B. Rosie Lerner Purdue Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist The recent Arctic blast that visited our area made for a rather dramatic leaf fall in many neighborhoods. With large quantities of leaves blowing around their yards, some people may be tempted to resort to the old-fashioned and effective method of burning. However, in addition to being illegal in many areas, leaf burning leads to air pollution and is a health and fire hazard. The smoke from […]
By B. Rosie Lerner Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist Winter mulch isn’t necessary for all garden plants, but it can mean survival for some less hardy ones. Winter mulch has a different purpose than summer mulch. The main benefits of winter cover are to protect against wide temperature fluctuations in the soil and to prevent extreme cold temperatures from harming plants. The goal is to keep the plants dormant, rather than to keep them warm. If […]
B. Rosie Lerner, Consumer Horticulture Extension Specialist Herb gardeners can snip fresh herbs throughout the winter by propagating their garden plants now. There are several approaches to overwintering plants. One easy method is to dig up a plant, or a portion of one, and pot it up. Plants such as chives, lemon balm, mint, burnet and sweet woodruff can be lifted and divided into sections to create more plants. Dividing is a fairly foolproof method […]
(Released: 07 November 1996) By B. Rosie Lerner Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist Although the outdoor garden may be getting ready for its long winter nap, you can continue to harvest the fresh flavor of herbs by growing a windowsill garden. Many herbs, including dill, parsley, thyme, chives, oregano, and mint, are adaptable to growing indoors in a sunny window. While some of these herbs may grow to be several feet tall in the garden, thankfully, […]