Paul Rodman
Paul Rodman has been gardening for over 45 years. He is an Advanced Master Gardener, and American Rose Society Consulting Rosarian. He is President Emertius of the Western Wayne County Master Gardener Association in Wayne County, Michigan. He currently serves as the greenhouse chairman of this group. Rodman has amassed over 5500 volunteer hours in the Master Gardener program. Rodman is the garden columnist for The News Herald newspaper, in Southgate, Michigan. He has also written for the Organic Gardening.com web site. He is a certified Master Canner and has taught classes on Home Food Preserving for 7 years. He has lectured on various gardening topics throughout southeastern Michigan. His favorite pastime is teaching children about gardening. For the past several years he has conducted classes for second grade students teaching them about subjects ranging from vermi-composting to propagation.
Beginner Tips on Seed Starting
There have been many articles written about starting seeds but I think that all of us can continue to learn. Read More
Celeriac: An Underutilized Vegetable
I have always been amazed how two plants that that look completely different can taste the same. Case in point: cane and beet sugar. The two look completely different, but I challenge anyone to tell the difference in taste. I recently discovered another set of plants in this same category: celeriac and celery. Celeriac has the same flavor as its distant cousin, pascal celery. You're not familiar with it? You're not alone. Let me introduce you to celeriac. Read More
Heirloom Tomatoes: Open Pollinated or Hybrid
One of the latest debates in vegetable gardening is the heirloom: open pollinated vs the hybrid tomato. I will explain the differences with the pros and cons of each. Read More
Preserving the Bounty, a Summary of Food Preservation (Part 1)
During the Napoleonic War in the late 1700s, Napoleon's army was malnourished, suffering from scurvy and starvation. The countryside had been stripped of food sources. A way had to be found in which to preserve food and get it to the troops. Read More
The Peony, The Hoosier State Flower
The state of Indiana has a great legacy of producing consistently good college basketball teams. That is not the case when it comes to selecting a state flower; in the past 99 years they have had four state flowers. Read More
Corn, A Crop of Many Uses
Nothing says summer more than a steaming, golden ear of sweet corn dripping with melted butter. Read More
May is National Asparagus Month
May is National Asparagus Month, and if you haven't yet had the pleasure of enjoying this highly delicious vegetable, this is a great excuse to start! Read More
The Versatile Cuke
I would have to classify cucumbers as one of the top 3 most versatile veggies that we grow. There are so many uses for this member of the curbit family. Let's learn about this delicious vegetable. Read More
Divide Those Perennials and Enhance Plant Health and Vigor
Smart gardeners know that most perennials should be divided every few years. Here are some tried and true tips and methods that I have used for a number of years. Read More
Rhubarb: A Plant for the Ages
Researchers have found records of rhubarb being used for medicinal purposes as far back as 2700 B.C. in China. I don't use it as a medicine but I can tell you that there is no better medicine than a big slice of rhubarb pie and a glass of ice cold milk. I will explore the history and cultivation of this ancient plant and share some of my favorite recipes of what many refer to as the "Pie Plant"" Read More
Fall Turf Care
I'm sure many of you are "garden weary" a term I coined to describe how most gardeners feel at this time of year. Read More
Rain Gardens: What, Why and How
Each year millions of gallons of rain water flow from man made surfaces and lawns into our watersheds. What is wrong with that? Much of this water contains contaminates such as oil and grease from parking lots and roadways. Chemicals from fertilizers also flow with the rain water polluting our rivers, streams and lakes. I have lived within two miles of the Great lakes my entire life and have seen firsthand how these pollutants can affect water quality. If we all do our small parts, we can greatly reduce this runoff. Read More
Happy Together, A Guide to Companion Planting
Happy Together, a song that the Turtles had on the charts in 1967 is appropre when it comes to plants. Read More
Raised Beds Why and How
Poor soil? Rocky hard pan slow drainage. No organic materials, nothing will grow? Bad back or other disability? A raised bed may be the answer to your problems; I'll explain how to build them and where they should be placed. Read More
Watering Wisely
It seems like every time we pick up a newspaper or turn on the news there is some type of story about water shortages. Double digit water bill increases in urban areas or threats of running out of water in the southeast United States. We all need to do our part in conserving water whether we get it from a municipal water source or from our own wells. Read More
Our Hoya, A Generation of Patience.
My dearly departed mother-in law Rose was one of the most talented persons I have ever seen in growing houseplants. This is the story of Rose’s Hoya. Read More
Gardeners Prep Your Engines
Picture this scenario, the first nice spring day arrives. You're going to get a head start on your yard work. The garden will be tilled and the grass cut before the day is done. You go to the garage and give the mower a pull, nothing! You pull again, nothing; again you give the cord a jerk, not even a sputter. @#$%&&%^ you scream, "Daddy, Mom says you shouldn't use that kind of language", says your son or daughter watching intently near by. This scene could have been avoided if you had taken a little time before putting your power equipment away in the fall Read More
Organic, What Exactly Does it Mean?
With all of the recent publicity about goods imported from China that contain harmful substances, I believe we need to become more concerned about what we and our families eat. If the Chinese put antifreeze in toothpaste and use lead-based paint on children's toys, no telling what is contained in imported foods from that region. One way to ensure food safety is to buy organic foods grown in this country. Read More
Propagating Tomato Plants from Stem Cuttings
Most gardeners are familiar with propagating flowers and shrubs by taking stem cuttings. Many of you may not think about using the same procedure to create more plants for the vegetable garden. By following the same basic steps you can create more plants in short order. Read More
Preserving the Bounty, a Summary of Food Preservation (Part 3)
The most ancient and reliable method of preserving food is to dry or dehydrate it. Read More
