Let kids create their own garden, and other tips for instilling a love for growing things
When I was a kid, my friends and I spent long summer days outdoors, picking daisies, observing roly-poly (also known as pill) bugs, holding caterpillars and trying to catch fireflies (lightning bugs). It’s still not hard to entice the under-5 set to make mudpies, smell flowers and eat string beans...
Weeds aren’t just nuisances, they’re messengers. Here’s what they can tell you
Got weeds in your lawn? Me too. And although it’s tempting to reach for a spray bottle, that shouldn’t be our first impulse. Believe it or not, weeds aren’t just freeloaders crashing our garden party. They’re messengers with important information that requires our attention. We just have to learn to...
Some plants cause more suffering than others for gardeners with pollen allergies
For many, the return of the spring garden brings with it a sneezy, itchy, foggy-headed feeling that hits the moment a warm breeze stirs up invisible trouble. I’m fortunate not to suffer much, but my blue car turned a chartreuse shade of yellow last week, and a $32 car wash...
Penguin Court offers native plant sale, plans master naturalist course
Home gardeners looking to add some local color to their flower beds might choose the purple blossoms of tall larkspur or the broad yellow petals of the wood poppy. They’re two of the more than a dozen new species featured in this year’s native plant sale at the Brandywine Conservancy’s...
Aggressive plants effective to some, a nuisance to others as growing season begins
The Capets family of Murrysville has a positive relationship with bamboo, a grass native to the Asian continent that grows tall and spreads quickly. They’ve been using it for more than a decade to screen their front yard from nearby traffic on Sardis Road. And it works well, forming a...
A durable dahlia. A vigorous vinca. Here are 20 new garden plants to watch for this year
Like most gardeners, I have favorite plants I’ve been growing for years and will continue to grow, like fragrant and tasty Big Boy tomatoes, wide Romano-type Italian flat beans, climbing zucchini and Queen Lime Mix zinnias. But I also like to try new plants. So, it’s helpful to know that...
Soaring egg prices are piquing interest in backyard chickens
NEW YORK — Thinking about backyard chickens as egg prices soar? Think hard, especially in light of the bird flu outbreak. Keeping home chickens as a pastime has continued to grow since the pandemic. But if eggs are the goal, remember that it takes planning and investment to raise the...
Too early to prep the garden for spring? Nope
As I write this, snow is falling outside my suburban New York window, and I feel like I just stored my gardening tools and patio umbrella for the season. And yet, with the winter solstice in the rearview mirror, it’s already time to start preparing for spring. Testing Seeds This...
Houseplants that don’t require soil and can be displayed any which way? Look to air plants
If you’re looking for a houseplant that’s as unique as it is low-maintenance, let me introduce you to air plants, members of the Tillandsia genus in the Bromeliad family. I first became acquainted with Tillandsia circa 2007, when I was invited to tour the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival at...
How to help your tropical plants survive the winter blues
Dreaming of a beach vacation? My guess is you’re picturing a palm tree. Fantasizing about life on a remote island? You’re probably envisioning a walk among birds of paradise, cannas and bananas. Nothing conjures up the feeling of the tropics like giant, lush-leaved plants, and if you live in the...
Outside lights are deadly to birds, especially this time of year
As gardeners, we spend a lot of time observing nature up close — When will my tomatoes turn red? What’s eating my hosta? What’s that white stuff on my peonies? — and we react as needed to ensure our plants survive and thrive. But there are other, sometimes overlooked, garden...
There are simpler ways than canning to preserve your garden harvest
If you’re lucky, you’ll find yourself with more homegrown food at the end of the season than you can consume before it spoils. Rather than waste your hard-earned bounty, it’s time to think about preserving your harvest — and carefully consider safety. Many folks successfully cook fruits, vegetables and sauces...
Edible or not? Alicia Silverstone’s misstep shows how toxic lookalikes can fool you
Alicia Silverstone worried fans this week when she posted a TikTok clip of herself nibbling a poisonous berry she found along a sidewalk on a trip to England. The “Clueless” actor said she thought the fruit might have been a tomato, but realized it wasn’t after a couple bites revealed...
Seeds are gifts from nature, says a major organic producer. Now it’s going to give them away
NAPLES, New York — A multimillion-dollar organic seed company has surprised its supporters by announcing it will end sales and give hundreds of varieties away, declaring “we can no longer commodify our beloved kin, these seeds, or ourselves.” The Cocozelle zucchini, now $14.25 per 100 seeds? No charge. Catnip, kale,...
Summer may be winding down but the otherworldly shrub known as buttonbush still has time to shine
Fall is just around the corner, and some of my summer bloomers are beginning to wind down. But birds and other wildlife continue to need sustenance from plants, and I continue to need focal points in my garden. Fortunately, buttonbush, a sadly underused shrub, is filling both of our needs....
These plants wait their whole lives to bloom once. It’s usually spectacular
Flowering annuals generally bloom nonstop before dying at the end of the year or season. Perennials return every year, providing either season-long color, a burst of blossoms followed by sporadic blooming or a limited show that can last as little as two weeks. And biennials flower only in their second...
Food for all: Carlow University garden in Oakland is the vision of a student from Bethel Park
Grace’s Garden will provide nourishment for the body … and the soul. Located on land at Carlow University in Oakland, the ground is being tended to grow fruits and vegetables for not only students, faculty and staff, but also anyone else in the community. The name of the Carlow Community...
Getting rid of poison ivy is a serious matter. What you should and shouldn’t do
For all the time I spend digging, planting, pulling and weeding, one would think I’d have some poison ivy horror stories to tell, but I do not. I can’t say for sure whether I’m immune to the rash that tortures so many of my fellow gardeners or if I’ve just...
Getting rid of poison ivy is a serious matter — what you should and shouldn’t do
For all the time I spend digging, planting, pulling and weeding, one would think I’d have some poison ivy horror stories to tell, but I do not. I can’t say for sure whether I’m immune to the rash that tortures so many of my fellow gardeners or if I’ve just...
Tips for a tidy native-plant garden
For decades, native plants were relegated to the “weed” section of many American gardeners’ minds. Most nurseries didn’t stock them. But that’s slowly changing. Native plants provide food and shelter for bees, butterflies, birds and other beneficial critters. They effortlessly grow healthier and stronger than exotic species, seldom need fertilizers...
If your soil’s no good or you don’t have any, grow your garden plants in straw bales
If you’d like to install a raised bed but don’t have the resources to build one, you can achieve the same effect by growing your plants in straw bales. It’s also a great option for those with poor soil or who don’t have a patch of dirt to call their...
Ecotone Renewables turns food waste into gold with Soil Sauce
Banana peels and thrown-away leftovers can hold surprising value. Ecotone Renewables, for example, takes food waste and transforms it into Soil Sauce, a plant fertilizer. While composting often is the first solution that comes to mind for food waste, Ecotone aims higher. The partially Black-owned company’s goal is to divert...
Making cut flowers last well beyond Mother’s Day
There’s nothing quite like receiving a fresh bouquet of cut flowers. They can cheer up a room, bring a bit of nature indoors and, if you’re lucky, release a heavenly fragrance. But nothing kills that vibe quicker than stinky, slimy, wilted flowers poking out of a vase full of brown...
Penn State Extension hosts Garden and Landscape Symposium in Hampton
This April, not just showers will bring May flowers. The annual Garden and Landscape Symposium and Marketplace, from Penn State Extension, will be held April 27 at the Hampton Community Center. The event will feature lectures from a pair of renowned landscaping experts, along with a plant and garden marketplace....
New varieties of tried-and-true vegetables invite gardeners to experiment
Tomatoes, garlic, chives, basil, parsley, thyme and sage have been permanent residents in my garden for ages. But every year, I experiment with new —- or new to me — crops. Many turn out to be transient, like the Instagram-worthy Voyager tomatoes that disappointed in the flavor department, and the...
