Practical advice & moral support for the small-scale gardener
My first attempt last year at growing spring bulbs in a pot failed miserably. I purchased ten tulip bulbs from the hardware store, dutifully followed instructions (or so I thought), and they all withered and died almost as soon as they’d sprouted. What did I do wrong? I had a few theories and tried to…
After returning from Puglia last summer, I knew I would need an olive tree for the balcony. Over the four weeks I spent surrounded by them in the countryside, I had become accustomed to their presence. I could no longer imagine life without their twisty branches and muted foliage rustling in the breeze, catching the…
The gardening internet is full of encouragement for folks who want to grow their own food. Even as an apartment dweller, I am constantly being urged to grow lettuce in a window box or tomatoes in a bag. In theory, I completely support it. I would opt out of the industrial food system in a heartbeat…
When you’re gardening in a small space, it can be tempting to buy all your colorful annuals at the nursery. After all, you don’t need a huge quantity and the pretty store-bought plants offer instant gratification. I get it! I love shopping for plants and am all for indulging in the occasional nursery splurge if…
Our relationships to places are funny things. It can be hard to pin down why we love or hate a place and often it depends on memories and nebulous vibes more than a place’s actual virtues or defects. Furthermore, they are unrequited relationships. Places do not love us back; they are indifferent to our feelings…