…nd what went into producing it. So how come I can’t have the right to know what’s in the food I buy in the store? That’s the goal of the Just Label It campaign, which last month submitted a record-breaking 1.1 million signatures to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) in favor of labeling genetically engineered (GE) foods. And in polls by ABC, MSNBC, NPR, the Washington Post, Consumer Reports and others, consistently…
Once the holidays are near, I have the entryway and windows lit up with lights. But what about that dreadful month of November? Our light sculpture started with two rusted steel bands from an old whiskey barrel planter. By late-October it’s usually dark before I get home from work in the evening. I don’t know about you, but I find this depressing. Once the holidays are near, I…
The key to keeping cyclamen happy and healthy is to replicate their natural environment as closely as possible. They thrive in cool temperatures that drop as low as 40 degrees F. at night Cyclamen Slideshow Slideshow: Cyclamen Press “play” to start the show. To share comments or explore further, go to Flickr. Giving and receiving flowering plants at the holidays is a time-honored tradition, but one that’s fraugh…
…sonalized the terrariums with tiny plastic and confetti critters, pebbles, driftwood, shells and sea glass. Caring for the miniature habitats is simple. All they need are few tablespoons of water every couple of days and 8 to 10 hours of filtered light a day, such an east-facing window or bright office lighting. Fertilizing two to three times a year with a low-strength natural fertilizer, such as Terracycle Plant Food, is sufficient. Happy, craft…
…o know about poinsettias: They are not poisonous. This rumor has persisted for decades, possibly starting with a report from Hawaii about a fatality that happened 75 years ago. The myth was busted after research done in the 1970s at Ohio State University. However, there are a few holiday favorites—such as mistletoe and holly—that are indeed poisonous. Learn more in Leonard Perry’s article, Holiday Plant Toxicity. In general, let the fact…
Challenged to find the perfect gift for the gardener or birdwatcher on your list? Can’t think of what to put in your own Dear Santa letter? Garden Kneeler Nitrile Gloves Tubtrugs Challenged to find the perfect gift for the gardener or birdwatcher on your list? Can’t think of what to put in your own Dear Santa letter? Shoppers come to our Vermont stores from all over the country, and they&…
…the perfect partner: Bien Fait Cakes, an artisanal bakery in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Bien Fait’s delicious, all-natural Bourbon Fruitcake tastes good and does good, too: The company is an L3C corporation and 100 percent of its profits benefit Wonder and Wisdom, a community-based nonprofit group. The organization emphasizes lifelong learning through after-school enrichment programs, summer camps, and trips for seniors in rural Gr…
Acorn, hubbard, buttercup, spaghetti, delicata and golden nugget. Winter squash are truly beautiful and lots of fun to grow — and good keepers for winter meals. Pumpkins and winter squash The Orchard Rack is good for storing “keeper” crops, such as winter squash, onions and potatoes. The drawers are slatted to ensure good air circulation, and they slide out for easy access. Related Information How to Grow and Stor…
Fall is a great time to cut and dry perennial herbs such as thyme, oregano, rosemary and bay. Use sharp scissors or flower snips to cut the stems. Keep the bundles relatively small and secure them with rubber bands. If you use twine, the bundles will come apart as the stems dry and shrink. Hang the bundles upside down in a dry, well-ventilated place out of direct sunlight. A bouquet of culinary herbs that includes several types of sage and…
…tes hosts a trailer, brings it in when it is full, and returns with an empty one,” Cline says. Steve Cline sorts plastic pots and cell packs at the Missouri Botanical Garden’s recycling program, where they collect 100,000 to 140,000 pounds of horticultural plastic every year. Cline, former director of the Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening, started the program in 1998. The botanical garden’s Pots to Planks program s…