by Rochelle Greayer  I am in the final stages of getting another issue of PITH + VIGOR out the door (it is in the  process of being stuffed into boxes and envelopes right now!) and now that I feel like I can,  I’ve been taking frequent gardening breaks.  It feels really good to slow down a little bit. I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of plants and I am grateful for this extended spring to have  some time to get them all planted.   This year, I’ve put together a scheme for my strawberry tower

by Kerry Ann Mendez   Spring is around the corner and many have a bad case of spring fever. Here are a few timely tricks to jump-start our flower gardens.   A well balanced snack can make a huge difference. As spring temperatures rise, plants surge into new growth, relying on energy stored in roots. A granular fertilizer, in the neighborhood of 5-5-5, can generate head-turning results. The fastest and easiest method for applying fertilizer is with a spreader, or hand casting, right before it

I generally feel like I can’t do much of anything about of a whole host of things that concern me (Guns, Breixit, Trump, Global Warming…I’d rather not go on…).  But small measures add up and usually lead to big change – the garden quickly reminds me of that. I have a large garden and 11 years ago I arrived to a couple of nice patches where soil had obviously been imported and dug in deeply. But otherwise it was mostly a discouragingly rocky, acidic, dry hilltop. History tells me that this whole

 My husband is not a gardener – but over the years I’ve learned that there are few things I can do entice a little interest. Mostly, they involve enormity. Huge fruits. Big flowers. Massive harvests. But, as the tiniest bit of appreciation for the beauty of our garden has crept over him recently, I thought I might seize the opportunity to go a little deeper – to see if maybe, some other more nuanced plants might also be interesting. My goal was not only to expand his interest in my favorite

We’ve had two straight weeks of rain and constant drizzle and I still can’t get that grass to take root. Stick a fork in it – I’m done. That grass isn’t the nice easy stuff that grows just about anywhere else in my garden – all I need to do is spread a little seed. That grass (pronounced through the gritted teeth of frustration) is the culmination of a few years of trying every gimmick, variety, and installation method the turf grass industry offers, and still, I look out upon a couple of weedy

I’ve got big plans this spring (I know I am speaking as if it is still coming – when in fact, it already came, flitted around for a few minutes, left, came back, left again, and maybe just might now be making a real grand entrance, today). Last weekend was going to be my first get-outside-and-get-my-hands-dirty day…. and then this happened:My garden in Harvard, MA, April 5th, 2016. It actually got much deeper by the time it was all done…  nearly 8″ deeper.  So I had at least one more weekend to

 by Jane Beggs-Joles  Pictured Above: Cityline® Vienna Hydrangea macrophylla Mother’s Day is coming, and you know what that means: finding something nice for Mom. Trust me, Mom doesn’t want another scented candle or a box of chocolates that she’ll be expected to share. She wants flowers. And why should she settle for a mere bouquet of flowers when she could enjoy a garden plant that will flower for years to come? Mom taught you the value of a dollar, didn’t she?Hydrangeas are a popular choice