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Planting Fruit Trees in Winter
Published on 2012-12-17 08:35:25
There’s nothing quite like enjoying fruits from your own apple trees, Victoria plum trees or other delightful fruit-producing trees. You might be surprised to know that winter is actually the best time to plant a fruit tree, even though the gre
Which Strawberries Should You Grow?
Published on 2012-11-29 11:20:54
A hot summer’s day is never complete without a delicious bowl of strawberries and cream. And the best strawberries are always the ones you’ve grown yourself; they’re fresher, riper and much, much tastier. You might think that growing strawberry
Dogs and Routines
Published on 2012-10-07 11:31:24
This post about my dog Amber is part of a bigger narrative about amazing dogs going the extra mile. Thank you www.wooddogcrate.com for making this possible. Dogs are funny. They very much like routine and resent it when a person does something at the wrong time, or doesn’t do something at the correct time. My dogs, [...]Dogs and Routines is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Anthracnose in Tomatoes
Published on 2012-10-06 14:37:55
Anthracnose is a fungal disease that will ruin your tomatoes in warm, moist weather. It leaves in the soil and gets on the plant when you water it and splash soil on the plant. The disease doesn’t do much to leaves or green tomatoes, but causes a rotten circle in ripe ones that can take [...]Anthracnose in Tomatoes is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Take Care of Your Gardening Tools
Published on 2012-10-05 12:55:51
As garden season winds down, it is a good idea to take some time to maintain your garden tools before you put them away for the winter. Remove all dirt and debris from them with a garden hose and a stiff brush. Sharpen all the tools that cut and cultivate in your garden. A metal [...]Take Care of Your Gardening Tools is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Intelligent Disobedience in Service Dogs
Published on 2012-09-29 16:37:02
This post about my dog Amber is part of a bigger narrative about amazing dogs going the extra mile. Thank you www.dogtrainingcollars.com for making this possible. Intelligent disobedience is one of the hardest things for a service dog to learn. It is a very complicated behavior that asks your dog to actually disobey a command [...]Intelligent Disobedience in Service Dogs is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, P [..]
Growing Fall Asters
Published on 2012-09-27 11:20:07
Fall asters are a delightful addition to your garden. Their startling lavender petals with gold centers provide welcome color at a time when many flowers are done blooming. They are good to plant around your fall garden to attract beneficial insects. Fall asters is native from Texas and New Mexico all the way north to [...]Growing Fall Asters is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Simple Garden Design Tips For Busy Homes
Published on 2012-09-25 09:31:04
Approaches to garden design vary, from those containing strictly regimented rows of flowers, plants or vegetables, to those where it appears that a handful of seeds have been scattered on the ground and left to get on with it. By taking an approach somewhere between the two extremes, gardeners can design a space that is [...]Simple Garden Design Tips For Busy Homes is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Attracting Toads to Your Garden
Published on 2012-09-24 08:12:51
For those of you who wish to use fewer and less toxic pesticides in the garden, you should attract toads to your garden. A single adult toad can eat 10,000 insect pests in a single summer. Toads eat most insects, including slugs, gypsy moths, and earwigs. In the United States, we have 21 different species [...]Attracting Toads to Your Garden is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Fishing with Dogs
Published on 2012-09-22 07:02:31
This post about my dogs Sandy and Amber is part of a bigger narrative about amazing dogs going the extra mile. Thank you www.dogbarkcollar.com for making this possible. Sandy is my Australian Cattle Dog. She wandered up to my house when she was about eight months old. I could not find her owner and decided to [...]Fishing with Dogs is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Time to Clean Your Fruit Orchards
Published on 2012-09-19 12:28:55
With the end of fruit season, it is time to clean your fruit orchards. Remove any debris or fallen fruit from your orchard. Pick and discard fruit left on the trees. These steps remove places that pests and diseases overwinter and reduce your problems for next year. Stop all pruning until the normal winter pruning [...]Time to Clean Your Fruit Orchards is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
How a Tree Dies
Published on 2012-09-14 07:21:50
Home owners are frequently stunned when a tree that appeared to make it through the drought last year “suddenly” dies. Actually, trees take a long time to die. Many trees that appear to be dying now have been dying all year from the drought. It wasn’t just the drought that killed them, but the high [...]How a Tree Dies is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Fall Gardening in Full Swing
Published on 2012-09-12 13:32:30
September is a busy month for gardeners in North Texas. Cole crops such as broccoli, cabbage, and kale should be put out in the first part of the month. Watering them in with a dilute solution of fertilizer will give them a boost as they start out. Radishes, beets, Swiss chard and turnips can be [...]Fall Gardening in Full Swing is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Training Service Dogs Hard Work
Published on 2012-09-08 07:54:39
This post about my dog Amber is part of a bigger narrative about amazing dogs going the extra mile. Thank you www.dogfencediy.com for making this possible. Every once in a while I write about my dogs and this is one of those times. Because I had a service dog that I trained, people often ask [...]Training Service Dogs Hard Work is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Pineberry Fields Forever
Published on 2012-08-23 13:59:27
When pineberries first hit the market in 2010, many people thought they were a hoax. And indeed the milk-white strawberries with red pips look more than just exotic, they look alien. However, they are real, and what’s more they taste absolutely delicious. The flavour is somewhere between that of a strawberry and that of a [...]Pineberry Fields Forever is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
How drought kills trees
Published on 2012-07-30 08:12:44
Many people are surprised that their trees are dying when we have had a lot of rain in Texas. However, most of those trees are dying from the effects of last year’s drought. It usually takes a tree a year or two to die so people are still losing trees from last year. Drought kills [...]How drought kills trees is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Growing Cilantro
Published on 2012-07-04 08:19:35
Cilantro is a Greek herb that is in the same family as parsley. It is used in a variety of dishes in cuisines as varied as Mexican and Thai. Coriander, the seed of the cilantro plant, is also used to flavor a wide variety of dishes.
Growing Dill
Published on 2012-07-01 06:37:35
Dill was introduced into this country from Asia and is used as a culinary herb. Both the fernlike leaves and the flowers are edible. After the first year, dill readily self-seeds and will come back year after year. Dill is seeded directly into the garden after all danger of frost is passed. Seeds should be [...]Growing Dill is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Hand Pollinating Squash and Cucumbers
Published on 2012-06-27 06:41:42
Are you having problems with your cucumbers and squash growing to two or three inches long and then rotting? You may be having pollination problems. Normally, squash and cucumbers have male and female flowers. Bees bring pollen from the male flowers to pollinate the female flowers. With the problems bees have been having with colony [...]Hand Pollinating Squash and Cucumbers is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesa [..]
Growing Your Own Lemon Tree
Published on 2012-06-26 13:30:08
Now that salad days are finally here again, there’s nothing lovelier on home-grown summer leaves than a drizzle of virgin olive oil and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Shop bought fruits are fairly cheap and plentiful, but imagine the pleasure of plucking a fragrant fruit from your very own lemon tree. And there’s no [...]Growing Your Own Lemon Tree is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Cedar Apple Rust
Published on 2012-06-11 11:07:29
Cedar Apple Rust is a fungal infection that occurs frequently in damp weather. Despite the name, Cedar Apple Rust can infect other plants besides cedar and apple trees. Cedar Apple Rust is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.Cedar Apple Rust is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Spider mites
Published on 2012-06-04 07:47:28
Are your plants showing yellow leaves, or even brown ones? Do you have little cobwebs on the back of your leaves? You may have spider mites, a common pest of ornamental plants. These mites are tiny, almost microscopic, so they are very hard to see. They vary in color from red to brown to green [...]Spider mites is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Haiku Day on the Blogathon
Published on 2012-05-21 09:09:30
Gardeners green thumbs, Growing various plants now, Harvesting them soon,
Jane Goodall Still Helps Chimpanzees
Published on 2012-05-13 07:50:36
Growing up, I eagerly followed Jane Goodall in the National Geographic stories about chimpanzees. I even asked for, and received, the very expensive book she wrote about her observations of her chimpanzees, The Chimpanzees of Gombe. She had a remarkable career but has paid for it in health difficulties that keep her out of the [...]Jane Goodall Still Helps Chimpanzees is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph [..]
Texas Two Step and Fire Ants
Published on 2012-05-09 06:12:05
What, you may be asking yourself, does the Texas two step have with fire ants? It actually is a two step method of killing the nasty little creatures. For those of you who don’t know what a fire ant is, consider yourself lucky. It is a little red and black ant that is originally from [...]Texas Two Step and Fire Ants is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Monarch Butterfly on Aster
Published on 2012-05-07 11:06:18
I am seeing more monarch butterflies this year than I saw all summer last year. The only one I saw last year was this one trying to weather a wind storm on an aster. Monarch Butterfly on Aster is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.Monarch Butterfly on Aster is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Comments Problem
Published on 2012-05-06 07:55:50
For some reason, the comments have been turned off on my garden blog. I have tried reloading the theme, disabling the plugins, reloading wordpress, and nothing helped. I have this error message: Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /home/lambda1/public_html/wp-content/themes/thesis_184/lib/classes/options_design.php on line 1433 Can anyone tell me how to fix this? If so, please email [...]Comments Problem is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions An [..]
Squash Blossom
Published on 2012-05-05 06:58:22
Did you know squash blossoms are edible? In fact, Southerners take them and batter them, then fry them and eat them like fried okra. Since only the female squash blossoms bear fruit, you can eat the male blossoms without taking away from the productivity of your vines, provided you let the bees and other bugs [...]Squash Blossom is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
How to Move From Blogger to WordPress Without Losing Your Posts
Published on 2012-05-04 07:42:57
This is a reprint of an article I wrote last year at the height of the Bl0gger Outage. I thought it might help some people again this year who decide to make the jump to WordPress. I know the Blogger outage has made some people decide to move to WordPress. First, WordPress.com is a free [...]How to Move From Blogger to WordPress Without Losing Your Posts is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Flowering Quince
Published on 2012-05-03 06:48:49
Flowering quince, also called Japonica, is one of the earliest plants to bloom in the garden. The bright flowers may be red, white, pink, or salmon and appear on the branches before the leaves for a bit of color in a still dreary landscape. In late summer, oblong to round yellowish fruit appear on the [...]Flowering Quince is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
3 Money Saving Recipes from Your Garden
Published on 2012-05-02 07:14:17
One of the best things about growing vegetables is getting to eat them fresh from the garden. Since I am recipe challenged, I asked Michelle Rocha to contribute a guest post on the subject: Summer is just around the corner, so everyone is preparing his or her garden. You need to prepare for the future as [...]3 Money Saving Recipes from Your Garden is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Rose Rosette Disease
Published on 2012-05-01 10:53:58
Rose Rosette Disease is thought to be caused by a virus that came over to the United States in the 1800s with Asian wild roses. Many of these roses were planted by settlers all over the United States and have become naturalized. Rose Rosette Disease is now infecting cultivated roses throughout the United States, but [...]Rose Rosette Disease is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
2012 Blogathon Kick Off Day
Published on 2012-05-01 07:44:52
I will be participating in the 2012 Wordcount Blogathon during the month of May. That means that there will be a post every day for May, some of which may have more to do with blogging than my usual garden posts. I appreciate your patience as we go through this month and look forward to [...]2012 Blogathon Kick Off Day is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Growing Italian Oregano
Published on 2012-04-25 07:15:07
Oregano is an important spice in Italian cooking. It can be used fresh or dried for year round use. A hardy perennial, it has purple flowers the second season it is planted. Here is a snapshot of the information you need to grow Italian Oregano, which is a little sweeter and milder than Greek Oregano [...]Growing Italian Oregano is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Growing Garlic Chives
Published on 2012-04-21 09:07:30
Garlic chives are used like regular chives but have more of a garlic flavor instead of an onion flavor. They are good in omelets and other egg dishes. They also work in salads, as fresh vegetables, or any savory dish. The flowers are edible, too, although they can have a pretty strong flavor. Garlic chives [...]Growing Garlic Chives is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Pretty perfumed oleanders are perfect for your patio
Published on 2012-04-11 07:06:42
If you’re looking for a pretty perfumed shrub to fill a gap in a sunny spot in your garden, then look no further than oleander plants. These attractive evergreen plants provide plenty of interest to your garden all year round. Oleander bushes are great for filling gaps because you can enjoy their long, narrow leaves [...]Pretty perfumed oleanders are perfect for your patio is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, [..]
Spring Plant Sale at Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens
Published on 2012-04-09 09:20:23
Did you lose a bunch of plants to the drought? Want to install hardy, drought tolerant plants in their place? The Fort Worth Botanical Gardens is having their annual spring plant sale on April 21st from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come early, as the best plants are sold out quickly. Not sure what plants [...]Spring Plant Sale at Ft. Worth Botanical Gardens is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Termites
Published on 2012-04-06 07:11:49
What You Should Know About Termites $5 billion—that’s how much termites are estimated to cause in property damage each year in the United States. Is your home or business a victim of this wood-destroying insect? Get the facts on termites, and protect yourself from these demolishing pests.
Rascal Flatts Fly Away Contest
Published on 2012-04-04 05:44:12
Rascal Flatts is one of my favorite country acts. They are having a contest right now giving away two seats to one of their concerts. Here is the information: About the Flyaway Contest One lucky winner and their guest will be treated to two tickets and meet-and-greet passes to see Rascal Flatts on their summer [...]Rascal Flatts Fly Away Contest is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
March Garden Update
Published on 2012-04-02 10:33:39
My garden is all planted. Some of the things I planted in late February (I got started three weeks late) are growing quite a bit. Others are just beginning, such as the watermelon and canteloupe. I planted all heirloom varieties in my garden this year. I planted: Rainbow Radishes Easter Egg II Gourmet Beets Golden [...]March Garden Update is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Dallas Water Wise Landscaping Contest
Published on 2012-03-29 06:24:44
If you live in the Dallas area, you can win some fantastic prizes for low water landscaping. Call for Entries for 18th Annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour Entry Deadline: April 13, 2012 The annual Water-Wise Landscape Tour, to be held Saturday, June 2, 2012, is open to all landscapes within Dallas city limits and the city [...]Dallas Water Wise Landscaping Contest is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Growing Vegetables in North Central Texas
Published on 2012-03-26 09:36:19
Want to grow vegetables but not sure what type to plant or how to grow them? Vegetable Gardening in North Central Texas, my new book, tells you exactly how to plant and grow the most common vegetables. Further, it tells you which cultivar(s) of each vegetable grows best in North Central Texas. Even if you [...]Growing Vegetables in North Central Texas is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Cherry Blossoms at the Dallas Arboretum
Published on 2012-03-22 09:17:56
The Dallas Arboretum reports that their cherry blossom trees are in full bloom for this weekend. One hundred years ago, Japan gave the United States the cherry trees that line the capital streets. The Dallas Arboretum has cherry trees that are in bloom and is celebrating this anniversary by featuring them this weekend. If cherry [...]Cherry Blossoms at the Dallas Arboretum is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smit [..]
Growing Tomatoes
Published on 2012-03-14 08:27:34
Tomatoes are the most popular vegetable to grow in the United States. They are not difficult to grow from transplants, and can even be grown from seed with a little extra effort. Buying transplants from your local nursery, or just about anywhere garden products are sold, is easy and gives you well started plants to [...]Growing Tomatoes is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Teaching entomology to children
Published on 2012-03-07 07:25:21
I recently had the opportunity to give a talk to a group of children on entomology. The talk was on good bugs and bad bugs and was aimed at teaching the kids that 1)most bugs are beneficial, 2)they won’t harm the children if the children don’t harm them, and 3)don’t squash the bugs — they [...]Teaching entomology to children is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Paypal Censors Authors — Make Them Stop Doing So
Published on 2012-03-03 08:12:49
Paypal Engages in Censorship Today I received an email from Smashwords, who distributes one of my books, Preparing a Vegetable Garden from the Ground Up. Paypal, who is the vendor who processes credit card payments for Smashwords, has given them an ultimatum: remove all books containing any scenes of rape, bestiality, or incest from [...]Paypal Censors Authors — Make Them Stop Doing So is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 [..]
Books and Bugs
Published on 2012-03-01 08:09:49
Connecting children with nature is important. So is teaching them to love reading. Do both by taking your child to the “Books and Bugs” event at Texas Discovery Gardens on March 8th. Children will listen to the book “Waiting for Wings” by Lois Ehlert, play games, do crafts, and meet butterflies up close. The event [...]Books and Bugs is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Making a Raised Bed Garden
Published on 2012-02-27 09:48:56
Raised beds are nice because you put the soil in them you want and they drain well. They are an alternative to the labor consuming process of digging out or poisoning out the grass to establish a new garden. Raised beds do not have to be hard to do. Three 1X12X8 boards will make a [...]Making a Raised Bed Garden is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
East Texas Fruit and Vegetable Conference is Tuesday in Tyler, TX
Published on 2012-02-26 07:41:54
The East Texas Fruit and Vegetable Conference is Tuesday in Tyler, TX. The morning sessions will cover general topics such as irrigation, water sources, and food safety. In the afternoon people can choose from fruit, vegetables or wine grapes for more concentrated topics. The fruit sessions will include blueberry production and niche fruits such as [...]East Texas Fruit and Vegetable Conference is Tuesday in Tyler, TX is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answ [..]
Named Best Hobby Blog 2012 by World Media Awards
Published on 2012-02-25 15:33:38
Information Central was named “Best Hobby Blog” by the World Media Awards today. I am thrilled at this honor and grateful for the recognition. The World Media Awards recognizes successful bloggers and publishers from across the globe. To see all of the 2012 winners, visit the World Media Awards website at http://themediaawards.com/winners. “I am thrilled [...]Named Best Hobby Blog 2012 by World Media Awards is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions A [..]
Soil Revival For Survival Conference in McKinney, TX
Published on 2012-02-22 06:26:33
On March 3rd, there is a conference on surviving the drought called Soil Revival for Survival in McKinney, TX. Soil Revival For Survival Conference in McKinney, TX is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.Soil Revival For Survival Conference in McKinney, TX is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Compost for Beginners
Published on 2012-02-20 06:00:13
Ever wonder what the difference between compost and manure is? Or how, exactly, to make compost? This video discusses these and other things in Compost 101. I hope you find it useful. What questions do you have about composting? For more help gardening, buy my book, Preparing A Vegetable Garden From The Ground Up Available [...]Compost for Beginners is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Foliage Follow-up
Published on 2012-02-19 08:49:08
Foliage Follow-up is a celebration of plants with showy foliage that Pam at Digging has started. Here are my entries: Showy white ornamental kale at the Dallas Arboretum Who says vegetables can’t be pretty, too? [...]Foliage Follow-up is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Help Texas Discovery Gardens Win $10,000 Grant
Published on 2012-02-15 07:15:35
Texas Discovery Gardens is trying to win the Rain Bird’s 2012 “The Intelligent Use of Water Awards“. This is a $10,000 grant to allow them to capture water left over after they water all of their plants each day so it can be reused instead of going down the drain. Watch this video which explains [...]Help Texas Discovery Gardens Win $10,000 Grant is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Valentine’s Day Means Potatoes
Published on 2012-02-13 10:07:39
What does Valentine’s Day have to do with potatoes? February 14th is the day old timers in the North Central Texas region plant their potatoes. You can get detailed instructions for doing just that from my article on Growing Irish Potatoes. Basically, you take seed potatoes, purchased from feed stores or on the internet, cut [...]Valentine’s Day Means Potatoes is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan S [..]
Integrated Pest Management Video
Published on 2012-02-08 08:59:41
I have posted a new video on integrated pest management (IPM). I hope you enjoy it. What questions do you have on IPM? For more help gardening, buy my book, Preparing A Vegetable Garden From The Ground Up Available in print or ebook from Amazon.com or other retailers, this book walks you from choosing the [...]Integrated Pest Management Video is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Watch a Joust, Feed the Hungary in DFW
Published on 2012-02-07 11:24:13
Have you always wanted to watch a joust? Be treated to the pageantry of a medieval feast? Well, now is your chance. Medieval Times Dallas is trying to raise a ton of food for Dallas Life. So far, they have 1306 pounds. They only need 694 pounds of food to meet their goal. That is [...]Watch a Joust, Feed the Hungary in DFW is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
New Video on Preparing a Garden From the Ground Up
Published on 2012-02-06 06:38:43
Please check out my new video on how to prepare a vegetable garden from the ground up. Now is the time to be planting your cold hardy crops, so this is just in time to help with that. For more help gardening, buy my book, Preparing A Vegetable Garden From The Ground Up Available in [...]New Video on Preparing a Garden From the Ground Up is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones Change
Published on 2012-02-04 06:44:47
The USDA Plant Hardiness Zones have changed. The new map takes into consideration climate change, elevation, large lake effects, and a few other things. Details and an interactive map are available on the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map page. Hunt county is now shown as firmly 8a, with temperatures to 10 to 15 degrees F [...]USDA Plant Hardiness Zones Change is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Pythian Castles Guest Post
Published on 2012-02-03 07:20:28
I bet you didn’t know there are castles in Weatherford, Texas and in Ft. Worth, Tx. There are, and the story is fascinating. My photos of the Pythian Knights’ Castle in Weatherford, Texas are featured on my Mother’s blog, A Writer’s Life, today telling that story. Stop in and say hello. Pythian Castles Guest Post [...]Pythian Castles Guest Post is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, [..]
Confused about Compost?
Published on 2012-02-02 09:27:59
One of the things I recommend over and over is adding compost to your vegetable garden each season. Compost adds nutrients to the soil, breaks up clay, and helps the soil hold water longer. All compost is not created equal, however. Some compost is made in hot piles that sterilizes the result so you do [...]Confused about Compost? is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Starting Seeds Inside
Published on 2012-01-30 08:47:17
Starting seeds indoors is a good way to save money and to grow seeds that require a longer growing season than you have in your area. It also allows you to grow vegetables that are uncommon cultivars for your area. Instead of buying whatever tomatoes the garden shop in your area has available in the [...]Starting Seeds Inside is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Eagle Fest Saturday
Published on 2012-01-25 10:16:30
Rains County, the next county over from my home in Hunt County, proclaims itself the Eagle Capital of Texas. Bald Eagles winter on Lake Tawakoni. The last weekend in January, there is an Eagle Fest with boat rides to see the eagles, see other birds of prey, and a small festival. Despite the current rainy [...]Eagle Fest Saturday is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answered. Copyright 2010-2012 Stephanie Suesan Smith, Ph.
Beware Heat Induced Illnesses
Published on 2011-07-05 12:57:03
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/beware-heat-induced-illnesses/"; It is summer in the Northern hemisphere and the fact that it is hot has probably not escaped your notice. Of course, hot is relative. In the summer of 1980, we left re
Radio Interview Coming Friday
Published on 2011-07-04 10:57:46
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/radio-interview-coming-friday/"; I am excited to announce that I will be interviewed Friday, July 8th, on the Big Blend Radio about gardening and my book, Preparing a Vegetable Garden From the Ground Up.
Gengis Khan the Enlightened?
Published on 2011-07-04 07:25:36
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/gengis-khan-the-enlightened/"; Yes, the Mongols killed a lot of people during their sweeps across Asia and Europe. So did the Crusaders, the Conquistadors (world wide) and the Inquisition. The differe
Puppy Interlude
Published on 2011-07-03 13:42:30
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/puppy-interlude/"; Recently I visited my parents so my Dad and I could go fishing at Lake Bryson. The fishing wasn’t too good, but I enjoyed being with my parents. My dogs, however, don’t
Protecting Your Topsoil During Drought
Published on 2011-07-02 11:47:52
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/protecting-your-topsoil-during-drought/"; In Texas, there is a record number of counties experiencing drought. Watering restrictions started very early this year and the airwaves have been filled with ple
Pestiside Resistance — Organic or Not!
Published on 2011-07-01 15:46:59
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/pestiside-resistance-organic-or-not/"; Antibiotic resistant staph and other infections are in the news a lot these days. Gardeners, even organic gardeners, need to be careful they do not contribute to a
Inconvenient Birds
Published on 2011-06-30 07:34:54
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/inconvenient-birds/"; I enjoy watching birds through my study window. I have nest boxes all over my property. Sometimes, though, the birds seem to be trying to take over the place. They nest in hang
Tomatoes in Summer
Published on 2011-06-29 07:29:59
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/tomatoes-in-summer/"; Nature plays a cruel trick on gardeners each summer. We plant tomatoes as the frost ends, then baby them along until they bloom. Just when it seems every part of the plant is ful
Planning Your Fall Garden
Published on 2011-06-27 07:14:23
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/planning-your-fall-garden/"; As weird as it may seem when the temperatures are over 100 degrees and everything is a crisp brown, it is time to start planning the fall garden. If you plan to start seeds
Seeking Other Garden Bloggers
Published on 2011-06-25 09:19:45
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/seeking-other-garden-bloggers/"; I am seeking other garden bloggers to collaborate with. What, exactly, do I mean by that? First, we would use the benchmarks discussed by Gail in her post Blogging Col
Water Wise Vegetable Gardening
Published on 2011-06-22 08:21:49
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/water-wise-vegetable-gardening/"; Normally when we talk about water wise gardening, we are talking about ornamentals. Vegetable gardeners need to be water wise, too. Vegetables require a lot of water,
Fire!
Published on 2011-06-20 07:44:44
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/fire/"; As I write this, there are large fires in Arizona, Texas, and other places. It is hot, dry, and windy. You may think fires have little to do with gardening, but you would be wrong. Gardene
Honey Bee Lab Closes at Texas A&M
Published on 2011-06-15 06:23:43
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/honey-bee-lab-closes-at-texas-am/"; Budget cuts are hitting Extension hard in Texas and other states. Since 1990, the Honey Bee Identification Lab was the go-to place for finding out if a bee was Europe
Genghis Khan Exhibit at Irving Center this Summer
Published on 2011-06-13 07:03:36
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/genghis-kahn-exhibit-at-irving-center-this-summer/"; Genghis Khan. The very name is synonymous with terrifying conquest in Europe. In Asia, and especially Mongolia, however, Genghis Khan is rev
Guest post on Blogcritics.org
Published on 2011-06-10 07:28:15
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/guest-post-on-blogcritics-org/"; I have a guest post on Blogcritics.org: Article first published as What Do I Do With All This Squash? on Blogcritics.org Go have a look and leave a comment. Thanks. Gues
Time to start fall tomatoes and peppers
Published on 2011-06-09 07:54:44
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/time-to-start-fall-tomatoes-and-peppers/"; As improbable as it seems with temperatures hovering around 100 degrees in North Central Texas, it is time to start your tomato and pepper seeds for your fall ga
Installing and Testing the new ComLuv
Published on 2011-06-07 09:11:15
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/installing-and-testing-the-new-comluv/"; The new ComLuv plugin for WordPress has some neat features. It has spiffy videos, several of them, and a lot of pre-press. I installed it on all three of my bl
Blossom End Rot Rears Its Head
Published on 2011-06-06 07:29:02
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/blossom-end-rot-rears-its-head/"; It rained a couple of weeks ago, and has been hot and muggy since then. With the humidity so high, I am getting a lot of calls about tomatoes that are big and beautiful
The Plague of Locusts is Back
Published on 2011-06-04 06:40:14
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/the-plague-of-locusts-is-back/"; When I walk outside to get the mail, the grass seethes and moves as small grasshoppers jump out of the way. It is a lot like the parting of the Red Sea. Of course, whe
Five Pages You Need On Your Blog
Published on 2011-06-02 10:04:04
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/five-pages-you-need-on-your-blog/"; One of the nice things about WordPress is that you can use it as a web page with an embedded blog. Every blog should have certain information available to readers, such
How to move from Blogger to WordPress without losing your posts
Published on 2011-05-31 05:05:17
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/how-to-move-from-blogger-to-wordpress-without-losing-your-posts/"; I know the Blogger outage has made some people decide to move to WordPress. First, WordPress.com is a free blog service much like Blogg
Wordle Day
Published on 2011-05-30 08:14:36
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/wordle-day/"; A Wordle is a picture made from your most commonly used words in your blog. As the penultimate day of the Blogathon, we are supposed to post our Wordle. Well, I could generate one but no
Tell the World: Blogger for Hire
Published on 2011-05-29 10:15:20
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/tell-the-world-blogger-for-hire/"; I write for money. Blogging, web articles, print articles, even a book. I also help people maintain their WordPress blogs, or set them up. I have photographs of a
Grass Awns are Dangerous
Published on 2011-05-28 12:07:16
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/grass-awns-are-dangerous/"; I just spent a good amount of time removing spear grass from my dog’s coat. Spear grass is a regional name. There are other regional names, such as foxtails, but th
Killing Greenbriar
Published on 2011-05-27 09:14:53
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/killing-greenbriar/"; Greenbriar is our Kudzdu here in Texas. Called various names, from Cat-brier, Zarzaparrilla, Saw Greenbrier, Fiddle-leaf Greenbrier, China-brier, Bull-brier, Tramp’s-trouble,
Splat! Things to do when you hit the writing wall
Published on 2011-05-26 08:16:23
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/splat-things-to-do-when-you-hit-the-writing-wall/"; It happens to everyone who writes much. Splat! You have hit the writing wall. The words no longer flow freely and you cannot even yank them out. T
When Beneficial Insects Become Pests
Published on 2011-05-25 09:10:39
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/when-beneficial-insects-become-pests/"; If you have been reading this blog long, you know I love bugs. I take pictures of them, encourage them, and let them eat the vegetation around me because that is
The Critter that Ate the Garden
Published on 2011-05-24 06:24:59
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/the-critter-that-ate-the-garden/"; I like critters. I think having a wide range of wildlife on my property is a sign that I am providing native habitat and encouraging native plants and animals to grow.
My seedlings fell over and cannot get up
Published on 2011-05-23 06:20:22
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/my-seedlings-fell-over-and-cannot-get-up/"; Have you ever had your seedlings wilt and fall over suddenly? They were growing great guns when you checked on them. A few hours later, they were sprawled o
Using the “More” Button in WordPress
Published on 2011-05-22 06:31:43
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/using-the-more-button-in-wordpress/"; The way you present a blog post can influence whether or not it gets read. We have all landed on blogs with the post in a strange font that is not pleasant to rea
Distributing an Ebook to Your Mailing List
Published on 2011-05-21 12:25:14
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/distributing-an-ebook-to-your-mailing-list/"; If you have been paying attention to the marketing gurus, you will have developed an eBook to give to people who sign-up for your mailing list. The question
Brown Widow Spiders
Published on 2011-05-20 15:38:57
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/brown-widow-spiders/"; As if it isn’t bad enough to have to watch for black widow spiders when gardening, now we have to watch for brown widow spiders. They are not as hazardous as their darker co
Why Authors Write: Caroline Clemmons Speaks Out
Published on 2011-05-19 07:00:40
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/why-authors-write-caroline-clemmons-speaks-out/"; Growing up, I was surrounded by books and encouraged to read as many of them as I could. I also had examples of writers in my home. My Dad writes very
Fennel
Published on 2011-05-18 07:04:20
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/fennel/"; Fennel is one of the less known herbs that people grow. It has to be separated from dill because they are related and will cross pollinate, resulting in an inedible (nasty tasting) mutt of a p
Blogathon musings
Published on 2011-05-17 16:57:59
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/blogathon-musings/"; Yesterday was the half way point of the WordCount Blogathon. My traffic has increased a great deal, but I wonder how much is people just looking and how many will stay? And how di
Armadillo Leprosy Has Legs
Published on 2011-05-16 12:52:37
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/armadillo-leprosy-has-legs/"; You know how you are always supposed to listen to your mother? Well, my mother, Caroline Clemmons, always said armadillos carried leprosy and not to touch them. When I wr
Starting a Gardening Related Business
Published on 2011-05-16 05:50:32
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/starting-a-gardening-related-business/"; Today is Guest Post Exchange Day on the WordCount Blogathon. My guest post exchange partner is Katy Manck. After you read her excellent post on where to find i
Black Swallowtail Butterfly Caterpillars
Published on 2011-05-15 06:05:54
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/black-swallowtail-butterfly-caterpillars/"; I got an excited call from a friend to bring my camera over and take pictures of these caterpillars all over her dill plants. I went over, and the dill had do
Self-Hosted Blogs are Better
Published on 2011-05-14 08:32:02
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/self-hosted-blogs-are-better/"; The recent outage for Blogger.com has caused chaos for many bloggers. Blogger is an easy to use interface, but as the problems have shown, it is owned by someone else and
Blackberry or Dewberry
Published on 2011-05-13 07:27:58
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/blackberry-or-dewberry/"; There are wild berries in my area that the locals call dewberries. They look and taste like small blackberries. I always thought they were just wild blackberries. It turns
Stay in Touch
Published on 2011-05-12 08:57:36
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/stay-in-touch/"; I just tried to sign up for a service that matched consumers looking for arts and crafts with master craftsmen. The sign-up form rejected my email address and web address as invalid.
Killing grass in the vegetable garden
Published on 2011-05-11 07:35:36
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/killing-grass-in-the-vegetable-garden/"; One of the biggest frustrations in a garden is how fast grass can invade and take over. This is especially true in a new garden when you have just tilled the exi
A Blogathon Haiku
Published on 2011-05-10 11:58:43
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/a-blogathon-haiku/"; Today is haiku day in the WordCount Blogathon. I am a lousy poet, but will attempt one. Puppy chews on hair While human tries to write post Spoiled puppy whines A Blogathon H
Repelling Mosquitoes Without Pesticides
Published on 2011-05-09 06:30:21
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/repelling-mosquitoes-without-pesticides/"; The picture I grew up with of mosquito control is of a slow moving vehicle spraying poison out while children ran along behind and played in the spray. This do
Texas Scarab Beetles
Published on 2011-05-08 08:46:56
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/texas-scarab-beetles/"; I always thought of scarab beetles as Egyptian. After all, all those broaches in tombs with mummies that mimicked scarab beetles can’t be wrong. Well, there are some beau
Speargrass Causes Problems
Published on 2011-05-07 09:34:39
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/speargrass-causes-problems/"; Even if your vegetable garden is perfect, with mulch everywhere and no weed in sight, chances are you have some grass somewhere in your yard. My 14 acres has lots of grass.
Killing Broad Leaf Weeds in the Vegetable Garden
Published on 2011-05-06 10:28:49
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/killing-broad-leaf-weeds-in-the-vegetable-garden/"; If you have weeds in your garden, they generally fall into three categories: grasses, broad leaf weeds, and sedges. I discussed how to identify weed
Crafting a Guest Post Query
Published on 2011-05-05 14:01:41
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/crafting-a-guest-post-query/"; Being a guest on someone else’s blog can be a great opportunity for both you and the blog owner. Hopefully, some of your audience will follow you to the new blog, br
Steps to identify a weed
Published on 2011-05-04 05:58:53
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/steps-to-identify-a-weed/"; One of the things I spend a lot of time doing every spring and summer is identifying weeds for people. Now, a weed is just a plant that is growing where it is not wanted. S
Mosquitoes do more than annoy
Published on 2011-05-03 13:09:53
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/mosquitoes-do-more-than-annoy/"; It has just finished raining hard here for three days. Now suddenly there are mosquitoes everywhere. Their whine fills the air. Mosquitoes are more than annoying, howe
Armadillos Carry Leprosy
Published on 2011-05-02 07:52:15
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/armadillos-carry-leprosy/"; There was a time when a major beer manufacturer ran a series of commercials where a giant armadillo hijacked a truck carrying the beer and then laid on its back cradling the bo
Twitter Facts Everyone Should Know
Published on 2011-05-01 08:00:59
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/twitter-facts-everyone-should-know/"; In honor of the start of the 2011 WordCount Blogathon, I thought I would mention five things you might not know about Twitter. 1)There may seem to be no connection be
Saint Augustine Grass and Herbicides Do Not Mix
Published on 2011-04-29 05:30:02
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/saint-augustine-grass-and-herbicides-do-not-mix/"; Many people want to know how to kill various weeds in their lawn. If the lawn is Bermuda grass, you can use a product containing 2,4,D to kill all the br
Book Review: Planting the Wild Garden
Published on 2011-04-27 09:34:16
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/book-review-planting-the-wild-garden/"; One of the fruits of the Junior Master Gardener movement is research showing children will eat vegetables they grow, even when they will not eat any other vegetable
Growing Eggplant
Published on 2011-04-25 07:10:31
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/growing-eggplant/"; Eggplant, along with tomatoes and potatoes, is part of the deadly nightshade family. Many people enjoy growing the purple or white globes and making such things as eggplant parmesan,
Blogathon 2011
Published on 2011-04-24 09:48:04
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/blogathon-2011/"; Last year, I participated in the Wordcount Blogathon 2010. This is where all the participants pledge to blog every day in the month of May. I had so much fun I have signed up for the Wor
Earth Day 2011
Published on 2011-04-22 07:21:41
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/earth-day-2011/"; In the last 41 years, Earth Day has made major contribution to our lives. The Clean Air, Clean Water act, even if enforced only fitfully, has made it easier to breathe and safer to dri
Five Ways to Fix Dead Spots in Your Lawn by Haliyma Barrow
Published on 2011-04-20 08:10:08
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/five-ways-to-fix-dead-spots-in-your-lawn-by-haliyma-barrow/"; Dead spots in your lawn can be an unsightly occurrence. When a lawn is beautiful, lush and green it enhances the visual appeal of your home. R
Content Stolen? Here is Help
Published on 2011-04-19 09:15:19
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/content-stolen-here-is-help/"; Eventually, everyone who posts anything on the web will find their content used without permission. I wrote a post on the steps to take to fix stolen content problems and
Plant Your Summer Gardens
Published on 2011-04-18 12:54:18
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/plant-your-summer-gardens/"; If you live in North Central Texas, it is time to plant your summer gardens. While many people have already put in their warm season crops, the full moon is this week. Man
Using Containers to Square Foot Garden
Published on 2011-04-15 08:25:45
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/using-containers-to-square-foot-garden/"; I frequently receive comments that someone would like to have a garden but they do not have the space. It doesn’t take a lot of space to grow a few vegeta
Pine Bark Beetle
Published on 2011-04-13 08:16:46
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/pine-bark-beetle/"; One of the tree killing insects I wrote about in my article for Scroll Saw Magazine was the pine bark beetle. This economically important beetle, or group of beetles, kills pine tree
Guest post: Easy Composting
Published on 2011-04-13 06:48:15
submit_url = "http://stephaniesuesansmith.com/guest-post-easy-composting/"; I have a guest post on Creative Homemaking on Easy Composting. Please go by and say hello. Guest post: Easy Composting is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Garden
Southern Black Racer
Published on 2011-04-11 10:34:12
This weekend, I let my dogs out and saw something very odd. A snake was frozen trying to pretend to be a stick so we would not see it. The dogs moved on, but I sat on the porch and watched. The snake was a black snake and was laying with itR
Perfect, Multi-Purpose Indoor Plants
Published on 2011-04-08 12:21:34
People often ask me what plants to grow indoors. Since I don’t grow ornamental, I do not know as much about them as I do vegetables. Today, JC Ryan discusses perfect, multi-purpose indoor plants. The uses of each plant are traditional lor
Publicity for your book made easier
Published on 2011-04-07 09:59:43
I have a guest post on Publicity Made Easier on SellingBooks.com. Want to make your blog work harder? Read how there. Publicity for your book made easier is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions AnsweredPublicity for y
Start a garden, save money
Published on 2011-04-07 06:30:48
I am guest posting on The Budget Diet today on how starting a garden can save you money on your produce. Head on over there for a look and say hello. Start a garden, save money is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions Answ
Save Money and Be Green — Guest Post
Published on 2011-04-05 10:44:42
Today my article Water Wise Gardening Saves Money and Resources is being featured at Family Focus Blog. Head over and say hello while you read about watering your garden wisely. Save Money and Be Green — Guest Post is a post from: Information C
GRO1000 Plants Itself in Houston
Published on 2011-04-04 07:31:11
You are probably asking yourself what GRO1000 is and why it is coming to Houston. GRO1000 is a commitment by Scots Miracle-Go, Garden Writers Association, Plant A Row For The Hungry, Keep America Beautiful, the National Gardening Association, and Fra
White Nose Syndrome in Bats Threatens Humans
Published on 2011-04-01 12:19:40
Bats are dying by the hundreds of thousands from a strange infection called White Nose Syndrome. Relatively little money is being spent to study the problem or come up with a cure. Most people think bats are vicious and rabid, but that is an old
Guest Post on Authopublisher.com Today
Published on 2011-03-30 13:00:45
I am guest posting on Authopublisher.com today. Come read about using social media to make your blog work harder. There is even a video. Popcorn, anyone? Guest Post on Authopublisher.com Today is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gard
How to graft tomatoes
Published on 2011-03-30 08:20:31
As I mentioned in my last post, Territorial Seed Company is now selling grafted tomatoes. According to research being done by Ohio State University, tomatoes that are good to eat can be grafted onto rootstock that is disease resistant and they will
Grafted Tomatoes
Published on 2011-03-28 08:22:44
When I first heard of grated tomatoes, I thought it was a marketing ploy. Why graft a plant that only lives one season then dies? It turns out, though, that grafted tomatoes address real problems that market farmers have. Since these tomatoes a
Dealing with Paper Wasps
Published on 2011-03-23 08:10:45
I generally take a live and let live attitude toward creatures on my farm. Paper wasps, however, are an exception. These yellow and white, or yellow and red wasps live in colonies. They are the wasps that make the little nests hanging from door
Vernal Equinox
Published on 2011-03-21 05:39:25
Depending on where you live, the Vernal Equinox is sometime between March 20-21. What is that, you ask? It is when the sun is shining directly on the equator and the length of the day and night are nearly equal all over the world. There is a fa
Winner of eBook Preparing a Vegetable Garden from the Ground Up
Published on 2011-03-21 05:08:11
And the winner of my eBook Preparing a Vegetable Garden From the Ground Up is: Samantha Cheng. I will be emailing you on how to claim your prize. Thank you to everyone who participated in the Lucky Leprechaun Blog Hop. Winner of eBook Preparin
How to Make Your Blog Work Harder
Published on 2011-03-18 07:43:28
Authors and practically everyone else are urged to have a broad platform. Publishers Google authors to see if they have enough of an audience to sell books. Editors do the same to freelance writers to see if they will bring a large audience to the pu
Lucky Leprechaun Blog Hop
Published on 2011-03-16 23:59:57
Welcome to my part of the Lucky Leprechaun Blog Hop! What better way to celebrate the famed Emerald Isle than to learn to grow something? And what better to grow than food? After all, food, or the lack of it, is the reason the United States
Join NestWatch, Help the Planet
Published on 2011-03-16 08:05:47
It is hard to see all the devastation and horror in Japan and not feel helpless. While we should give to the appropriate aid agencies, there are also things we can do at home to improve the world around us, increase our knowledge of Global Climate
Root Knot Nematodes
Published on 2011-03-14 07:55:17
Root knot nematodes are common in Texas and the South. They are small, almost microscopic, eel like worms that infest the roots of plants. In addition to feeding on the tissue of the plant, they cause galls to form on the roots (the root knot) an
Feeding Suet to Birds
Published on 2011-03-11 15:27:34
I recently put in a new post for my bird feeder and hung the suet feeder from it as well. I can see the birds from my study window. Suet is basically beef kidney fat, which sounds really gross to me. Judging from the wide range of birds that co
Overwhelmed with vegetables? Feed the hungry
Published on 2011-03-07 08:20:27
Ever plant a garden and get way more produce than you can use? What in the world possessed you to plant the entire packet of squash seeds, cucumber seeds, or beans? Your friends are begging you not to give them any more vegetables and still they
Disease Resistant Tomatoes
Published on 2011-03-04 09:16:31
In my area of Texas, tomato plants that are sold have the letters VFN on their tags. That stands for fusarium wilt, verticillium wilt, and nematodes. Plants that have VFN are resistant to those problems. But what exactly are those things? Fus
Venomous Critters and Gardeners
Published on 2011-02-28 07:40:57
te as gardeners are more at risk for bites and stings from venomous critters than most folks. We move leaf litter that might hide a copperhead snake, reach in the shadows where a black widow spider might lurk, and are around bees and wasps a lot. Thi
Time to start seeds for summer garden
Published on 2011-02-26 09:43:10
If you live in north east Texas, it is time to start your seeds for transplanting in your summer garden. Tomatoes and pepper plants definitely need to be transplants, and some people transplant squash, cucumber, and eggplant. All the plants have slig
Lady Beetles Eat Aphids
Published on 2011-02-23 14:53:18
One of the interesting things about practicing integrated pest management (IPM) is that you get to learn about the relationships between the insects that you consider pests and the insects that eat them. The lady beetle, or lady bug, is one of the
Fertilizer and water quality
Published on 2011-02-21 08:15:32
Fertilizer is safe when used properly. If used improperly, however, it can have serious negative effects upon you, your plants, and the environment. Some of these effects are quite unintentional. I remember when they banned phosphorus in deterg
What Fertilizer Do I Use?
Published on 2011-02-19 07:36:27
It is time to fertilize lawns and gardens in North East Texas. Hopefully, you had a soil test done in December or January. This results will contain detailed recommendations for what fertilizer to use and how to apply it. If you don’t hav
Using Dormant Oil
Published on 2011-02-17 06:56:26
When I was a teenager, my parents bought a peach orchard. I heard my Dad talk about spraying the trees with dormant oil and thought that was really weird. Who oils trees that are still alive? Turns out there are some things called scale insects t
How to Transplant Vegetable Plants
Published on 2011-02-14 07:59:23
If you do vegetable gardening, chances are you buy some plants from nurseries or other growers. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants are the most commonly bought starts. Just because someone else started them, doesn
Growing parsley
Published on 2011-02-11 09:19:11
Most people think of parsley as that green stuff on their plates in restaurants. It is actually a very useful herb. It is also very nutritious. Parsley is easy to grow and can be grown in containers indoors during the winter for year round avai
Growing Brussels Sprouts
Published on 2011-02-09 11:00:13
Brussels Sprouts are a cool weather crop. When they get hot, the plant produces flowers and the little sprouts are ruined. Brussels Sprouts are a Northern European vegetable related to the cabbage. No records exist of them earlier than 350 year
How PR Chooses Bloggers
Published on 2011-02-09 09:14:25
I am quoted on Three Boys and A Dog in an article on how PR people choose bloggers to work with. Hike on over there and see what you think. How PR Chooses Bloggers is a post from: Information Central: Vegetable Gardening Questions AnsweredHow PR Ch
Determining Germination Rate
Published on 2011-02-07 08:14:34
Eying those seeds left over from last year and wondering if they will work? While seed germination rate goes down the longer they have been alive, you can do a simple test to see if the left over seeds will grow. It would not be accurate enough f
Growing Winter Squash
Published on 2011-02-05 08:28:15
Winter squash are grown much like summer squash. The difference is in the harvest. Summer squash is picked while it is immature and the rind is soft. Winter squash is picked when mature and the rind hard. Winter squash stores well, while summ
Growing yellow summer squash
Published on 2011-02-02 15:47:32
Yellow summer squash is a warm weather squash usually planted around the last freeze date in an area. Zucchini squash, while technically a summer squash, has a post of its’ own. Yellow squash is a Cucurbita, just as zucchini squash, cucum
Check out How to find great plants, Issue 3
Published on 2011-02-02 07:53:59
Please check out How to find great plants, Issue 3, where my sweet potato article is listed. There are lots of other great articles mentioned, so it is a chance to learn about lots of plants. Thanks to Appalachian Feet for hosting this. Check out How
Growing Zucchini
Published on 2011-01-31 08:13:53
Country people joke that we keep our cars locked in the summer so someone won’t put a bag of zucchini in the front seat. Zucchini are easy to grow and produce large amounts of vegetables, so you only need a few plants to feed your family. E
Growing Sweet Potatoes
Published on 2011-01-28 08:37:55
Sweet potatoes, also called yams in the United States, are related to the morning glory. They, like the Irish potato, came from Peru and Ecuador originally. Sweet potatoes are part of the root of the plant and each plant has between 4 and 10 eati
Collard Greens: A Southern Delicacy
Published on 2011-01-26 08:40:34
Many Southerners consider collard greens a delicacy. My Daddy’s family ate them and he enjoys them. My mother’s family did not, and Mom never fixed greens, except spinach, when I was growing up. I can take them or leave them, but I
Warm Up at Texas Discovery Garden
Published on 2011-01-24 17:58:55
Tired of the cold? Travel to the tropics Saturday at the Texas Discovery Garden. The heated butterfly house will have a tropical band playing cheerful tunes at 11 am and 1 pm. In addition, the new insects will be showing their colors for a preview of
Earth-Kind Landscape Roses
Published on 2011-01-21 08:05:22
I do not usually talk about roses but most people have a rose or two and so I will stray into the realm of flowers to discuss Earth-Kind™ landscape roses. Most roses suffer from a wide variety of insect pests and diseases. Pesticides, whether o
Texas Superstar Plants
Published on 2011-01-19 08:15:08
I am still getting seed catalogs. Planning a garden is fun, but deciding what exactly to plant can be confusing. Which broccoli plants will grow here, or corn, or beans? Texas has developed a couple of programs to take the guesswork out of choo
Social Media Eats Marketing
Published on 2011-01-17 08:07:05
Don’t Become As Dated As This Remember when marketing meant door to door salesman? Me either, but I do remember being entranced by cable because it had no commercials when it first came out. It’s hard to be a dinosaur. It isn’
Growing Lettuce
Published on 2011-01-14 08:43:53
Lettuce is another one of those cool weather crops. It does not grow well when it gets over 75 degrees, especially for the head variaties. In Texas, we plant lettuce the first of February. That allows the lettuce to mature before things get hot
Follow Me to Feature Friday on 3Boys and A Dog
Published on 2011-01-14 08:05:20
Kelli is featuring me on her Feature Friday at 3 Boys and a Dog. Head over there to see my interview and leave a comment or question or two. My thanks to Kelli for having me as a guest on her blog. She is a nice lady and always willing to help a
Growing Spinach
Published on 2011-01-10 07:27:45
Spinach likes cool weather. It has grown in popularity and more and more people are planting it. However, it is somewhat temperamental to grow. It will tolerate temperatures as low as 20 degrees but bolts and produces seed when it gets very war
After the Harvest: Gail from Growmap.com
Published on 2011-01-07 08:30:52
Today I am continuing my occasional series of what to do with your garden produce after the harvest. Gail from Growmap.com has been mentoring me on my blogging skills, so I asked her to answer a few questions on her garden. Gail, thanks for coming.
Care and Feeding of Garden Bloggers
Published on 2011-01-06 08:27:14
Part two of my article on PR and garden bloggers is up. Check out Blogging Outreach: Finding and Approaching Garden Bloggers and let me know what you think. We need to cooperate with PR people so we can better inform our readers. They need to wor
Where do you get your garden supplies?
Published on 2011-01-05 07:40:02
I recently joined the Garden Writers Association. One of the things they do is commission a quarterly survey on the state of gardening. The most recent survey said that only three percent of gardening supplies were purchased over the internet. I was
Garden Bloggers grow in influence
Published on 2011-01-04 11:32:46
I have a guest post on Growmap.com on the growing influence of garden bloggers. Check it out and leave a comment. As food prices skyrocket, more and more people will be growing their own food. We can help them do that. Garden Bloggers grow in influen
Pansies are more than winter color
Published on 2011-01-03 09:08:53
Pansies, and their ancestors the viola, are often planted for winter color. They are that, but they are more. Pansies are edible and can be used to garnish any number of dishes. Best of all, they come in lots of colors so you can color coordi
Growing Anise
Published on 2010-12-31 08:13:18
Anise is not one of the most popular herbs in the garden, but is interesting none the less. It tastes like licorice, so if that is not a flavor you like, pass it by. Anise is an annual, so needs to be planted every year. Sow directly in the garde