It has been a long winter in this part of the world. After several “open” winters with little snow and relatively warm temperatures, we have been treated to cold weather, often coupled with high winds, and repeated snowy days. Everything is relative, of course, and compared with parts of Minnesota, our snow amounts have been … Read more
You have to love a plant that comes with the following catalog description: “possesses enough brawn to easily tackle heat, humidity, dry shade and lean soil, yet detests too much fertility.” That describes my climate and parts of my garden perfectly. The good news is that the plant in question is already growing there, having … Read more
It is finally February and the darkness that covers the earth—at least the part of the earth where I live—is receding as we gain minutes of light each day. But as I welcome the fact that I can now see my garden at 5:30 pm, I am thinking about adding a bit of darkness to … Read more
I have an echeveria that will most likely stay in the same pot forever. It is lovely, with big, plump, succulent leaves, and apparently healthy, enjoying its sunny spot in the dining room window. It drinks up about a tablespoon of water per week and requires little else. If it weren’t so attractive, I would … Read more
About 12,000 years ago, human beings started making the long transition from gathering wild plants for food to growing those plants. As more humans turned to practicing agriculture, they probably began to do what is now known as “selective breeding”—choosing plants that were bigger, or bore tastier fruits—and sowing the seeds of those plants in … Read more
