Gardening Articles & Resources

Compost Piles – Making My Own Compost

Compost Piles – Making My Own Compost

I have two compost piles: Pile #1, to which I am active adding stuff, and Pile #2, which has been sitting over the winter, and is by spring or summer ready and waiting for me to dig out the good compost and add it to my garden. On the active pile, I continuously add...

“Eddy’s Winter Wonder” Hardy Olive Tree

“Eddy’s Winter Wonder” Hardy Olive Tree

Olea europaea 'Eddy's Winter Wonder' Hardy Olive Tree, unlike most olive trees, is reportedly hardy to garden hardiness zone 6. It was originally discovered in Switzerland.I WANT to grow this!!! For 2018, I have found one possible source: specimentrees.com in Canada....

Starting a Landscape From Scratch

Someone posted in a facebook group asking for advice for landscaping and starting a garden for a brand new "blank canvas" yard. My thoughts, speaking as someone who also started with a "blank slate" and made a mix of good and bad calls. Make note of the sun and shade...

Topsoil and compost for the garden.

Topsoil and compost for the garden.

This is what it looks like when you get a truckload of ten cubic yards of mixed compost and topsoil delivered, and this is why I took the day off today. I'm doomed. But I'm going to have amazing veggies this year. I can already taste the carrots. This weekend's...

Uses for Dead Tree Branches in Landscaping

Uses for Dead Tree Branches in Landscaping

We had a dead elm tree in our backyard, which I honestly was fine with for the most part, because a dead tree makes all kinds of wild things very happy. The local woodpeckers are well fed. Last spring a raccoon decided it was a wonderful place for a nest and raising...