The following news stories are written by Rosie Lerner, Extension Consumer Horticulture Specialist, and are distributed to news media around the state by Agricultural Communication Service, at Purdue University.
The poinsettia, the most popular holiday plant, is best known as the plant with bright red flowers on a green background. But what most people think of as the flowers are actually colored bracts or leaves, which surround a small, yellowish-green structure that is the true flower. Today’s poinsettia is much improved from the poinsettia of even five years ago, thanks to plant breeders. Although red is still the most popular color, pink-, salmon- and […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]