Summer’s ending. Tomatoes are still on the vine, but they take longer to ripen now, as the days grow shorter. I’ve pinched off the blossoms so my plants can concentrate on ripening the fruits they already have and not setting new ones. Basil still puts on new leaves but not with the abundance of July […]

America’s first horticultural library, a major breakthrough in plant science, and the founding of an important American cultural institution—all these and more occurred in the same spot, what was once a bucolic farm in North Philadelphia. The neighborhood has changed, but I was fortunate recently to participate in a day-long tour of Philadelphia sites that […]

The summer’s too dry, or the summer’s too wet—weather swings across the U.S. are dramatic. Now more than ever, gardeners should consider steady and efficient water delivery for the times when plants need it. In the past, a permanent installation involved a choice—either underground pipes with sprayer heads, or drip with flexible half-inch pipe and […]