I can’t say that I enjoy gardening or any type of farming, except in the virtual world of Facebook’s Farmville. To be honest, I’ve even lost a few crops on Farmville. My idea of enjoying the summer bounty is going to my neighborhood Farmers’ Market on Saturday morning and selecting the fresh, homegrown fruits, and vegetables that hard-working local farmers offer throughout the growing season.
Have you ever noticed that the petals and leaves on your rose bushes are curling up and turning brown? What could cause this problem? Check out our gardening section at the Liberty Branch. There are many great resources on how to care for your roses.
This is our view out the front windows of the library looking toward I-29 in Dearborn. There probably are not going to be too many more beautiful days like this left this year. The maple tree across the street is about half turned in color to a beautiful orange. The tree seems to be the perfect complement to the house and yard where it stands. Not every bit of landscaping turns out so well.
With the cold and snowy winter weather we've "enjoyed" so far this year, the upcoming thaw, as the temperatures rise into the 40s and 50s, is a welcome relief.
It’s almost spring. Time to start thinking about getting your garden ready. The library has lots of books on planting, everything from fruit trees to vegetables. MCPL also has plenty of books on subjects from container gardening to how to take care of your flower gardens. And, MCPL carries a wide variety of how-to videos. MCPL offers programs on building a sidewalk garden. If you can imagine it, MCPL probably has something to help.
It starts the day after Christmas. For the next two weeks, garden supply catalogs arrive daily. My common sense says, no, don't even look, but the garden gnome on my shoulder says, yes, it's okay, just take a peek!
Next thing, I've dreamt an edible paradise on my patio. A mini peach tree you can grow in a pot, an abundance of herbs ready for snipping, blueberry bushes in planters.... Maybe a fruit orchard.....Picking bushels of apples, pears, cherries, apricots...
This year I am going to grow a few things. Without a doubt! Absolutely. The snow in the grass this morning is a minor setback; spring is here. I often see interesting resources on gardening at the library, and I am inspired. We just had a neat speaker on a program about landscaping sidewalks. Other gardening programs in the Mid-Continent system are listed online and in the Beyond the Books publication.
The weatherman says it is meteorological spring, but still I put on my jacket each morning. One night this week, I was compelled to bring my new basket of pansies inside, just in case. To temper my spring fever, I have been reading books about container gardening.
Many of our grandparents planted gardens based on the signs of the Zodiac and by the phases of the moon. Each day of the month is dominated by one of the 12 signs of the Zodiac. Each sign appears at least once a month plus two or three days.
If you are like me, you are ready to get out and get gardening! Here are some books to help you get started, whether you prefer flower gardening or vegetable gardening.
