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PODCAST

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

Join columnist and garden designer Mary Stone in sharing Dilemmas, Delights, & Discoveries in the Garden of Life.

leisure home & garden

All Episodes

11:41

Ep 208. Spongy Moths vs. Tent Caterpillars

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/06/08

Mary Stone answers a question about whether Spongy Moths, formerly called Gypsy Moths, make tents in trees. Not so, though the larvae look similar to Eastern Tent Caterpillars and Fall Webworms. Spongy Moths can completely defoliate and kill trees. Mary shares safe remedies for the creepy crawlies. Then, she recounts her brother Rick's hilarious experience with Tent Caterpillars and the identification of another culprit in his rose dilemma—a Scarlet and Green Leafhopper! Related Podcast...

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11:11

Ep 207. Labyrinths Provide Paths of Healing

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/06/01

Mary Stone shares her journey to find a labyrinth at the Johnsonburg Camp and Retreat Center, which recently hosted Comfort Zone Camp, a grief camp for young adults for whom she volunteers. She describes the labyrinth's location and design and the serene experience of walking through it, including up-righting a rustic cross that had toppled. Mary explains the historical and spiritual significance of labyrinths and their therapeutic benefits. And ways to build a labyrinth and plant ideas to ad...

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10:00

Ep 206. Soil Temperatures and Sowing Seeds

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/05/18

After sharing a snap pea dilemma, Mary Stone reviews the significance of soil temperature for sowing vegetable seeds, tools, and DIY techniques to check soil temperature. She features the benefits of No-Till gardening to improve soil and plant health. Then, she discusses the practice of following nature, called Phenology, and Planting by the Moon. Mary wraps up with a personal story about planting seeds from a lunar gardening book her mother owned, noting that some seeds sprouted ...

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10:43

Ep 205. Lotus Effect and Lady's Mantle

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/05/11

Mary Stone delves into the beauty of water droplets called the Lotus Effect on plants such as Lady's Mantle and Nasturtium, and insects such as butterflies and dragonflies. She reflects on Lady's Mantle's folklore, its benefits in the garden, and how Nasturtiums protect vegetable gardens from pests. Mary encourages listeners to embrace and learn from the cycles of life and nature that bring joy and lighten the heaviness in our world. Related Podcasts and Posts: Benefits and Folklo...

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11:04

Ep 204. Dividing Iris and Multiplying Gifts

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/05/04

Mary Stone discusses how and when to divide iris to improve plant health and increase blooms. She shares the history of her gifted iris and other plants and inspires listeners to share stories about plants they were given and the special people who shared them by emailing her at AskMaryStone@gmail.com. Related Podcasts and Posts: Ep 201. Dividing Perennials and Sharing Growth Dividing and Sharing Perennials - Blog Post Ep 47. Personal Growth with Houseplants Personal Growth with Housepl...

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9:46

Ep 203. A Violet and Pansy Season of Happiness

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/04/27

Mary Stone discusses how Violets and Pansies bring joy to our gardens and pots in the cool seasons of Spring and Fall. She revisits bits of Vicki Johnson's story, shared in Episode 202, of how pansies grown by her mother, a Swiss giant pansy in particular, inspired her to start gardening. Mary explains the differences between Pansies and Common Blue Violets from the Viola genus, as well as how and where to plant them. She clarifies the differences between short-lived perennials, biennia...

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11:45

Ep 202. Pansies Bring Vicki Johnson's Garden Start

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/04/20

Mary Stone shares a heartwarming story from her dear friend Vicki Johnson, a garden writer and photographer, about her gardening start, which grew into a passion and career. It stemmed from her mother's love for gardening, which blossomed in her late-season of life, and the special delivery of pansies. Vicki's story includes the how-to of traditional pansy-growing methods. Mary concludes by encouraging listeners to share their gardening stories and reflect on the beauty and miracles of natu...

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10:37

Ep 201. Dividing Perennials and Sharing Growth

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/04/13

Mary Stone discusses the beauty of early spring, the sunny faces of daffodils and their significance, and the roots of a family tradition of gathering cuttings from the family plot. Mary describes the benefits and the how-to of dividing perennials in early spring. She answers a listener's question about daffodil bulbs planted late and creating an instant garden of Easter leftovers. She ends by reflecting on personal growth and the importance of community and nature. Links to Related Posts a...

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16:08

Ep 200. A Milestone in Our Journey Together

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/04/06

Mary Stone celebrates the 200th episode of the podcast, reflecting on the journey and the lessons gained from nature and gardens and thanking listeners for their help and kind support. She chats about her hopes to expand her reach, perhaps on YouTube, without being attached to outcomes. Like seeds, allow things to grow naturally and accept them for what they become, as we should accept each other in this Garden of Life. Related Episodes, Posts, and Helpful Links: A Milestone in Our Journey To...

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12:57

Ep 199. Wood Frogs Sing For Spring

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/03/23

Mary Stone shares the delight of Wood Frogs arriving in her pond and singing their mating calls. Previously, Bullfrogs and Spring Peepers were the only frog residences. Mary highlights the role of frogs and toads in pest control and as indicators of environmental health. She recalls her Frog Watch USA training, a simple way listeners can help count species in their neck of the woods to help save our wetlands. She wraps ups with a personal story about interning her friend Gene Martin's ...

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11:17

Ep 198. Rejuvenating Plants and Our Garden of Life

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/03/16

Mary Stone discusses early spring garden tasks, such as rejuvenating plants and removing dead wood. She describes the process of rejuvenating shrubs and the protocols for pruning lavender and concludes with wisdom gained from the rhythms of nature. Spring is a perfect time to clean our homes, gardens, and gardens of life, including improving our collective outlook, as reflected in Langston Hughes' poem, The Dream Keeper. Thanks for tuning in! Related Podcasts you'll enjoy: Ep 26. Folklore...

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12:17

Ep 197. Spring Planted Bulbs - Koleen’s Corncob Robber

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/03/09

Mary Stone shares her design colleague and dear friend Marty Carson’s favorite summer flowering bulbs to plant in spring, adding a few other hardy deer-resistant corms to the list. A discussion on using bone meal while planting bulbs as a squirrel deterrent leads to Koleen’s saga of a typo in a description of corn she ordered from a seed catalog, which turned into a humorous squirrel dilemma. Mary concludes by sharing her concern for her friend Marty after a recent emergency surgery. L...

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12:16

Ep 196. Encouraging Indoor Spring Blooms of Hope

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/03/02

Mary Stone discusses the how-tos of encouraging early indoor spring blooms that go beyond her go-to of Forsythia. She shares a story by her friend Vicki Johnson, a garden writer and photographer, who colorfully describes an assortment of Spring Flowering Woody Plants to enjoy. The episode concludes by suggesting we grow hope by spreading kindness and love amidst the feelings of uncertainty in our world. Related Posts and Podcasts you'll enjoy: Encouraging Indoor Spring Blooms of Hope – ...

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15:31

Ep 195. Healing from Hyper-Humus Peat Mining

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/02/23

Mary Stone shares the history and environmental impact of peat mining by Hyper-Humus Inc., learned while attending an outing hosted by the Paulinskill Rivershed Watchers and the Food Shed Alliance in New Jersey. The Nature Conservancy and New Jersey Fish and Wildlife have received approval to restore the stream's natural sinuosity to improve water quality. Mary encourages using alternatives to peat moss in gardening to support this effort. Then she reflects on an analogy of restoring th...

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11:46

Ep 194. Salt Impact on Plants and Remedies

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/02/16

Mary Stone discusses the impact of road salt on plants and the environment, highlighting the damaging effects of chloride ions on dehydrating plants and aquatic life. Mary reviews beet juice, pickle, and cheese brine alternatives municipalities are testing, along with non-toxic home remedies to use instead of salt. Plus, ways to help by volunteering in your community activities to reduce salt use by sharing examples of how the Paulinskill Watershed River Watchers in northern New Jersey...

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11:12

Ep 193. Myths Truths and Protecting Roots

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/02/09

Mary Stone discusses Myths and Truths about Roots that extend well beyond the tree and shrub branches. She also explains how to protect roots by not parking on them, which compacts soil and can kill a tree. She reviews the functions of Transport and Feeder Roots and how to safeguard the Root Plate, which stabilizes trees and shrubs. Mary wraps up by sharing a personal story about generational loneliness and loss, encouraging listeners to reflect on their past and know that their roots, ...

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10:59

Ep 192. Groundhog Day- Ancient Origin and Accuracy

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/02/02

Groundhog Day dates back thousands of years, and while the accuracy of predicting winter's end is marginal, it's a fun tradition that celebrates nature. Mary Stone shares the ancient origin, amusing anecdotes, and ways of handling groundhogs while embracing their role in the Garden of Life. Thanks for tuning in! Related Posts and Podcasts you'll enjoy: History of Groundhog Day - Blog Post Accuracy of Groundhog Day - Blog Post Ep10. Beauty in Dreariness, Furry Invaders 8888 I...

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10:04

Ep 191. Welcoming Winter Sights and Silence

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/01/26

Relishing nature and our gardens goes beyond spring, summer, and fall. Our Garden of Life is winter, too. Mary Stone shares the beauty and stillness in a walk around the winter season of sights, sounds, and silence, encouraging listeners to do the same, comparing it to the silence between notes that enriches the song's melody.Thanks for tuning in!Related Posts and Podcasts you'll enjoy:Welcome Winter Sights and Silence – Blog Post to come Winter Season of Growth – Blog PostEp 84. Winter Seaso...

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12:52

Ep 190. Encouraging Self-Seeding and Seeding Love

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/01/19

Mary Stone shares the methods and importance of encouraging self-seeding to help wildlife. And reflects on the joy of seed catalog shopping and creating a vision board for your garden. The episode concludes with a reflection on Martin Luther King Jr Day, honoring his wisdom that "Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend." Let us all do our part by self-seeding love. Thanks for tuning in! Related Posts and Podcasts you'll enjoy:Encouraging Self-Seeding - Blog PostS...

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11:49

Ep 189. Caring for African Violets - Frozen in Time

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries ·

2025/01/12

Mary Stone discusses the challenges of caring for African violets in heated homes. She reflects on the emotional significance of the plants inherited from her mother and humorously recalls her rescue dog Jolee's antics, which led to the loss of her mom’s ‘Frozen in Time’ African Violets.With one violet remaining in poor health, Mary seeks advice from the African Violet Society of America on reviving it.She shares her morning routine of morning pages and meditation and how recent events, such ...

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228 results

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