Climate, ecology and politics in the garden

23 Jul
2012
baby blue jay

Water for birds

For nearly two-thirds of the United States, this has been a painfully dry summer. As of last week, 64% of the continental United States was covered by drought. If recent trends continue, that number will be higher this week. Drought isn’t good for anyone. It’s bad for gardens and gardeners, ...

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2 Jul
2012
yard long bean seedlings, sprouting at the base of a "planted" stick trellis

Monday morning garden stroll #9

Fair warning: This isn’t going to be a typical garden stroll. No photos of flowers, for starters. In fact, very few photos of plants at all. We’re taking a bit of a detour, and I’m blaming it on the weather. In keeping with recent pattern, this week’s stroll does have ...

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20 Jun
2012
blueberries

EWG’s Dirty Dozen list provides inspiration for the vegetable garden

As every seed-catalog-perusing gardener knows, there are approximately 4,372,912 possible fruits or vegetables to choose from when planning our gardens each year. Or, something like that. [Note: It's possible that I pulled that number out of thin air. Probable, in fact. Ok, I have absolutely NO proof that there are ...

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7 Jun
2012
'Sunny Border Blue' speedwell (Veronica spicata) along the garden path.

Monday morning garden stroll: #5

It’s Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday morning again. Yes, the weekly garden stroll is late again. This is apparently what happens when a whole bunch of deadlines bunch up on the first half of a week. How about we just skip past the part where I promise (again) to do better next week, ...

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9 May
2012
Please Help Save Stadium Woods at Virginia Tech

Help save Stadium Woods

We’re taking a little departure from gardening today. I hope you’ll forgive me. In fact, I hope you’ll do more than forgive me. I hope you’ll join me. Here’s the deal. There’s this forest. It’s filled with oaks. Really old oaks. And, this forest — Stadium Woods — sits smack ...

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29 Feb
2012
After slumbering through the winter, the garlic plants are beginning to send out new growth. This mild winter might mean we will get to harvest some glorious garlic bulbs in a few more months.

Signs of spring (too early?)

28 days. That’s a typical February. And, usually, I’m delighted that the month is so short. It’s our coldest, snowiest, ickiest and least garden-friendly month. At least, it usually is. This year, February has been mild. Warm, even. I’ve spent loads of time in the garden, pruning and prepping and ...

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27 Jan
2012
The updated 2012 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is more detailed, interactive, searchable by zip code, and reflective of a warming world.

The new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map (and what it tells us about the future)

Two days ago, we got a sneak-peek at the future. Did you notice? The USDA released their newly updated Plant Hardiness Zone Map this Wednesday (click here to read the press release). Finally! The map hadn’t been updated since 1990, and things have definitely changed since then. Don’t believe me? ...

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16 Aug
2011
Carolina wrens are frequent visitors to the garden, where they forage for all manner of insects.

It’s not a garden. It’s a habitat.

Yesterday, I saw a hummingbird in the garden. It’s the first one I’ve seen since moving into the house last October. She helped herself to some nectar from the native butterflyweed plants before buzzing off to her next stop. Pretty excellent way to start the week. She wasn’t alone either. ...

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