Daylight Saving Time just ended, and with it, we all need to get re-adjusted to the fact that it is getting dark earlier. Unfortunately, this means that we have less time to garden in the evening when we get home from work. But as I look at this change in time, it’s just a normal … Read more
With Halloween being just a few days past, I thought I’d share some startling, if not scary, Halloween facts about plants: We all know that some plants are toxic: Hemlock, Poison Ivy, etc. But we need to watch out for other plants that contain poisonous parts. Green potatoes contain a toxin called solanine. They are … Read more
LEAVE LEAVES FOR WILDLIFE Those four words pretty much sums up this entire blog. Leaves are useful to humans for making compost and organic matter for the soil. Also, fallen leaves provide a winter habitat to many of our beneficial insects to use for a winter cover “blanket” – bees, moths, butterflies, snails, spiders, etc. … Read more
For me, it’s been a busy week. I brought all of my houseplants inside and got rid of most of my dying summer veggies, so the broccoli, kale, and spinach I planted last month now have room to grow. What’s Next? Back in September, I wrote about bringing your houseplants inside for the winter. So … Read more
IT’S NOT TOO EARLY TO BEGIN WORRYING ABOUT FROST As I mentioned in my blog last week, it’s time to bring your tropical houseplants indoors now. Only Mother Nature knows when we will have our first frost in this region. Our average date of our first frost in this region is October 20th, which is … Read more
You’ve probably already begun to move your houseplants back inside, but there are some things you also should be doing to your outdoor plants. How to Prepare Your Outdoor Plants for Winter Remove dead or dying annual flowers from your garden. Remember, however, that black-eyed susan and sunflowers have edible seed heads that birds love, … Read more
FALL IS FOR PLANTING – here are some gardening tips to be done this month. ChrysantheMUM – No other plant represents the fall season any more than the garden mum because of its array of color from yellow, bronze, pink, red purple and white. Many of these mums have been purchased with no intention of … Read more
Last week, we busted five plant care myths. This week, we’re going to bust a few outdoor gardening myths. Outdoor Gardening Myths Adding sand to heavy clay soil will lighten it up. WRONG. Sand adds bigger particles of matter to clay’s smaller particles. The smaller particles of clay can settle between the larger particles of … Read more
It is now early October, and we are into the height of the fall planting season. October is one of the best months of the whole year to do some re-landscaping and add new plants to the existing landscape. However, if you’re not careful, overplanting can lead to frustration and disappointment in future years. CONSIDERING … Read more
I’ve been taking care of plants since I got my first one at the age of 12, and I’ve also helped others care for their plants over the years that I’ve been with the Great Big Greenhouse. Over the years, I’ve learned five plant care myths that people think they can do, but which actually do … Read more
