Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries

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

Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries is a leisure podcast hosted by Mary Stone, with 269 episodes on record and a Required Pod Score of 80.

Mary Stone hosts Garden Dilemmas, Delights & Discoveries, a leisure show with 269 episodes published.

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  Episode #270

  Ep 270 - To Weed or Not Weed Knotweed

  Sep 27, 202617 min

  To weed or not to weed knotweed? An afternoon of weeding in a client's garden leads Mary to an unexpected dilemma—and a deeper dive into this beautiful but notoriously difficult invasive plant. Mary Stone revisits her first encounter with Japanese knotweed ( Reynoutria japonica )) as one of September's roadside beauties and her neighbor Susan's success in eradicating a colony through persistent pulling. She explores what the research says about nonchemical management, herbicide treatment, and concerns about knotweed damaging homes. As often happens in the garden, sometimes answers are complicated. And sometimes our dilemmas invite us to remain curious, learn from one another, and grow from our mistakes—the same is true in our Garden of Life. Connect with Mary Stone Visit: AskMaryStone.com Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. Related stories and episodes: • September Roadside Beauties - Blog Post September 2018 • Knotweed Meets Crown Vetch / the story of Susan tackling Japanese knotweed, June 2022. Also featured in Episode 62 - Rethinking Weeds & Invasive Plants Nighttime Chorus of Garden Insects - Blog Post Episode 177 - Nighttime Chorus of Garden Insects Weeding Mugwort – Picking up Litter - July 2022 Also featured in Episode 18 - Walking & Plalking, Queens & Bachelors More about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com Direct Link to Podcast Page

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  Episode #269

  Ep 269 - A Memory Trail Through Nature’s Fall Palette

  Sep 19, 202613 min

  A walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail leads Mary Stone down a memory trail of beloved dogs, changing paths, and how we adapt through seasons of loss and healing. Memories of Sara—a tennis-ball-loving golden retriever who learned to play differently after two CCL surgeries—lead back to the screen porch and a magnificent garden planted by Mother Nature. We explore orange jewelweed and its exploding Touch-me-not seedpods, late-blooming white snakeroot that nourishes pollinators but has a toxic history, and sweeping colonies of hay-scented fern turning toward autumn yellow. Then the memory trail returns to Miss Ellie Mae and Jolee, whose journey from a fearful rescue dog to a confident walking companion offers another lesson: sometimes a frightening road becomes familiar, and eventually we discover there is more than one way to go. Different dogs. Different walks. Different chapters of a life. And still, the Garden of Life grows. Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. Related Stories & Podcasts: Miss Ellie Mae — My Unexpected Furry Messenger - Blog Post Ellie's story is also featured in Episode 20 , along with Father John's Memorial Garden. Jolee — Merry Season of Love Over Fear - Blog Post Jolee's early journey from fear toward trust is featured in Episode 37 . Last week's story — Ep 268 Finding Our Way Again Along the Paulins Kill More about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com Direct Link to Podcast Page

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  Episode #268

  Episode 268: Finding Our Way Again Along the Paulins Kill

  Sep 13, 202612 min

  A trail closure sends Mary Stone and her rescue dog, Jolee, in another direction for a restful walk along the Paulinskill Valley Trail, where late-summer wildflowers, remnants of railroad history, and the reestablished Paulins Kill River offer a reflection on change and restoration. Along the way, an old mile marker brings a profound, spirited lift. And memories of the former Paulina Dam, the river, surrounding landscape, and wildlife finding their way again remind us of life's transitions. Sometimes a familiar path is closed, and all we can do is turn in another direction and keep walking to find our way again. Enjoy the Comanion Post: Finding Our Way Again Along the Paulins Kill Related Stories & Episodes: Ep 267 A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma – Blog Post Connect with Mary Stone Visit: AskMaryStone.com Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. Related Posts and Podcasts: Preservation of the Paulins Kill River – Blog Post Ep 185. Preservation of the Paulins Kill - Overcoming Hardships Helpful Links: About the Paulina Dam Design/Removal Restoring the Paulins Kill River More about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com Direct Link to Podcast Page

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  Episode #267

  Ep 267 - A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma

  Sep 6, 202612 min

  From sweet peas and peaches as terms of endearment to squirrels stealing the only peach on the tree, Mary Stone starts this week's garden chat on a playful note. Then a jelly-like peach-tree dilemma leads to gummosis, Cytospora canker, peach scab, and how stress and wounds can leave trees vulnerable to disease. Mary revisits a similar weeping cherry dilemma and what trees can teach us about looking beneath the surface—where old wounds and stresses may affect what's trying to grow aboveground. Sometimes, despite all our careful tending, the squirrel gets the peach. But there will be other seasons and other sweetness still to come. The same is true in our own Garden of Life. Enjoy the Companion Blog Post: A Not-So-Peachy Gel Dilemma Related Stories & Episodes: Ep 266 — It's Not Too Late to Plant Again, Sweet Pea It's Not Too Late to Plant Again — Blog Post Ep 250 — Weeping Cherry Dilemmas: Trees Tell a Story When a Weeping Cherry "Bleeds": What Lies Beneath — Blog Post Ep 176 — Revisiting Cicadas and How Gardens Glow Ep 133. Ripening Fall Tomato Hand-me-Downs Ripening Fall Tomato Hand-me-Downs – Blog Post Connect with Mary Stone Visit: AskMaryStone.com Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. More about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com Direct Link to Podcast Page

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  Episode #266

  Ep 266 - It’s Not Too Late to Plant Again, Sweet Pea

  Aug 30, 202615 min

  A neglected patch of vegetable garden, a disappointing spring harvest, and a few leftover seed packets inspire a late-season experiment—and a reminder that missed opportunities don’t always mean the season is over. Mary Stone revisits an old “Sweet Pea” story while exploring fall crops of snow peas and beets, and discovers that sometimes we need to clear a little space, plant again, and see what happens in our gardens and in the Garden of Life. Related Episodes you will enjoy: Ep 265 - Tending What We Can in the Garden of Life Ep 254 - Leave Room for Wandering: Unexpected Greenhouse Treasures Ep 183 Honorable Harvest - Downsize Do-over Hello Sweet Pea – Blog Post Connect with Mary Stone Visit: AskMaryStone.com Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com Thank you for listening and for sharing the Garden of Life. More about the Podcast and Column: Welcome to Garden Dilemmas, Delights, and Discoveries. It's not only about gardens; it's about nature's inspirations, about grasping the glories of the world around us, gathering what we learned from Mother Nature, and carrying these lessons into our garden of life. So, let's jump in, in the spirit of learning from each other. We have lots to talk about. Thanks for tuning in, Mary Stone Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone.com Direct Link to Podcast Page

  ListenShow Notes

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