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Edging Options
A barrier between grass and flower or shrub beds can keep grass from encroaching on your beds and keep mulches from spilling over into your grass. Edging helps the gardener who wants a low-maintenance landscape to keep their grounds looking neat. There are many types of edging that will add beauty, interest, and practicality to
New Plants for 2012
by Jan Cashman 2/10/12 There’s a garden full of new plants introduced to the retail market again this year. Here are a few of these exciting new plants that should do well in our climate: Trees In the milder northern climates of Des Moines, Iowa, or Fort Collins, Colorado, ornamental pears are commonly used in
An Apple A Day
by Jan Cashman 1/2/12 The November 21, 2011, issue of The New Yorker had a wonderful article called Annals of Agriculture, Crunch, Building a Better Apple, about the development of a new apple called SweeTango. The article went into great detail about the history of apples, how patents and trademarks work on a new apple
Origin of Species of Corn, Potatoes, and Tomatoes – and Some Other Interesting History
By Jan Cashman 12/14/11 Ever wonder where the vegetables we eat and grow in our gardens came from? The plants had to originate somewhere. Thousands of years ago when people simply gathered wild fruits and vegetables for food, these plants were found naturally growing in the wild. Then, some 11,000 years ago, people began to
Growing Herbs Indoors
By Jan Cashman 11/20/11 Even though winter has set in and your gardens are under snow, you don’t have to be without fresh herbs. You can plant an herb garden on your kitchen windowsill. Here are some hints on how best to grow herbs indoors: Most herbs are not hard to grow indoors, but they do
The 2011 Gardening Year
by Jan Cashman The weather every year is unique, but 2011 had some real extremes. We had a snowy winter. According to Greg Ainsworth, columnist for the Chronicle, “from November through June, was the 3rd wettest period in 113 years.” At the MSU Weather Station, April, May and June was the coolest three month period