Driven by social media, the last few years have presented us many challenges – the 2014 ice bucket challenge that raised $115 million for ALS research, the 2012 cinnamon eating challenge that injured and even killed participants, and weekly step challenges where friends compete to see who can walk the most steps as measured by [Continue]
The Perennial Plant Association has named Stachys ‘Hummelo’ as its choice for 2019 Perennial Plant of the Year. ‘Hummelo’ is a colorful compact plant for a sunny perennial border, a specimen plant in a rock garden or massed as a ground cover. Striking midsummer spikes of rose-lavender flowers rise above a basal rosette [Continue]
The International Herb Association has chosen anise hyssop – Agastache foeniculum – as 2019 Herb of the Year. Anise hyssop is a wildflower native to the Upper Midwest and Great Plains with tiny, tightly whorled flowers on 3-6 inch spikes. Flower color varies from pale blue to lavender to dusky dull indigo to [Continue]
I received an heirloom seed catalog in the mail this year that I hadn’t seen before. Perusing it was eye-opening! Heirloom seeds are those that have been saved and passed down through the generations, sometimes for hundreds of years. They are from open-pollinated rather than hybrid plants and come true to their parent plants, [Continue]
When the leaves are off the low branch of the oak tree in winter, the view from my recliner lines up perfectly with my neighbors’ kitchen window. Even if I were a nosy neighbor, I couldn’t see into their kitchen if I wanted to because a houseplant called hoya completely obscures their window. While [Continue]
Seed catalogs began arriving in mailboxes several weeks ago. If you’re like most people, you tend to be loyal to one or two mail order nursery companies, but do you know where your loyalty actually lies? Many seed companies that appear independent are actually owned by other larger companies that may own more than [Continue]
The extended bout of cold weather this past week had many people grumbling and complaining. Extreme cold does bring good news though. Lee Frelich, Director of the Center for Forest Ecology at the University of Minnesota says that extended sub-zero temperatures can kill the larvae of emerald ash borer, the insect that is decimating [Continue]
There are many herbs that can help you relax when the holiday shopping, baking, wrapping and planning get to be too much. While it’s too late for this year, three of them are easy to grow and harvest to be ready for next year’s holiday rush. All three can be dried for tea or potpourri [Continue]
Before modern medicine, before paper was made and books were written, before the internet, before any form of written communication, the only way people had to learn the uses of plants was by trial and error and by passing information along orally. Long ago, cultures all over the world independently came to believe that plants [Continue]
Almost every gardener discovers aphids on their plants at one time or another. Before I get into what they are and how to control them, here is the most interesting thing about them: female aphids are born already pregnant. In fact inside the newly born aphid girls are embryos that have more embryos inside them. [Continue]