I had the pleasure of listening to a seminar given by Dr. Hafiz Maherali, Director of the University of Guelph Phytotron, about the latest mycorrhizal fungi (mycorrhizae) news. This post summarizes some of this fascinating new information about this important group of organisms that every gardener should understand.
Fall leaves are a great resource for the garden, but there are some problems with the way they are used. Should they be left on the lawn? Should you compost infected leaves, like maples with black spots? Will too many leaves kill your plants? Do leaves rob soil of nitrogen? Let’s have a look at these and other myths.
Sugar added to Christmas tree water is claimed to keep them fresh longer. Is this true?
There is nothing quite like a real Christmas tree and there are things you can do to keep them fresh for a long time. I’ll give you tips for making them last and look at suggested additives to keep the tree fresh including commercial tree preservatives, molasses, sugar, bleach, soft drinks, aspirin, honey and fertilizer. Which of these work the best?
Composting ratios are confusing and in this post we’ll simplify them and show you which ratio you should be using. Once you understand the ratio and the importance of browns and greens you will have no trouble making fast superior compost.
Its cold and the snow is blowing. All you want to do is get out in the garden, play in the soil and smell some flowers. Even weeding would be a pleasure this time of year. I have good news for you. This blog is chocked full of winter gardening activities you can enjoy right now.
Don’t wait until spring – start gardening now and chase those winter doldrums away.
Should you use bat guano? Is it a good fertilizer? Does harvesting it from caves harm bats? How does it compare to seabird guano? Learn more about this valuable resource and understand organic products better.
When do you start fertilizing seedlings? The most common advice is that newly germinated seedlings do not need to be fertilized because they get initial nutrients from the seed and the soil/media. If that is true, why does the horticulture industry start fertilizing as soon as they seed? Do they know something gardeners don’t?
We all wash fruits and vegetables, and so it is surprising that many food blogs are giving out the wrong information about how you should wash fruits and vegetables. Why should you wash your produce? Is it a good way to reduce pesticides in your diet? Find out why and how you should be washing food.
Did you know that hybrid vegetables can be toxic? If you are a strong proponent of heirlooms, you are probably jumping up and down with joy, and if you grow a lot of hybrids, you are probably wondering if I have lost my marbles! Let me be clear, most hybrids are perfectly safe to eat, but there are a few special cases where they are not safe.
Understanding these cases of toxic hybrid vegetables provides insights into the risk of saving seeds and using natural means to develop new cultivars.
Almost everyone recommends getting a soil test, including most gardening web sites, USA extension offices and gardening experts. I disagree!
There are good reasons for getting a soil test, but the general advice of getting regular soil tests for homeowners does not make sense. Here’s why.
Is fall a good time to plant perennials and trees? Most people plant in spring, but many have suggested that fall might be an even better time to plant. It is cool, the above ground part of the plant is going dormant and so root growth does not have to compete with top growth. A lot of plants are on sale in fall so that is certainly a plus, but is fall planting better than spring planting?
