June 17 to 23 is National Pollinator Week when we celebrate insects and animals that help produce $29 billion worth of food, including apples, nuts and tomatoes. And then there are ...
Diseases create problems for bedding impatiens but not for maples
It’s been one of those springs—cool and wet, which is just the right formula for leaf diseases. Maples, in particular, have brown or black spots, most likely a fungus disease ...
You Can Grow That! June 2013: golden Japanese forest grass
‘Aureola’, a golden Japanese forest grass (Hakonechloa macra), is a perfect plant for softening the front edge of a border, cascading over a wall, working as a ground cover or ...
No-no plants for the Indiana garden
Japanese honeysuckle vine smells heavenly, but it has escaped landscapes and rooted in natural areas, where it smothers native plants. This aggressive habit puts it on the invasive ...
Spring to summer change outs: a gardener’s dilemma
Pansies, Johnny jump-ups and violas love the cooler weather and right now, they are beautiful. But fewer than 5 feet from these spring bloomers site more than 100 annuals, ...
Creeping phlox ground cover helps control erosion along slopes
I never have to look outdoors to know what’s blooming. The customers at the garden center where I work part time keep me informed. They come in and ask for the plants they see ...
Garden Bloggers’ Bloom Day May 2013
Except for a few 80-degree days, it’s been a slow, low-temp spring, which has prolonged tulips, in particular. This year, the large alliums, a gift from Carol Michel ...
Readers ask about Jerusalem artichokes, jet bead and color changing tulips
Questions about tulips, jet bead and Jerusalem artichokes fill the inbox. M.S. of Indianapolis wants to know “why do some tulips in the landscape change color?” Several ...
You Can Grow That! May 2013: Fragrant viburnums
A good spring overloads the senses. Not only does the earth break out in eye-pleasing blooms, many of the flowers release delicious fragrance. Until just a few days ago, the ...
Survival tips for the growing season
As we head into prime planting season, here are a few things to keep in mind. Containers When potting up containers, use a high quality potting mix. This is usually a ...