The Daily Gardener

Today we celebrate the poet who wrote lustrously of Kubla Kahn's summer garden & the French flower breeder who made our favorite plants even more sumptuous with double-flowers. We learn about a descendant of Olaf Rudbeck who sought a legacy of peace, the rainforest expert who wrote the flora of Mexico & hear an Autumn prayer by Rilke. Today's Book Recommendation to help you Grow That Garden Library is A Way to Garden by Margaret Roach. I'll talk about the benefits of buying bagged mulch...

Does your Christmas Cactus have red on its leaves? If so, that red is an indication that the plant is stressed out.   It could be that it has that color on the leaves when it’s blooming because blooming puts pressure on the plant.   In general, those leaves will turn a little red if you’re watering them too much or  If you have them too much sun.     One of my oldest Christmas cactuses came from my husband‘s grandmother that was a very craggy looking. I managed to keep it alive for abou

Last night, I met with my Social Media team and we were having so much fun coming up with designs and quotes and all kinds of things for merchandise for the show.  We're putting together t-shirts, tote bags, and stickers. With any luck, we'll have Daily Gardener gear and merchandise ready to go live for you on November 1st. So keep that in mind. If you're a fan of the show, you can add The Daily Gardenermerchandise to your wishlist for the holidays.

Mark from Little Prince nursery and I became friends on Facebook over the past month.   I was immediately taken with the images on his feed, which is so full of the most beautiful blooms. His dahlias were to die for. Anyway, at some point I gave him a call and we were talking away and Mark asked if he could send me some plants. Um... yay! They arrived right as we were headed up to the cabin, so I grabbed the box and brought it along....

Every autumn, we owe a debt of gratitude to our trees.   They give our gardens the best gift: leaves.   Over the past decade, there's been a resurgence of interest in the restorative power of leaves in the garden. For some gardeners, this is new news. Yet, we've known about the wonderful contributions of leaves in the garden for a long time.   As proof, here's a little post from the The York Daily  out of York Pennsylvania on October 23, 1879:   "Fallen leaves make excellent compost...

I always write down little things the kids say that strike me as funny or  sweet. Here's a little blast from my past on this day in 2010: At bedtime tonight, PJ told me he wanted to bring cold lunch to school.  I told him no because we have paid for hot lunch.  (Apparently many kids in his class bring cold lunch.)  I told him that they probably bring cold lunch because they have allergies and their mommies don't want them to get sick. So, then PJ told me he had allergies too... he said...

Today is National Pumpkin Seed Day. Pumpkin seeds, also known as pepitas, are native to the Americas. They were discovered by archaeologists in Mexico in caves that date back to 7,000 B.C. Today, China produces more pumpkins and pumpkin seeds than any other country.  Pumpkin seeds are loaded with protein; a single cup provides 8-10 grams of protein. They are packed with nutrients and they are overall very good for your health...

Today is International Coffee Day. There is a legend that tells of coffee's discovery: In Ethiopia, there was a goat herd who observed his goats didn't want to go to sleep at night after eating berries from a certain tree. After he reported this to the Abbot of a local monastery, the Abbott gathered the berries himself and then made a drink with them. The Abbott's discovered the drink kept him awake and alert for the long hours of evening prayers. The rest is history...

I was reading in Facebook yesterday, a friend had planted all of these autumn crocus, colchicums, in her garden. Like any bulb, it takes lots of dedication to get them planted and then you have all of the anticipation - waiting to see if they come up and if they meet your expectations. Anyway, she'd invited some friends over to come and check them out. Instead of being amazed by the beautiful autumn crocus, her friends were completely taken her gorgeous hydrangea. Isn't that the way it goes?

What are you doing with all of your tomatoes? A few years ago, I stumbled on Ina Garten's Recipe for Roasted Tomato Soup - it's the best roasted tomato basil soup recipe out there if you ask me! Ina's recipe calls for fresh tomatoes and herbs and she doesn't use cream or milk. Best of all, Ina's soup is rich and full of flavor. - - - - - - - - So that's what I do with any extra tomatoes this time of year. I'll share the recipe in today's Show Notes.  

Right now is the perfect time to bring some nature indoors.  Why buy something manufactured to look like nature, when some of the most impactful pieces can be found right in your own garden? I love to bring in some of the bird's nests from my garden. I place them on top of a stack of books, in a crystal bowl or on a bookshelf. They add wonderful, texture and interest to help ground your interior for winter. Adding leaves and berries to ledges and to your arrangements accomplishes the same thing...

If you're feeling a little glum about the end of the gardening season, here are a few activities that can help you rebalance: First, support your local farmers by shopping at a local farm stand. Often the growers will have insights on plants and practices that are applicable to your own garden. Get inspired by seeing some of the different varieties of apples, gourds, zucchinis, pumpkins, and other vegetables.  Second, refresh your mulch supply...

One of my favorite shoulder season plants is my magnolia. The beautiful white blossoms in the spring and the glorious yellow leaves in the fall bookend a summer of hardy greenery. Then all winter long, the dormant flower buds will pop out adding interest and promise during those final snowstorms in late March and April. If you're looking for something that provides something new in every season, add magnolia to your list.  

Today is the first day of Autumn also referred to as the Autumn Equinox.   Equinox means ‘equal night’.    On this day, both day and night are nearly the same length.    Thereafter, the dark part of the year begins. 

Folklore and legends are often intertwined with plants and gardens.  Today I stumbled on a Swedish Legend called "The Harvest That Never Came" and I thought you'd get a kick out of it. The story has been used in lesson plans, to teach kids problem solving. I'm going to abbreviate it a bit, but I'll share a link to a good English translation in today's show notes. A young man named Arild was the son of a Danish noble family. He had fallen in love with a girl from Sweden named Thale...