It’s no secret I’m the neighborhood “cat lady.” I didn’t start out to be the neighborhood cat lady, you understand, but it happens. You start out feeding one stray—and they bring friends. Next thing you know, they’re yours. I’ve had cats all my life—and have been a gardener almost the same length of time. Why … Read more
FLORIST CYCLAMEN or “ALPINE VIOLET” Without a doubt, the Cyclamen is one of my favorite, seasonal, blooming houseplants. Every year when the cyclamen plants arrive on our blooming tables it becomes nostalgic for me as I think about some friends who are no longer with us who would always have me pick out cyclamen plants … Read more
To repot or not repot? Unless you broke the pot bringing your plant in, don’t repot right now. Even indoor plants are responding to the less intense light levels and shorter days this time of year. While they aren’t dormant, they are not growing very fast. Save repotting for late winter/early spring (February/March). Remember, when … Read more
I’ve pulled up all my spent summer veggies—the tomatoes that didn’t have one more bud left on them, the squash that looked, well, squashed and the last crop of bush beans that just didn’t have any bean left. I’ve already planted some fall vegetables—I have some fat little kale plants, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli in … Read more
SEEDING AND FERTILIZING THE LAWN NOW – “AM I TOO LATE?” Finally, Mother Nature has decided to be cooperative with us in our effort to take care of our lawns by giving us some good, old fashioned, soaking rains this past week. So many homeowners were holding off aerating, seeding, and fertilizing their lawns until … Read more
October is Bat Appreciation Month. Bats have gotten a bad rap over the years from writers of horror fiction, but they are actually good guys. They are not only pollinators but an outstanding source of pest control. Here are some cool facts about these fellow mammals. Bats are the only mammals that fly. There are … Read more
FLOWERS ALL YEAR ROUND There are many joys with gardening. For many of us, the number one joy is being able to enjoy having color in our gardens or containers year-round. We are fortunate to live in a state (Zones 6 – 8) that is temperate enough to allow flowers to be planted and enjoyed … Read more
This is the time of year to get my all-time favorite flowers–Amaryllis. Well, actually, what we call ‘amaryllis’ are really ‘hippeastrum’–members of the amaryllis family. The plants that are technically ‘amaryllis’ are the Amaryllis Belladonna and relatives, however, hippeastrum has been called ‘amaryllis’ for so long, that we’ll never be able to get people to … Read more
BUSHES IN THE HOUSE: SCHEFFLERA AND DWARF SCHEFFLERA Sometimes called the Umbrella Tree, the Brassaia actinophylla is a large tropical shrub with rosettes of 5 long, glossy green leaves forming umbrella-like symmetrical heads. Native to Queensland, Java, and New Guinea, the Schefflera is an easy houseplant in a bright location. It can grow 10 to … Read more
Despite the fact that the Netherland is the world’s leading grower of tulips, did you know that tulips are NOT native there? Tulips are native to the mountains of Turkey and Russia! So how did tulips get from there to the Netherlands? In the late 1500s, the ambassador to the courts of Suleiman the Magnificent … Read more
