
Winter houseplant care
Forget about ‘green thumbs’. Anyone can grow the more popular plant types and keep them looking attractive.
Knowledge and resources about plants and planting are so vast they can be overwhelming. The best approach is to take advantage of information based on your areas of interest and then seek the guidance of a plant professional. Your local nursery or garden center has inspired people ready to offer advice.
Forget about ‘green thumbs’. Anyone can grow the more popular plant types and keep them looking attractive.
Most home landscapes have shrubs. They improve soil stability, boost air quality, and create habitats for wildlife. On top of that, shrubs can provide beauty to the landscape throughout all seasons. These small- to medium-sized woody plants can be evergreen or deciduous flowering varieties. They can accent landscape beds, highlight hardscapes, or flank paths or entryways.
Dahlias tubers can be enjoyed for years with proper handling in the fall. Follow these easy tips from National Garden Bureau member American Meadows on how to dig and store your dahlias tubers.
Fall blooming plants extend the season of our gardens after many plants have dried up or are done blooming for the year. They are also a much-needed food source for pollinators who are still foraging and getting ready for winter.
I posted a picture to Facebook once with the comment “…I think I might have too many bird feeders…” There were six – not counting the suet feeder – in my small back yard. I have so many, simply because I love birds, but I wonder if there wasn’t something happening subliminally in my awareness.
Winter weather can be full of woe when it comes to plants. If correct steps aren’t taken, many gardeners find that some plants either didn’t make it through the winter or are severely damaged.
Winter safety includes keeping walkways free of ice. Many ice melting products are not plant-friendly. Commonly used rock salt, or sodium chloride, is extremely harmful to plant material and can impact the soil health.
Fall and flowering trees are like peanut butter and jelly. They just go together. Plant a flowering tree in the fall and reap the benefits of their beautiful flowers in the spring!
The native plants in my garden tell me when summer is beginning to turn toward autumn. Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) is already blooming in the shady rain garden despite lack of rain. Royal Catchfly (Silene regia) grows tall and delicate in the butterfly garden, a stand-out because its blossom is the only true red among so many softer colors. Soon asters of many varieties will begin to bloom. Native grasses will not be far behind. When they and the goldenrods bloom, we know for sure that autumn is here.
Pollinators are critical to our food supply. Many of the foods we enjoy, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee and chocolate, are possible thanks to birds, butterflies, bees and other beneficial insects. Continue Learning