Archive for the ‘Bulb Crops’ Category

Overwintering Caladium Tubers

Dr. Mary Lewnes Albrecht, retired dean of the Herbert College of Agriculture at the University of Tennessee, offers her recipe for overwintering caladiums. For many years Dr. Albrecht has been saving several heirloom varieties by this procedure: #1.  Plants start to go dormant in late September through October (zone 7a Tennessee) and earlier if summer […]

Key Landscaping Tips

To develop a successful landscape plan, first do a walk-a-round before you start digging and planting.  Record your landscape’s sun patterns, soil types, wind and water movement. This information will help you select the kinds of plants that will prosper under existing conditions. Sun exposure shifts daily and seasonally. Observe the garden at different times to gain […]

Steps To Making Gardening Easier

  Take an inventory of your gardening time, talley up of costs, and develop a plan how to make your garden space more beautiful with less work and cost to you. Plant Smarter Simplify! For example, in my zone 6 garden, bigleaf hydrangeas disappoint  tow out of three years and they’re water hogs in the summer. Smooth (AG) hydrangeas (like […]

Deck The Halls With These Ten Festive Plants

  Celebrate the holiday with these live plants, some of which you receive as gifts. These houseplants can stand alone or complement the festive holiday decor:     Poinsettia. No other houseplant captures the Christmas spirit more than poinsettias. Thanksgiving/Christmas Cacti (Schlumbergera bridesii or S. truncata) –  these easy to care for dependable flowering cacti (they’re really succulents) come in red, pink or […]

Late Rising Perennials

              As air temperatures rise in the spring, most garden perennials and wildflowers are emerging from the ground. With the sudden appearance of 80°F temperatures, many seem to blast through the still cold soil in 1-2 days, and in full bloom a few weeks later. Yet, through the month […]

Basic Care Tips In The Spring Perennial Garden

              In late winter – early spring, after the snow has melted and daytime temperatures are steadily above freezing, let’s get busy with the cleanup in the perennial garden. First, if you garden in a severe winter region such as zones 4 or colder, remove all winter protection such […]

Curing Winter Blues… A Trip To The Philadelphia Flower Show

Since 1827, the Philadelphia Flower Show has been the world’s longest-running and largest indoor flower show. This 8 days flower show, from 11 March 2017 (Saturday) to 19 March 2017 (Sunday), is organized by Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS). The 8- day event features incredible large-scale floral displays, elaborate gardens, and creative floral arrangements. Over ¼ […]

Types of Garden Irrigation

These days there are lots of choices in watering gardens, individual containers, and newly planted trees. Before setting your flowers or veggies, install drip lines or soaker hoses. These systems are the most efficient method of watering and put less hurt on your water bill. Drip systems deliver water at ground level and do not wet the […]

Growing Amaryllis

    Amaryllis is a tropical bulb that blooms indoors usually in winter (USDA hardiness zones 9-11). It is one of the easiest flowering plants to grow. Everything you need to enjoy a bouquet of big, beautiful flowers is inside the bulb. Simply plant the pre-chilled bulb in a container and add water. There are many […]

Fritillarias – Very Different Spring Flowering Bulb

Crown imperial (Fritillaria imperialis), aka fritillaria, is an impressive spring flowering bulb that is native of Southwestern Asia to the Himalayas (USDA hardiness zones 5-8). In late April to May, large drooping orange, red, or yellow bell-shaped flowers are topped by a small pineapple-like tufts of leaf-like bracts. The leafy fringe on top resembles a […]