Seeds of Spring
It seems like just a few weeks ago that the garden settled down for its winter nap but already the first signs of spring are appearing – seed and plant catalogs. This year, while you enjoy the standard (and reliable) sources – Park, Burpee, Henry Fields, Gurney’s, White Flower Farm – you might want to check out some other suppliers that may not be as familiar, especially if you’re looking for something a little unusual. Abundant Life Seeds You can request a catalog with a wide selection for organic and biodynamic vegetable, flower and herb seeds, as well as garlic and potatoes. They ...
Suburban Myths: Poisonous Poinsettias
There are a lot of traditions surrounding the winter holidays. One of the most persistent is the tradition of thinking that poinsettias are poisonous. It’s simply another Suburban Myth – a popularly believed garden-variety fallacy. Supposedly, the poisonsettia myth started in 1919 when a two-year-old child of an army officer stationed in Hawaii died of poisoning. The cause was incorrectly attributed to a poinsettia leaf. The fact is no one has ever died from ingesting poinsettia. To disprove this undying myth, members of the Society of American Florists frequently eat poinsettias for the press in December. I wouldn’t recommend eating poinsettia leaves – ...
How to Rake Without Ache
Raking and bagging is a time-honored strategy for dealing with fallen autumn leaves. Despite the popularity of using leaf blowers and leaf vacuums (detailed here,) raking is still most people’s method of choice – because it works so well. Here are ways to ensure that your raking is as painless as possible this year. 1. Warm up Raking and bagging leaves requires a good deal of physical effort. In short, it is a form of exercise and as with any exercise, it’s always wise to loosen up your muscles and ramp up your circulation and breathing with some light warm-ups before attacking the ...
Flowers/Foliage
Seeds of Spring
It seems like just a few weeks ago that the garden settled down for its winter nap...
Suburban Myths: Poisonous Poinsettias
There are a lot of traditions surrounding the winter holidays. One of the most persistent...
Great Gifts For Painless Gardeners
It’s holiday time – time to make gift lists for yourself and your gardening...
Read more posts from Flowers/Foliage
Vegetables
Seeds of Spring
It seems like just a few weeks ago that the garden settled down for its winter nap...
Suburban Myths: Wood Chip Mulch
For a Painless Gardener, mulch is one of nature’s greatest gifts. + It reduces...
Six Companion Planting Secrets
1. Companion plants are garden superheroes Companion plants are plants that can benefit...
Read more posts from Vegetables
Healthy Gardening
How to Rake Without Ache
Raking and bagging is a time-honored strategy for dealing with fallen autumn leaves. Despite the popularity of using leaf blowers and leaf vacuums (detailed here,) raking is still most people’s method of choice – because it works so well. Here are ways to ensure that your raking is as painless as possible this year. 1. Warm up Raking and bagging... [Read more of this review]
Five Painless Tips For Arthritic Gardeners
Is your green thumb arthritic? Mine is. And so are my knees and shoulders. According to the Center for Disease Control: “The various forms of arthritis affect more than 15 percent of the U.S. population—over 43 million persons—and more than 20 percent of the adult population, making arthritis one of the most common conditions in the United States.” In... [Read more of this review]
Helping Your Plants Beat the Heat
In a couple of recent Painless Garden articles, we’ve discussed the dangers that gardeners face in summer heat and how to avoid them. But what about your plants? Here are proven tips to help your painless garden weather the spiking heat index too. Whatever your thoughts about so-called global warming, simple observation suggests that weather patterns... [Read more of this review]
Read more posts from Healthy Gardening