What plant started its life as a roadside weed, yet has managed to find its way into nearly every perennial garden in the Midwest? Despite its humble beginnings, the daylily has become the backbone of the flower garden palette for a number of reasons. The daylily is easy to propagate, tolerates most soil conditions, is quite winter hardy, adapts to partial shade as well as full sun, comes in a wide range of colors, has […]
Looking for a vigorous climber that has a long season of bloom and can adapt to just about any garden soil? Sound too good to be true? Well, clematis pretty well lives up to the challenge. There are numerous species and literally hundreds of cultivars of clematis, some of which are better adapted to Indiana’s soils and climate than others. Unless you have extremely compacted and poorly drained soil, there’s a selection that you can […]
Plants have names, just like people do. Sometimes two or more plants share the same name, or an individual plant may be known by several different names, depending on local and family traditions. So the everyday, common names we give plants can be confusing to gardeners. To make the naming of plants more precise and universal, an international system of naming plants is used by scientists and plant professionals. Known as the “International Code of […]
It may be too hot for outdoor chores, but you can still quench your thirst for gardening by bringing in your flowers for drying. Dried plant materials can last almost forever when properly harvested and preserved. Some plants are naturally dry, while others must be processed to remove moisture. Those that are naturally dry, such as grasses, pine cones, cattails and dried seed pods, will need little processing before arranging. Harvest grass plumes after they […]
As if gardening chores aren’t strenuous enough by this time of year, Mother Nature’s heat wave is making life even more difficult. Tomatoes, peppers, melons, squash, pumpkins, cucumbers and beans often drop their blossoms without setting fruit when day temperatures are above 90 degrees Fahrenheit. There’s not much you can do but wait for cooler temperatures to prevail. As more favorable conditions return, the plants will resume normal fruit set. Sweet corn also is likely […]
If you’ve noticed a lot of fruit dropping from trees in your home orchard lately, chances are good that the plants are simply shedding excess fruit. Most trees set many more flowers than needed for a full crop, especially following a relatively mild winter. Only one bloom in 20 is needed for a good crop on a full-blossoming apple tree. Although the small fruit drop in June can be alarming, it’s just nature’s way of […]
A floral garnish can add color and elegance to a dinner party that your guests will never forget. Many garden flowers can be used as edible garnish or to lend flavor and color to a cooked dish. But be sure to read up before you begin…some flowers can lead to upset stomach, or worse, if eaten in large quantities. Blossoms of borage, chrysanthemum, cornflower and dianthus can float in a bowl of soup or punch. […]
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