Share my passion for all things gardening!
Yes, that’s a long title for this blog post, but it really sums things up! I’ve been meaning to write about this topic for a few weeks but just haven’t had the time. But now that I’ve seen TV and newspaper accounts of the return of black flies to the Inland Northwest, it’s definitely important to address this subject. I’ve […]
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One of the questions I’m frequently asked is about the camera I use to take my garden and bird photographs. I actually use two main cameras to get the job done. They’re probably a lot less fancy than you’re envisioning! For regular garden shots and especially for zoom shots of birds and critters, I use a Canon Powershot SX50HS. This […]
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As many of you know, my husband and I are avid birdwatchers. Over the years, we’ve learned what will attract birds to our garden. One of the best ways to accomplish this is by adding birdbaths. Birds need to drink water and bathe — typically every day. Our bird feeders attract them, along with our landscape filled with trees and […]
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I know I’m forcing the issue here but I can’t help myself! The bulbs we’ve all known for so many years as Amaryllis are actually called Hippeastrum. So here is an update on how my Hippeastrum is doing! (After all, as a garden writer, I should probably be using the correct terms myself, right?) This gorgeous flower is ‘Papilio’ and […]
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Last year, while looking through a seed catalog, I saw a listing for something called “solar mulch.” Hmm, what’s that, I wondered? I learned that solar mulch is a green plastic sheeting that will do two important things for a vegetable grower like myself: If you like growing warm-season crops such as melons, cucumbers, eggplants, tomatoes and peppers, it’s important […]
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Nothing is too good for my sweet bird friends! Here is the latest addition to the bird feeders in our garden: an Edwardian Bird Feeder from Gardener’s Supply. Isn’t it a beauty? As you can see, the birds think it’s quite wonderful. While the design is attractive, it has an extra benefit that I’m sure many of you will appreciate: this […]
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As you’ve probably discovered, I’m VERY into starting my own plants from seeds! In my opinion, being successful at it requires a decent grow light set-up. It’s true that you can put your flats of seeds in a sunny window, there are two problems with this. First, seedlings need about 16 hours of light daily. That’s not feasible since our […]
Read moreDo you enjoy starting your own plants from seed as much as I do? You’ll be excited to hear about a wonderful new seed-starting kit. It’s the GrowEase Seed-Starter kit from Gardener’s Supply. Here’s a short video on the kit’s features:Why do I like this seed-starting kit so much? Here are close-ups of the various components: This is the water […]
Read moreHere is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Working smart keeps body happy. (or you can read my column lower in this post.) The primary focus is on gardening comfort. It is about the things we can do to make gardening easier and more comfortable for our bodies. I’m talking about stretching beforehand, not doing […]
Read moreThis is what floating row cover looks like. It’s terrific! Here is a link to my column in today’s edition of The Spokesman-Review: Products boost plant health organically. (you can also read my column lower in this post.) This one’s about how I garden organically through the use of some very helpful, environmentally-friendly products. I hope you’ll find it interesting […]
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