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
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
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
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
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
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
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, 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
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
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
