Oh you want to know more about me? How kind.
I am a 46 year old husband to my college sweetheart, father to a 10th grade boy and 6th grade girl (ouch) and with whatever time I have left over, I spend it getting my hands dirty in the garden.
I garden in zone 6B rural New Jersey (yes it exists, we are the Garden State) and have horrific draining clay soil and daily visits from the deer and rabbits. I get frustrated and defeated with these conditions yet educated and thrilled at the same time. Often within the same hour. I am partial to the ornamental grass and native perennials and love to share my thoughts and photos here with you. I also tend to go off topic a lot and when I do, it is pretty epic.
This blog was started in 2010 and if you wouldn’t mind, ignore the older posts because they are immature and unimpressive … oh who am I kidding, they’re hilarious and odd and so much further from the mature man and gardener I am today. It has been a journey and I hope you find it to be that way too.
Thanks for stopping by and kind feedback is not only encouraged, but also greatly appreciated.
John Markowski
“…Excel spreadsheet listing my over 300 plants” That is NOT neurotic, it’s organized, and efficient.
Over 300? Wow! I was excited at my “over 100.”
So glad to hear about other Excelers out there. Knowing I can add it to my spreadsheet keeps me getting those accumulating nursery pot plants into the ground! Somehow mine has about 500 and counting. Some lines are multiples. I keep a separate sheet for plants I’ve removed or which have died and another for annuals and veggies which get archived of the main spreadsheet each year.
Awesome to hear Kathleen! Although I’ve been bad about keeping mine updated the past few years. Need to revisit it this fall/winter when I have nothing but time.
Love it! The blog, the pic, the description are all wonderful. This coming from someone who also characterizes herself as an obsessive neurotic gardener. Just two days ago, I was outside planting a bare root river birch in the dark with a head lamp in temps just above freezing with some light sprinkling rain coming down. I only have so much time before the ground freezes and so I’ll do without daylight if I need be!
Irene – see now I feel like I want to plant in the middle of the night as well. That is impressive and I love it! Let me know how that works out and thanks so much for stopping by!
Wow! thought i was the only crazy enough weeding with a flashlight after midnight. My boyfriend still laugh about it: he could’nt believe it when he first seen me doing that. Great!
I gardened at night in Florida, just to escape the heat.
HA! My husband is an avid That Metal Show watcher…but, unfortunately, he has no interest in gardening. Have a question about the Endless Summer hydrangea. Hoping I can post it here. If not, feel free to move where appropriate: I’ve had it for about 3-4 years, and no blooms. It is in partial shade, barely any afternoon sun. Should I be fertilizing it? I don’t much care if there’s color to the blooms, I just want blooms 🙂
Thank you!
Yes you should be fertilizing it. They are heavy feeders in spring and summer.
My guess is your Endless Summer is in too much shade . They really need at least a half day of sun , more is preferable . I doubt fertilizer would do much good for it , as a matter of fact , too much nitrogen could promote top growth and reduce flowering . Good luck , best to move it !
My wife calls the garden “our therapist”…keep on keeping on! Nothing wrong with making your plot a nice looking place!!
Hiya. You sound like my kind of gardener and our kind of pipeline fighter. (You just linked to our website.) please email me and let’s connect on related projects and the northeast pipeline group we helped found!
(And do keep up the gardening, we all need a dose of sanity!)
I am contacting you to share my Kickstarter funding project for my new Weed Snatcher tool. If you don’t mind previewing the project before it goes public, I would appreciate the feedback.
If you like the product, please share with as many contacts you can, I need to get this funded so I can bring the Weed Snatcher to the masses. Here is the Link:
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/weedsnatcher/1845022427?token=b5c59be1
I am planning on launching the Kickstarter on Feb 3rd.
If you have any questions let me know.
Thanks for your time.
How cam I follow your garden blog? Love it! I declined at first prompt. 2nd chance?
Midge – were you able to subscribe via the email pop-up?
I’ve just discovered your blog, may I sign up this way since I inadvertently by-passed the pop up at the beginning.
THANKS!
I’ll definitely add you! Thanks.
I was searching for info about how to prune ninebark, and after reading yours I thought you were in my head! Explanation – love your stream-of-consciousness, entertaining, rambling, and knowledgeable thought process. The questions you were asking yourself are the same questions I have, and your fab photos really show the process of pruning. Since I’m a novice gardener, I now have a bit more confidence to lovingly prune my 4 ninebark. I hope it’s not too late, the leaves are just starting to pop out of the buds. This will be the third year for them and I only gingerly cut a few long branches last year because I couldn’t do the limbo under those beautiful arching branches while going past them with the lawnmower. So, they are huge! Keep doing what you do and I look forward to reading more of your articles. Jenkule, from another Pole (that L. has just about every letter of the alphabet in it… and ends in -“iewicz”)
Hi John,
I enjoyed reading your blog about the Winter King Hawthorn trees and found the information to be very helpful and informative in planting and caring for our trees as well as knowing what to expect as they grow over time.. I just purchased two 8-10 feet trees for our bare lawn – the first purchase since moving to our new home in May. I was inspired by the many beautiful Winter King Hawthorn trees on the nearby Virginia Tech campus and was determined to one day have a few of them on my own property. :-
Would you recommend that we protect the lower trunks of the trees by wrapping them in wire? We also have a lot of deer on our property. Thank you!!!
Best,
Leslie
Hello, I too am fighting the Canada Thistle in my flower gardens in Michigan and I am intrigued by your blog on cutting it to the ground. For years I have been pulling them, and if that’s creating 2 for every one I pull then I see why I’m losing the battle. I’m writing wondering if you have an update as to the result of your cutting them down? If you had a good result, how long did it take until there were fewer or none? Thank You.
Have had success with homemade weed killer containing vinegar, only if they are in sun does it work. But around flowers you would need more care. I killed some of my day lilies getting at the thistles. Also diligently pulling when small and also heavy mulching. Have to get at them each and every day, they are all connected underground.
I enjoyed your talk at the HCL early August. I wish you the best getting your book out to the green thumbs out there! I am enjoying your book and have learned a great deal! Thank you!
Thanks so much Terri! I really enjoyed it and can’t thank you enough for attending and the kind words. Looking to set up another one in the near future.
Hey John, it’s Anna Sabino from Medium. I’ve just bought your book and I’m looking forward to reading and reviewing it. Not sure if you had a chance to pre-order mine but here it is https://www.amazon.com/Your-Creative-Career-Fulfilling-Financially/dp/1632651114. You won’t be able to read it/review it until January 22 but pre-orders help a lot.
Also, are you on Goodreads?
Hope all is well,
Anna
Hey Anna! Thanks so much. I actually purchased your book a few days ago and look forward to reading it as soon as it is available. I am on Goodreads but have done little with it to date.
Can you add me to your mailing list? I love your style! I’m also zone 6A, so much of you what you will write about will pertain to my garden. 😉
Thanks!
Lori
You have been added. Thanks so much!
Do you have a “method” for cutting down all your ornamental grasses? I would love to add more but am not sure about the added “work”.
Thanks
Rhonda
I found your blog when I was searching the cardboard weeding method lol! I’m hopeful it works for me, I live in a really open area and weeds constantly blow in. You inspired me to take a hack at growing some Joe Pye Weed, I have to suggest a perennial for you that may work in zone 6 ( I am in 7) Bearded Penstemon, it’s really pretty and I didn’t notice it in any pictures! Thanks for the good read and happy spring!
Kelly – thanks for finding your way here! I’m checking out the Bearded Penstemon as we speak. Thanks!
Hi John … this is a cool blog, & I’ve seen that you published a book. I have some great ideas for you if you care to e-mail me. I’m proud of your success & am happy to see that you are enjoying life … after all, life itself may have weeds in it, but if one works hard to get by these weeds, life can be like a beautiful, bountiful, & blooming garden. Mart
Sign me up! If there’s anything I appreciate is a sense of humor when it comes to gardening (and just about anything else). I have amazing soil (sorry) here on old farmland in Indiana. But I have one area of clayish soil and it pisses me off. Sometimes I yell at it, not gonna lie. So, I look forward to your wisdom and wit on the subject.
Welcome Elena! Although I’m already mad at you for having good soil. Hopefully I can entertain and maybe even sneak in a gardening tidbit here and there. Thanks for finding me!
Hi John,
I am a fellow garden blogger and writer from Northeastern Massachusetts. I just happened across your blog when I was searching for (of all things!) “Chocolate Chip” ajuga. My son gave me a small plant as a birthday gift two years ago and I already have two good-sized clumps from that one plant spreading in a partially shaded garden. I love the chocolate coloring of the leaves and the bonus blooms in the spring. It shines next to golden oregano which also tolerates some shade. Today I cut a couple of runners to add to a shady potted planter that contains Japanese painted fern, lamium “White Nancy” and a red tuberous begonia. Should look fabulous all fall!
OMGosh—we were separated at birth—by ten years. You are so right about the only currency wanted is appreciation… the unsolicited comments of the endless parade of retired school teachers, uni profs and dog walkers — and gardeners— past my Z5 urban perennial garden keeps my thoughts off of renting a backhoe in May and turning it all into grass.
Nice to meet you Jeff! You nailed it. Especially when onlookers notice something small that most miss. That means everything.
Hello, John – Found your blog the other day googling “peony borders” or something peony. Have been reading your old posts. Great ornamental grasses. Where are you finding them? I bought 4 Japanese silver-somethings from a mail order last year and they were so small. As an older person, I do wonder if I’ll ever see them look like anything. Have you ever planted Ligularia? http://www.perennialresource.com/variety.php?ID=LIGDE Big beautiful leaves, Goes dormant like hosta. Prolific self seeder. Deer have left them alone by me. All the best.
Hello Obsessive Neurotic Gardener Editor,
I hope you’re doing great!
I’ve got few guest post topics that you may like to publish on your website, here:
1- Get Rid Of Bed Bugs Today, A Mini Guide!
2- 5 Benefits Of Pest Control You Simply Cannot Ignore
3- 6 Natural Pest Control Remedies That Actually Work
4- Save Your Garden: 5 Natural Remedies For Pest Management
I am certain your audience would love reading about it.
Would you like to have a look at it please?
In case, you’re not satisfied with the topics mentioned above, I can write on any other topic of your choice.
Sincerely,
Mark Taylor
Mark,
Nice blog site. I’m not much of a joiner but I would like to be on your mailing list for the blog. I’m a 63 year old garden crazed person. I started gardening at 19 as a way of making some money. I knew absolutely nothing about it but was willing to learn and I’m still learning. I have a small internet flower seed business “RobinSeeds” on ETSY. It’s been fun and gets bigger every year. Anyway thanks for sharing your gardening experiences.
Hi John! I’m new to your blog. I’m in Indiana our summer season has come to and end, my wine and roses are 4 years old. Is it safe to prune them now?
Please add me to your mailing list..Thank You
Hi.
Just letting you know…your page on Pycnanthemum incanum? Well, I think you have the wrong species! That is not P. incanum…maybe P. tenuifolium?
Hi
One of my Carolina Moonlight plant has developed a rather large “bald spot” in the middle, ie. No growth and all I have is shoots around the periphery. Anything that can be done about this?
Hi
Congrats on the publication of not one! but two!! novels! I put them in my Amazon queue.
Your garden is looking really good. I found you via a Pinterest link about planting in bulk. Landscape designer Thomas Rainer is from the Piet Oudolf school. You might like his style and his how-to in his book “Planting In A Post-wild World.”
Take care. Stay well.
Hi are you able to tell me the perennials you used as the heros with the miscanthus in the background (purple and a wine colour I think they were)? Much appreciated!