Sometimes the path of least resistance is the more difficult one to take. Circumstances change, not always for the better, and the easy way out doesn’t show its face until it’s too late to change course. This is true particularly when making a garden, and I’ve made six of them over so many years I […]

In a greenhouse, plants can be grown that would never survive in the surrounding environment. Many aren’t just non-native plants. Some are exotic ones from far-away parts of the world, especially tropical regions. Growing such plants can be great fun, and not just because you’re defying the outdoor climate. The fruit of some offer grocery–store […]

You’ve dug all the potatoes, harvested the onions and garlic, and now have open spaces in your outdoor garden. With first frost still two to three months away, there’s plenty of time to grow a second crop in these unused areas. But what’s best to grow? And when and where should you start the new […]

Interesting times lead to engaging decisions. The weather is unpredictable, blowing hot and cold like a moody teenager, and water restrictions are entirely the opposite, like an eternally staid and stern great Aunt that we all need when times get tough, what can one do, other than put on the thinking hat and reassess.  C’est […]

It’s berry season here in Rhode Island. The raspberries, blueberries, red and white currants are all ripe and ready to be picked. Strawberries have almost finished. In a few weeks blackberries will also be available. These berry plants produce several pounds of fruit each season, most of which goes into the freezer for pies, smoothies […]

Movie buffdom is not my realm; I watch, am entertained (or not), but a week later couldn’t relate the plot if you paid me. With one exception: the closing scene of ‘The Godfather’. The entire movie is iconic, I get it, but that final scene gripped me because of the size of the tomato plants […]

Our local weather forecast is for sunshine, more sunshine, and nothing but sunshine. In fact, we haven’t had a heavy rainstorm since April 23rd. For a gardener, that’s a problem, especially when the local water board has banned outdoor lawn and garden watering because of drought. So what does a gardener do? One answer is […]

Mmmm! Biting into a fresh tomato on a hot summer day can be one of a gardener’s most pleasurable experiences. But if you haven’t grown tomatoes before, what do you need to know? Here are some basic answers. First, you need to decide whether to grow determinate or indeterminate tomatoes. Determinate plants are smaller and […]

Writing this during the May’s closing days, after winter’s final hurrah (I hope, but this is Colorado and it’s a bit dodgy to count on it), my neighbors and I have been digging out dandelions in the faint hope of eliminating them from our lawns and gardens. It would be nice if the flowers were, […]

It all depends how you look at it. Is your garden a demanding diva, that requires the constant attentions of the stylist, the groomer, the maid-of-all-work to keep the whole shebang tidy? Or is just plain fun to be with? A place that makes you laugh, mostly at mistakes that, to your eye, turn out […]

It’s warming up in Rhode Island, but the wind is still very cold off the ocean because the ocean water is only about 43°F (6°C) in late April. This cold early springtime breeze keeps my garden temperature roughly two weeks behind inland areas. To counter this issue, I start most seeds in my basement and […]

Having a wide-ranging collection of gardening books amassed over the decades of my writing career often provides me with ideas for this column and always gives me a lift when gardening gets tough. In those moments, my library reminds me that whatever the problem/pleasure/trend is in the world of the garden, it has all been […]