New weeds in a community garden stem from the government from the New York Times.
This past year has been exciting for urban farmers. It would seem as the combination of foodies and garden enthusiasts increases, so does the government’s leniency on what we raise in the cities. It’s not just limited to plants, but some cities are even allowing bees, rooftops covered in greens, […]

Community gardens have big obstacles

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Sometimes you think an idea is nifty and the perfect solution to what your needs are. Then, through trial and error, you find out it isn’t. I knew I’d be moving soon, so I wanted something portable, light, and would allow me to grow a few herbs. A browse through […]

Failed Adventures in Gardening: A Shoe Organiser Vertical Farm

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It is said that the first container ponds were designed in Ming Dynasty, China for viewing fancy goldfish as they swim around in wide mouthed ceramic pots. And, although I can’t find an original citation for this statement, I can say it’s a pleasant enough idea that we’ll go with […]

An Outdoor Fish Tank For Your Garden

Look up "calm mind" and you'll find similar images to these. Most of them have water. (Found at TinyBuddha)
It’s been raining nearly every day since sometime in April here in Indianapolis, Indiana. With all the rain, ponds are on my mind — after all, we have enough free standing, volunteer ponds around. The purpose of ponds beyond annoying us when we drop something in them is three-fold. They […]

Ponds are for more than landscaping

Image from Main Street Monroe article on types of apples in Ohio.
The whole reason we grow apples is to taste that sweet, slightly tart, juicy, perfect orb in the fall. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, either. The magic all happens when the sugar is at it’s peak, but the fruit hasn’t begun to rot. It’s a fine line, and […]

The Great Apple Harvest

Iconic symptom of fire blight is burnt leaf tips that kill young growth. Image from Walden Effect.
I’d be lying if I said there was a short list of diseases and insects that could attack and harm your apple tree. The worst part is that apple trees are prone to pests — birds, mice, and insects alike all love a good apple as much as we do. […]

Defending your apple tree from disease [Care part 2]

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This is a continuation of the apple tree series. Part one can be found here. There is nothing quite so satisfying as eating a fresh apple. The sugar content is so much higher than what we can get in the store that a tree ripened apple is the closest we’ll […]

Caring for apple trees in your backyard [part 1]

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Apples are a healthsome food, and often something people crave. Understandably, if you are looking for a fruit tree to plant, this may be at the top of your list. But, if you are going to plant an apple tree in your yard, you’ve got your work cut out for […]

Apple of your eye

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There are a lot of articles out there regarding using spent coffee grounds in the garden. You’ve probably heard them all from the grounds aerating your soil to helping alter the pH and even being a cheap replacement to fertilizer. How do you know that any of this works and […]

The Truth of Coffee Grounds in the Garden

Award winning landscape by Botanical Decorators.
The other day while having lunch with a friend, Jacie, who also happens to be a realtor, the topic of gardens came up. We all know that a great garden sells your home, but as someone that knows how personal a garden is I was curious to know: What makes […]

This Is What Makes an Amazing Garden For Selling A ...

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An odd thing happened this spring with one of my math and science students. Their mother took her gardening to the next level and learnt to prune trees so she could cultivate the shape she wanted with them. In her front yard are two very gorgeous upright willow trees which […]

Growing a Willow From a Cutting Is Easy [How To]

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I admit it. I often feel pain after a half an hour in my garden. All that kneeling, squatting, bending, duck walking, raking, shovelling, and hoeing take their toll. I found my relief in yoga and other basic stretches, which I can credit to my former French instructor, Ms. Webber, […]

Stretch Your Way to Painless Gardening