Here in the middle of the growing season, most plants have been chugging along long enough to show wear and tear and the ravages of their advanced ages. Bug holes are worn like badges of honor in the fight against invading pests. Leaf spots show evidence of continued battles with persistent fungi and bacteria. At this point in the season, lots of calls start coming … Continue reading Keep garden fertility in balance
While gardeners seem to shrivel up and shrink away from garden duties during the heat and humidity of summer, the garden thrives as the heat and moisture ramp up all the plant processes necessary for growth, flowering, and fruiting. But the garden plants aren’t the only thing that thrive in the heat and humidity. Sweltering summers also set the right conditions for a number of … Continue reading Pesticides can be safely used in the garden
It seems as though the sweltering heat of summer has come early to suppress us all in a lazy, hazy fog. I know I certainly avoid being outside as much as I can when the thermometer tops 90 degrees. Merely sitting — even in the shade — can leave you a sticky, sweaty mess. There’s one way to beat the sultry summer blues, though. Think … Continue reading Escape summer by thinking fall
People of a certain age may have fond memories of puckering up after eating a tart gooseberry, freshly harvested from the bush. These days, gooseberries are a rarity, thanks to some restrictions — and myths about restrictions — about growing them all over the state of West Virginia. In fact, I mentioned writing about gooseberries this week to some 20-somethings in my office, only to … Continue reading Forbidden fruits? Gooseberries, currants get a bad rap
Eating fresh produce from the garden is truly one of the pleasures of the season. Fresh salads, tomatoes, peppers and onions highlight the summer table. I can still remember the first big Sunday dinner of the summer at my grandparents’ house — a table full of nothing but corn on the cob, green beans cooked with new potatoes (with, of course, some form of pork), … Continue reading Plan ahead to preserve the harvest
Let’s take a moment to talk about the birds and the bees. You heard right — the birds and the bees. Now before you get your head too far into the gutter, let me clarify. We are literally talking about birds and bees and other pollinators. And it’s a great time to talk about pollinators, since this coming week is celebrated as National Pollinator Week. … Continue reading Pollinators play important ecosystem role
Weeds seem to occupy the minds of gardeners for a great deal of the growing season. There are weeds in the landscape, weeds in the vegetable garden, weeds in the lawns … weeds, weeds and more weeds. Some people let the weeds preoccupy them for most of the gardening season, while others really couldn’t care less. Sometimes I just shake my head as I see … Continue reading Controlling weedy foes in the garden
This year, I’ve had the opportunity to do some traveling. It turns out, though, that all of the wonderful places that I have visited have had one thing in common: drought. Earlier this year I traveled twice to California, and just last week I had the fortune of touring farms around New Mexico. Signs everywhere tell you to conserve water, and restaurants serve water only … Continue reading Be water-wise and you’ll be OK when summer sky is dry
As I drive through Charleston and other places, I can’t help but notice a plague affecting many of the trees in lawns and landscapes. This plague isn’t spoken about much, but it leaves deformed, weakened and vulnerable trees in its wake. The sad thing is, this plague is completely avoidable. I’m not talking about a fungal disease or an insect, though we have plenty of … Continue reading Ugly truth: Over-pruning does lots of damage to trees
Now that warm weather is (supposedly) here to stay, it’s time to turn our attention to the more fair-weather members of the vegetable garden team. I would say that it is finally safe to plant peppers, beans, corn, cucumbers, squash and the like. But the one thing most people are really excited about planting is tomatoes. I’m not sure why planting tomatoes creates so much … Continue reading Growing your best tomato
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