Hartley Magazine

All the latest news, hints, tips and advice from our experts

Yes, You Can Get Your Seeds and Plants

Home gardening has seen an amazing surge of interest in these demanding times, and the horticultural industry is rising to meet the challenges. Hartley greenhouses are now back into production after a monthā€™s hiatus; mail-order nurseries are hustling to keep up with orders; and local garden centers are figuring out how to safely serve their […]

Social Distance in the Garden

Whatever the outcome of this current deadly disruption, corona virus has certainly focused many minds on the meaning of life–and on getting stuff done. Without the opportunity to procrastinate, tasks and projects in the Clarke household are being completed in record time; like clearing up the greenhouse, sorting the seed from the dust, the compost […]

Reading About Gardens — any time, any place

What is a greenhouse to you: a hive of activity, or maybe a science lab? A place to grow strange and exotic plants, or an ER for houseplants that you really truly hope will revive in the moist humid enclosure where sunlight is abundant? And how about conservatory? Does that word conjure warm, quiet corners […]

Ten Vegetables to start in the Greenhouseā€”NOW!

There are so many reasons to start your vegetables from seedā€”including better taste, the short travel time from your garden to your table, and the sure knowledge you know where your food is coming from. Ed Hume, award-winning garden TV and radio personality and founder of the family-owned business, Hume Seeds, has great advice for […]

Buying a Small Greenhouse: What You Need to Know Before You Buy

Small greenhouses ā€“ those under, say, 50 ft2 (4.65 m2) ā€“ often have great appeal because finding space for them is less of an issue. But still, even a small greenhouse can be a significant financial investment, and most gardeners want to get good value for their money. To help maximize that value, there are […]

At Home with Houseplants

Havenā€™t you always made a practice of sharing your plants with friends or rooted extra cuttings to sell in support of your favorite organization? My windowsill cum greenhouse seems to always have a cutting or five on the go. And itā€™s how Iā€™ve obtained ā€œsomething specialā€ from friends throughout my gardening lifeā€”especially houseplants.Ā  Books have […]

Do You Want to Buy a Greenhouse?

After twenty years or so of giving talks and lectures about greenhouses and plants, I have found that there are a few questions that potential owners often ask. Probably the most common question is, ā€˜How large a greenhouse should I buy?ā€™ If the questioner is an experienced gardener, my answer is, ā€œBuy the largest greenhouse […]

Just Say No to Flower Foamā€”Debra Prinzing tells why

A few weeks ago, Debra Prinzing and I met up when we were both speaking at the Good Earth Home and Garden Show in Eugene, Oregon. Debraā€™s the founder of SlowFlowers.com and producer and host of the Slow Flowers weekly podcast, whose main message is to buy your flowers locally and sustainably. But this time […]