Where would we be without water? I recently returned from California, where I got a sobering look at the possibilities. The drought there is a wakeup call for all of us—even in places like Chicago or the East Coast that aren’t suffering right now—to think hard about how we use this precious resource. There are […]
It’s always fun to grow at least one plant that makes visitors ask, “What is THAT?” Right now the horticulture trade is deciding which new offerings will appear in your retail garden center next spring, or in the seasons to come. This year I got to play a part in that process. I was one […]
Tropical herbs need warm temperatures to keep growing year round, making them perfect plants for a greenhouse that’s heated during winter. I grow ginger, galangal, and lemon grass in my winter-heated greenhouse and use them to make delicious Thai food. Here’s how to cultivate each of them. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) There are several different types […]
For the home cook there is nothing lovelier than sprinkling chopped fresh oregano and basil onto a pizza or putting a fresh bay leaf in a winter stew and sprinkling chopped parsley over the top when serving it. Many home cooks over-winter herbs in pots on a sunny window sill, but as low light levels […]
Bob Lily gardens on water. This Seattle horticulturalist, plantsman, and designer extraordinaire has lived on a houseboat in Lake Union, since the 1970s. His shake-shingled dwelling disappears under a cascade of greenery—with everything grown in containers. And his diverse plant collections also adorn six other nearby houseboats. This month, I asked him for ideas and […]
Days are still hot. Roses and tomatoes are still around. But I can’t avoid knowing that fall is on the way, because its lovely, wistful heralds are flowering—Japanese anemones and turtlehead, with toad lilies on the way. Gardeners tell time by what’s in bloom, and these plants remind me that it’s time to start thinking […]
Small citrus trees grow very well in northern greenhouses. In my Rhode Island greenhouse, I grow lemons, limes, and oranges that I harvest during winter. The Key limes are especially favored for making Key lime pie. I even have a kaffir lime tree, the leaves of which I use with lemon grass when cooking a […]
An empty greenhouse stands beckoning in your yard, waiting to be stocked with plants, but you aren’t sure what plants to choose. Don’t allow yourself to go into “brain freeze”. Starting asking questions: Do you fill your greenhouse with orchids, other flowering plants, fruiting vines, cactuses, herbs, vegetables, or even small fruit trees? There are […]
August is back-to-school time. For an increasing number of children, school will involve gardening. But they need the help of experienced gardeners—especially those who know what to do with a cold frame. School gardens are one kind of volunteer project that Master Gardener volunteers like me often help with. Experience has shown that there’s a […]
In this year of epic drought in the West, conscientious gardeners collect dish-washing rinse water for their plants. They take showers with buckets around their feet to catch any excess. And in many communities, if they use a hose, gardeners are mandated to deliver water by hand. Statistics show that hand irrigation can be more […]
To harvest winter crops in your greenhouse, starting seeds soon is a must. How do you choose the best pot in which to start seeds? Do you use a seed flat? A seed flat with an insert? A square pot? Round pots? Jiffy pots? There is a huge choice of pots and pot materials available […]
I’m not much of a beach person. I enjoy splashing and diving in Lake Michigan, but the summer sun is too intense for me to lie around under it for long. Many of my plants feel the same way. Some of the houseplants I set out in the garden this May quickly developed scorch marks. […]
