Rosie Lerner

rosie@purdue.edu

716 articles by this author

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Purdue Extension Online Resources for Gardeners

Looking for opportunities to learn from home?  The following online resources cover a wide range of information for gardening and taking care of your yard. General Yard & Garden Purdue Extension Indiana Yard & Garden Website Purdue Yard & Garden News Purdue In The Grow Question & Answer Purdue Extension Master Gardener Program Purdue Plant & Pest Diagnostic Lab (PPDL) Submit a Sample PPDL Picture of the Week Purdue Plant Doctor apps Purdue Extension Education…Read more about Purdue Extension Online Resources for Gardeners[Read More]

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Advice for first-time gardeners: Start small

As so many of us are spending much more time at home these days, this might be the perfect time to think about starting a vegetable garden! In addition to adding fresh produce to your diet, gardening can offer both physical and mental therapeutic benefits. Anyone can develop a green thumb, as long as they’re willing to invest a little time, patience and elbow grease. Good planning is essential to successful gardening. Start your garden…Read more about Advice for first-time gardeners: Start small[Read More]

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How to tame a slope

Q: Behind my house I have about 3/4 acre that is on an incline of about 30 degrees and all sand. It is about 330 feet long and about 75 feet up the slope. I have had all the mulberry trees, bushes, vines, and poison ivy removed and would like to have some kind of cover crop. What would you suggest? The slope is too steep to mow, so I have spent more than  300…Read more about How to tame a slope[Read More]

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March Garden Calendar

HOME (Indoor plants and activities) Begin fertilizing houseplants as new growth appears. Remove spent leaves and flowers to improve appearance and encourage more blooms. Start garden seeds indoors for transplanting outdoors later in spring. Check stored bulbs and produce for decay; discard damaged items. Prune, repot, and clean houseplants as needed. YARD (Lawns, woody ornamentals, and fruits) Prune trees and shrubs (except those that bloom early in spring) while plants are still dormant. If you…Read more about March Garden Calendar[Read More]

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February Garden Calendar

HOME (Indoor plants and activities) Check water levels in cut flowers daily. Check stored produce and flower bulbs for rot, shriveling, or excess moisture. Discard any damaged items. Most houseplants require less water in the winter because growth is slow or stopped. Check the soil for dryness before watering. Move houseplants to brighter windows, but don’t place plants in drafty places or against cold windowpanes. Potted spring-flowering bulbs forced into early blooming can make good…Read more about February Garden Calendar[Read More]

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Spring Garden Shows Cure Winter Blahs

Whether you’re new to gardening or a seasoned green thumb, you’ll find lots of inspiring ideas at area gardening shows this spring.  No matter what your location, you’ll find at least one show within reach for a one-day excursion. Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Chicago, and Louisville are just a sampling of the great garden shows we can eagerly anticipate. February 27 – March 1 Fort Wayne Home and Garden Show Memorial Coliseum Fort Wayne, Indiana February…Read more about Spring Garden Shows Cure Winter Blahs[Read More]

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It’s For The Birds

Q: I would like to plant bushes that will attract birds in fall and winter. I’m thinking of something that produces a berry they eat? – J.W., Winfield, Indiana A: Birds require not only food such as fruits and seeds, but also shelter and water. Planting a variety of plants that offer these resources across the seasons will help attract more birds to your yard. Some native shrubs to consider include: Aronia (chokeberry) Callicarpa (beautyberry)…Read more about It’s For The Birds[Read More]

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Mother Nature Gives Spring Bulbs the Heave-Ho!

It’s not unusual for Indiana weather to have trouble deciding what season it is. Warm spells during the dormant period often lead to bulbs poking their foliage (and sometimes flower buds) through the soil. While we’re more used to seeing this happen during February warm spells, our frigid temperatures arrived a bit early in fall 2019, followed by intermittent unseasonably mild weather. Indiana temperatures widely fluctuated in November and December, with the low temperature at…Read more about Mother Nature Gives Spring Bulbs the Heave-Ho![Read More]

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January Garden Calendar

Home (indoor plants and activities) Keep holiday poinsettias and other plants near a bright window. Water as top of soil becomes dry. Increase humidity around houseplants by grouping plants together, placing them on a pebble-water tray or running a humidifier. Check stored produce and tender flower bulbs and roots for rot, shriveling or excess moisture. Remove and discard damaged material. Repot houseplants as they outgrow current pots. Yard (lawns, woody ornamentals and fruits) Check young…Read more about January Garden Calendar[Read More]

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Holiday Cactus FAQs

Holiday cacti are not only popular gift plants, but they are also the subject of frequent debate among gardeners. There appears to be much confusion about these unique tropical cacti regarding care, maintenance and, especially, on how to get them to re-bloom. While most folks just lump them all together as Christmas cactus, there are actually distinct species. The following tips address the most frequently asked questions. The various species of holiday cactus bloom at…Read more about Holiday Cactus FAQs[Read More]

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