Covering Ground

Saw-whet Owl overwinters along the Connecticut shoreline but nests farther north. Give a Hoot About Owls

Got bird houses? Lots of people do. But have you got owl houses or habitat? 

Queen bumblebee on purple hyssop by Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D. Flowers for the Queen (Bee)

Don’t mistake their small size for lack of importance in our quality of life. Queen bumblebees are among the earliest insects to emerge in our area, and their pollinating activity is critical to both them and us.

Bumblebee on bush honeysuckle. Photo: Kimberly Stoner, Ph.D. Slow down to see spring's ephemeral flowers

Big bursts of yellow forsythia call out to us in late April, like billboards for spring, easy to see as we fly by in cars, trains, or on bicycles.

Grow Moss in Winter

If I told you there’s something green sparkling in the February sunlight just outside your door, you might be tempted to take a look. Don’t be disappointed if all you find is moss. It sometimes pays to notice the familiar.

Suzie Flores of Stonington Kelp Company Down on the (Kelp) Farm in Fisher's Island Sound

Suzie Flores had no professional farming or maritime experience before 2016. Then her husband, a veteran of the U.S. Marines, purchased the Mechanic Street Marina on the Pawcatuck River in Pawcatuck. He’d been around boats all his life, but was not a farmer.

vegetable harvest Master Gardener Program Turns 40

Perhaps you know someone you consider a master gardener, someone whose skill with plants and flowers is far above average. 

The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson Book Review: The Triumph of Seeds by Thor Hanson

How did grains, nuts, kernels, pulses, and pips conquer the plant kingdom and shape human history? If you find the question intriguing, you'll find some answers in this thoughtful look at the multiple ways societies interact with plants and seeds. As science reading goes, it is easy to follow.

Compost thermometer measures correct heat for killing weeds. Heat up the compost pile & put a freeze on next year’s weeds

My grandma knew something about weeds that too many have forgotten: Hot composting is one of the best ways to kill the seeds. Better yet, hot composting does this without making ash, without a trip to the town dump, and without adding methane emissions at a landfill.

Covered bridge Columbia Vermont Where the Road Ends, the Connecticut River Begins

Did you get the fall foliage newsflash? The hills and valleys surrounding the headwaters of our own Connecticut River are among the first places in the United States to light up. More than 400 miles north, one of our best-known regional phenomena—fall color—starts in late September.

Yellow nutsedge, Cyperus esculentus Weeds, Weeds, More Weeds. What to do?

September invites fall lawn and garden advice. Soon, articles on bare patch repair, leaf composting, and fall pruning will flutter onto screens and pages like leaves from the trees.

This year, I’m suggesting a less conventional autumn topic: Weeds.

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