Category: Gazette-Mail

botany, Gazette-Mail

When it comes to blooming, the difference is night and day

Autumn creeps slowly into the mountain valleys of West Virginia. Cool, crisp evenings signal the end of summer and our gradual march toward winter. Colors slowly appear, then radiate, in the trees hugging the sides of the mountains. Summer-visiting birds pack up and move south, preferring to winter in warmer locations. And I find it harder and harder to remove myself from the embrace of … Continue reading When it comes to blooming, the difference is night and day

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Gazette-Mail, lawn

New lawn? What type of grass is best?

September means cool evenings, colorful trees, football and shorter days. September also means that it is the best time to take care of your lawn or establish a new one. Many of the questions I receive concern which type of grass is best for the lawn and the best schedule for care. So this week, let’s take a little time to get some lawn details … Continue reading New lawn? What type of grass is best?

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DIY, Gazette-Mail, landscape

Tropical oasis created in W.Va.

About a month or so ago, I took a call from a guy named Johnny Carter, wanting me to come see his garden. He insisted that his backyard garden would be interesting enough to feature in my newspaper column. With some doubts, I promised that we would connect in late August, when my schedule was less hectic and his garden was “at its peak.” Of … Continue reading Tropical oasis created in W.Va.

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fertility, Gazette-Mail

Plant health requires keeping things in balance

Those who have taken my classes or who read this column often will know that I can get pretty insistent and preachy on performing regular soil testing for your lawn and garden. The reason that I talk about it so much is due to its importance in maintaining both soil health and plant health. In “The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture,” Wendell Berry tells … Continue reading Plant health requires keeping things in balance

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Gazette-Mail, history

Fairs are about improving produce

Every August, thousands of visitors descend upon the small, yet cool, town of Lewisburg for the State Fair of West Virginia (OK, technically the fair is in Fairlea, but close enough). Aromas of fair foods, sounds (and smells) of livestock, lights from the carnival and crowds of fairgoers fill the atmosphere. This scene also plays out in many counties across our great state in the … Continue reading Fairs are about improving produce

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botany, Gazette-Mail

Sex and the single squash

In the 1960s, author and future Cosmopolitan magazine Editor Helen Gurley Brown scandalized the country with her book about independent single women called “Sex and the Single Girl.” Not that it is a controversial topic, but this week I would like to turn the tables and take a look at some of the “birds and the bees” activity that goes on in the garden. This … Continue reading Sex and the single squash

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Gazette-Mail, landscape

Garden miracles or garden myths?

You can believe everything you see on the Internet, right? You can take for gospel every Facebook post, Tweet, Pinterest pin and Instagram photo, correct? It seems like many people get their gardening advice from shared content on the Internet and become unwitting victims of Internet myths. While these gardeners and those who share the false information may do so with the best of intentions, … Continue reading Garden miracles or garden myths?

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garden art, Gazette-Mail, history, public gardens

Plant palace is an easy visit

This time of year is always busy for me. During the middle of July, I find myself hopping around the country attending conferences. This year it just so happens that this past week I found myself hopping from one conference in Columbus, Ohio, to one in Mobile, Alabama, with less than a one-day turnaround. Since I’ve been traveling, I thought it would be good to … Continue reading Plant palace is an easy visit

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DIY, fertility, Gazette-Mail

Keep garden fertility in balance

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

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Gazette-Mail

Pesticides can be safely used in the garden

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

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