WE ARE OFFICIALLY ENTERING THE HOLIDAY SEASON December is fast approaching. We only have 28 days until Christmas. So, the time to start decorating our home for the holidays is now! We just received all of our cut Christmas trees this past week. Nearly 2,500 in total. And, we have some beautiful 10’ to 12’ … Read more
One of the plants you’ll see almost everywhere this time of year is Christmas/Thanksgiving/Holiday cactus. So here is what you need to know about these beautiful seasonal bloomers. Some Interesting Facts Holiday cacti are a small genus of plants called Schlumbergera. They are native to a small area in the coastal mountains of south-eastern Brazil … Read more
EVERGREEN PERENNIALS GIVE YOU YEAR-ROUND INTEREST Just when you thought you understood what an annual is, what a perennial is, and what a shrub is – here I come along to add another dimension to your plant thinking. But, in my defense, there is an increased gardening interest with using hardy perennials that are evergreen. … Read more
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
HERE WE ARE IN NOVEMBER AND HAVING GREAT WEATHER FOR FALL PLANTING PROJECTS The Holiday season is just around the corner but it is still fall and FALL IS FOR PLANTING – better and stronger than ever. We have had some good rainfall this past couple of weeks. Our soil temperature is still warm – … 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
