- Jan 1
Oriental Maples ?
We all have quirks. One of my mine is that I use the collective descriptor Oriental maples. I do not use Japanese as a catchall for these...
- Dec 1, 2022
TRUNKS & STUMPS
There are several ways to deal with the trunk (AKA bole) of a tree. The ways rarely get consideration and several of the options will...
- Oct 31, 2022
Trunk Wounds
Other than root damage and the resulting stress, one of the biggest problems associated with transplanting large caliber trees is...
- Sep 30, 2022
Gardening Impediments
Gardening impediments are the things (mostly behavioral) which prevent one from being a better gardener, thus having a better garden. I...
- Aug 31, 2022
Goldenrod, a Lovely Garden Thug
There are nearly two dozen Solidago species in the Midwest flora and all but one are native -- the exception being the interstate...
- Jul 31, 2022
Farmers and Farming
The efforts of plant explorers, plant breeders, and farmers have freed most people from the never-ending and onerous task of gathering...
- Jun 30, 2022
Cats and Plants
Despite horrible cat related experiences in my youth, and even though I have a confirmed (although mild) cat allergy, I AM A CAT LOVER....
- May 31, 2022
US vs THEM, and being objective
Labelling, like native and non-native, flummoxes me and hamstrings us. On the surface the distinction, essentially us vs them, seems...
- Apr 30, 2022
Leaves of Three
Remember the old adage, leaves of three, let it be OR leaflets three, quickly flee? These proverbs were meant to help identify poison ivy...
- Mar 31, 2022
A TALE OF TWO CITIES, and a Dane
I recall loathing my time in Mrs. Sailor's English (Literature) during high school (late 1960s) in south central Illinois. Boy, was I...