Your Backyard Garden Information Source
December brings family and friends together to celebrate the holidays. Make sure you have a safe season by taking a few precautions before your guests arrive. For starters, take care with holiday decorations, especially 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 […]
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 […]
If you are looking for an ornamental plant to add dazzle to the winter landscape, consider the winterberry, also known as winterberry holly or North American holly. Although in the same plant family as English holly (Ilex aquifolium)–our traditional Christmas holly with its glossy evergreen foliage and bright red berries–winterberry (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous plant. It loses its dull […]
This is the time to set Poinsettias under way. If last year’s plants were kept for growing on for another season they should now be brought from their resting quarters and given a location in which the maximum of light is available. Light is a vital need if Poinsettias are to form worthwhile bracts. Lack of light may show healthy […]
The real gardener derives his satisfaction from his ability to nurse plants along every step of their growth to their ultimate flowering glory. However, the greatest thrill is enjoyed by those who have succeeded in coaxing bloom from one of the plants considered difficult for the average gardener. Such a plant is the poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). Actually it really isn’t […]
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 if raiding squirrels are a […]
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 […]
Photo by Randy Fath on Unsplash Have you been thinking about installing a patio in your backyard, but haven’t been able to make your mind up once and for all? If you find yourself nodding in agreement, we’re here to help make this decision a little easier for you. Today we’ll be sharing five reasons why so many people choose […]
There are many things to do in the garden in anticipation of the first frost. Once the harvest has been collected, it is tempting to just close the gate and relax until spring. However, if you want your spring work to be less laborious, it is worth taking the preparatory steps described below. Gardening is also less effortful with efficient […]
Your Christmas tree doesn’t have to meet its end at the local landfill after the holidays. There are many ways to recycle it. Send your tree back to nature by composting it. Shred the limbs finely and add them to the compost pile to improve the soil in your garden. Just keep in mind that it will take up to […]