Danger Signals on Indoor Plants

Here are some danger signs of houseplant problems

Now that your houseplants have been inside for a few weeks, here are a few things to look for: Yellow Leaves Yellow leaves can be a sign of two very different problems. They are often a sign that light-craving plants are not getting enough light—weeping figs and citrus are famous for this. Moving to a … Read more

November Thoughts

Coffee cup with fall colored leaves

I sat on my deck yesterday and surveyed my backyard—it was a great excuse to escape the vacuuming I should have been doing. I made a mental checklist of everything I wanted to get done before frost. We’ve been lucky thus far—usually, we’ve had several touches of frost by now. Move houseplants indoors—done. Well, except … Read more

Cats and Your Houseplants

Cats and houseplants are two great additions to your home, but there are things you need to know first

This past Saturday, October 29th, was National Cat Day. National Cat Day was established in 2005 and is sponsored by The Animal Miracle Foundation. I’m lucky enough to have several cats. I’m also someone who has had many cats since I adopted my first when I was 15. I also adopted my first plant when … Read more

More Than Just Bulbs

Can you tell from this photo which ones are bulbs corms tubers or rhizomes?

Ask most people what tulips, daffodils, crocus, and begonias have in common, and they’ll tell you that they are all bulbs. And they would be half right. Tulips and daffodils are indeed true bulbs; however, a crocus is a corm, and a begonia is a tuber. BULBS True bulbs are actually plants in miniature. They … Read more

Tulips in the Garden

A bouquet of white and pink tulips

The Netherlands may be the world’s largest grower of tulips, but did you know that they are not native there? No, tulips are native to mountainous areas of Turkey and Russia! So how did tulips get to the Netherlands? In the late 1500s, the ambassador to the courts of Suleiman the Magnificent was intrigued by … Read more

Ten Fun Peony Facts

Peony arew a wonderful addition to any garden. Read on for ten peony facts you may not know about.

In the spring, I sit on my deck and admire the peonies in the back of my yard. In the morning I watch the occasional bunny hop around, but they leave the peonies alone. So do the deer! And the fragrance of the peonies is wonderful. I appreciate the beauty that they have brought to … Read more

How to Grow Onions and Garlic

Growing onions and garlic is easy to do

I’m one of those people who believe that onions and garlic make almost everything taste better. If a recipe calls for half an onion, I figure adding the whole onion will make it better. Same with garlic. And since fall is a perfect time to plant onions and garlic—and we just got fresh garlic and … Read more

Daffodils

Blooming daffodils on a green background

Daffodils, Jonquils, in England “Lent Lilies”—whatever you call them, they’re still the quintessential flower of spring to many people. Daffodils are members of the Amaryllidaceae—the amaryllis family. Relatives include agapanthus (Lily-of-the-Nile), hymenocallis (Peruvian daffodils), sternbergia (Lily-of-the-Field), alliums (onion family, including onions, garlic, chives, and ornamental onions), lycoris (Naked Ladies, Spider Lilies, Surprise Lilies), and hippeastrum … Read more

Fall is Here

A fall-themed interior with a few houseplants. Fall is the time for bringing houseplants indoors for the winter

This coming Thursday, September 22nd, is the Autumnal Equinox. The Autumnal Equinox occurs when the sun is directly aligned with the equator. On this day, days and nights are of equal length. From now until the Winter Solstice on December 21st, the dark hours will be longer than hours of daylight. Right now, our day … Read more

Planting Spring-Blooming Bulbs

with the first day of fall here, begin planning your planting of spring-blooming bulbs

I’ve already gotten my first bulb shipment in the store. Customers have been digging through them and asking when they can get them in the ground. So here is a very general guide on the correct time to plant most of the bulbs you’ll find offered in autumn. Bearded iris rhizomes and fall-blooming bulbs will … Read more

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