Category: Autumn/Fall
Growing Trees from Seed
Many trees can be grown from seed that is collected in your own backyard, but you should be prepared for what lies ahead. Plants may not come true from seed, so don’t be too disappointed if the new plants are not what you expected. In addition, many woody plant seeds require special treatment before they can germinate and grow new plants. Many of our modern ornamental and fruit trees must be propagated by means other […]
All America Winners for 2001
Nine new garden plants have been awarded the prestigious honor of being an All America Selection (AAS) for the year 2001. These new cultivars have been judged as superior in their class based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. For the flower garden, the first award winner is Zinnia “Profusion White,” a daisy-like, white zinnia with good resistance to powdery mildew. The sun-loving plants spread 12-24 inches and are loaded with […]
All-America Winners for 2000
Nine new garden plants will be the first to have been awarded the prestigious honor of being an All-America Selection (AAS) in the new millennium! These new cultivars have been judged as superior in their classes, based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. For the flower garden, the first award winner is Cosmos sulphureus ‘Cosmic Orange,’ a compact plant reaching about 12 inches tall. Cosmic Orange promises to provide a blanket […]
Storing Apples for the Winter
Though this year’s peach crop may have been a disappointment, most gardeners are finding apples in abundance! Most trees are bearing above-average loads, and many home-growers will be searching for new recipe ideas to use up the heavy yields. Why not store some of your crop for fresh eating throughout the winter? As a general rule, the later-maturing cultivars, such as Red Delicious, Northern Spy, Stayman, Winesap, Rome Beauty, Turley and Idared, are better keepers […]
Still Time To Plant Spring Flowering Bulbs This Fall
There’s still time to get those spring-flowering bulbs in the ground yet this fall. Though generally it is recommended to get the bulbs planted by early October to give them enough time to root before winter, it is better to plant now rather than try to store the bulbs over winter. As long as the soil temperatures are above 40 degrees F., the bulbs should continue their root development. Most garden centers still have a […]
Pumpkins May Need a Temporary Home
It seems that pumpkins often mature much earlier than we would like, and this year is probably even earlier than usual. The extremely warm growing season has brought the pumpkins on in a hurry. And unfortunately, the dry weather might contribute to an early end for the pumpkin plants, unless you’re able to irrigate on a regular basis. The conditions needed to store pumpkins until Halloween are pretty hard to find this time of year. […]
Bringing Houseplants Back Indoors
Many houseplants thrive during the long, bright summer days, especially when properly moved outdoors. But these plants may have some trouble adjusting to indoor conditions when colder weather strikes. Many of our common indoor plants are native to the tropical or subtropical climates and cannot tolerate cold temperatures. Houseplants should be brought back inside before the outdoor temperature drops to 55 F. If days are warm but night temperatures are cold, you might consider bringing […]
All America Winners for 1999
Eleven new garden plants have been awarded the prestigious honor of being an All America Selection (AAS) for 1999. These new cultivars have been judged as superior in their class based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. For the flower garden, the first award winner is Begonia ‘Pin-Up Flame,’ selected for its distinctive colored petals. Although it is a single-flowered type, the yellow petals are quite large and striking with orange-red […]
Preparing the Garden for Winter
Many of us gardeners have mixed feelings about this time of year: sad to see another garden year draw to a close, but at the same time relieved to get a break from the chores of weeding, watering, pruning and more weeding. But before you hibernate, there are still a few more chores to take care of outdoors. Winter mulch isn’t necessary for all garden plants, but it can mean survival for some less hardy […]
Harvesting and Preserving Gourds
While gourds are often a part of today’s Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations, they date back to 2200 B.C., making them among the oldest cultivated plants in history. Since the times of the Egyptian tombs, their shells have been used as dippers or containers for grain storage; other types are edible when young and tender. The term “gourd” is most correctly applied to the hard-shelled members of the vine crops known as cucurbits and includes plants […]