May 25, 2019 - Issue #410

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Curly dock (Rumex crispus) is a hardy perennial weed found in most American gardens that is anchored by a branched taproot. New green leaves that emerge in spring often are tinged with red.

Bamboos have become popular landscape plants for creating garden rooms, blocking unsightly views, or lending your garden an Asian feel.

ot long after we moved from our small, shady city lot to a sprawling sunny piece of land in the country, we were rewarded by a visit from a flock of monarch butterflies that

Several tiny wasps are parasites of garden pests. Most common are the Ichneumon wasps, Braconid wasps (pictured above), and Chalcid wasps.

aspberries thrive in well-worked, well-fed, slightly acid soil (pH 5.5 to 6.8). Like most fruits, they crave sunlight and plenty of moisture, but adequate drainage is critical. Take the time to eliminate perennial weeds as much as possible, either by repeated tilling or by planting a cover crop a year in advance. Be sure to mix in some 10-10-10

Shakespeare knew his herbs, and characterized them in his work. In All?s Well that Ends Well, someone gives a compliment, describing another as, "the sweet marjoram of the salad, or rather the herb of grace."

Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) has been around since dinosaur days. It is a common perennial weed in the northern half of North America, especially in moist soils. Upright stems with cone-like tips bear spores, but horsetail owes its staying power to spreading roots.