Growing mushrooms is a time-honored tradition.
Cultivation of shiitake mushrooms on hardwood logs dates back at least 1000 years in Japan. After button mushrooms, the shiitake mushroom is the most commonly cultivated mushroom in the world, according to Cornell University. Despite their high retail...
With the spring gardening season beginning, imaginations run wild with gardening possibilities. Some gardeners may ponder the complexities of an age-old practice that is regaining popularity in recent years – companion planting. How do certain combinations of plants benefit from being planted...
Every gardener has a favorite plant—or plants.
These prized possessions may offer unmatched multi-season beauty, survive tough conditions, or be a rare plant that you have searched the garden centers every year to find. Your connection with a special plant is unique. The joy of this plant cannot...
In a season of chilly air and cold soil, gardeners cannot help but catch “spring fever”. The remedy for most is trays of soil and tiny seeds – a start of the summer garden – but transplanting those seedlings is a long way off. If plant propagation by seed is too much to remember, try growing plants...
The delicate act of arranging fresh flowers is a joyful art.
Each bloom and sprig of foliage receives special consideration when creating an arrangement as beautiful and unique as the recipient. Local florists are already hastily preparing arrangements for the upcoming Valentine’s Day rush. Aside...
One recent Saturday morning, I awoke to an amazing aroma coming from my kitchen. It was slightly sweet, yeasty, and tangy, all at once. The smell was like being wrapped in a warm blanket on a cold night. My wife had just baked bread from the dough I made the day before, and it was time to eat—...
As dormant plants slowly extend bright green limbs from under a blanket of soil, garden enthusiasts thumb plant catalogs in eager anticipation of another growing season. Are you making plans for your bountiful garden? It may be cold outside, but spring fever has hit many gardeners – including this...
In late spring, a gardener walks out to their vegetable garden ready to collect a harvest, only to discover shot holes through kale and bites taken out of cabbages – even the tomatoes suffered, with many plants nursing broken stems. As the gardener returns to the kitchen, excitement for the...
Uplift any room with the look and life of a lush houseplant.
While common in the corner of a bright room or displayed in the front picture window, houseplants grow well, even thrive, in low-light rooms; the key to success is choosing the right plant for the right place. Boost indoor air quality...
Imagine a warm summer’s evening in the not-too-distant future. A glance out the back door reveals something exciting: the fruit trees, shrubs, or canes that the family planted in spring 2023 are ready for their first harvest. This winter, find a good nursery catalogue to make that dream a reality....
