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Winter houseplant care

Winter houseplant care: Balanced conditions A friend of this column interacted with a sad house plant story, which points to the importance of knowing all aspects of house plant care. In winter, most plants are dormant and should be treated accordingly. That is, pay equal attention to every aspect of your indoor plants, including how little water they hold inactive, and how those features affect each other. How many of us have left our favorite plant (in my case, this is old, reliable rosemary) on the south-facing window only to wither due to temperature fluctuations and lack of moisture during the cold season? Light, light water, optimum humidity, and temperature Take something with you, and your houseplant will be affected. I, like my rosemary, sometimes exaggerate one of the plant’s needs while ignoring others. Some tools can help us monitor things like humidity that we can ignore. The ability to observe and observe is an important horticultural skill. Available in ...

Five Traditional Elements of a Cottage Garden

Five Traditional Elements If you want your cottage garden to be truly traditional, you'll be surprised to learn that up until the 19th century, many cottage gardens boasted little more than potatoes. Nostalgia conjures up an image of a typical cottage garden as beautiful and timeless, but also functional. One cannot forget that country houses, especially if some way from a town or market, are often self-sufficient. 1. A low fence or stone wall often encloses a garden and is a vehicle for planting Fences were given to any cottage garden and served a practical role apart from providing structure to the plants. Their main purpose, of course, is to keep animals and rodents away from vegetables. The yards around the hut were fenced to keep chickens and other domestic animals and predators out. Today the fence still serves this purpose, but its role has expanded. A low stone wall or picket fence provides a backdrop for flowering garden beds and supports climbing plant...

Annual flowers to brighten up your garden

Colorful, deer-resistant annuals Colorful, deer-resistant annuals are a great way to fill your summer gardens and vases. While deer will eat anything if they're really hungry, they have preferences. Some plants aren't too keen on them, especially plants with hairy or fuzzy leaves or strong scents. The following annual flowering and evergreen plants belong to this deer-resistant category (a few are perennials in warmer climates but are usually grown as annuals). Pick a few to fill your beds and container gardens with non-stop color from spring to fall and let the deer go elsewhere for dinner. 1. Calendula Sometimes called pot marigold, calendula produces cheerful flowers in shades of cream, yellow and orange. Although the flowers are edible—they're a colorful addition to summer salads—deer don't like the scent of the foliage, so they rarely bother the plant. Short varieties can be planted along walkways, at the front of a bed or in a mixed container. Tall va...

7 Surprising Facts About Succulents

Facts About Succulents Succulents are more interesting than you think! Get to know succulents with these fun and fascinating facts. 1. What Is a Succculent? One of our facts about succulents might surprise you. "Succulent" is a loose term with no single definition. It refers to any plant that has fleshy leaves, stems, or roots that store moisture to withstand drought. 2. Succulent flowers once a decade The name century plant might make you think it blooms every 100 years, but it actually blooms every 10 to 15 years. 3. Some Gardeners Can Grow Succulents Outdoors Some say the echeveria is the most impressive of all succulents. If you live in zones 9 through 11, try this beauty in the garden; It is a classic drought tolerant rosette succulent. Everyone else? Grow it as a houseplant or in an outdoor container during the warmer months. 4. Aloe vera attracts hummingbirds There are more than 250 species of cactus plants in the world. In the United States, cacti are co...

It's not a yellow ladybug - it's an invasive Asian lady beetle

It's not a yellow ladybug They are similar, but one type helps control unwanted pests in the garden, while the other is a pest. Here's how to tell them apart. You usually want to see a ladybug in your garden, but the yellow ladybug doesn't look like one — it's an Asian beetle. Ladybugs are beneficial to your garden because they eat plant pests. However, many colored Asian beetles look like yellow ladybugs, but have turned out to be an insect. It is common to find large numbers of Asian lady beetles congregating in houses and other buildings in the fall. They can bite and emit an unpleasant odor when disturbed. Unfortunately, these invasive insects crowd out native ladybugs. If you can tell the difference between two pests, you can stop an annoying problem before it starts. Asian Lady Beetles vs Ladybugs You can identify a ladybug by its markings and size. There are many species, and most sport red shells and varying numbers of black spots. Their heads are b...

7 Big Impact Dwarf Flowering Shrubs

Scale with dwarf flowering shrubs Big gardens have a season in life, and we have unlimited energy to maintain perennial gardens and a quarter-acre vegetable patch that produces enough food for the entire neighborhood. But if you have a balcony garden or small garden three floors up when you're starting out, you can still use dwarf shrubs to create a beautiful outdoor living space. Dwarf shrubs are perfect for small space gardens When thoughtfully designed, a small space garden can be as visually appealing and emotionally pleasing as a sprawling yard. No need to sacrifice your favorite shrubs like roses and lilacs. You need to choose the right size varieties to match the size of the space. A short hedge or even a casket of flowering shrubs may be just what you need to make your patio feel like "home." Dual purpose dwarf shrubs One key to making the most of any space—but especially a small one—is choosing plants with a dual purpose. Peach sorbet blueberries pro...