NOT ALL PLANTS ARE EQUAL WHEN IT COMES TO PETS BEING SAFE Like everything in life, not everything is identical. This is true with houseplants. We have houseplants that require bright light, we have houseplants that require moderate light, and we have houseplants that require low to medium light. With all these conditions, some plants … Read more
Leaves all over the yard and acorns on the back deck—boy, it is Fall. Several centuries ago, people thought of three seasons—Summer, Harvest, and Winter. Spring was regarded as a pre-summer period called Lenten. Harvest comes from an old Norse word, haust, meaning to gather. They also used autumn, which comes from the Latin actumnus, which … Read more
NOTHING BETTER THAN HAVING FRESH HERBS YEAR ROUND Here we are in the last complete week of October. This time of year can be a little depressing for avid gardeners. The sunlight hours are shorter, our plants are going dormant for the winter, not a lot to do outside in the gardens anymore. So, how … Read more
“Roses as big as cabbages,” Marco Polo exclaimed when he first saw peonies. With huge, often fragrant flowers, peonies are often a source of awe. Maybe that’s why they’re considered a symbol of good fortune and a happy life. Peonies Fun Facts Peonies are primarily native to Asia and Europe. There are over 6,500 varieties … Read more
REFRAIN YOURSELF FROM THE URGE TO PRUNE NOW Every day, I have customers ask about pruning in the fall. So, this current surge in asking about pruning has prompted me to write this blog. The bottom line is this: we do not want to prune now. I know the urge is there. Fall is a … Read more
This past Thursday was October 12th—National Farmer’s Day. It’s observed every year on October 12th to thank farmers for their hard work. Incredibly, approximately 2% of our population feeds the rest of us! Let us not forget that every piece of produce we eat—from apples to zucchini—has a grower behind it. So, How Do You … Read more
FALL IS HERE. IT IS OCTOBER. MANY PLANTS ARE BEGINNING TO GO DORMANT NOW Here we are in early October. Gardening always has some challenges thrown our way. This year, our number one challenge has been dryness. We need Mother Nature to continue delivering rain weekly, especially since we just experienced one of the warmest … Read more
Do You Have Houseplants Outside? Here’s What to Do Now! It’s time to start moving your houseplants back inside for the winter. I hate to do it. I almost apologize to my citrus for moving them indoors, where the light is somewhat less bright and the excellent humidity (which they love) is much lower. Yesterday, … Read more
LOTS OF GARDEN WORK TO DO THIS MONTH Let’s first recap the month of September. The first part of September was hot and dry. I think we set new high temperatures for a few days. Coupled with this heatwave was the fact that we were on the dry side for the month. When fall officially … Read more
Bearded Iris – How Did They Get That Name? Bearded irises are perennial, and they are both bulbous types and rhizomes. All iris are native to the Northern Hemisphere from Europe to Asia. Iris flowers consist of three upright petals called standards and three drooping petals called sepals. Bearded Iris earned that name because of … Read more
