Author Archive for Henry Homeyer
Henry Homeyer is a lifetime organic gardener living in Cornish Flat, N.H. He is the author of four gardening books including The Vermont Gardener's Companion. You may reach him by e-mail at henry.homeyer@comcast.net or by snail mail at PO Box 364, Cornish Flat, N.H. 03746. Please include a SASE if you wish an answer to a question by mail.
Henry Homeyer: It’s time to test your soil
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC This is a good time to beat the rush and get your soil tested so that you can improve your soil before you begin planting. Most New England states have soil testing labs available to gardeners. Finding one is as simple as searching for “Soil testing lab […]
Henry Homeyer: March is the month for pruning
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC Traditionally farmers pruned their fruit trees and put wood ashes around their lilacs in March. And although this is a good time for both, you can do either earlier or later. I believe that because farmers couldn’t plant or work the soil in March, they did other […]
Henry Homeyer: Early harbingers of spring
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing LLC Here in Cornish Flat, New Hampshire, we recently had our first day that shouted “SPRING IS HERE!” After a night of cool rain, the sun came out and temperatures climbed into the 50s. Now all we need are spring flowers. Me? I solved that problem by potting […]
Henry Homeyer: Get your tools ready for spring
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing Everyone I know is thinking about spring – despite the fact that we could still see snow and sub-zero temperatures before we see tulips. This might be a good time to take an inventory of your tools to see if you have everything you need, and buy the […]
Henry Homeyer: kick off the season, start your seeds indoors
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing By now many gardeners are fed up with winter: icy sidewalks, misplaced mittens, and dogs that need to go out at 5 below zero. But it will soon be time to start planting seeds indoors, so you might want to start getting ready now. It’s true that greenhouses […]
Henry Homeyer: It’s time to order your seeds
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing When I was a young man my mailbox was often blessed with seed catalogs at this time of year. Now? Not so much. Back then I pored over them. I drooled over the listings. I wrote checks for small amounts and mailed them off to the companies offering […]
Henry Homeyer: Winter musings on having a great garden
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing T his is a good time for all of us to stop and reflect on how we garden. Are we creating lovely-looking spaces, but failing to support pollinators, birds and wildlife? What about the environment? Can we do more? If so, how can we improve? Here are a […]
Henry Homeyer: Everything to know about 2022 flower shows
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing Usually at this time of year I am planning my travel to the various flower shows around New England: Boston, Connecticut or Vermont. Perhaps Maine. Not this year. Most of the shows have been put off due to Covid, including the Boston Show, which cancelled recently. The Connecticut […]
Henry Homeyer: Fight back against Japanese knotweed
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing I am lucky guy: for one thing, I have no Japanese knotweed. Many is the gardener who has e-mailed me asking, “What can I do to get rid of Japanese knotweed?” My usual answer? Sell the house. Japanese knotweed, commonly called bamboo because of its hollow, segmented stems, […]
Henry Homeyer: Easing a long winter with a good book and ample learnings
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing Here in New England winter is long, especially for gardeners. We want to be outside in the garden but most days we can’t really do much. I compensate by learning about gardening from books. I recently finished a good one, Hummelo: A Journey Through a Plantsman’s Life by […]
Henry Homeyer: How to plan your winter veggies
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing I am probably not the only person who is determined to lose a little weight after all those delicious but fattening meals and desserts served up over the holidays. One way to feel satisfied and lose weight is to eat more salads and enjoy more vegetables. That’s my […]
Henry Homeyer: How to craft your winter wreath
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing Winter is upon us and it may seem there is little for a gardener to do. No weeding, nothing to plant, no flowers to pick. But last year’s garden may still have some remnants that, with a little imagination, can create something pleasing to the eye. I went […]
Henry Homeyer: Introducing children to the ‘World of Wonders’
By Henry Homeyer © 2022 Telegraph Publishing One recent morning I decided it was time to finish reading a small book of essays I had started long before, and savored, but had (inexplicably) put off finishing. World of Wonders: In Praise of Fireflies, Whale Sharks and Other Astonishments is a delight, from start to finish. […]
Henry Homeyer: Guide to your winter mulching and composting
By Henry Homeyer © 2021 Telegraph Publishing Although we had a little snow on the ground for much of November and December, snow has been scarce as we move towards the New Year. If this continues, does this have any consequences for our gardens? Yes, it can. If we have bare ground and a very […]
Henry Homeyer: ’tis the season of paperwhites and amaryllis planting
By Henry Homeyer © 2021 Telegraph Publishing As winter drags along, I long for warm sun and green plants surrounding me outdoors. It’s much too early to start spring seeds (even indoors), but I can plant some flower bulbs. I love paperwhites and amaryllis, and both are readily available for planting now – and they […]
Henry Homeyer: All hail this misunderstood hero vegetable
By Henry Homeyer © 2021 Telegraph Publishing Like Rodney Dangerfield, kale doesn’t get enough respect. I’ve been told that it only became a commonly grown vegetable in the 1970’s when salad bars ordered it to use as the bed upon which other edibles like tomatoes, carrots and cukes slept on in nearly ordered arrangements. No […]
Henry Homeyer: Brighten the dark days of winter
By Henry Homeyer © 2021 Telegraph Publishing This is the darkest time of the year: Not only are the days short, clouds obscure the sun much of the time. Many of us find the gloom oppressive, especially when there is neither enough snow to ski, nor ice to skate on. And for gardeners, there is […]
Henry Homeyer: Holiday gifts for your gardener
By Henry Homeyer ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC Who’s ready to shop? Every time I turn on the radio or open a newspaper, there are articles about supply chain issues. Even the reliable old U.S. Postal Service is saying deliveries may well be delayed. So share some garden produce this year or shop at a local, […]
Henry Homeyer: Roasting garden produce
By Henry Homeyer ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC One of the reasons I garden is that I love to cook and to create wonderful, flavorful dishes that I might not get elsewhere. I think many gardeners share that inclination. One of the techniques I have not used much is roasting vegetables, but I recently did some […]
Henry Homeyer: The leafy unsung heroes of fall foliage
By Henry Homeyer ©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC New England is known worldwide for its fall color. People swarm here from all over, largely to see the color of our sugar maples. As I senior citizen I am legally entitled to drive around at 25 miles per hour, holding up traffic and enjoying every brilliant red […]
