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 […]
Fall is an excellent time to grow many vegetable crops in Indiana when the gardener can take advantage of cooler temperatures and more plentiful moisture. Many spring-planted crops, such as radishes, lettuce and spinach, tend to bolt (produce seed) and become bitter in response to long, hot summer days. Fall gardening helps extend your gardening season so that you can continue to harvest produce after earlier crops have faded. Some vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower […]
If your perennials are looking a bit peaked this time of year, coneflowers may be just what the plant doctor ordered! The name coneflower actually refers to several different species of plants, but all have a similar type of flower structure. The flowers are in clusters that form a “head,” just like a sunflower or daisy type flower. Each of what appears to be a petal is actually an entire flower. Purple coneflower, known botanically […]
Hot and dry may be just fine for picnics, ball games, and other outdoor activities. But for gardeners, hot and dry means its time to drag out the hoses and sprinklers. Most gardeners are accustomed to watering flower beds and vegetable gardens. These plants require approximately 1 to 1 1/2 inches of water per week to maintain healthy flowers, foliage, roots, and fruits. In times of drought, established plants may tolerate 10-14 days between waterings […]
Rosie Lerner, Purdue Consumer Horticulture Specialist Released 17 June 1999 Perhaps you’ve heard of the old saying? “Leaves of three, let it be?” Excellent advice for those who are sensitive to the poison ivy plant. A Perplexing Plant Poison ivy, Toxicodendron radicans, is generally a woody plant with three leaflets; that is, each individual leaf is subdivided into three leaf-like structures. But that’s where the generalizing ends. Poison ivy can be a vine growing up […]
If you’d like to have a few more of those prized lilac shrubs in your yard, now’s the time to put your green thumb to work. Many ornamental shrubs and trees easily can be propagated by stem cuttings. Cuttings taken from the succulent, new growth that occurred this spring also are referred to as softwood cuttings. These cuttings usually root easier and faster than cuttings taken from harder wood later in the season. However, softwood […]
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. Generally, the temperature below the snow increases by about 2 degrees F for each inch of accumulation. In addition, the soil gives off some […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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