-Pam Scott- After having had a few months break from rigorous garden chores, you may now feel the call of the outdoors... the need to get this spring thing started. Top on the list of things to do in February is to assess what needs pruning in the garden this year. Late winter is the ideal time to prune a large number of plants in your garden. In our zone 7 climate, most plants are dormant from November to March. There are numerous benefits to pruning plants during this winter dormancy. Plant … [Read more...] about Time to Prune
winter gardening
Propagating Garden Annuals for Some Winter Gardening Fun
-Pam Scott- It's hard to believe that we are working our way swiftly through fall, yet the nights are getting cooler, the days are noticeably shorter, and the sun is much lower in the southern sky than it was a few weeks ago. After a rocking growing season this year, we are beginning to close down the flower garden for the season, bringing some plants indoors to winter over and letting the rest of the garden go to seed for food and shelter for birds and insects. This is the beginning of a … [Read more...] about Propagating Garden Annuals for Some Winter Gardening Fun
Caring for Christmas Cactus
-Pam Scott- Winter can seem pretty bleak on the plant front, but there are a lot of beautiful, colorful holiday plants for inside the home or office. Unusual varieties of poinsettia, lush green Norfolk Island Pines, and blooming exotic Christmas cactus are the perfect plants to brighten these dark leafless winter days. The decorative holiday plant we get the most questions about this time of year is the Christmas cactus, or Schlumbergera. We might assume that all cacti prefer sunny, dry … [Read more...] about Caring for Christmas Cactus
Forcing Bulbs For Winter Blooms
-Pam Scott- As the days become shorter, we start to see signs that the outdoor growing season is coming to an end. Summer annuals and perennials set seeds for the birds and other wildlife to eat. The trees shed their leaves. As gardeners, many of us still have the urge to nurture color, scent, and life into the slowly greying pallet of the shortening winter days. In this week’s blog, I’m going to talk about how you can do just that by forcing spring-blooming bulbs for a succession of fabulous … [Read more...] about Forcing Bulbs For Winter Blooms
Houseplant Care When It’s Cold Outside
-Chris Amaya- Whether you know it or not, those house plants in the corner of the room are making a difference in the air quality in your home. Air-borne contaminants such as viruses, pollen, bacteria, and mold can be present and growing in your air conditioner, humidifier, and even carpet, circulating all throughout the house. Changing out your air filter every three months will help keep these pollutants down, but greening up your environment can also play a key role in improving indoor … [Read more...] about Houseplant Care When It’s Cold Outside
Easy DIY Low Tunnel Season Extension
You don’t need to have a fancy greenhouse to protect your fall crops and enjoy fresh greens and root vegetables grown outdoors all winter long. Making your own low tunnels is an easy project that can be started and finished in an afternoon. Depending on what type of fabric you use, you can increase the temperature around your crops by up to 8º, thus making it possible to keep your garden productive through the coldest months. It can also help you get an earlier start in the spring. One of the … [Read more...] about Easy DIY Low Tunnel Season Extension
How to winterize your Smart Pot raised beds
Smart Pot raised beds are a good alternative to wood or plastic sided raised beds, especially in the colder months. A Smart Pot is a planting container made out of a breathable, synthetic fabric. They are lightweight and durable (mine have been up for over 3 years now), and have the unique ability to air prune the plants' root structure by allowing the roots to grow through the fabric sides, dry up, and prune themselves off. This allows your plants to get bigger and healthier, with a stronger … [Read more...] about How to winterize your Smart Pot raised beds
