Most gardeners are fighting a never-ending battle with dandelions, either spraying them with herbicides or digging them out by hand. Having been in the latter group for years, I only recently paused to wonder why we’re trying to get rid of them in the first place. Research indicates that they have far more pros than cons in the garden – and provide some health benefits too.
We discovered a new garden-related nuisance this year: artillery fungus. It shoots tiny cannon ball-like spores up to 20 feet, where they stick to siding and cars. While some people clearly care more than others about the damage this fungus can do, it is not hazardous – just annoying. With that in mind, it’s important to consider a solution that matches the scale of the problem.
There are clear benefits to organic gardening, but are there situations in which an organic solution can do more harm than the chemical alternative? As much as I hate to say it, there may be some grey area when it comes to the best course of action for eradicating my tenacious thistle. I found a safer alternative to glyphosate, though safer doesn’t mean safe.
Another summer has gone by, and I am woefully far behind on my pollinator garden. Once again, life events kept me on the couch and out of the garden for the second year in a row. While I was upset that I wasn’t more productive, the garden is starting to take care of itself, which was – honestly – part of the plan all along.
Foraging can be risky business, especially when the ingredients in question contain toxins. With that said, I generally have fun cooking with invasive or aggressive plants from my garden, and milkweed was no exception. I recently learned more about this versatile plant and its historic medicinal applications while learning how to cook the seed pods that start to appear mid-summer.
After several years of trying to replace my turf lawn with clover, I’m no longer sure clover is what I want. Native alternatives to turf grass can require a massive amount of time, effort, and maybe some unsavory chemicals to ensure a successful conversion. While I won’t be doing that any time soon, I still hope that what I have is “better,” if not “best.”
Every homeowner has to battle termites at one point or another, in one way or another. The only thing notable about our situation is the stubborn public health professional and organic gardener who refuses to allow bee-killing pesticides on her property. After some research and a couple informed conversations, we revisited a method we tried several years ago — with better results after following the instructions.
Cooking with seasonal ingredients helps me feel like I’m getting the most out of what the Earth has to offer, and cooking with invasive ingredients helps me feel like I’m doing some good to balance the scales. After a few years of talking about it, I tried my first garlic mustard recipe, which I enjoyed while pairing with some other flavors of May.
While the Spotted Lanternfly is on the rise in Pittsburgh, I was surprised to find very few back east when I was visiting my dad this summer. Thanks to ongoing research from academics and vigilance from the agricultural industry, we’re learning more about where they pose the most risk and what methods are – and aren’t – successful at keeping them at bay.
Gardening teaches patience, persistence, and flexibility. The “Capital G” Garden will never be done, since it is in a constant state of becoming, but necessary tasks just haven’t gotten done during what has been a busy and challenging year. I did what I could to at least spend some time enjoying my happy place – and I hope you can too through this post.