Sometimes the best way to learn about a new plant disease is to see it for the first time in person. While passing a neighbor's rose, I noticed it had the most irregular tip growth imaginable. The unusually reddish leaves were dense, fine and the growth reminded me of a stunted witch's broom (a physiological... ...see more

Few fall blue blooms can match those of Aconitum carmichaelii. The tall tiers of bright violet-blue hooded flowers are electric and look beautiful planted alongside late goldenrods and perennial sunflowers. Just be wary when planting this poisonous monkshood in gardens where children play. Mine are always give a space in the... ...see more

Our first 'Zatta' melon matured! Also called "brutto ma buono" ("ugly but good") in Italy, this hard-skinned melon is super sweet but small. The kids wondered over its bizarre hard skin. The skin smelled fragrant from afar when it was time to harvest it.

It began as an experiment and ended with something yummy. Somehow I became stuck with nearly a quart of fresh raspberries and fresh apricots that my girls were not eating fast enough. In the spirit of frugality, I cooked the fruit down into a sort of apricot raspberry honey butter of deliciousness that... ...see more

My poppy seeds dried to perfection in the summer heat and were harvested this past weekend. They are one of the most beautiful, carefree herbal flowers. Once you plant them, you need never plant them again because they self-sow so efficiently (but not too efficiently). In honor of their harvest, I made a lemon poppyseed zucchini... ...see more

Where's the rain for cryin out loud? This is the first spring in memory where I've had to actively water my peas, lettuce, carrots and other young, tender garden seedlings. There's something about rainwater that makes them flourish in a way that faucet water just can't.

My indoor seedlings have been hardening off nicely. Today... ...see more