tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1608152 2009-11-05T07:10:45-08:00 Get your garden growing with Southern Livings font of humor and wisdom, Steve Bender TypePad southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardenerhttp://feedburner.google.comSubscribe with My Yahoo!Subscribe with NewsGatorSubscribe with My AOLSubscribe with BloglinesSubscribe with NetvibesSubscribe with GoogleSubscribe with Pageflakes tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a6abb7aa970c 2009-11-05T07:10:45-08:00 2009-11-05T07:10:45-08:00

The fall makes me happy. The fall drives me nuts. And it's all the fault of the trees. Fall makes me happy because it's the grand consummation of what people and plants have been laboring for all year. People harvest...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/JT9i7UJBekE" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/11/why-trees-change-color-why-they-dont.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a6444e6e970b 2009-11-01T06:08:13-08:00 2009-11-01T06:08:13-08:00

'Autumn Blaze' maple at Bernheim Arboretum in Clermont, Kentucky Dear Grumpy Gardener, Why do I find some instructions saying when I plant my tree, I should not amend the soil with any compost, peat, other soil, or fertilizer? It says...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/b7MHLlQIHPg" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/11/wanna-waste-money-amend-your-soil.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a625b0be970b 2009-10-28T05:12:05-07:00 2009-10-28T14:30:49-07:00

Have nasty rats and mice invaded your home? Do squirrels scamper through your attic? Have you called the exterminator over and over again only to have the problem return? Well, finally there's an answer -- a product guaranteed to rid...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/Qw0HKxC2rV4" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/send-rats-packing-the-natural-way.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a61293ff970b 2009-10-22T07:48:38-07:00 2009-10-22T07:46:42-07:00

Fall color is here, so it's time to champion one of the Grump's favorite native trees for fall color -- sassafras. Its peachy-orange leaves help make autumn the favorite season of all discerning gardeners. Native to the eastern U.S., sassafras...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/Wfes57-iOEc" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/sassafras-autumns-tonic-for-the-soul.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a5f223d7970b 2009-10-19T10:24:06-07:00 2009-10-19T10:23:56-07:00

Wouldn't you think that a new book called Black Plants would restrict itself to black plants? You would and I would, but not the folks who published it, Timber Press. That's one of the reasons the Grump is black-listing this...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/NxW4AKAYU5M" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/thumbs-down-on-black-plants.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a6443e1f970c 2009-10-16T08:58:16-07:00 2009-10-16T08:56:32-07:00

Clay soil curses most gardeners in the South. It drains poorly, dries hard as a rock, and restricts the movement of air, water, and plant roots. It's a pain in the butt to garden in. So naturally, we look for...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/2W0A7UCaa1M" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/garden-myth-busted-dont-add-sand-to-clay-.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a6375c1d970c 2009-10-13T09:13:45-07:00 2009-10-13T09:11:04-07:00

Millions of people love dogs. The Grump does not. The Grump hates dogs and it's all your fault. Well, it's not your fault if you don't own a dog. But if you do, you and it live in my cross-hairs....<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/JgFQFNvO3xA" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/curb-your-daggum-dog-.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a629809f970c 2009-10-09T09:49:21-07:00 2009-10-09T09:45:16-07:00

OK, how many times have you heard people say something like this? "Be sure to keep poinsettias away from children and pets, because they might eat the leaves and get poisoned." Poinsettia or Poison? Hold Me, I'm Scared! Poinsettias are...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/xlo2sm8YRTE" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/myth-busted-poinsettia-isnt-poisonous.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a5c9d3a2970b 2009-10-07T10:19:42-07:00 2009-10-07T10:17:22-07:00

Is it a weed or a wildflower? A blessing or a curse? Everyone has an opinion (although only the Grump's is correct), but if you're looking for the showiest blooms of autumn -- those which routinely cause multi-car pileups in...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/YZtwhzkb114" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/autumns-showiest-flower.html tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00e55131bf2a88330120a5b26d7b970b 2009-10-02T04:00:00-07:00 2009-10-01T14:17:52-07:00

Grumpians, it has come to my attention that many weekend gardeners are wasting their precious time and money following stupid advice that has no basis in science. Therefore, every Friday from now until I feel like stopping, I'm going to...<img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/southernliving/blog/grumpy_gardener/~4/nNP0eXc55vc" height="1" width="1"/>

Steve Bender http://grumpygardener.southernliving.com/grumpy_gardener/2009/10/lies-all-lies-gardening-myth-1-debunked.html