Gardening Advice

Winter is when we need to see green plants the most, but environmental factors such as dry air, cold temps, drafts, and low light make it difficult to keep them growing at their best. Here are some tips for taking good care of your indoor garden during winter! Winter Care for Houseplants Humidity is important. Home humidity in winter can be as low as 10 to 20%, but our plants…

A new year means a brand-new growing season to think about. Winter’s quiet may not be as exciting as summer’s first tomato ripening or spring’s first flower opening, but it’s a time of promise, of optimism, and of a tangible sense of opportunity. Here are my eight gardening resolutions. I hope they inspire your plans! My garden has disappeared under a thin coverlet…

Want to start your first vegetable garden? How hard can it be? Just stick a few seeds in the ground and stand back, right? If only it were that easy! Here are 10 garden planning tips to consider before you dig in. 10 Tips For Starting a Garden 1. Pick the right location—ideally, a sunny site! Most vegetables need at least 6 hours of sun a day. Some crops such as lettuce and spinach…

Winter has barely begun, but if you haven't started planning next summer's garden, now is a good time to start. Seed catalogs are already arriving in mailboxes. Here’s how to go about selecting seeds! Have a Game Plan Catalogs began to arrive in the mailbox early this year, but before you even look at their new offerings, take stock of what you've got to work with: Do an inventory of…

Nature is fascinating. Every wondered how trees and plants survive winter? They certainly can’t move inside to get warm! Plants go through an amazing process similar to hibernation called “dormancy.” Learn more about your natural world.  We have had some snow so far this year, but it’s still early. For once, I am hoping for a lot of snow to insulate the ground and protect my…

Many trees and plants were traditionally important to the celebration of the winter solstice (on December 21). Think evergreens, yew, oak, mistletoe, holly, rosemary, pine, and ivy. Learn more about their symbolic meanings. The Solstice Signals a Return of Light After the winter solstice, which is the shortest day of the year, the days will start to get longer again. But as the old…

My two cats, Fred and Ginger, are plant eaters and often chew on the leaves of my favorite houseplants, so I try to make sure that nothing within their reach is toxic. If your feline friends are also inquisitive (aren’t they all?), here’s a list of common houseplants that are considered safe for cats to gnaw on. I am both a gardener and a cat-lover. Unfortunately, there are a decent…

Have you decked the halls yet? Go natural this Christmas! It's time for nature's greenery to make a comeback. Look no further than your backyard and garden for a ready source of interesting foliage, berries, dried flower heads, and seedpods. See our ideas straight from nature! If you don't think it's worth the effort, check prices online and you'll find that the green in…

Why do we kiss under the mistletoe? Of all the plants used in Christmas decor, not many have as long and as interesting a history as mistletoe. Discover the meaning of mistletoe and fascinating folklore behind it. First of All, What Is Mistletoe? With evergreen leaves, yellow flowers, and white berries, large clumps of mistletoe are usually observed growing high in the…

The folklore of winter weather is fascinating. You’re sure to know some of these weather sayings, passed down by generations of people who lived close to the land and nature. Which ones do you know? Winter is the harshest season. The natural world—clouds, birds, animals, and plants—all provided cues to predict what the winter will bring! Generations of hunters, farmers, and fishermen…

A flower that blooms in winter, the hellebore really steals the show as it pokes through the snow. Discover two common varieties, “Christmas rose” and the “Lenton rose,” both winter-flowering perennials that return year after year!  About Hellebores Hellebores bear glossy, evergreen leaves and rose-like flowers which bloom in winter or early spring. Though they are commonly called a…

Color is lacking this time of year, so I am always glad to see holiday plants for sale at my local garden center. Poinsettias and others are very enticing, but the one plant I can’t resist is the kalanchoe. The clusters of starlike, cheerful flowers are long-lived and can add a happy note to a gloomy day. Discover the kalanchoe! This beautiful blossoming succulent plant is very low…