Wooden Vs Composite Decking - Which Works Better?

Soil isn’t one thing, it’s a collection of different things that come together to make the life-giving, plant-growing ‘dirt’ that we love. We have a tendency to poison it, cover it over and generally forget that it’s there, but good soil is the heart of a good garden and something we should pay a lot more attention to.

Over the last few years, it has become increasingly apparent that we are not alone. I not referring to aliens; I’m talking about the fact that each and every human being comes complete with their own microbiome – a collection of microbes that they take with them wherever they go. For example, if we move home, it only takes about 24 hours for your microbiome to overwrite the previous owners left behind. 

Colder, darker winter nights and piles of fallen leaves often add up to some seriously slippery decking in your garden.

Hesitating between a polytunnel and a greenhouse? Both types of structures are used for growing a wide variety of crops and flowers. People usually wonder which one to choose as both constructions serve the same purpose.

Is hardwood decking better than softwood? A common question anyone who plans to build a deck in their garden thinks about. Plenty of factors that concern both types of decking boards are equally essential to consider before making your final decision on which one will suit your needs better.

Farmhouse sinks have been a favorite of interior designers and homeowners alike for years. When renovating a kitchen, one of the most important features is the sink, and the classic aesthetic, depth, and variation of materials that farmhouse sinks offer often make them a winning choice.

On Saturday, June 8, join me and Adam Wheeler of Broken Arrow Nursery in my garden for tours and a giant plant sale, and select from among an entire day of plant-themed offerings celebrating both herbs and flowers in nearby Hillsdale: herb cooking and flower arranging and growing.Plus, learn to be a better birder in a morning talk and guided walk/workshop, with Kathryn Schneider, past president of the NY State Ornithological Association and author of “Birding the Hudson Valley.” Don

Still ahead: Dozens and dozens of shrubby winterberry hollies (Ilex verticillata), which are mostly still all green but covered in berries. They’ll rate a whole post of their own once they’re ready, once they’ve gone golden or tangerine or fire-engine red and dropped their leaves. Stay tuned on that score.So which is it now as you look out your window: What lies ahead? Is it uh-oh, or yippee over there?Categoriestrees & shrubsTagsfall garden

SPRING OR WINTER? Who knows–certainly not the garden, or the weather, which is running hot-and-cold, literally, as it has all “winter” long. The last week or so has seen the first bulbs, a snowstorm (something we haven’t had but once or twice this season–just ask my unused snow shovel), and a lot of buds on early blooming shrubs daring to swell and shake off their protective coverings, despite my telling them “No, don’t do it!” A little slideshow of the vagaries of this non-February.

The numbers on a fertilizer bag are the so-called N-P-K ratio, the percent of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash (or potassium, chemical symbol K) inside the bag. Simply speaking, nitrogen is for green growth; phosphorus is for roots, flowers, and fruit; potash is for general vigor and disease resistance. A so-called balanced fertilizer, often recommended in books, is one that has equal percentages of each element.With chemical fertilizers, the numbers are much higher than with organic formulations. A standard is 10-10-10 or 5-10-5, meaning there are those percentages of each element in the bag (the rest is filler). You won’t find those totals in any organic formulation. In fact, if the total of the three numbers on a so-called organic or natural bag adds up to more than 15, I’m suspicious. Unless blood meal—an organic material very high i

My clump of ‘Sagae,’ whose highly textural, blue-green foliage is suffused with a warm cream from the edges splashing inward, is probably 3 or 4 feet across now, heading for a maximum of about 6. This is a statement plant: big, bold, beautiful, about 30 inches tall. I treasure it, and was glad to be affirmed in my judgment by the CHO, Tony, who calls ‘Sagae’, the “finest and most dramatic variegated hosta ever introduced.”Another personal must-have would be ‘June’ (above), the month of my birth and also one beautiful hosta. I have to describe it as not just blue but nearly turquoise in spring, the creamy yellow centers heating up to chartreuse against a vivid blue. I’ve found ‘June’ to be a strong grower, clumping up to about 3 feet across, and have made numerous divisions from my original plants.  As summer heats up, the ‘June’ foliage darkens to deep blue with medium green here, but it’s good-looking

THE POPULAR SPRING GARDEN WORKSHOPS I teach with my old friend Bob Hyland, former head of horticulture for Brooklyn Botanic Garden, are now listed on my 2011 Events Calendar page, with links to registration and ticket information. A full-day spring garden tuneup workshop April 16, and two half-day container-gardening workshops May 21, are scheduled (along with all my garden lectures–including some new ones just posted).