Insects are fantastic creatures. We marvel at their various shapes, sizes, colors, and behaviors. Well, maybe not everyone. While it is my hope we all have that inner entomologist, it is more likely many of us harbor an inner exterminator. One reason winters can be quite enjoyable is that we get a...
It's hard to believe that the first month of 2017 is nearly over. It means that the days are getting longer and that before we know it the 2017 gardening season will be here. Last time I wrote about gardening being fluid and always changing. Part of being able to adjust to the changing garden, to...
Each year I tell myself that I want to accomplish this or that in the garden. I want to try this new variety or try a new plant all together. No matter what, sometimes good intentions go awry and when the end of the year rolls around we might sigh and say darn, that didn't work, but you know what...
There are times when trying to figure out what to write every other week can be a challenge. Then you wake up and its 5 degrees out and you immediately begin to think to warmer weather and next year's growing season. That of course led me to thinking about seed starting. One of my favorite things...
I was at the store the other day and sure enough, Poinsettias are out and about. Usually without fail at some point I will come home with one, it's pretty much an annual guarantee. If you are like me and fall for the pretty poinsettia and bring it home, there are some basics to poinsettia care that...
"We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect." –Leopold 1938 What is your land ethic? It is a question to ask of us humans these days. Our ethic toward the land...
There are some things I need to get off of my chest and what better place to vent, than a news column. In a profession from astronaut to zookeeper and all careers in between, we learn and do tasks, which in our mind, are the best practices. Imagine you are a professional shower tile installer, and...
In mid-October, I walked around marveling at the outstanding color of one of our earliest trees to exhibit excellent fall color, the ash (Fraxinus spp.) And I realized, for many homeowners, this might be the last time they can enjoy the spectacular fall display of an ash tree. What I am...
"Which maple should I plant?" is a question I routinely encounter. My response, "None!" Maples (Acer spp.) aren't bad trees. In fact, they are great trees. Drive down most streets and you will see a maple in everyone's yard. Speaking with landscapers about their inventory and what they...
It feels like just yesterday summer showed up and now its fall and October is here and is leaving me wondering just where has 2016 gone? Cooler days means it's easier to work in the yard and of course being outdoors means we can enjoy the gorgeous colors of fall. How plants get their fall coloring...
