Weed or Flower? (with audio)
As a volunteer master gardener for our local Cooperative Extension Service, I'm often asked, "Is this plant a weed or a flower?" Of course, the horticulturally correct answer is, "A …
cherry tree
The Making of Mrs. Know It All
I am what you call a city girl growing up just 10 minutes from Downtown Pittsburgh in a borough called Swissvale. My Grandma Kaschauer had lived there since 1906 and …
Cherry-Almond Coffee Cake
When it comes to cooking and baking, you have some options. There are a lot of ways to cook any one particular item, and almost any recipe has shortcuts or …
No Rest For Garden Weeders
Some gardeners get lucky. They must. These are the gardeners who rarely have problems with weeds. They pull a few stray weeds here and there, but otherwise, they let mulch …
Does the Tree Know About These Harmful Garden Insects?
Of the many harmful garden insects, a number of them crawl unnoticed toward a feast of garden fruits, vegetables, flowers, and herbs. They hide in the soil, under dense foliage, …
Learning About Life Through Gardening Stories
I love gardening stories. They may be humorous, scientific, whimsical, or even tales of frustration and wonder. Why, after all, can everyone around me grow beautiful lavender plants, but mine …
Atlas, the Kingsnake, and Contemporary Landscaping
I didn't start out to re-landscape the yard. I was just frustrated by our slow—and expensive—curbside trash pick-up. But then came drought, and global warming, and the extinction crisis, to …
How to Make Your Cherries Bigger and Grow Faster
I adore cherries. I remember one of the first times as a child that I pulled a fresh, ripe cherry from a tree and plopped it in my mouth. To …
Planting Cherry Trees in the Ground or in Raised Beds
Remember, your cherry tree is going to be full-grown someday. Keep in mind several things when choosing a site:
The tree will be a landscaping asset, so you’ll want to show …
For the Birds
In the two years I took to write my book, 100 Birds and How They Got Their Names (Algonquin Press), I had ample opportunity to think about differences between birders …
