Of all the holiday plants, the amaryllis boasts some of the largest flowers and can be one of the easiest to grow for next year’s re-bloom. Bulbs received as gifts can be planted right away and their fast growth will amaze everyone, even those with brown thumbs. Hybridization has greatly expanded the red-flowered offerings of…
Month: December 2019
Beyond the flower
Sometimes I get too caught up in flowers. One of my goals is to have something in bloom every month of the year in our yard. A worthy challenge. Flowers speak to us. They make us happy, they bring us joy and yes, frustration. We often get so caught up in the flower that we…
National Poinsettia Day
Today, December 12th, is National Poinsettia Day in the United States. Today we celebrate this durable and highly attractive plant for the indoor landscape. Some quick tidbits about poinsettias: *Contrary to popular belief, they are not poisonous. Oh sure, if you ate a whole plant, it’s likely that it would result in a stomachache,…
Keeping Fresh Greens Fresh
The holiday season is upon us and many of us will be putting up live/fresh cut trees. There is nothing better than the smell of fresh cut greens indoors to celebrate the spirit of the season. However, there are a few tips that you can follow to make sure that your tree and greens stay…
Pruning Hydrangeas
In the realm of gardening questions, answering “When can I prune my hydrangea?” can be the most complicated. This is because of the number of hydrangea types that grow in this region, requiring an understanding on our part before the pruning saw is even employed. It’s important to note that pruning most woody plants in…
All That Glitters
Trendy or not painting plants is a surefire way to kill them. Plants have pores (stomatal pore) that are located mostly on the surface of leaves. These pores are how plants gain access to carbon dioxide to carry out the process of photosynthesis. They are tiny and typically not visible with the use of a…