Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Surplus veggies make tasty delivery

They just keep coming, and neither rain, nor snow, nor dark of night will stay these squash from their appointed growing. The familiar refrain rang through my head as I gathered up yet another armload of zucchini, which after a season, wears even the strongest gardener down. Every morning, there`s one that formed overnight; in [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Life-sucking garden fiends

Some of today’s hottest movies and television shows feature blood-sucking fiends out of myth. Vampires roam through this current pop culture craze, lulling us into thinking they’re harmless, even beautiful, creatures who are merely misunderstood (“They’re sparkling!” my son – a monster purist — moaned in outrage). If you were a plant, you’d know the [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Caterpillar party on the parsley

Normally, when an insect attacks the vegetable garden a gardener’s revenge is swift and decisive.  Although we don’t mind sharing, some bugs take more than their portion, stripping plants to the point where we have to show them the door – or the neighbor’s garden – and order them to leave. But this summer a [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Working gardeners do what they can

The alliums along my walkway have finished their bloom, earlier than many of my friends’ plants wrapped up their flowering.  This is because the walkway, a south facing space, is trapped between the house and the garage, creating the perfect microclimate for coaxing blossoms to come on early.  Everything is in fast-forward in this spot, [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Feeling sheepish about the lawn?

I was recently given a garden plaque, a lovely little faux-stone square that you hang out in the garden.  The saying on it, from Alfred Austin, is short but thought provoking:  “Show me your garden and shall tell you what you are.” No doubt this is meant to explore the expression of one’s Id through [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening at Five: Shutting down the strip show

Brace yourselves for the strip show of summer, coming soon to a garden near you.  With tiny jaws and a will to chew, insects intent on turning your garden into an all-you-can-eat buffet are on their way, struggling up out of the soil as the weather warms. First to lose leaves will be the evening [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Your garden as personal trainer

My hobby is trying to kill me. I know this on Monday mornings when I creak out of bed to go to work after spending two days in the garden. It happens every weekend: my brain tells my muscles it won’t be that bad, my body is left to wonder why I don’t take up [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Your mower may be short on horsepower

I stepped out over the weekend to do a little lawn care, and as I placidly mowed the lawn my thoughts turned to lawsuits.  Specifically: the lawnmower settlement now pending final approval by a federal court on June 22. At least 10 companies, including American Honda Motor Co., Inc., MTD, Sears, Deere & Company; Tecumseh; [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: Grape expectations

Planning to put in a few vines to sweeten your table or make into wine?  Growing grapes isn’t difficult to do, but to get bushels of succulent fruit, the secret is in planning. When growing grapes, the first season should be devoted to two things: getting strong root systems and setting up your trellis system. [...]

Carol O’Meara’s Gardening After Five: April is the thorniest month

April is such a thorny month.  Just as we’re getting through our taxes it’s time to prune the roses.  Between the two, I’ll take the rose; if something’s going to stick it to me I’d rather it be a plant, instead of the tax man. When you need a break from the write-offs and deductions, [...]

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