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Fiskars UpRoot Weeder: Armed and Dangerous (to Dandelions)
Tools have all kinds of personalities. There are the delightfully snooty British ones which make me feel like I ought to bring my good china out into the garden and wear a floral hat while digging. And the sturdy Japanese ones which transport me to ancient times and make me feel like a noble samurai-type…
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Monday Miscellany: Growing Tomatoes, Coastal Landscaping and a Sweet Garrett Wade Deal
This is the time of year to start planting tomatoes, especially if you have a cold frame, EZ-wall, or cloche that can protect your starts against any late frosts. But if you’re like me, you probably have some questions about the whole tomato process. Not to worry: Margaret Roach of A Way to Garden has…
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Fiskars PowerGear Loppers (Part Two)
A year ago, my pruning life changed for the better. I didn’t realize it at first, as my partner Trevor stole my fresh new loppers to cut up kindling and I couldn’t find ’em for a week. Once I did, I took them out to prune an overgrown Ceanothus into a lovely tree-like shape, and…
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Destination Nursery: Flora Grubb Gardens
When traveling to San Francisco, most people think of the Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, or the cable cars as the “must-see” things to visit. But for plant and gardening geeks, there’s a new destination in town: Flora Grubb Gardens. This nursery is like Chez Panisse is to slow floodies – her blog and online…
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Garrett Wade’s Professional Pruning Saws and Loppers
Are pruning saws mostly the same from brand to brand? I certainly thought so. They cut things (some better than others), and some fold or have a pole attached, but otherwise, pretty similar in how well they function, right? Nope! After trying at least 10 brands of saw over the 16 years I’ve run a…
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New Hellebore Flowers Hold Their Heads High
I’m a big fan of hellebores, since in my rainy climate so many flowers are dashed to the ground at the first rough rain shower. Plus, some types of flower and color just don’t stand out boldly enough to be visible from a window. Hellebores are tough as nails and shine brightly in the winter…
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Monday Miscellany: Berry-Infused Vodka, April Garden Care, and Terrific Terrariums
It’s Monday again, so time for a round-up of the best from around the web this past week. First up, two of my online pals, Stevie of Garden Therapy and Nicky from Dirt and Martinis, team up to offer a berry-infused vodka tutorial. I’ve done this in the past and it is really, really good.…
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Fruit Trees in Small Spaces by Colby Eierman
There’s nothing quite like breaking into a fresh jar of yellow plum-infused liqueur or pear gin at the start of winter. It’s like a bottled bit of summer sunshine. And ever since we’ve figured out precisely what to do with all of the fruit and vegetables I’ve been growing, my nursery trips have been most…
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Luxurious Stone Fountain Table for Wine Country Gardens
There was so much inspiration from the 2012 San Francisco Garden Show that I am still sifting through it all weeks later. One of my favorite pieces in the entire show was this stunning table and fountain made of a solid piece of stone from McKenna Landscape. It has a recirculating pump which allows a…
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Monday Miscellany: Sh*t Gardeners Say, Knots 101, and Plants Not Spray
Welcome to this week’s Monday Miscellany! Have you seen those Sh*t Yogis Say and Sh*t Portlanders Say videos? (Both of which could easily be retitled Sh*t Humboldtians Say, of course!) Well, now we have a Sh*t Gardeners Say video, courtesy of some of my garden writer pals: Yes, people, I have said nearly all of…
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Blog Party for Free-Range Chicken Gardens by Jessi Bloom
The last time I reviewed Jessi Bloom’s new book, I focused on the text. Let me tell you, even with only three chickens, I needed the advice, and I could not wait for this book to come out. But in my eagerness to absorb everything that Jessi knows about gardening with chickens, I may have…