Tag: Miscellaneous

What Does it Mean to Cultivate?

What came to mind when you read the headline above?  I’m guessing it was either a picture of a farmer aboard a tractor dragging a cultivator across his fields, or a gardener using a rototiller or hoe to remove weeds and fluff up the soil between plants.       Here is how Merriam-Webster defines cultivate: 1. to [Continue]

A Better Way to Stock Up

      Perhaps the coronavirus pandemic will spawn a whole new generation of people who will feel compelled to keep their food supply and other items at a level even above “well stocked” at all times, similar to what happened to those who lived through the Great Depression.       To be truly prepared for a long-term [Continue]

Plants use Chemical Warfare to Compete

        Competition in the plant world is fierce as the various species battle it out for sunlight, water, nutrients and space.  Plant use a variety of ways to get the upper hand, some actually resorting to chemical warfare to crush the competition.  This process is called allelopathy.         Besides the lovely way the word “allelopathy” [Continue]

Mistakes Gardeners Make

Every gardener makes mistakes, even the most experienced among us.  Here are some of the most common missteps. Planting in the wrong spot.  Plants have definite preferences for light, soil and moisture conditions.  Take the time to research the conditions each plant favors before adding it to your landscape or you’ll be set for failure. [Continue]