A
Chemical Reaction
An interview with one of the participants in a new documenary film
about dangerous lawn chemicals
(SR) What has been the general public response
to the film? How about the critics?
(Paul Tukey) I think the quote from the director of the Ft. Lauderdale
International Film Festival, where we had our official U.S. premiere and
won the Independent Spirit Award, really said it best for us: "Fascinating.
Enlightening. Frightening. A Chemical Reaction kept my audience rapt with
attention! This film should be required viewing." Audiences are moved.
The criticism has come mostly from people who haven't seen it yet. They
hear that it's a film about lawn chemicals and immediately judge it to
be a ho-hum bummer of a film, or this educational diatribe best viewed
in a college class. It's really a human interest story about the spirit
of a community. It's about the difference just one person can make. We
actually invoke that great Margaret Mead quote in the film, the one about
how the only real change comes from just a few people. read
more
Just because the trees are bare and there is snow on the ground doesn't
mean that your garden has to become a winter wasteland. A well-planned
garden will provide year-round interest and visual treats. Many evergreens
and hardy ornamental grasses can be quite stunning in the colder months.
Read
more
Poinsettias are a widespread Christmas tradition both for gift-giving
and holiday decorating. Yet many of these lovely plants end up in the
trash once the holidays are over. Your poinsettia will not only make a
beautiful indoor plant all year long, but can also be coaxed to bloom
again each year in time for Christmas. Read the article about Poinsettia
care
Italy is said to have some of the best cuisine in the world
and, at the heart of that cuisine are their famous herbs.
Growing your own organic Italian herb garden is sure to be
rewarding and delicious. Whether indoors or outdoors, as
additions to your vegetable garden or on their own, Italian
herbs are a delight to both grow and eat. read
more
The advantages to growing fruit organically are obvious
in the first bite. Your own organic fruit is not covered
in arsenic (as some commercial apples are to lengthen shelf-life)
or wax. Growing your own fruit means picking varieties for
flavor, not looks or ability to travel. Your organic fruit
may not be as picture perfect as the stuff you find in the
grocery store, but fruit is to eat, not to take pictures
of! read
more
Multicolored heirloom carrots have captured the
imagination of diners. Now you too can grow these ancient
carrots at home. Heirloom carrots come in a variety of colors,
white, yellow, pink, purple and of course, orange.
read
more
Pests in your garden are just that: pests. Unwanted insects
may eat and destroy your crops, a frustration for any farmer
or gardener.
Organic gardening is a means of controlling pests naturally, without the use
of dangerous chemical pesticides. There are many ways to control garden pests
naturally that are also cheap, easy and good for the earth. read
more
It is possible that there is nothing tastier than a home
grown tomato picked right off of the vine. There is a world
of difference between your own organic tomatoes and the tasteless
things you find in the grocery store. Tomatoes are probably
the most popular and rewarding crop and the many heirloom
varieties available make it the most fun and interesting
too. read
more
Those tomatoes, potatoes and carrots you see in the grocery
all look relatively the same. The tomatoes are always red,
round and shiny, and the carrots orange. These vegetables
did not always look like this. There are hundreds of different
varieties of these vegetables being grown around the world
that you may have never even seen or heard of.
read
more
Not all insects are pests. In fact, the majority of bugs
living in your garden are helping your plants to grow in
numerous, unseen ways. If you are having a problem with pests
in your garden, you probably have an imbalance of fauna or
an imbalance of soil nutrients. The more insects and other
fauna in your garden, the less likelihood the “pesky” ones
have of surviving. You will find that most insects eat those
moths and maggots that are eating your plants. read
more
But a better model is starting to take hold.
Gardeners like Sara Stein, who’s
wonderful book Noah’s Garden chronicles her education from fresh new
suburbanite to committed native plant gardener, have started to explore the
idea of the garden
as not just a tableau for aesthetic reasons, but an integral working part of
nature. It is possible to provide the basic necessities for a large number
of species in a small space if you make sure to keep in mind the four pillars
of
habitat: Food, Water, Shelter, and Cover. read
more
Organic gardening is a simple healthful way to convert
living organisms into carbon compounds in a way that considers
the whole of nature and its integral place in that scheme.
There, all the definitions in one sentence. I’ll
consider that my mission statement for organic gardening... read
more
The leap from gardening with chemical fertilizers and
pesticides to truly organic gardening can feel like a leap
of faith. I came to this point of view gradually, as I
work in the green industry, which is just starting to recognize
the benefits of organic products (Here’s another
place you can help save the planet; vote with your almighty
consumer dollar by buying organic). read
more
Creating a successful organic vegetable garden may
take practice and your practice may span over several seasons.
Do not become discouraged! Even one delicious homegrown
tomato may make all of your work worthwhile. Organic gardening
is the oldest method of cultivation, it's good for your
family, and it's less expensive to do! You will find that
organic vegetable gardening may become the most rewarding
hobby, or lifestyle, you have ever undertaken. read
more
A new rose bush can provide decades of beauty and enjoyment if properly
planted and tended. The planting requirements for a new rose are both
simple and important. The first months in a new home are crucial for the
plant’s survival. While it’s true that roses will grow and
thrive without the benefit of your expertise, a little knowledge can go
a long way. read
more
There have been other philosophies that have found their
way into the garden. Persia had its paradise gardens. Descartes
theories of a mathematical ordering of the universe were
clearly defined by Versailles’s geometric layout.
But rarely has any one philosophy had such a clear and
defined impact on a garden style as the indelible mark
left by Zen on the Japanese garden. While many of the stylings
now thought of as Zen had their roots in earlier forms,
it was the discipline of Zen thought that helped give them
the ageless quality we associate with the Japanese garden. read
more
There is no reason to grow French country herbs in any
other manner than organic. It’s easy and we’ll
show you how to grow healthy and robust plants that are
weather and pest resistant. The most common French country
herbs are Winter Savory, thyme, rosemary, basil, tarragon
and lavender, all simple, fragrant and delicious additions
to your organic garden. And you won't have to visit Provence
to enjoy them. read
more
A small herb garden is an essential part of any country kitchen. But
fresh, organic herbs are not just for amateur chefs and California housewives.
Any city-dweller can have a fragrant window box kitchen herb garden with
just a little maintenance and care. read
more
It is that time of year when gardeners face the inevitable; the season is closing
down and it’s time to clean and prep those tools for a winter rest.
It is also the time when we begin to turn our thoughts to procuring gifts
for friends and family for the holidays. This raises two intriguing questions.
First, what is Scott rambling on about now? Secondly, how can he possibly
link these two incongruous points? Read
more
Recent Threads from our Gardening Forum
Don't
let this happen to your tree! Tips for a Sick Bonsai
Have
a new Bonsai?
How
to keep rabbits out of your garden
My first remembrance of becoming interested in the plant world takes
me back to my mother’s childhood home in the Berkshire foothills
of Northwestern Connecticut. We were hiking up the hill across the stream
from the house she grew up in... read
more
Gardeners in cold climates can still enjoy colorful flowers in the garden
as early as March and even February in some areas, even when there is
still snow on the ground. How early certain bulbs, perennials and shrubs
will bloom varies from one zone to the next, and even on the location
within your own garden (depending on sun, shelter, etc.). The following
list is by no means exhaustive, but will give you ideas for some early
bloomers that are good bets for producing flowers in late winter and early
spring. read
more
Nothing says spring quite like a daffodil, crocus or tulip. Bulbs, however,
can fill your garden with vibrant color from early spring through late
summer. They are, in general, very hearty, easy to grow and care for,
and will bloom year after year. With just a little effort, you can have
colorful blooms from your bulbs all through the spring and summer. Daffodils,
iris, tulips, gladiolus, hyacinth, and daylilies are just some of the
many bulb favorites. read
more
Helpful Gardener Announces new Forums
By popular demand of it's forum members, HelpfulGardener.com has created
a Cactus
Forum for Cactus and Succulents. We have also feature a popular Organic
Gardening Forum.
Helpful Gardener's Gardening Tips
More Gardening Articles
Hydrangeas are full sun to partial shade plants that appreciate moist,
well-drained soil. Lots of organic matter will help here, although the
nicest hydrangeas I’ve seen were all on Nantucket and Martha’s
Vineyard in virtually pure sand. I suspect it’s simply the moist
part that’s important... read
more
Heard in the Forums:
We have a new Permaculture
Forum so please visit it. And we also have created a new Lawn
Forum and a new addition for discussing Herb
Gardening. And do consider visiting our Rose
Forum. If you enjoy blogs, then check out our picks of what we feel
are the best Gardening
Blogs!
Selected Bonsai Forum Threads
Bonsai
forum
Visit our bonsai forum!
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