NORTHFIELD – Utilizing cold frames in early spring is a great way to jump start the vegetable growing season. Cold frames are wood boxes with slanted, transparent glass or plastic tops that are placed directly on top of the soil[Read More…]
But There’s all that Stuff
by Willem Lange EAST MONTPELIER – By the time you read this, I’ll be home from what I hope will have been an idyllic 10 days traveling with friends of New Hampshire Public Broadcasting down the Rhone Valley from Chamonix to Arles. I’m writing it during a serious welter of[Read More…]
Meet the Chestnut-Sided Warbler
by Susan Shea RANDOLPH – While planting the vegetable garden last May, I heard a repeated bird song emanating from the adjacent raspberry patch: “Pleased, pleased, pleased to MEETCHA.” Finally, the small songster perched near the tip of a raspberry cane, its tail cocked. The bird’s yellow crown, black mask,[Read More…]
Early Season Treats from the Garden and the Woods
by Henry Homeyer CORNISH FLAT, N.H. – Even if you planted your peas and spinach in April, you will not be eating them anytime soon. Despite days of full sun and occasional days of high temperatures, spring in New England is often cold and rainy, too. Our vegetable gardens putter[Read More…]
