Let’s face it, as a writer and editor, I’m a book nerd. So it should come as no surprise that I love giving books as presents for Christmas. In that spirit, I’m going to recommend ten books that would make a great gift for the wildlife gardener in your life. Without further ado, here they are! “Bringing Nature Home” by Douglas W. Tallamy: In this influential book, Tallamy emphasizes the importance of native plants in supporting local ecosystems. Tallamy is rightfully recognized as a leader in the push to use native plants in our gardens to help pollinators and other wildlife. “The Wildlife-Fr ..read more

The holidays are upon us. With so much planning, purchasing and cooking to do it makes sense to simplify where you can. One of the easiest ways is to pump the brakes on huge, fancy and expensive centerpieces and create one that’s simple, lovely and inexpensive. Here are some ideas for easy holiday centerpieces to whet your inspirational palate. Orchids:  While not traditionally thought of as a Christmas flower, Orchids are native to the Himalayas. They grow above “cloud level” there and are only in season in the winter months. The holidays are a totally appropriate time to enjoy them. &nb ..read more

For gardeners, the USDA Hardiness Zone Map is an invaluable tool, guiding us on the types of plants that are likely to thrive in our region based on temperature extremes. Recently, this familiar map has undergone some changes, reflecting shifts in climate patterns across the United States. In this blog post, I’ll explore the recent updates to the USDA Hardiness Zone Map and what they mean for adaptable gardeners. The USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map The USDA Hardiness Zone Map divides the United States into zones based on the average annual minimum winter temperature. This information helps gard ..read more

Some of your vegetable plants may be dead or dying and some may be A-okay if temperatures have dipped to 32F or below in your area. If it’s cold where you are, your tomatoes and squash are certainly goners. But your kale, cabbage and Swiss chard are doing fine, even after a coating of frost. Why is that, exactly? Late last week, right after a killing frost knocked down my remaining tomato and squash plants, I received the University of Massachusetts Extension’s Vegetable Notes newsletter, an excellent compilation of what gardeners and farmers should watch for in the way of the weather, pests ..read more

The days are short, and the weak rays of the sun barely warm the skeleton of the garden. We’re stepping into the Persephone Period. Referring to the mythical tale of Demeter’s daughter’s time in the Underworld, where daylight fall below 10 hours a day, it’s a time of rest. Yet, even though it feels like the spring garden is a lifetime away, there are still a few tasks to keep us busy. New Year’s Resolutions To Clean or Not to Clean To protect pollinator species, there’s a concerted effort to avoid cleaning up the garden in the fall. This way they have places in hollow stems, leaves and garden ..read more

Not all pumpkins are orange, and the new Buckskin pumpkin from Burpee is a great example of that. Buckskin is more of a buff color than a Jack-O-Lantern type orange. However, if you look inside, Buckskin is indeed the rich and deep orange you’d expect of a pumpkin. Buckskin is in that rare pumpkin category that allows it two purposes. First, yes, you can use this pumpkin for festive autumn décor. I wouldn’t carve it, of course, because that would ruin Buckskin for its second purpose, which is in the kitchen. A colleague recently made two pies and a whole mess of pumpkin ravioli from just one B ..read more

Down here in southern Indiana, the weather has been incredible:  incredibly dry, incredible blue skies, and an incredible shift from 70-degree weather to our first frost (Oct. 30) and incredibly our first freeze the very next day! Our average first frost date is October 15, so we did enjoy two more lovely weeks before a cold front came through and dumped four inches of rain (at least according to our gauge).  This after no rain at all for several weeks. Trees have been shedding their leaves, making the ground below look like a gold carpet.  When the sunlight shines through the f ..read more

Winter arrived earlier than usual this year, and I woke up this morning to a frosty landscape sparkling in the early sunlight. My annuals won’t survive, so many of my plants will be will be turning brown and dying. This time of year, we are programmed by society to tidy up our outdoor spaces by cutting down plants and raking away fallen leaves. However, this well-intentioned winter cleanup may not be the best approach for the local wildlife that depends on our gardens for survival. Leaving plants standing and leaves in place can offer significant benefits to the wildlife that call our gardens ..read more

Fall is officially here and it’s the perfect time to breathe some new life into your containers. Here are some of the best plants for fall planters and a bit of inspiration on how to arrange them. I just love the jewel tones of fall, as well as the forms of gourds, pumpkins and stalks that are common and great choices for autumn design. #1 Mums: Technically, Chrysanthemums, are the quintessential fall flower. Full-bodied with a spicy scent, they come in a variety of vibrant colors, including burgundy, bronze, purple, white, orange and pink. Mums can withstand cooler temperatures making them a ..read more

Fall is one of my favorite times in the garden because there are so few pests. The wasps and yellow jackets are no longer invading the raspberries and there is not an aphid to be found. But we still do need to keep our eyes open for fall pests because some take advantage of these final days before the winter sets in for good. Preparing the Garden for Winter Opportunistic Pill Bugs In our waning days of beautiful weather, I was tickled to pick a lovely zucchini from our so-far healthy plans. I was shocked when there were pill bugs chewing on one end. Out the entire season, they never bothered a ..read more