The warm temperatures we had yesterday brought out kids, walkers, bicyclists, gardeners–and a few first blooms, too. I found two things blooming in my garden yesterday. The tiny Iris reticulata is one of the first irises to bloom. Its only about 4 inches tall, bloom and all, but finding it under dried leaves and other vestiges of winter is a…
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Yesterday was a gorgeous afternoon, with intermittent sun, temperatures in the 50s and that delightful smell of spring in the air. In other words, it was a perfect day to prune a fruit tree. February and March are generally considered the best time to prune trees in the North. The weather is still cool enough that the trees are in…
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While there are several signs of the presence of Emerald Ash Borer, you’ll be surprised at what people first notice. Woodpecker holes. Apparently ash borer larvae are woodpecker candy, so if you see an ash tree that’s getting a real going over by woodpeckers, you may want to look further. Other signs of an infestation include die-back at the top…
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Like a lot of Midwesterners, I enjoy a winter escape to the west coast of Florida. I’m not sure why this area is so popular with people from Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Iowa, but those are the out-of-state license plates you are likely to see in Naples and Fort Myers. One of the places well worth a visit in Naples…
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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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