Author Archives: dirtynailz

As Auntie Beak was toiling over her previous entry on unusual vegetables, I was at the University of Connecticut, attending the 2010 Garden Conference. The keynote speaker was Rosalind Creasy, Garden Writers’ Hall of Fame member, lecturer and photographer. The … Continue reading →

HerbDoc has a spring in her step these days! The weather here in Rhode Island during the past week has been spectacular, and it seems as if spring has finally arrived!  Snowdrops and crocus have been happily blooming in my … Continue reading →

HerbDoc has some interesting thoughts on spring planting: Farmers and gardeners have been tuned into the phases of the moon for centuries.  Controlling pests, fertilization, harvesting, irrigation, planting and even animal breeding were often dictated by the moon phases, sometimes … Continue reading →

With so many people using smart phones and iPods these days, I thought I’d do a quick survey of gardening apps available for these devices. New apps being added to iTunes almost daily, so it’s useful to check often for … Continue reading →

HerbDoc has some thoughts on the AeroGarden: I’ve often thought about having an AeroGarden for growing winter vegetables and was pleasantly surprised when my husband purchased the 6 Elite+ for me at Christmastime.  This particular unit is said to be … Continue reading →

Here’s Herbdoc with something that should make seed starting easier: I finally decided to invest in a soil blocker instead of purchasing peat pots and saving various containers for seed starting every year.  These small tools turn out blocks of … Continue reading →

This was my first visit to the Insectarium. It is a short walk from the Botanical Gardens, and is one of Montreal’s most popular tourist attractions. Your ticket to the gardens includes the entry fee for the bugs! Apparently the … Continue reading →

I was back in Montreal recently, and had some time to visit the city’s famous botanical garden. Sitting in the shadow of the hulking Olympic Stadium, this is a big complex – 185 acres of greenhouses and themed outdoor gardens. … Continue reading →

In this final installment of my miniseries, I will explore fungal, or “mycotic” arthritis. This is a rare condition that affects bone and joint tissue. It arises from several conditions, all caused by fungi. Below are a few of  the … Continue reading →

In this installment of my miniseries on more obscure garden illnesses, please feast your eyes on the gypsy moth caterpillar (Lymantria dispar). I’m pretty sure that most of us have seen these creatures, and the damage they can do to … Continue reading →