Comprehensive Gardening Resource
Visiting local greenhouses and transporting holiday plants home safely, cleaning and storing hand tools, and removing snow from shrubs are some of the garden-related activities for this month. Try to visit a local greenhouse, as the sight of so many plants all in bloom is sure to lift the spirits on a cloudy and cold day. If you’re buying holiday […]
It’s the end of another glorious gardening year. Regardless of your region, it’s time to evaluate your garden and consider any changes you might want to make for next year. What were the aspects you loved about your garden? What did you not like so much? Ideally, photos and a written record of your accomplishments and ‘failures’ will help guide […]
Proper placement of bird feeders, buying holiday garden gifts, and caring for poinsettias and Christmas cactus are some of the gardening activities for this month. To encourage birds to visit your garden this winter, set out feeders near evergreen trees or shrubs so birds have cover while they feed. If you have bird-chasing cats or raiding squirrels a problem, hang […]
THERE may be some who think it is a little late to talk about winter protection of plants in December. Still, most growers agree that the critical tune for plants that are on the borderline of hardiness is in late winter when a warm sun, combined with drying winds, takes moisture from leaves and branches at a time when roots […]
The truth is that a gardener thinks of very material things in December. He is thinking of what he wants to give some good gardener for Christmas or else what he wishes he had himself. But when anyone asks him, “What do you want for Christmas?” he blinks his eyes and says, “Well, I don’t want a thing, just a […]
Provided is a list of tasks you need to perform in your garden during December. Please understand your gardening zone which is identified in the menu above. Look for Hardiness Zones. Zone 1 Continue pruning deciduous trees and roses In coldest regions, protect roses with earth cones or wire baskets filled with insulating material Keep gift house plants as cool […]
December brings family and friends together to celebrate the holidays. Ensure you have a safe season by taking a few precautions before your guests arrive. For starters, take care with holiday decorations, mainly if your guest list includes young children or pets. Although poinsettias have proven not to be poisonous, they may cause internal upset if ingested. Contact with the […]
Are you a trivia buff? If so, perhaps you’d be interested in knowing a little bit more about the poinsettia plant you buy every Christmas. For example, did you know that the poinsettia’s main attraction is not its flowers, but its leaves? The flowers of the plant are the yellow clustered buds in the center. The colored leafy parts are […]
This is a question often heard shortly after the new year starts and the colorful braces on this favorite Christmas flower have begun to fade and fall leaving only the sickly yellow flowerets to exude their sticky juice on window sill or flower stand. Many people will answer their own questions by setting their poinsettia on the back porch where […]
According to the National Christmas Tree Association (www.realchristmastrees.org), 25 to 30 million real Christmas trees are sold each year. Of those with real trees, about three out of four bought them at retail outlets, the others cut their own at a tree farm—a trend that has been increasing in recent years. If you get a tree, either way, this year, […]