White clover seems to be in full bloom. It isn’t a terribly impressive bloom, but in mass they make a nice showing, and the bees are certainly appreciative. Blackberries are on the trailing edge of their bloom season here. For … Continue reading
Memorial day is the traditional planting out day in western Pennsylvania. Earlier this spring I described the process of starting seeds indoors for things like tomatoes, peppers, and flowering nicotiana. So now that you’ve got your seedlings started, what do … Continue reading
Field mustard is the flower that has struck me the most this past week. This plant is Brassica rapa, or possibly B. campestris if you don’t like the idea of mustard and turnips being the same plant. The bright yellow … Continue reading
Walking across my hill top in Western Pennsylvania today the single flowering plant that stands out the best is the fire cherry. The young plants in particular have a bright red bark that announces itself in every sense except perhaps … Continue reading
Plants that are both decorative and fruitful are near and dear to my heart. Apple and pear trees fit that slot perfectly. This past week I found myself rather belatedly pruning some fruit trees on the family farm. Normally winter … Continue reading
One of my co-workers caught me off guard a week ago when she asked me what she could plant in her garden right now. My mind started running through the early crops, beets, peas, onion sets, lettuce can all go … Continue reading
With the warm weather we’ve been having, you’ve been in the same boat as me. Thinking about gardening, but knowing it is just a little too early. WRONG!!! Now is a great time to start putting seeds into soil indoors … Continue reading
Spring is here, and summer is just around the corner. If you don’t already have a garden, now is the time to do it. You don’t need a rototiller. Pick an area with good sunlight, and mow the grass short … Continue reading
Growing apple, pear, cherry, plum, and other temperate fruit trees from seed is challenging only until you know a few of the secrets. These methods will also work for nectarines, apricots, pawpaws, quince, persimmons, and most any commonly cultivated temperate … Continue reading