The Webster Viridarium
Sometimes the flowers we enjoy the most, are the ones we never planted.
Bauman’s Farm
Our thoughts and prayers are with the Bauman family following the horrific fire that destroyed their farm market in Webster early Wednesday morning (7/22). Hopefully there will be good news soon!
Donations in support of Bauman’s Farm Market can be made at Herman’s Farm Market, 741 Five Mile Line Road.
Garlic Harvest
If the top two leaves of your hardneck garlic stalks have turned brown it’s time to dig them up.
To avoid damaging the garlic bulbs, we use a decent sized trowel and place it in the ground about three inches from the garlic plant’s stalk. With a gentle tug, we pull up on the stalk while simultaneously tilting the trowel back and allowing the bulb to pop free.
Don’t wash the bulbs, just knock off any large clumps of soil. Place the harvested garlic in a single layer or hang them in small bundles. They need a warm but shaded spot that is well-ventilated. A covered porch, shed, or garage are ideal.
Once the stems and roots are entirely brown and crisp, the garlic is ready to be trimmed. Cut the stems about one to two inches above the bulb and trim the roots to about 1/4 inch.
Store the cured bulbs in a cool, dark, and dry location with good air circulation (typically a mesh bag). Hardneck garlic can be stored for two to four months, but in the right conditions it may last longer.
Seed companies database
We’ve put together a database of seed companies from across the United States and Canada, all with their own unique varieties of seeds. There are a surprising number of options available. The seed companies represented do not sell GMO seeds and many offer a wide variety of heirloom, open pollinator (non-hybrid), and organic seeds.
Attracting Ladybugs to your garden
Our suggestions for bringing some helpful visitors to your yard this summer.
Monty Don’s New Book: British Gardens
Monty Don’s massive new 456 page book, filled with Derry Moore’s photos of spectacular British gardens was released on May 5th.
From the northern tip of Scotland down to the southern Cornish coast, Monty visits numerous glorious gardens including Northumbria’s Alnwick Gardens, Beatrix Potter’s Lake District farmhouse and the rewilded walled garden on the Knepp Estate.
Mosquito Control
One of the more surprising realities of life in Western NY is the growing popularity of mosquito control services. Thanks to heavy advertising by unscrupulous companies and little mention of the dangers of spraying to pollinators and other insects, serious damage is being done to our environment everyday.
Before selecting a landscape service, consider avoiding companies that promote insecticides.
Cool Books
Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life
There aren’t many books more beloved than The Tale of Peter Rabbit and even fewer authors as iconic as Beatrix Potter. Her characters—Peter Rabbit, Jemima Puddle Duck, and all the rest—exist in a charmed world filled with flowers and gardens. In Beatrix Potter’s Gardening Life, bestselling author Marta McDowell explores the origins of Beatrix Potter’s love of gardening and plants and shows how this passion came to be reflected in her work. The book begins with a gardener’s biography, highlighting the key moments and places throughout her life that helped define her. Next, follow Beatrix Potter through a year in her garden, with a season-by-season overview of what is blooming that truly brings her gardens alive. The book culminates in a traveler’s guide, with information on how and where to visit Potter’s gardens today.
All the Presidents’ Gardens
The 18-acres surrounding the White House have been an unwitting witness to history—kings and queens have dined there, bills and treaties have been signed, and presidents have landed and retreated. Throughout it all, the grounds have remained not only beautiful, but also a powerful reflection of American trends. In All the Presidents’ Gardens bestselling author Marta McDowell tells the untold history of the White House grounds with historical and contemporary photographs, vintage seeds catalogs, and rare glimpses into Presidential pastimes. History buffs will revel in the fascinating tidbits about Lincoln’s goats, Ike’s putting green, Jackie’s iconic roses, Amy Carter’s tree house, and Trump’s controversial renovations. Gardeners will enjoy the information on the plants whose favor has come and gone over the years and the gardeners who have been responsible for it all. As one head gardener put it, “What’s great about the job is that our trees, our plants, our shrubs, know nothing about politics.”
The Complete Gardener: A Practical, Imaginative Guide to Every Aspect of Gardening
The most comprehensive, practical, and highly illustrated book Monty has ever written, it covers what he believes are the most important aspects of gardening. Organic techniques have always been at the core of his practice, but this new edition picks up on another key principle: the need to provide habitats in your garden for local wildlife.
Life-Changing Homes: Eco-Friendly Designs That Promote Well-Being
The dozens of spaces featured in Life-Changing Homes urge readers to think differently about their own lives and what might be possible, and the gorgeous photography and thought-provoking writing share the inspiring stories of those who have made the change.
