My Sowing Kit (or Ode to the Mushroom Tray)
When I say that I have grown from seed Canadian rhododendrons, primroses and rare alpine plants at home, people oftenContinue Reading
Category: Laidback Gardener Tip of the Day
The Fascinating Story of the Pumpkin
Tonight’s Halloween pumpkin has a long and fascinating story, one well worth looking into. First, the pumpkin is a typeContinue Reading
Time to Order Colchicums
Colchicum (often falsely called autumn crocus, which is a very different bulb) are beautiful autumn-flowering bulbs. And they’re very hardy,Continue Reading
Successful Watering on a Slope
Plants growing on a slope are more difficult to water than ones growing on a more horizontal surface. That’s because the waterContinue Reading
Bye-Bye Blues! Beware of horticultural oils and insecticidal soap
Warning: horticultural oils (dormant oil, summer oil, etc.) and soaps (insecticidal soap, dishwashing soap used as a pesticide, etc.) will meltContinue Reading
When Lettuce Turns Bitter
If this is your first experience with lettuce (Lactuca sativa), you’ll discover that your main problem will not be insects orContinue Reading
Caring for Bulbs After They Finish Blooming
I have been writing a weekly horticulture column for the French-language newspaper Le Soleil de Québec for 37 years. IContinue Reading
A Low-Maintenance Garden for the Cottage
If you’re a laidback gardener, you probably find that maintaining the landscaping around your home is already enough effort. But many homeowners also own a summerContinue Reading
Rhubarb: Not for the Veggie Patch
Unlike almost all other common vegetables (the other main exception being asparagus), rhubarb (Rheum × hybridum) is neither an annualContinue Reading
10 Gardening Gaffes To Avoid in the New Year
By George Weigel What’s the difference between a new gardener and an experienced one? The experienced gardener has killed wayContinue Reading