I love to visit Florida to see plants, especially unusual ones like these air plants. I just returned from my more-or-less annual visit to my folks in Naples, Fla., and after six days in the sun, I’m ready to face down the rest of winter. The weather this winter has been cool in southwest Florida, just like the rest of…
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After almost 50 hours of Master Gardener training this month, there is one image that I cannot get out of my mind. During the lecture on growing fruit, the professor put up a photo of some workers in China, up on ladders in the middle of an apple tree that was covered with blossoms. The workers were pollinating the flowers…
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It’s still a bit early for starting seeds indoors in the North, but I’ve been getting ready for it and setting out several winter-sowing containers. You’ll find a new how-to page on indoor seed starting on the header above, which gives the basics and a few tips based on good experiences (and bad ones) that I’ve had. A couple of…
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How much difference does snow make in insulating plants? According to researchers at Rutger’s University, 9 inches of snow cover can make a 42 degree difference in temperature. According to their experiment, if the air temperature is -14 degrees F, the ground temperature under 9 inches of snow would be 28 degrees. It must be about 85 under those monster…
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Most people know that habits make a big difference in human health. If you get plenty of sleep, drink six to eight glasses of water a day, eat lots of fruits and vegetables, and get some exercise every day, odds are you’ll be healthier. Good habits are not a guarantee against disease and injury, but they sure do help. Habits…
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