-Pam Scott- The importance of pollinating and beneficial insects in our world cannot be over stressed. The production of 3⁄4 of our major food crops depends on insect pollinators. Most of the crops we grow and eat (tomatoes, cucumbers, almonds, eggplants, fruits and berries, to name just a few) need pollinators to produce fruit. Unfortunately, the population of both native and managed pollinators is in decline due to destruction of habitat and the use of broad-spectrum pesticides. Perversely, … [Read more...] about Nectar-Producing Plants and Host Plants: Superheroes of the Garden
Herb Garden
How to make your own DIY bottle garden
At Fifth Season, we hear about and see all sorts of cool DIY projects, A couple years ago I came across bottle gardening, and recently I tried my hand at it. These gardens can be as simple as one bottle inverted on itself, or as elaborate as a window-sized unit with stacks of suspended bottles, linked by a drip system and all fed by submersible pumps. At this point, you might ask - why a bottle garden? Well, many people, such as those in apartments or other small living spaces, don’t have access … [Read more...] about How to make your own DIY bottle garden
Up Yours Winter! Or How I Saved the Herb Garden from Freezing.
Winter is a great time for... Writing memoirs for no one but yourself. Turning on family members after being snowed in for two weeks. Losing nerve endings permanently due to frostbite. It also can remind you to start some preservation techniques before the whiteout commences. Perhaps one of the easier winter preps for outdoor gardens is in the herb bed. Before the season of discontent begins, look around at your herb garden. See all that green? … [Read more...] about Up Yours Winter! Or How I Saved the Herb Garden from Freezing.
