Houseplant Survival Guide for Winter

It can be cold and dreary in Nebraska in winter and most people want some green around to fight off the winter blues.  November brings on a whole new set of growing conditions for our tropical houseplants indoors, both for ones that have been brought indoors after a summer outside as well as those that are year-round fixtures inside.  For winter success, consider these 5 factors.

Houseplant Transitions

Moving indoor/outdoor plants back indoors is in full swing in early September.  Many gardeners have a full patio of container plants at this point in the season, some of which are well-suited to bring back indoors for winter enjoyment.  The key to success is doing it gradually.

Easy to Care For Houseplants

By now, in early February, “Cabin Fever” is raging amongst Midwesterners. Perhaps you’ve even been somewhere warm (south Texas, Florida, Arizona), seen green plants outdoors and are longing for that kind of greenery at your residence. To help overcome the winter blues, try these easy to care for houseplants; it will help scratch the itch and not require a lot of resources to do it.

Container Plantings Winding Down

It’s the end of September in eastern Nebraska, which signals the very near end of patio plantings and container plants in the out of doors. There are several reasons for this:

Patio Planter Care in Mid-Summer

In mid-summer, especially when a hot, dry week is predicted, (like this upcoming week), patio planters and houseplants need a little TLC. Four actions are involved:

Plants & Indoor Air Quality

In the current wave of “houseplant mania”, it’s important to remember that houseplants provide numerous benefits in addition to adding amenity to the indoor landscape. Scott Evans, Horticulture Program Coordinator for Nebraska Extension in Douglas-Sarpy Counties reports that water vapor given off via transpiration is a big plus for the indoors, as well as their capacity to absorb potentially harmful gasses such as formaldehyde, ammonia, bioeffluents and volatile organic compounds.

COVID-19 – Extend Poinsettia Life With Proper Care

The December glory of a poinsettia can fade to January/February paleness in a matter of weeks. Those bright red, white or pink leaves (bracts) can turn limp, curl up and drop, creating a desire to toss it out with the rest of the Christmas leftovers.

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,…

When Salt Attack

As a gardener I am sure you have experienced first hand the accumulation of salts on when using clay pots.  Clay pots or a staple in the garden industry and to the home gardener.  They are inexpensive and easy to use.  In my family we have terracotta pots that have been passed down from our…