TOO MUCH, TOO FAST This is the time of year when the garden is a rampaging torrent of growth. Plants—cultivated and wild—are increasing with reckless abandon, vying with each other in Darwinian attempts to attract as many pollinators as possible. Every day I pull out handfuls of garlic mustard, chickweed, immature pokeweed and other noxious … Read more
This year, in many parts of the country, winter stood its ground and refused to unclench its chilly grip. Spring-flowering plants emerged slowly; understandably cautious about exposing their petals to the freezing breezes. The flip side of that hesitance is that once the petals opened, they remained open longer due to the low temperatures. While … Read more
If the abundant asters, Japanese anemones and the newly-revived roses didn’t convince me that it’s fall, the weeds certainly would. Suddenly the crabgrass—scourge of the summer lawn and garden—is gone and the onion grass is back. I took the first tentative strands of it out today, while I was dividing some tradescantia. More will certainly … Read more
