Educating Girls in Afghanistan-- We met Wendy Summer last year at a sale of handcrafted and one of a kind items. She introduced me to her company Zaanha and immediately I was taken in by her exuberance. I pledged Womanswork to participate in her newly formed Zaanha Fund to sponsor the education of a girl in Kabul, Afghanistan named Nilab. Through The Zaanha Fund Nilab went to public school this year…

Preventing Bone Density Loss From Lack of Vitamin D--  The sun used to play a bigger role in delivering vitamin D to our bones. But concerns about the damaging rays of the sun have caused most people to cover up or wear sunscreen whenever they go outside. My dermatologist insists I use a facial moisturizer with sunscreen to protect my face, and I do. But if you cover up, the vitamin D is not absorbed-- it's as simple as that.…

Reduce the Risk of Lyme Disease for you And your Pets-- Recently I met someone at a gardening symposium who is an advocate for reducing the incidence of Lyme Disease through education and planning. She outlines several areas to consider including Mouse and Deer Bait Boxes, Landscaping, Lawn Sprays and Protective clothing.  Mouse Bait Boxes: Did you know that mice (not deer) are the primary carriers of the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease? The CDC invented and developed a tick control…

Best Exercises for Gardeners-- I asked my favorite physical therapist, Mallory Aquilino, of Brewster Physical Therapy, what exercises she would recommend to prepare for gardening season. She recommended some stretches from VH1 and these are my favorite three. I try to do the stretches in the morning and evening everyday. The first two are especially good for the back. In Stretch #1, pull one knee in to your chest until a comfortable stretch is…

Make Your Own Rooting Hormone-- I have store bought rooting hormone that comes in a little jar. It's a powder that you dip cuttings into to hasten the development of roots. My teacher at The NY Botanical Garden taught us how to make our own rooting hormone at home. The recipe is simple. Cut willow wood shoots and place in warm water for 24 hours, then put your cuttings in the same water for 24 hours before planting them in a…

  Book Give Away: May the Best Garden Geek Win--In the Comments field below tell us why you are a garden geek, and the geekiest among you will win a copy of Christy Wilhelmi's book. What does it mean to be a garden geek?  In her intro Christy says "When garden geeks get excited about a subject they want to know everything. Gardening is an exciting topic-- a vast world of soil biology, botany, and horticulture. It cross-pollinates with the insect…

Growing Beautiful Clivia Miniata Indoors How To Give The Perfect Back Rub Growing Clivia Miniata Indoors-- Clivia Miniata is one of my favorite houseplants and it's supposed to be easy to grow.  I bought a recently divided and repotted plant last Spring at a garden club sale. It had one large majestic bloom at the time. After the blooms faded I cut them back to the base as instructed, keeping the leathery leaves…

Lately we have heard a lot of talk about microbes and the biology of soil.  In the past we spoke of plant fertilizers in terms of N-P-K (Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Potassium) and that seemed to be the end of discussion. Last Spring we approached Annie Haven of  Haven Family Ranch in San Juan Capistrano, California, a farm run by the Haven family for more than 160 years. She sells muslin bags of aged cow and…

I love growing pure white narcissus paperwhite bulbs for holiday decorations and gifts, but I wish they wouldn’t get so leggy that they flop over as soon as they start blooming. I learned that the bulb industry, with Cornell University, has a solution for people like me. Read on for step-by-step instructions... It turns out that alcohol, diluted with water, is what shortens the narcissus stems. If you follow our instructions below, the stems will be 1/3 to 1/2 shorter with…

Fall is a great time to plant and divide perennials and shrubs.  This is because, as in Spring, temperatures are cooler and there is usually plenty of rain. If you are in the market for new plants in fall you can usually find sales at garden centers when they are trying to make room for holiday trees and greens. Also, blooming plants will get a head start by being planted the previous fall.  Even if the ground is frozen for…