Esopus Spitzenberg is a very old, very delectable, apple that, though it originated a mere stone’s throw from my farmden, was Thomas Jefferson’s favorite. Also a favorite of mine. More of the Spitz story in my latest blog post, here:
No need for the garden to look melancholy through the coming months. Tidy things up is good for the garden, but don’t go overboard:
If you’ve been intrigued by fruits ripening on quince bushes that were a riot of salmon red flowers in spring, don’t take bite. They’re rock hard and astringent, although with enough cooking and sweetening can be made edible. Much tastier is the true quince which . . . but I’m divulging too much. To know the plants and see the photos, check out my latest blog post here:
Don’t let anyone scare you away from making compost. Read what I have to say about directives such as “don’t add disease plants to your compost pile” and other compost lore. Composting is for everyone. Read here:
I like planting trees and shrubs this time of year. This time of year!! Yup, planting now is good for plants — and me — for a number of reasons. I list these reasons, plus a couple of caveats in my latest blog post:
Grow chufa, aka tiger nuts, earth almonds, and zulu nuts, to take you back to your primal roots. Despite its long history of cultivation, today’s chufa is pretty much the same nutty, sweet chufa eaten thousands of years ago! Learn more about chufa in my latest blog post:
Over 150 years ago, a nursery offered a prize for the best-tasting apple. What variety won? Red Delicious, submitted under another name but then deemed to have earned at the name “Delicious.” What happened (tastewise)? Read about it — guess where? — in my latest blog post:
It’s bulb planting season. Before you reach for bulbs in the tulip bin at your local hardware store or garden center, think about what you want. Colors? Petal shaps? But be aware that most tulips peter out after a few years. Learn what varieties and species tulips you can plant now to return with colorful blossoms each spring year after year. In my latest blog post, of course.
The world is divided on their views of Concord, the grape. It’s been around for over 150 years and is noted for distinct “foxy” flavor, also found in other American grapes. In this blog post I delve into grape “foxiness,” the origin and lineage of Concord, and peoples’ view of this variety.
What a garden John has! John — that’s 18th century John Bartram — was America’s first botanist, whose garden is preserved, like an oasis, in the heart of Philadelphia. Come visit and see the Franklinia tree, no longer found anywhere inn the wild, and his other interesting and beautiful introductions. Here are some pix and more about Bartram’s Garden:
