The plants we call Holiday Cactus may be either Christmas cactus or Thanksgiving cactus. Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergera truncatus) has oblong, bright green stem segments 1-1/2 to 2-1/2 inches long with 4 to 8 prominent sawtoothed marginal projections that point forward. The flowers have a short tube-like form with spreading, pointed petals, similar to trumpets. The plant bears deep pink, red, orange, or white flowers, up to 3 inches long, from late autumn to winter. The […]
This year brought a bumper crop of 11 new All-America Selections (AAS) garden flowers and vegetables judged to be superior based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. Dianthus ‘Supra Purple’ was selected for its early and prolific blooming and improved heat tolerance. The 1.5-inch, fringed, purple blooms literally cover the 12-inch plants. ‘Supra Purple’ also makes excellent cut flowers and performs best in full sun. Diascia integerrima ‘ Diamonte Coral Rose’ […]
Although the cranberry is native to the northeastern United States, it requires a rather unique acid bog habitat, which restricts its commercial production to just a few states. The ideal soil pH is 4.0-5.5, quite acidic compared to other horticulture crops. A large supply of fresh water and sand is also required. Cranberries belong to the family Ericaceae and are related to rhododendron, blueberry and heather. Known botanically as Vaccinium macrocarpon , cranberries grow on […]
What is that rhododendron doing re-blooming in the middle of October? Well, actually, it might be more correct to think of it as jumping the gun on next spring rather than re-blooming. Although it happens to some extent many years, there seems to be more reports than usual of blooming out of sequence this fall. Rhododendrons, crab apples and saucer magnolias are the most commonly reported species blooming this fall. Spring-blooming woody plants […]
It’s that time of year when visions of Halloween conjure up all kinds of ghoulish-looking gourds! While they are traditional decor at Halloween and Thanksgiving, gourds aren’t just for decoration. Gourds date back to 2200 B.C., making them among the oldest cultivated plants in history. They have been used as dippers or containers for grain storage, and other types are edible when young and tender. The term “gourd” is most correctly applied to several species […]
The hot dry weather experienced throughout much of Indiana is bringing an early leaf drop to many landscape plants. While there is potential for a rainbow of colors, the stressful conditions may make for a less-than-awesome display. For some homeowners, the annual show is overshadowed by chores of leaf raking and disposal. What’s needed here is an attitude adjustment! Autumn leaves don’t have to become trash. On the contrary, they easily can be turned into […]
If you’re looking to add some new bold and beautiful colors to your garden next season, All-America Selections (AAS) has selected some outstanding new plants for 2005. These new cultivars have been judged superior in their class, based on their performance in test gardens all over the country. Gaillardia ‘Arizona Sun’ is a dwarf perennial blanket flower that packs loads of blossoms in its first season from seed, making it just as useful as […]
If you’re a gardener interested in propagating your own garden and landscape plants, Purdue has just the tool for you. Purdue University’s “Plant Propagation” CD-ROM is kind of like a well-illustrated book AND a hands-on class — only better! In “Plant Propagation,” you can read about each technique and immediately see how it’s done. There are 52 videos and hundreds of photos, animations, and graphics that show everything from the simplest planting of a seed […]
Now that other yard chores have slowed down, many gardeners turn to their landscape plants to assess their pruning needs. Dead limbs can and should be taken down whenever they are present. But cutting into live tissue should be delayed until late winter or early spring. That is the time of year when the pruning cuts will heal most rapidly. Pruning at the wrong time of year will not kill a tree or shrub outright, […]
Though drought in summer is more the norm, lack of rain this fall has resulted in late-season wilting of landscape plants. Such drought-stressed plants will be in poor condition to face winter, unless gardeners take action. Though trees, shrubs and hardy perennials will be dormant in the winter, they continue to lose moisture through the biological process known as transpiration. Once the ground freezes, plant roots will no longer be able to take up water […]