For a couple of years I hired a “green” landscaping company to do my spring cleanup, because: 1) spring is a busy season and it was hard to make the time; and 2) they promised to mulch all my leaves and garden debris. Well, they lied. What they meant was that they would cart off …
gardeninacity
Notes from a wildlife-friendly cottage garden
About 2 weeks ago on a mild February Saturday, I decided it was time to prune our ‘Donald Wyman’ crabapple out front. Some people say crabapples should be pruned right after they bloom in order to minimize the impact on flowering the following year. Even so, I went with February so I could see what …
According to this article in the online magazine Electrek, California regulators are planning to phase out gas-powered leaf blowers and lawn mowers by 2022. Huzzah, I say! Actually, I would be happy with a ban on just the leaf blowers. I hate them.
Round and Round Over Roundup
When I hear people debate the herbicide glyphosate, or Roundup as it is more commonly known, I generally want to hide under a table. This is because I have friends who are passionate on both sides of the issue.
Free Compost For Chicago-area Gardeners
Did you know that the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District (MWRD) is giving away high-quality compost? Maybe you did, but I sure didn’t. The compost is made from wood chips, leaves, grass clippings, and biosolids derived from water reclamation.
Greenwashed Landscaping
So last Friday I was really looking forward to a reunion with my garden after being away almost all week. A local landscaping company called Greenwise was supposed to have done the spring cleanup while I was gone, and I was eager to see everything nice and neat, along with whatever might be newly sprouting …
Seed Starting Developments
Well, the seed starting is coming along nicely, not withstanding one unfortunate mishap.
Tell the Truth Tuesday
Our friend Alison at Bonney Lassie came up with the brilliant idea of a blog meme which involves showing the unflattering aspects of our gardens. This is a healthy antidote to the steady diet of stories about perfect gardens, all gorgeously photographed, which I and many others greedily consume.
Germination!
Stuff is happening in our basement that’s got me excited. The very first seeds of my very first attempt to start plants inside have germinated. So teeny, with their two cotyledons barely visible, but so cute!
The Strategic Garden Tool Reserve
Here’s an idea for gardeners who, like me, have a tendency to lose their garden tools. I never figured out how to carry multiple tools around with me while taking care of various garden tasks. Smaller tools usually get stuck in a pocket, which can result in pockets sliced open at the bottom, which is …
