So, what should you be doing with your houseplants this summer? Whether they are indoors or you moved them outside, plants are responding to the much longer days and brighter light by actively growing. The first thing you should do is feed your plants. Why Feed Your Plants Now During the winter, with short days … Read more
Maintaining a pH level within the optimal range is crucial for your plants’ health and vigor. The soil pH value measures the acidity or alkalinity of the soil. Soil pH affects nutrient availability. The pH scale ranges from 0 to 14, with a neutral value of 7. Any numbers below 7 indicate acidity, while numbers … Read more
July is officially here and can be a hot and dry month. Be prepared to give your plants a little more attention. Hot weather has adverse effects on plants. July can be one of the hottest and driest months of the year. Our plants need water. Be water-wise. Hand watering is the best. The best … Read more
I’ve written blogs on my two favorite herbs (chives and dill) and the Queen of Herbs (basil). So it’s time to cover some of the rest of the Royal Court of herbs. So Many Herbs – Some Are Annuals and Some Are Perennials There are lots of herbs to choose from—thyme, sage, parsley, marjoram, mints, … Read more
Hot weather has adverse effects on plants, but the sun and heat also have an impact on gardeners. The last week of June was brutal due to the heat and high heat index. We didn’t set any records, but at the same time, it was a very tough week to be working outside during the … Read more
I’ve done blogs on chives and dill—two of my favorite herbs. Well, here is a blog on the “Queen” of herbs—basil. Basil, believe it or not, is a member of the mint family. The name comes from the Greek word basilkon meaning Royal. It is native to the tropics from Central Africa to Southeast Asia. … Read more
Here we are in the third week of June. The first two weeks of June I highlighted sun loving perennials, Blunt Mountain Mint and Asclepsia. This week, it’s time to go into shade and pick a perennial that loves a woodland setting. So, I decided to highlight Heuchera, commonly known as Coral Bells. I chose … Read more
This past Friday was the Summer Solstice—the longest day of the year and the first “official” day of summer. The word “solstice” comes from the Latin solstitium, meaning “sun stands still.” The summer solstice occurs at the point in Earth’s orbit when the sun shines most directly on the northern hemisphere. Astronomers consider this the … Read more
MY CHOICE OF PERENNIAL FOR THIS WEEK IS ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA, OR MILKWEED I love the month of June for so many reasons. On a personal level, we have Father’s Day and my birthday. However, I love June for what it offers in terms of numerous beautiful perennials. The one at the top of my list … Read more
Last week, I wrote a blog on chives—one of my favorite herbs. This week, I’m going to write about dill—another one of my favorite herbs! Dill is a member of the Apiaceae family, which makes it related to carrots, parsley, fennel, cilantro, cumin, caraway, and even celery. All of these have edible and flavorful foliage. … Read more
