Uncategorized – Page 5 – Barking Dog Gardens

Growing Degree Day Meaning for Plants and Insects

As a follow-up to the previous piece on pollinators and native plants, I thought a brief discussion of Growing Degree Days (GDD) would be interesting. I seem to do this every year or two, but it really helps to reinforce our previous discussion on the relationship between plants and pollinators. Nature provides plants at the right timeContinue reading “Growing Degree Day Meaning for Plants and Insects”

Discussion with Dr Robert Gegear about Pollinators and Healthy, Native Ecosystems

I try to provide information to help people learn and be prepared to make informed decisions. Over a number of recent posts, I have been discussing native plants, pollinators and healthy ecosystems. If any one part of the system is out of balance it can have a significant impact on the system as a whole.Continue reading “Discussion with Dr Robert Gegear about Pollinators and Healthy, Native Ecosystems”

2023 New England Weather Summary from Blue Hill Observatory

I know everyone who reads this isn’t a horticultural geek or numbers nerd like me, but take a few minutes and learn about this incredible resource we have in the Boston area called the Blue Hill Observatory. When I talk about weather, in my in-season newsletters, I am often linking to and using data from BlueContinue reading “2023 New England Weather Summary from Blue Hill Observatory”

Native Plants As Part Of The Ecosystem

I hardly meet with a client now who doesn’t ask about native plants, and it is exciting that people want to start planting some natives. However, plants are just part of the whole picture, the ecosystem, that is a space in which plants, animals, insects, and microorganisms interact with each other. Following is a series of linksContinue reading “Native Plants As Part Of The Ecosystem”

2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Meaning

The new Plant Hardiness Zone Map is here, the new Plant Hardiness Zone Map is here! 2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map You have probably been seeing this image during the fall, as the 2023 map was released. Lots of people have been writing about it, but I find few are actually talking about howContinue reading “2023 USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map Meaning”

Amazing Story of an Industrious Youth

This past weekend, I was on my weekly trip to our town’s Transfer Station to drop off my garbage and recycling, a New England rite of passage. While driving though my old neighborhood, I saw, from a distance, what looked like a large cart on the opposite side of the street. Was it being pushed…was itContinue reading “Amazing Story of an Industrious Youth”

Gifts for the Gardener or Plant Lover

Here are some gift ideas this season for the gardener or plant lover in your life. Certainly not an exhaustive list, but this is a list of some favorites from over the years. New England Botanic Garden – How about a membership to this substantial and growing botanic garden that works hard to create reasons to visit year-round. ItContinue reading “Gifts for the Gardener or Plant Lover”

Organic Matter and Soil Quality

There is a lot to talk about this time of year in the garden, but I would like to come back to a theme we have covered a number of times in this newsletter and in my classes. Organic matter and soil quality are critical to the success of anything that you might grow, andContinue reading “Organic Matter and Soil Quality”

The Rugged Native Plants of Georgian Bay, Ontario

Every year that I come to this amazing and remote part of the northern Great Lakes, I am amazed by the diversity of plants and their resilience to survive harsh Winters and challenging conditions. We are on an island in the Georgian Bay, which is the northern part of Lake Huron in Canada. The picture aboveContinue reading “The Rugged Native Plants of Georgian Bay, Ontario”

Mindfulness in the Garden

OK…this might be a little risky, and some of you may think I have gone off the deep end, but here goes. Gardening is a physical task in the attempt to try and control nature and living items by creating something beautiful or productive. Unfortunately, this year has proven what little control we have over our naturalContinue reading “Mindfulness in the Garden”