Podcast

August 6, 2019 Harvesting Tomatoes, Frank Cabot, Andy Warhol, David Fairchild, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Flora’s Dictionary by Kathleen Gips, Fall Sowing, and John Stewart Blackie

Well, the time we’ve waited for all year is here; it’s time to harvest tomatoes. I want to give you just a quick word of caution when it comes to harvesting your tomatoes. As gardeners, sometimes we wait too long to collect them. Sometimes that can be unintentional, and other times, we think that letting them stay on the vine is best. However, if you wait too long, the tomatoes split. This is especially true with heirloom tomatoes. If you’re…

August 5, 2019 Tussie-Mussies, Jeanne Baret, Fred Paxford, Candice Wheeler, Wendell Barry, The Herb Garden Cookbook by Lucinda Hutson, Start Pansy Seed, Elaine Cramer and the Hydrangea Bloom Festival

One of the things I love to do at the end of spending time in my garden is to make some tussie-mussies. Tussie-mussies are also called nosegays or posies; they are small flower bouquets typically given as a gift. Mine are pretty small – with cuttings no longer than 6 inches. I like the charm of these little tussie-mussies. They are super fun to drop off by someone’s mailbox or to set down near the register of your favorite barista.…

August 2, 2019 Going to Seed, Thomas Gainsborough, Hawaiian Potatoes, Franklinia, Wallace Stevens, William Watson, The Cook and the Gardener by Amanda Hesser, Mint, and Longwood Gardens

Right about now you might be thinking about doing a little garden cleanup and preparation for fall. One of the questions I get from gardeners this time of year has to do with whether or not to let some of your plants go to seed. After spending most of the summer deadheading and illuminating all of the brown stuff on our foliage, it can be tough for some gardeners to let things go to seed. But there are many benefits…

August 1, 2019 Gladiola, Edwin Way Teale, Franklyn Hugh Perring, Lord Byron, The Garden Chef, Repurposed Strawberry Jar, and Plants Named After People

Are you growing, Gladiola? The plants are also sometimes called the Sword Lily. Gladiola is Latin for a small sword. In Victorian times, the Gladiola meant, “You pierce my heart.” And the next time you see a Gladiola, take a closer look: Members of this family produce parts in multiples of three. There are three sepals, colored to look like petals, and three true petals, and three stamens. Brevities #OTD It was on this day in 1923 that…

July 31, 2019 Poppies, Christopher Lloyd, Daniel Defoe, Mary Vaux Walcott, Richard Morris Hunt, Smithsonian Gardens, Robert Frost, Gardenista by Michelle Slatalla, Updating Beds, and National Avacado Day

Did you know that poppies were Christopher Lloyd’s favorite flower? In his short essay about poppies, he introduces ‘Goliath’ poppies, which grow to 4 feet tall and offer the most abundant blooms of any poppy. Lloyd wrote about the blooms saying, “They are rich crimson, which is as exciting as scarlet. In choosing plant neighbors to vie with it, I have been best pleased with an equally bright and pure yellow giant buttercup. Ranunculus acris ‘Stevenii.’ It is, however, shocking…