Plants have been a part of my entire life. As a wee lad, I tended the family backyard vegetable garden and in high school I started my first business mowing lawns.
I completed my Master’s Degree in Botany in 1996 from Washington State University and have worked in ecological and botanical research for the University of Illinois – Chicago, Oregon State University, and the University of Montana.
Long ago I gained a lot knowledge working in commercial greenhouses and nurseries. But it was all my over 20 years experience in large, family-owned independent garden centers and nurseries where I really honed my skills helping others find happiness successfully growing and tending to their favorite plants.
These days I continue to learn more (it never ends!) as a gardening instructor / author and as a specialist in orchids, landscape design / maintenance, edible landscapes, backyard farming, and personalized garden mentoring.
My life mission is to help others solve their gardening dilemmas.
If you need someone to come to your home to assist you with your garden and landscape, orchids, or other plants, look under My Services. Fill out the brief questionnaire, and I will be happy to contact you.
May your plants be happy and your orchids rebloom! Chuck
CHUCK’S WRITING & GARDENING ARTICLES
General Gardening
All New Square Foot Gardening Method
Cut Flowers and Rubber Bands
Diagnosing Plant Problems
Gardening Together
How To Select Healthy Veggie Starts
Know Your Plant!
Pruning With a Plan
Spring Veggie Garden Check-Up
Sucking Versus Chewing Insects
Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers
What are Fungus Gnats?
What’s Eating My Plant?
Orchids
A Winning Orchid
Diagnosing and Solving Orchid Problems
Know Your Orchid!
What Makes an Orchid an Orchid
Why Orchids Fail to Rebloom
Pacific Northwest Gardening
Curious Easy to Grow Veggies
Deer Proof Gardening
Deer Resistant List
Summer Perennial Pruning
The Genus Erysimum
Top 10 Native Plants
What are Fungus Gnats?
What is Powdery Mildew?
Winter Gardening
San Diego Gardening
The Bougainvillea Looper
Conserving Water in Your Vegetable Garden
Edible Ornamentals
The Ficus Eye Spot Midge
Great Tomato Varieties for Coastal Gardens
How To Select Healthy Veggie Starts
Grow Strawberries
Know Your Plant
Thrillers, Fillers, and Spillers
Tomato Time!
What is Powdery Mildew?
CHUCK LOVES CHESS!!!
Chuck is the chess coach for Bird Rock Elementary in La Jolla and the Old Town Academy as part of the Mountain Lake Chess Camp, founded by the legendary International Master Larry D. Evans.
https://chesscamp.net/
The United States Chess Federation has been promoting chess for 80 years and is the main organizing body for chess in this country. Chuck first joined the USCF when he was 13 years old.
https://new.uschess.org/home/
Chuck plays chess online with people from all over the world at chessworld.net. On this website Chuck recently became the Category C World Chess Champion!!!
https://www.chessworld.net/