Rant of the Month

Jan 1

When Choosing a Place - Garden v House

One can find many "reality" programs on the telly. Those programs featuring real-estate (i.e., shopping for homes) are especially...

Dec 1, 2021

Citrus in the Compost

You may have read somewhere (probably on the internet -- so it must be true) that putting citrus peel in a compost pile is a bad idea. I...

Nov 1, 2021

Mastership, Really?

Research has shown that when individuals are asked to self-assess their ability in relation to other people, many are prone to...

Oct 1, 2021

Green Giant - BEWARE

I am a conifer aficionado. On my 3-acre spread there are currently more than 100 specimens representing 15 different genera -- about all...

Sep 1, 2021

Rough Leaf & Gray Dogwood

Rough leaf dogwood (Cornus drummondii) is a relatively fast-growing native deciduous shrub that makes a wonderful wildlife corridor and...

Aug 1, 2021

Taking Food Plants for Granted

We commonly fail to appreciate the wonders that are part of everyday existence. I am not referring to electronic gadgets, but rather to...

Jul 1, 2021

Long-term Relationships

Life and gardening have a lot in common. One of the similarities I often reflect on is long-term relationships -- both what long-term...

Jun 1, 2021

Mulberry Trees, No Thanks

Setting aside the associated nursery rhyme and its several contradictions, one of the first trees most children learn is mulberry. But...

May 1, 2021

Callery Pear - A Crap Tree

I had a writeup on another topic ready and scheduled to post, then I got a text message from my sister-in-law. A large Callery pear in...

Apr 1, 2021

They're Back!

There are lots of natural wonders in the Midwest. Most of them are annual events, or semiannual like the sandhill crane migration. A few...

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Unfortunately, most people know very little about plants and gardening, including many "professionals" employed to design, choose, install and maintain landscapes. This page spotlights specific issues with commentary on remedy or recommendation for course of action. Examples are numerous and easy to find -- rarely requiring me to travel far from home. Hopefully, these postings will make the task more difficult. I also feature seasonally appropriate topics and focus on species and issues to help educate.