February 2008 - Page 4 of 7

Bzzzz February 13th, 2008

I’m amused by the near breathless excitement some garden bloggers have when talking about their compost.

I expect poetry and songs next. Aw, shoot. Let me go first.

When I compare thee to a summer’s day Your fragrance is of fields of hay And in my fingers I feel your wealth And to my flowers…

What rhymes with wealth? Oh yeah. Health.

And to my flowers you give health.

Okay, all kidding aside, I love compost too. That love doesn’t lean toward the romantic side so much as the greedy side. I want more, MORE, MORE!

So it was with some interest in reading Joe Lamp’l’s (not a typo – his name is Lamp’l) book The Green Gardener’s Guide that I have been tossing perfectly good compost materials in the trash.

Lamp’l says I can also compost vacuum cleaner bag dust and even the bag, paper towels and rolls, coffee grounds and filters, cotton and wool rags, dryer lint, hair and fur. Hah! Finally a use for all that loose dog hair! You can also compost newspapers, although it’s best to shred them.

I know that most newspapers are now printed with soy-based ink, so they are fairly safe composting material. What I’m a bit leery of is his assertion that you can compost clean office paper. Does that mean clean as in there are no jelly donut stains on them? Or clean as in not having been printed on?

I still have to print out reams and reams of statistical output to write reports. I always use both sides of the paper. But still, I have a good amount of paper waste as a result. Is it safe to shred and compost paper that has been printed with laser or inkjet toner? Given my desire for a healthy and mostly organic garden, is it safe to introduce these into the mix?

I have tried some searching and found an interesting, if not authoritative, exchange over at Gardenweb.

What do you think? To compost or not to compost? Any experts out there?

Posted In: Gardening

Tags: composting

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Bzzzz February 11th, 2008

I truly hate crowds.

I finish my holiday gift shopping early not because I’m organized but because I can’t stand the stores when the masses arrive. You couldn’t tie me up and drag me to a parade. Go to a party? Is it a small one?

I make one truly significant exception to battling the throngs—flower shows! If you haven’t attended a flower show before, do yourself a favor and make plans. It’s a true visual feast where you can get ideas and learn quite a lot in a short amount of time.

I just booked my hotel arrangements for the upcoming Philadelphia Flower Show. If you haven’t already made arrangements to attend the show near you, you should do so now. Rooms are going fast in Philly. In fact, I found that I could only get the hotel I wanted by booking through the show’s website. All other sources showed the property was unavailable.

The Philadelphia show’s early morning two-hour tours are also filling up. You have to email your request to the show organizers for registration information. Groups are small—8 to 12 people—and are held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. before the show opens. The cost is $105 per person.

If you’re planning a flower show trip and haven’t been before, here are some quick tips on getting them most from your flower show experience.

1. Wear comfortable shoes and a jacket. The showplaces are often cooled for the benefit of preserving the plants, which makes it a bit chilly for the rest of us. Layer for comfort.

2. Carry a notebook and pen. You can make notes, job down flower and vendor names or even sketch a particularly striking flower layout.

3. Leave the handbag at home. I use a very small shoulder bag with a long strap that I can wear bandolier style. It’s just large enough to hold cash, credit cards, keys, a phone, small notebook and pen. It doesn’t add uncomfortable weight on my shoulder and allows me to keep my hands free.

4. Check out the show’s photography policy in advance. Most shows allow amateur photography without previous permission. All shows prohibit the use of tripods or other equipment that can get in the way of heavy foot traffic.

5. Check show schedules in advance for special demonstration and lecture times. Many shows have a first-come-first-serve seating policy, so arrive early.

6. Plan your meals in advance. Food at these shows is usually hard to find, bad for you and disgusting. Eat a hearty breakfast and carry a bag of nuts. Or make a small, healthy sandwich that you can eat in the snack area while the rest of the folks are eating hot dogs and chips.

7. If you’re going with a friend, carry cell phones so you can find each other when you decide to go separate ways or accidentally lose site of each other. Bring money and a big car, truck or van. Most shows have areas for shopping. Unless you’re particularly disciplined, you’ll go home with an armload.

Have fun and post pictures! I can’t go to all the shows. Someday my dream is to go to the Chelsea Flower Show. It’s on my bucket list!

Upcoming Flower Shows

March 2 – 8 – Philadelphia Flower Show. The lecture and demonstration schedule is here.

March 8 – 16 – New England Spring Flower Show, Boston

February 20 – 24 – Northwest Flower & Garden Show, Seattle

March 8 – 16 – Chicagoland Flower & Garden Show, Rosemont, IL

March 12 – 16 – San Francisco Flower & Garden Show

March 14 – 24 – Hong Kong Flower Show

May 20 – 24 – RHS Chelsea Flower Show

Posted In: Container Gardening, Gardening, Travel