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Category: Plants

Snow Is Good for Gardens
Yard and Garden News

Winter Gardening Stories

Though your aching back may not agree, recent heavy snows actually will be good for your garden and landscape. Snow provides moisture as well as protection from cold and wind. Snow is an excellent insulator against low temperatures and excessive winds. The extent of protection depends on the depth of snow. In addition, the soil gives off some heat so that the temperature at the soil surface can be much warmer than the air temperature….Read more about Snow Is Good for Gardens[Read More]

Pretty ground cover? Probably a weed
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q: I’m having an argument with my wife about a plant in our yard, and we hope you can help arbitrate. I’ve sent a photo of a plant that we found growing near some shrubs. Neither of us remember planting it. My wife thinks it’s pretty ground cover and that we should let it stay. I think it’s a weed and that we should get it out of there before it takes over the whole…Read more about Pretty ground cover? Probably a weed[Read More]

Pollinators are abuzz for the 2019 Perennial of the Year
Yard and Garden News

Winter Gardening Stories

By selecting Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’ as its 2019 Perennial Plant of the Year, the Perennial Plant Association once again continued its focus on pollinator-friendly plants. ‘Hummelo’ is a compact, clump-forming perennial, reaching 1.5 to 2 feet tall and wide. Over time, the plants will form a dense mat, spreading slowly from creeping underground stems. Showy magenta flower spikes rise well above the foliage in midsummer and are quite attractive to butterflies and other pollinators. Plants are hardy in…Read more about Pollinators are abuzz for the 2019 Perennial of the Year[Read More]

In The Grow Question and Answer – High winds can be tough on trees
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. Can you tell me what kind of tree this is? They were planted near our community lake 25 years ago. K.M., Indianapolis A. This is a honey locust tree, known botanically as Gleditsia triacanthos. The species is native to the eastern US. It has large seed pods and trunks that are armed with wicked thorns. Fortunately, most plants sold for landscape specimens are cultivars that are both seedless and thornless. But even these improved…Read more about In The Grow Question and Answer – High winds can be tough on trees[Read More]

New Resource for Identifying Common Yard and Garden Plants
Yard and Garden News

Want to know more about common yard and garden plants? Meet the new Purdue Plant ID Pal. The web-based resource is easy to use. 4-H and FFA youth will find it especially helpful as they learn to identify ornamentals, fruits, and vegetables for local, state and national competitions. Purdue Plant ID Pal has four sections: ornamentals (woody plants) flowers and indoor plants fruits and nuts vegetables You’ll find more than 850 photos of nearly 200…Read more about New Resource for Identifying Common Yard and Garden Plants[Read More]

Pussy willow shrubs can thrive in well-drained soil
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q: I am writing about a pussy willow tree I planted in my backyard in early August 2018. I have wanted one for some time and found one on sale at a discount department store. It didn’t have much info on what it takes to grow by ponds or lakes. So, if you could give me any information, it would be appreciated. A: A number of willow shrub species are commonly called pussy willows, so…Read more about Pussy willow shrubs can thrive in well-drained soil[Read More]

Time to Harvest Sweet Potatoes
Yard and Garden News

Autumn Gardening Stories

Although some folks may be sad to see summer coming to a close, many gardeners are looking forward to harvesting their sweet potato treasures. Sweet potatoes are warm-season plants that are very sensitive to cold temperatures. The tuberous roots should be harvested by the time frost kills the vines or soon thereafter. Sweet potato roots continue to grow until frost kills the vines. Roots can be left in the ground for a short while;…Read more about Time to Harvest Sweet Potatoes[Read More]

Blue spruce not a great choice for Hoosiers
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q: We have 5.5 acres with several hundred white pines, 7 blue spruce, and 2 red pines. Several of the blue spruce are dying. Several years ago, two started dying from the bottom up. We put evergreen spikes around them, and after a year or so they came back to normal. Presently some of the large ones are now dying from the bottom to the top. We put spikes around two large and one small,…Read more about Blue spruce not a great choice for Hoosiers[Read More]

Gaping wounds likely a woodpecker’s work
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. I saw these holes in my tree and am wondering what they are from. This tree is the only one I have seen them on. – M.S., Chesterton Some species of woodpeckers cause large holes in tree trunks. A. The holes are likely from woodpecker injury, but the tree may have some other issues. Has the tree been in a state of decline for a while? Perhaps branch dieback, leaf drop or other symptoms?…Read more about Gaping wounds likely a woodpecker’s work[Read More]

Eastern Red Cedars Volunteer Way Too Often
In the Grow (Q & A)

Q. I am wondering what you might know about the small “red cedar trees” that seem to be invading fencerows and highways, especially U.S. 31 north of Kokomo. I think a column from you would be worthwhile, since I can`t seem to get my neighbors to control the “pretty little trees,” which are much like Canadian thistle and kudzu. — E.W., Kokomo A. The eastern red cedar is a juniper, rather than a true cedar. Known…Read more about Eastern Red Cedars Volunteer Way Too Often[Read More]