Gardening Techniques
Interview with Dr. Doug Tallamy, Author of Bringing Nature Home
Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Doug Tallamy at his home. Doug is the author of Bringing Nature Home: How you Can Sustain Wildlife With Native Plants, a book which has sparked a new cycle of enthusiasm for native plants and ecological landscapes. Doug is Professor & Chair of Entomology and Wildlife Ecology at the University of Delaware,…
Read MoreTo Mulch or Not to Mulch: Protecting Plants in Winter
As winter creeps up on us and the ground starts to freeze in many parts of the country, you may be wondering if you should use mulch to protect your plants. You may know that I recommend leaving fallen leaves in place to act as nature’s mulch and compost. Ditto for any fallen plant debris, assuming that those plants have…
Read MoreTop 20 Ways to Create An EcoBeneficial Garden
Wondering how you can give a huge “eco-boost” to your garden? Look no further. Here are 20 of the best ways: 1) Reduce or eliminate the “Green Desert” (lawn/turf). It is an ecological wasteland. 2) Increase the health of your soil. Everything starts with the soil: healthy soil makes for healthy plants. Disturb your soil as little as possible. Leaves…
Read MoreSpotlight on Invasive Plants: Burning Bush (Euonymus alatus)
At this time of year, there are some very compelling plants in the landscape, strikingly beautiful as they take on their amazing fall color. One of the loveliest to look at is Euonymus alatus, commonly known as burning bush or winged euonymus. Its foliage and unusual fruit begin to turn bright red in October and are highly visible in the landscape.…
Read More7 EcoBeneficial Tips for Planting Native Trees this Fall
Fall is a fantastic time to plant many trees. In most parts of the country, the warm days and cool nights of autumn favor healthy root development before winter arrives. Choosing appropriate plants and using proper planting methods are critical to your planting success and to the long-term health of the trees. Here are 7 tips to help you get…
Read MoreThe Power of Every Landscape
It’s no secret to followers of this blog that I encourage the use of regional native plants because they have co-evolved with other living things and support our ecosystems. These symbiotic relationships are fundamental to a healthy environment. The great news is that every backyard, every community garden, every rooftop garden, every commercial landscape and every container on a patio…
Read MoreBee City USA: Helping Bees, City by City
You may have heard about Tree City USA, a nationwide program for communities which have demonstrated a commitment to caring for and managing their public trees. Over 3,400 communities now have Tree City USA status. Borrowing from this idea there is a new, exciting program to help support bees across the country: Bee City USA. In 2011, Phyllis Stiles,…
Read MoreFeeding the Bees: Creating a Bee Buffet!
We are hearing more and more about the challenges which honey bees and native bees are facing. There are many things you can do in a landscape to help bees. One thing we all can do is create an appealing and nutritious “bee buffet” to help our pollinator friends. As you likely know, bees need both pollen and nectar. Let’s…
Read MorePreserving Native Species: Lessons from the American Chestnut
Prior to the year 1900 the American Chestnut tree (Castanea dentata) was the predominant tree in Eastern forests. It is estimated that there were almost 4 billion American Chestnut trees in the U.S. at the beginning of the 20th century, accounting for 1 in every 4 trees in Eastern hardwood forests. American Chestnut was a “keystone species” playing a critical…
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