I didn't mulch last year.

I was trying to save some money -- my garden expenditures seemed to have spiraled out of control. And I was worried about the impact of having dumped 3 or 4 yards of mulch on my gardens every year for, like, 15 years.

I lived to regret it. The weeds were a horror, and so was August. Without the moisture retention qualities of mulch, I had trouble keeping my plants going.

This year, I decided to mulch. Four yards of the stuff arrived Friday in my driveway and I finished prepping the beds for it this weekend.

Now I am doubting myself again after reading the garden advice of Debbie Hadley on About.com

Continue reading "Mulch. Second thoughts. Again." »

Posted by Susan Reimer at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Gardening
        

Faithful readers of The Baltimore Sun are going to wonder what happened to my gardening column when they open their newspapers this morning.

The bad news is, the garden column went away as part of a redesign of the paper.

The good news is, I am part of that redesign as the columnist for the new Thursday Features section. You can find me in my favorite place: the cover.

I will be writing the kinds of columns I have written for 17 years - about my life as a wife and working mother of (now adult) children. Coincidentally, the column returns on my son's 26th birthday.

Photo: Gary, Susan, Jessie, Joe and Joe's wife, Brooke

Continue reading "Where's Susan?" »

Posted by Susan Reimer at 6:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Gardening
        

Gardening is like childbirth.

You forget how much it hurts until it is time to do it again.

Those of us who are still suffering the after effects of snow-shoveling are getting a glimpse into the future.

In a couple of months, we are going to be that sore again after doing the spring clean-up, pruning, planting and mulching.

As if to nip the pain in the bud, Homestead Gardens is offering a yoga workshop this weekend for people with gardening related back issues. (I will have a full list of weekend garden events Thursday.)

What gardeners seems to conveniently forget, along with how much work there is to be done, is that they are also a year older!

Here are some ideas to help you prepare for the endurance test that is spring clean-up.

Continue reading "Hit the gym " »

Posted by Susan Reimer at 1:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Gardening
        

As any good garden calendar should, it includes pretty pictures and timely tips. In addition, events and seminars to be held at Greenstreet are listed. And there are coupons for free gifts and plants.

Garden Variety readers, get out your typing fingers. Post a comment on any of the posts on the blog, and I will randomly select four of you to receive a calendar.

The fifth one is for me!

Posted by Susan Reimer at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Gardening