Late fall’s freezing temperatures disrupted my planting customers’ containers for winter. All total, there were 21 containers that were frozen. One was able to move the container ...
December plant of the month: Green ash
One of the first trees I planted when I moved here was a seedling of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica), given to me by my friend Linda. The native tree has served me well, growing ...
December garden checklist
Holidays When shopping for a fresh-cut Christmas tree, check for green, flexible, firmly held needles and a sticky trunk base -- both indicators of freshness. Make a fresh cut ...
November Plant of the Month: Chokeberry
Our native chokeberries are underused shrubs, but they are one of the best for winter interest in the garden. Red chokeberry (Aronia arbutifolia) and black chokeberry (A. ...
November garden checklist
Indoors Houseplant growth will slow so apply less fertilizer and water. Move plants closer to windows or to sunnier exposures if plants are dropping leaves. Pot up ...
October garden checklist
Indoors Keep poinsettia in dark for 15 hours a day for eight to 10 weeks until red bracts begin to show. Houseplants may drop leaves, especially if they spent the summer ...
September Garden Checklist
Indoors Dig and repot herbs growing outdoors, or take cuttings to pot up and grow indoors. Bring houseplants that spent the summer outdoors back indoors before night ...
August plant of the month: Japanese anemone
Japanese anemone (A. huphensis) populates the garden with beautiful flowers atop wiry stems from mid- to late summer. The first one I planted was ‘September Charm’ because ...
August garden checklist
Indoors Take cuttings from plants such as impatiens, coleus, geraniums and wax begonias to winter over indoors. These are called herbaceous cuttings. Root the cuttings in media ...
July plant of the month: Smooth hydrangea
Among the gazillion hydrangeas on the market, our native smooth hydrangea (H. arborescens) remains the most reliable bloomer in our Indiana garden. This year, all hydrangeas have ...
