08/17/2009
Evening. First order of business: go to the back porch and put your feet up. A slight breeze stirs the leaves, cooling. An imposing mound of flowering grass arches gracefully over the surface of the pond. The cares of the workday... disintegrating.

 

Plant of the Month: Fountain Grass
 
Fountain grasses are all in bloom, and will stay gorgeous well into fall. Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum "Rubrum") is lovely, and Red Buttons (Pennisetum messiacum) are striking; but this month, let's focus on Pennisetum alopecuroides, or Chinese Fountain Grass.
 

Recipe: Spiced Tomato Jam
What to do with all those end-of-summer tomatoes? Try this recipe from the NY Times Minimalist: "Served plain, on bread, it was sensational; with tuna, meat or white fish, it was even more compelling."
 
Garden Quiz: the Politics of (Worm) Gender
When it comes to worms, how do you tell if it's a "he" or a "she"?
 
August Feature: Worm Bins are for Everyone
Here's a way to boost your compost into high gear, equally convenient for the apartment-dweller as for the homeowner. It's compact, odor-free and low-maintenance. It's a worm bin, and it generates some of the most fertile soil your plants could hope for.
 



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