Organic lawns aren’t just healthier; once established, they’re less expensive and less time-consuming to maintain. Whether you’re hiring a professional or doing it yourself, adopt a “buyer beware” mindset. When choosing an organic lawn care company, hire a NOFA-accredited firm — one that’s been trained by the Northeast Organic Farming Association and that agrees to […]
Gardens
Read more: Five tips for organic lawn care Richard Shasteen, retired from a long career as a project manager for IBM, is ferociously proud of the lawn surrounding the home he shares with his wife, Darlene, in Milton, Vermont, on the edge of Lake Champlain. And he should be: The grass is about as green […]
Gardens
Mud Season Facts and Trivia
In northern New England there are really five seasons. Some would say Indian summer and January thaw, too, which add to the rhythm of most years, but they’re inconsistent and ethereal. Mud season, though, is real, its own thing. The roads around here have been posted with a six-ton limit for a few weeks now, […]
Q. My blue hydrangea has produced spectacular flowers this summer, and I want to use them in fall arrangements. What’s the best way to preserve hydrangeas? — W.M., Plymouth, MA A. All types of hydrangea (and many other plants) produce flowers that can be attractive and long lasting in dried arrangements when properly prepared. To […]
Contact the American Community Gardening Association (ACGA), a nonprofit membership organization made up of professionals, volunteers, and supporters of the concept. 877-275-2242. communitygarden.org A good New England-specific organization is the New England Grassroots Environment Fund, which supports local environmental projects. Visit the Web site and click on “Urban Environment” to see a list of community […]
Drivers rolling down Boston’s Boylston Street are sometimes surprised to see — amid the concrete and high-rises — a splash of lush green, a pergola covered in purple blossoms, and bright-red rows of tomatoes, heavy on the vine. This seven-acre plot is The Richard D. Parker Memorial Victory Gardens, better known as Fenway Gardens.The names […]
In winter there’s nothing I miss more than fresh herbs and salad greens from my summer vegetable garden. How difficult is it to grow them indoors? M.L., Narragansett, RI “Not that difficult!” says Ethan Holmes of New England Hydroponics. His best-selling countertop garden, the AeroGarden from AeroGrow, is always on display in his Southampton, Massachusetts, […]
Get your landscaping ready for New England’s bitter months by reading our tips to prepare your garden for winter. Our canna lilies and dahlias bloomed fabulously this summer, but I understand they’re not hardy enough to survive our winter outdoors. What do you recommend? — D.C., Antrim, NH Cannas, dahlias, elephant ears (Colocasia), gladiolus, caladium, […]
My two-foot daisy plant bloomed each fall for five or six years but stopped two years ago. The plant comes up green and seemingly healthy, but no blossoms — not even one bud. Can you tell me why this has happened and how to solve the problem? C.M., Rockland, MA The symptoms you describe may […]
You know autumn has arrived in New England when boxes of tangy-sweet Concord grapes start showing up at local markets and farm stands. In fact, these dusky-purple orbs are so fragrant, you can smell them before you see them. Their growing season is brief, so enjoy them now, either straight from the vine or in […]
Last spring I sent away for three bittersweet plants and received one male and two female plants. These grew high with great leaves, but no berries. What went wrong? — D.C., Pascoag, RI First of all, as pretty as their berries are, Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus) is widely considered one of the most threatening invasive […]