A Way To Garden

A Way To Garden

'horticultural how-to and woo-woo'
the source of organic gardening inspiration
margaret roach, head gardener

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help me make winter plans, win ‘a way to garden’

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frost on perennials

EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME I ask the same question: What shall we do this winter—during gardening’s supposed offseason? A hoarfrost on the perennials and grass the other morning (above) reminded me that you-know-what will close in sometime soon, so what do you think? In return for your planning help, I’m offering a chance to win a signed copy of my collectible first book, “A Way to Garden.”

First, a Word of Thanks

IF NOT FOR YOUR 26,000 comments so far, and millions of page views, and your other encouragement in the form of emails and newsletter subscriptions and Facebook page “likes” and yes, even notes and treats some of you send in the regular mail to Jack the Demon Cat, I would never have written the 900 stories to date (this is Number 901!) since starting A Way to Garden in March 2008. A giant thanks for being my inspiration.

Now Back to the Winter Plans…

ON MY END, the book manuscript I have due at the New Year—yes, it’s a garden book—is taking much of my attention, of course, but I should be done after the holidays (or else).

I finally completed my last of more than 30 events of 2011. Lectures will resume in late winter, with workshops and garden tours spring onward, and I’ll post a full schedule next month. I keep wondering if a monthly chat (with audio, I mean, like a “webinar” or conference call format) would be a good thing to add…

But what about here, on the blog?

Of course we’ll talk about seed-catalog offerings (can you believe how many are already online or in the mail?). I’ll do more plants profiles, and continue giveaways of books and other things. I’ll recommend useful links of recent articles I’ve enjoyed, dish up the occasional recipe, and complain about the weather as needed—oh, and of course we can laugh at Andre doodles together.

But I’d love to know what subject(s) are of most interest to you, particularly—is it a particular type of garden, or group of plants, or technique or what? Indoor plants, edibles, or outdoor ornamentals? Or is it related topics, like the environment or nature or food, that make the mix work for you? If there were three stories you could assign to me, what would they be about?

How to Win ‘A Way to Garden’

TO ENTER TO WIN THE COPY of “A Way to Garden,” all you have to do is answer that question:
If there were three stories you could assign to me, what would they be about?

I’ll draw the winner at random after entries close at midnight Saturday, December 3. I’ll use the tool at random [dot] org to pick, and notify the person by email.

I’m pretty much of a pushover on these drawings as you regulars know—so I’ll even accept an answer that’s easier. If you can’t think of three things you’d like me to write about, how about just one?

Good luck to all.

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221 comments
November 27, 2011

comments

  1. Adriana says

    December 2, 2011 at 1:55 am

    I would like a short cut to root cellaring. Natural cold storage of fruits and vegetables often require plenty of planing.

    I share my garden with critters but I have declared war on moles and voles and I am not winning. I will try anything suggested.

    I am always open for any kind of garden problems successfully solved, solutions found
    and naturally gravitate to your beautiful garden photos.

    Reply
  2. Kathleen Dobson-Piasecki says

    December 2, 2011 at 3:02 pm

    hmm. How to save my knees from wear and tear. I really don’t like wearing knee pads.
    Using your own urine for fertizer- good idea or not. Insert laugh.
    I got lots of dandelions in my upper lawn, but don’t use chemicals. Anyway to deal with those naturally would be great. I don’t mind them but they drive my hubby crazy. I don’t care about lawn, but so many men do. What’s up with that.
    Hope you finish your new book, can’t wait to read it!

    Reply
  3. liz says

    December 2, 2011 at 3:24 pm

    Hi Margaret
    Love your blog, loved your book as did the friends I gave it to, and really wish I lived in your area soI coud see your lovely garden in person. You have been a source of endless inspiration for me thank you so much
    . My question at least a few of them:
    1 I recenttly tried ground cherries and wat to know how to grow them
    2How to help a wisteria that refuses to bloom
    3.How to keep the neibourhood cats fr4om using my flowerbeds as a litterbox (I tried mothballs as a friend recommended but they repelled me too
    thanks
    Have a great winter
    L

    Reply
  4. Jennifer says

    December 2, 2011 at 4:54 pm

    I love your blog whatever you’re writing about!

    4 suggestions:
    Love your recipes/kitchen tips (like parsley logs and fridge-pickles). More winter favorites for frozen garden produce?
    Updates on wild fauna (like your podcast about not squishing late-season caterpillars).
    Anything about nursing houseplants through the cold/dry/dark/scale-infested months.
    Any and all bright, sunny, happy garden photos you didn’t already get a chance to share.

    Enjoy the winter rest!

    Reply
  5. LiriopePisces says

    December 3, 2011 at 1:37 pm

    Things I’d like to hear about this winter:

    1. Individual profiles of your favorite flowering plants
    2. Tropical gardening (maybe take a trip somewhere warm and see new plants)
    3. Winter flowers that you can go grow in your zone (are there any?)
    4. What changes in the garden you want to make next year (plants, hardscaping, etc)
    5. Maybe mentor a child to love a garden/gardening? That could be fun for a long series of posts.

    I’d love a copy of your book!

    Reply
  6. Judy Barton says

    December 3, 2011 at 4:13 pm

    Wow–only THREE topics? Goodness, could I make a list…

    How to tastefully incorporate art/statuary in the garden so it doesn’t just look like a bunch of clutter.

    How to rid the garden of moles. They are destroying everything. I have tried most every ‘solution’ on the market.

    How to create shade in a sunny yard. My soil is clay and there is a shelf of rock that is only a couple of feet below the surface. Trees die when the roots reach the rock.

    thank you!

    Reply
  7. Eric near Detroit says

    December 3, 2011 at 4:13 pm

    How about:
    1: vegetable gardening in limited space (my yard is small)
    2: how to REALLY get rid of gnats in the house plants
    3: can’t think of a third – you seems to cover everything!

    Reply
  8. Anne Williams says

    December 3, 2011 at 4:33 pm

    ~Plant intelligence
    ~Winter (ice & snow!) gardening, pruning, plants that perform in winter,, interesting winter interest & planning/planting for it
    ~An article aimed at converting non-gardeners..a soul-business report!

    Thank you for this opportunity, Margaret. I enjoy your words, and I am thrilled and fascinated by your career/lifestyle change. I have loved plants as far back as I can remember, always. In an old life I was a designer in package design/advertising. Been a paid gardener for over 13 years now, hard work on this old body, but I LOVE it, and the hard work is good for me. So is loving my job, lucky me! Getting paid to garden, I still can’t believe it sometimes. My own garden has had to toughen up, the novelty kind of wears off after the first 8 hours! Working in someone else’s, I mean. Sometimes even watering is too much after work. Working with plants is so much more real, to me, than running the corporate track…there’s intelligence, true beauty,…real & interesting stories! So much going on in the garden! Life!

    Reply
  9. Scarlett says

    December 3, 2011 at 5:09 pm

    I would love to read a story about how to build a retaining wall (any tips would be great). I would also like to read about handling garden pests, little guys, like slugs (yuck). And then I would love to read any of your other stores, they’re all so great.
    Thanks Margaret.

    Reply
  10. Alexa says

    December 3, 2011 at 4:29 pm

    1. Gardening as an extension/expression (for better and for worse) of self
    2. Garden Taste – how to be discerning but open-minded (in your own garden and when viewing others)
    3. Gardens, gardeners, garden writers, horticulturalists, landscape designers, artists, etc. who teach you
    4 Ethnobotany — if it interests you. It strikes me as somewhat woo-woo, and I’d love to learn more through your lens

    Reply
  11. Jacquelyn says

    December 3, 2011 at 5:59 pm

    “A Way to Garden”, found by accident at my local library, was my intro to you. It was immediately one of my all time favorites and I have well over a hundred; I recommended it to many! Brownie points? LOL!! Anyway…

    1. Reflections /lessons learned by your many years at your garden.
    2. Thoughts re: cultivars vs. species.
    3. How to plan for garden longevity.

    Reply
  12. Deb says

    December 3, 2011 at 6:04 pm

    Margaret means inspiration! Three story ideas:
    1. I’d like tips on successful greenhouse use year-round (we are the new owners of a small 8×10′ greenhouse from Costco and have vented our dryer to it. My potted plants out there are blooming but the condensation inside could be measured by the bucketful. Was this a bad idea?)
    2. Our small lot is overwhelmed with perennial morning glory and buttercup which has spread from the neighbors. Permanent flower beds have to be dug out every 2-3 years to rid them of the stuff. Is there a way short of chemical holocaust to deal with these evil weeds?
    3. Ummm.. how about yard art? Tips for incorporating into the yard. When is it too much??
    Best!

    Reply
  13. Elaine says

    December 3, 2011 at 6:09 pm

    I would like to hear your ideas on changing gardens, both veggie and flower to make it possible to continue to garden as age creeps up on us. At 95, my mother still loves to garden but her habits have had to change over the years. I am trying to create new garden habits that I can maintain for years to come. What are your thoughts and suggestions?

    What is the one tool you could not be without in your garden?

    And what do you find to be your most practical footwear for tromping around in the gardens?

    Reply
  14. Lisa says

    December 3, 2011 at 7:50 pm

    You always have something fresh and new to teach me – so I savor the surprises.
    * I’m interested in learning even more about the unwanted insect pests you find, and new ways of dealing with them – the links you provide are always helpful (you keep me from having to go down the “rabbit hole” called internet too often!)
    * Keep posting about your new “favorites” – especially the ground covers – living mulch – and any new shrubs you find of interest.
    * Perhaps your thoughts on native v. “imported” and whether or not it’s important to you when selecting something new. Also, keep mentioning your favorite combinations when creating your vignettes.
    * Do you grow any garden “thugs”? If yes, why. I grow an Ampelopsis up my downspout by my back porch, and by September its loaded with purple and turqouise berries – and I get to have morning coffee with the catbirds and mockingbirds that LOVE to nibble the fruit not 3 feet away from me. What sane human could give this up?
    Shamelessly wishing I win, but also glad for another opportunity to say “thank you”!

    Reply
  15. nhgarden says

    December 3, 2011 at 7:14 pm

    1. Water Features
    2. Bog Gardening
    3. Plant Combinations

    Reply
  16. Lisa Winters says

    December 3, 2011 at 8:23 pm

    1. Under appreciated houseplants.
    2. Theme gardens such as Italian, Colonial, cottage, etc.
    3. Any stories on visits to an arboretum, great park, etc.

    Reply
  17. Elizabeth says

    December 4, 2011 at 9:12 am

    Hi!
    1) Our backyard is in ‘do-over’ mode – a blank slate. I’ve created the line between future bed and grass. What do i do next?
    2) The fall’s heavy rains revealed a more urgent need now, than ever to create a ‘hardscape plan’ for drainage. What do I do first? After evaluation, what parts can I do versus calling in an expert?
    3) I dug up some of my favorite plants in fall to see if i can care for their hibernation inside our warm home. Which plants will this work for and, what are some helpful hints?
    4) can i plant herb seeds in planters at home in winter? If so, which ones are more successful? Any tips?

    Reply
  18. Sebette says

    December 4, 2011 at 2:20 pm

    I would love to see posts on integrated pest management- that should get you many many posts.
    Also how to at least slow down weeds and grass in a long gravel driveway. Am using salt and vinegar now but it isn’t as effective as I would like.

    Reply
  19. Margaret says

    December 4, 2011 at 6:15 pm

    ENTRIES ARE NOW CLOSED. Using the random number-generating tool at random [dot] org, I chose the lucky winner, Mary-Ellen, and notified her by email.

    It will takes me days/weeks to sort through all your amazing suggestions, but what I hope to do once I make a bit more headway on my book manuscript (deadline!) is start to really answer the ones that multiple people pointed to — to help this feedback guide some of the topics I cover in the year ahead.

    You are all so supportive, and I thank you!

    Reply
  20. Sally says

    December 11, 2011 at 12:48 pm

    Congratulations Mary-Ellen, enjoy, enjoy your very own A Way to Garden.

    I am looking forward to learning more from you Margaret over the long winter.

    Reply
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mad gardener, nature addict, award-winning writer & podcaster, rural resident, corporate dropout, creator of awaytogarden dot com and matching book.

Instagram post 2190297402408409324_444552553 Snow day. To be followed by a snow night. #awaytogarden #wavehillchairs
Instagram post 2177779417009402040_444552553 No matter that it was 11F and 17F on mornings this week; my lifelong companions and I are all tucked in, each in our respective offseason spots. Three giant pots of #cliviaminiata that are actually pieces of my long-gone grandmother’s original plant from many, many decades ago, love the offseason bright cold of the mudroom, and get no water till around the new year or so. They need a chill (under 50 but above 35) for about 40 days to trigger timely bloom in late winter/early spring (without it they will bloom whenever, later, like June or even summer). The #alocasia reacts to the cold of the mudroom by shutting down and going dormant and leafless, and then I’ll let it sleep till late winter, when I give it a drink to see if it awakens. That one sleeps and wakes on its own timetable because I do not have a proper spot for it (ideally warm, like 60 or 65 at least, and humid and bright...no can do the humid part here). We have been together probably 10 years anyhow, despite my shortcomings as a #plantparent . #alocasiaamazonica #clivias #houseplantsofinstagram #houseplants #awaytogarden
Instagram post 2172580656557749859_444552553 Gardener: “I raked all the leaves!” Nature: “Oh, really?” (Cue sound of demonic laughter from on high.)
Instagram post 2170506606641504178_444552553 I wanna tell you how it’s gonna be You’re gonna give your love to me I wanna love you night and day You know my love will not fade away Not fade away Nope. Not this #cotinus leaf’s fiery hot love at least. Like the 1957 #buddyholly song I first heard by #therollingstones in 1964, it keeps going. #awaytogarden #fallfoliage2019 #cotinusgrace #notfadeaway
Instagram post 2168987273989949378_444552553 “Jack Frost nipping at your, er, geraniums...” And here it comes.
Instagram post 2166837817953503284_444552553 Constant companions: If you want to keep good company all winter, grow some good keepers. My house is stuffed with piles of #cucurbita awaiting their time in the oven or soup kettle. Each one is a character, distinctive. On one chair in the mudroom two close cousins in #cucurbitamoschata — the horse collar-shaped one called ‘Tromboncino’ or ‘Tromboncino Rampicante’ snuggles with some ‘Butternut.’ The ‘Tromboncino’ are better eaten green and small as #zucchini but I can’t resist their eventual mad size and shape, big enough to wear around your neck. I use their meat for enriching vegetable stock; the ‘Butternut’ are far more rich and delicious. Seed respectively from sandhillpreservation.com #sandhillpreservationcenter and @turtle_tree_seed (whose ‘Butternut,’ selected for “lastingness” for decades, will keep and keep into next spring or more). #wintersquash #awaytogarden #goodkeeper #cucurbitaceae
Instagram post 2162565040882902064_444552553 Furry fall friend: I look forward to crossing paths with this woolly caterpillar of the #giantleopardmoth this time of year, when its fiery intersegmental bands and plush coat seem to be just the right autumn-into-winter look. Miraculously this tiny animal will overwinter in a woodpile or in the leaf litter, even here in the North, building up a concentration of antifreeze (glycerol I think?) in its cells before the worst weather begins to avoid disaster. (Reminds me of the super-hardy #woodfrog who does similarly. Such heroes.) Swipe to see a beat-up pic of the adult moth, tattered with scales missing at its wing margins, but still dramatic. Unlike various spine-covered caterpillars that can sting you, this one’s hairs (or setae) won’t, but he will roll up tight if touched, in self-defense. I am in awe of such complex strategies of survival, I am. #mothsofinstagram #caterpillars #awaytogarden #hypercompescribonia #hypercompe
Instagram post 2161992098629435854_444552553 Beans are life. I mean, not only do I live on them daily (as I have as a vegetarian for 40+ years) but each one is a seed, a living embryo, a distinct and gorgeous little DNA miracle. I have been inspired by the hashtag #31daysofbeans by @lukasvolger lately, loving watching someone unknown to me (um, who shares my oatmeal thing too apparently...also see his #28daysofoatmeal) dish up the #phaseolus. We both admire bean ambassador Steve Sando @rancho_gordo and this photo might be my fave bean of all that I “met” via Steve years back, big and flat and chestnutty ‘Christmas Lima.’ My advice: don’t wait till Dec. 25 to dig in.
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Welcome! I’m Margaret Roach, a leading garden writer for 25 years—at ‘Martha Stewart Living,’ ‘Newsday,’ and in three books. I host a public-radio podcast; I also lecture, plus hold tours at my 2.3-acre Hudson Valley (NY) Zone 5B garden, and always say no to chemicals and yes to great plants.

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