More Topics
-Zoizia - Mow no mo (3 times a year)
-Worms - I've got friends in low places
-Cover Crops - build your soil with green manure and
nitrogen providers
-Not Just Any Tree
-My favorite Internet Garden Sites (since I gave you the
idea you could mention mine)
-Personalize Your Garden, give it a name and a focus
-Top 20 Perennials For This Area
-Back To Basics
-Garden Fallacies and Misinformation (start a list)

Though I write about a wide variety of subjects in my weekly newspaper column, the favorite of my readers is the one I do at the beginning of each month---------Things To Do. I divide it into the vegetable, the flower garden, and the water garden. Though you, the garden writer, might tire of saying the same things over and over, the readers, both new and old, don't. They like to be reminded of timely chores.

I agree with your to do list - I try to run that one at the beginning of each month. Takes up a bit of room, but I also try to add a little something new each time.

I can tell from my radio show that there are always many new readers/listeners. If I have answered a question about moles once I have answered it 100 times.

Here I am sitting in front of the computer with another deadline approaching. This isn't much... about 450 to 550 words. But it comes around every week. Sometimes I just sit and stare at my garden library waiting for inspiration. Sometimes it hits and sometimes it doesn't. We are starting to slow down a little.

Last week I wrote a column on commonly asked questions. I have written on what to do this time of year and what NOT to do this time of year/

I like to save it for later in the winter, but I might just write about favorite garden websites.(Yes, Eddie I will include:)

I live in Quebec, I came here from England 10 years ago, there are a number of things that distinguish here from there. One thing is space. Even in England we had regional differences, which I won't go into but imagine Oklahoma never mind the USA. Accentuating the differences can lead to a belief that this place is superior to that place and I am not talking about that. Folks is interestin' and the way they go about gardening is interestingly different. Try to persuade an Italian that you can have a garden without tomatoes or an Oklahomaite that....I don't know.

What about writing a column about some of the goofy questions the Extension Service gets, like: If moths like the light so much why don't they come out in the daytime? If ladybugs are all LADYbugs then how do they propagate? I need to plant 20 acres in fescue - can I just feed the seed to the cows and let them distribute it? If you plant onions too close to potatoes will it make the potatoes eyes water? I could go on but you get the picture. May I reiterate a point I've made before? It's not always about education and information, sometimes it's about entertainment.

How about these topics:
What I've Learned From This Past Season
Design Adjustments
Wishlist for 2004
If Time, Money and Energy Were Unlimited, I Would . . .

Just my 2 cents.

this week I wrote about indian summer. It has been very warm here. I was chating with one of the meteorologists and mentioned indian summer. Aparantly indian summer only happens after a hard frost or freeze. We haven't had that yet. I then finished with making leaf mold. Does anyone in your area sell leaf mold? We deal with an alkaline clay and leaf mold would be great. So far have to make your own.

Eddie - you are so right. I tend to straddle the line and make it educational and entertaining. I hope I succeed the majority of the time.

I really like the "if time, money and energy were unlimited" topic. This could actually work into an entire series. Great idea.

*i feel life in this forum*

Yeah, I really liked that "If time, money and energy were no object what would your garden be like?" If you pose that as a question to your readers then they will write the next several columns for you. What more could you ask for?

Paul, You could also do a his garden / her garden feature and talk about your wifes garden vs your garden. That is unless you agree on everything.

Here is a link that might be useful: BittersweetGardens.Com

She checks gardeweb occasionally so... Yes we agree on everything:)

I like that idea. Luckily there are a few things we passionately agree on Bermudagrass is the most invasive exotic in our area. Think sneaky kudzu. Yes I know it makes a good lawn. We don't care about the lawn.

I think this year I will grow a lawn so everyone knows that I can . I have the perfect 12 inch container. That is about all the lawn I feel the need to grow.

Paul - eradicating bermudagrass where ever possible!

Paul, how wonderful that you and your wife agree on everything; at least that's the public statement, right? My husband's ideal garden would comprise of non-spreading maintenance-free, xeriscape ground covers. Period. End of green story. Mine is lush, fragrant, colorful and complicated. Think Gardens of Versaille. Unfortunately, the ravages of time have taken their tole on my energy level and our gardens are a compromise between barren and exotic. In other words, more realistic.

Your idea of a "lawn" in a container is very in around here. I've also seen indoor containers with wheat or other ornamental grasses growing in them--neatly trimmed with scissors. I don't get it but, hey, that's me. I'd rather fire up the mower and have at it. My bane is crabgrass.

Eddie, that green hair. Oh, my. I'm thinking there's a serious nutritional problem going on. I'm enjoying reading through your site, thanks for the link.