10 Top Gardeners to Follow on Twitter

By Julie Christensen

If you’ve resisted Twitter, believing it to be the ultimate in banality, it’s time to rethink this view. Sure, Twitter users to share everything from what they had for breakfast to which running shoes they plan to wear, but, choose wisely and you’ll find lots of useful information, as well.

Most of your favorite gardening blogs and websites offer daily photos, tips and articles on Twitter. The great thing about Twitter is its brevity. In one minute or less, you can skim through a Twitter feed for that perfect gardening project or recipe. (If you’re new to Twitter, you can check out this article on how to use Twitter for news.) Here are a few of our favorites to get you started:

1. Margaret Roach, a former editor for Martha Stewart, left the big city and moved to Massachusetts to create her own little piece of heaven. Follow her on Twitter, visit her website or pick up her memoir, “I Shall Have Some Peace There.” Margaret offers solid gardening advice, along with humorous personal stories about the gardening life. Her insights are always interesting.
2. You love the magazine, you love the website. Now get daily updates from Mother Earth News, your go-to-source for all things green. Mother Earth News has long been known for its eclectic approach. In one issue of the magazine, you might learn about how to make a solar oven, buy a rototiller and grow asparagus. Interesting articles on topics like raw dairy milk testing or lasagna composting round out the mix. Join Twitter for a similar experience.
3. Melinda Meyers is a nationally recognized gardening expert and former horticulture professor. She’s written numerous gardening books and appears regularly on television and radio programs. Join Melinda on Twitter for gardening tips on everything from natural insect control to kid-friendly projects.
4. Martha Stewart first introduced us to the idea that functionality and beauty can and should co-exist. For the last 20 years, she’s entertained and educated us with her clever and innovative home and gardening ideas. Follow her on Twitter and you’ll have access not only to great gardening tips, but recipes, crafts and fashion ideas.
5. Chicago-based gardening expert and author Amanda Thomsen offers useful gardening advice with a dash of attitude on her Twitter and blog, “Kiss My Aster.” Look here for a daily dose of gardening humor. Amanda covers everything from shrubs to restoring tired perennial beds. There are also plenty of personal anecdotes here to make you smile.
6. Mr. Brown Thumb is another Chicago gardener with a quirky, self-deprecating sense of humor. He writes for the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Now, but credentials aside, follow him for his unique take on gardening. For example, for Valentine’s Day, he suggests forgetting roses. They’re so trite. Instead, how about amaryllis or azaleas? Anything but roses.
7. Looking for interesting, engaging and always useful gardening information? You’ll appreciate Shirley Bovshow’s Twitter. Shirley is a garden designer, author and television personality. You can watch her on Garden Police or the HGTV show Outer Spaces. Recent Twitters include tomato grafting, robotic pollinating bees and even a comment on the gardens of Downton Abbey.
8. The Royal Horticultural Society in London is a non-profit gardening charity dedicated to offering education about gardening. Follow the organization on Twitter for all kinds of useful gardening tidbits, from when to plant bulbs to dealing with cold damage.
9. Well-known garden designer, author and television celebrity, P. Allen Smith, brings his gardening wisdom to Twitter. Get daily updates on diverse topics, such as building a chicken coop, growing camellias and protecting garden furniture. Smith offers a monthly giveaway, as well.
10. The Daily Green is all about finding simple green solutions to everyday challenges. Twitter users can get daily updates and tips on green gardening, including organic pest control and fertilizers and choosing vegetables for your growing conditions. You’ll also find recipes and other helpful household tips, all in one place.

Did we leave out any great gardening related Twitter accounts that you like to follow? Leave a comment and let us know!

When she’s not writing about gardening, food and canning, Julie Christensen enjoys spending time in her gardens, which includes perennials, vegetables and fruit trees. She’s written hundreds of gardening articles for the Gardening Channel, Garden Guides and San Francisco Gate, as well as several e-books.