Sustainable Gardening Blog

 In the News

• This weekend - Feb 15-18 - is the Great Backyard Bird Count, brought to us by the National Audubon Society and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
• These 10 Rules of Eco-Gardening are great, including the very English "Thou leave a messy bit."  Both the language AND the content are distinctly different from similiar advice in the U.S.
• Simon Burch reports in London’s Financial Times that the English are paving over their front yards.

• Pesticides are STILL on our apples, according to this in the Seattle PI.
• There’s a report on California’s Sustainable Agriculture Conferfence on Grist. From the same source, check out "Buzz Kill," a beekeeper’s take on Colony Collapse Disorder.
• Leafblowers - not a climate problem? is certainly a provocative question, also on Grist.
• The European Union may ban all outdoor patio heaters,  because of complaints about their inefficiency.  And remember open fires are big polluters, so IS there a good alternative?
• The Green Gardener Certification Program is off and running - in California, at least.

On the Blogs

• A two-fer review of The Truth About Organic Gardening - first by Elizabeth and then by me. Then author Jeff Gillman answers our questions.
• The Soil-Food Web is explored, dissected, argued about. No matter where you stand on compost tea, Jeff Lowenfels is an amazing promoter for the cause of soil health.
• Jane Berger’s review of Native Ferns, Moss and Grasses by William Cullina makes me lust for both the book and the plants.  Frightening projections of changing cold-hardiness zones are included.
• "Substitutes" explores the many ways that gardeners compensate during the winter months.  Great discussion in the comments, too.
• Kathy Purdy reviews a great-looking book called Fallscaping by Nan Ondra and Stephanie Cohen.
• Pat, the Commonweeder, reviews Weeds of the Northeast.
• Our Commonweeder friend also reports having great success with the unintimidating rosa Rugosa.
  

  

• Pam Penick shows us what a green roof looks like in Texas.
• Here’s my rant against Arbor Day and Earth Day
  being in the spring.  People, fall is for planting.

What’s New on Sustainable-Gardening

• Pruning: Try it. You’ll Like it! directs readers to the best sources for learning to prune.
• My Standard Disclaimer about Lawn Removal
  defends the honor of turfgrass, as long as it’s grown organically.
• Digital Cameras have limitless capacity to enhance our enjoyment of our gardens and improve their design at the same time - if the technie stuff doesn’t drive us to drink first.
• Yeah, it’s been a slow month on the site.  Other web projects have interfered, but they’re done now (see below).

My So-Called Second Career

• I launched another joint venture this month - the Regional Garden Gurus.  Here’s the first announcement, followed soon by this update to announce another guru. And DO  send us your regional links for inclusion on the site - by responding to this email.

In My (Neighbor’s) Garden

• Gardenblogger Bloom Day in February?  Fuggedaboudit. But I love the winter decay on display in my neighbor’s garden.

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