Ginny Stibolt
I'm a naturalist, botanist, gardener, and award-winning garden writer. I live in NE Florida with my husband. My website has links to my 7 books & 200+ articles: www.greengardeningmatters.com
- #PlantMoreNatives! To support birds and butterflies, we need more native plants in our yards and in our communities, because they play an important role in the local ecosystems. So... if nothing is eating your plants, add more natives. Let's work together to make native landscapes the new normal!
- I agree 100%. The #1 priority for all of us & ALL of our government officials should be protecting our environment from pollution & saving as much as possible for our grandkids & all future generations. Nothing else can be accomplished without a healthy planet. #ThereisnoPlanetB!
- #WorldWetlandsDay! Wetlands cover 6% of the land, yet 40% of all plants & animals depend on them.They are biodiversity hotspots & are carbon sinks helping to fight climate change. But they're also at the highest rates of decline, loss, & degradation. Support the greenest organizations & politicians.
- If you own or manage shoreline properties in Florida, our new peer-reviewed book, "Living Shorelines for Florida" includes clear instructions & sound science for building living shorelines, plus solid advice to make uplands more shoreline friendly. For more info: floridapress.org/978168340550...
- Sometimes, Nature can be a bit prickly, but somehow this image fits the situation in the US.
- Alders are wetland shrubs & they fix nitrogen. When soil is wet, it is anaerobic. Normal soil microbes cannot survive & most plants can't live in this wet soil. The alders' symbiotic, filamentous bacteria provide the nutrients they need to survive. greengardeningmatters.blogspot.com/2026/02/alde...
- Hazel alder (Alnus serrulata) is blooming now with its showy yellow catkins. The female flowerheads look like little pinecones. It’s native from TX to ME & is an important wetland plant because it fixes nitrogen in its root nodules using Actinomyces, a class of anaerobic bacteria. Nature is amazing!
- After I posted this, I decided to write an article with more details on my studies of the alders & their weird bacteria symbiont. I included my photos of the field work & of the actual root nodules. Read “Alders Fix Nitrogen” for details: greengardeningmatters.blogspot.com/2026/02/alde...
- Yay! My Southern Exposure seed catalog arrived in the mail. This is my favorite source for seeds because it's run by the seed farmers as a co-op, not a big corporation & for its wide collection of seeds that grow well in the south, such as several Seminole pumpkin cultivars. www.southernexposure.com
- Just say NO to volcano mulching around trees: Also, replace lawn around trees with understory trees & shrubs, bunching grasses & other natives to improve the health of the tree & to provide habitat for birds and pollinators. For more details, read: greengardeningmatters.blogspot.com/2022/10/habi...
- #NatureHeals When the world seems upside down, getting outside to enjoy the riches all around us helps to heal our souls. So today, I will bundle up and enjoy the miracles that happen every day in Nature. Breathe deep!
- The winged elm (Ulmus alata) is a graceful medium-sized tree native from VA to TX & North FL. The corky extensions on its branches are the inspiration for its name. Read about how I handled this distressed winged elm & the results 10 years later: greengardeningmatters.blogspot.com/2020/07/wing...
