Hardy Primroses are showy plants which fit in well with any Spring bedding design. The small flowers are graceful and dainty and the varieties can be so chosen that they will be in bloom from April for a month. Primroses grow from 6 inches to 18 inches high and have light green, hairy leaves. The colors of the hardy sorts range from white to the darkest crimson and yellow. Some of the varieties are double, and others present this appearance because the petals are wavy and crinkled.
The hardy sorts of Primroses are derived from Primula elatior, P, veris and P. vulgaris. These are much of one type, the flowers being borne in umbels or clusters of six to twelve flowers. There is, however, another interesting species, P. japonica, the Japanese Primrose, which bears the flowers so that one umbel, or cluster, is above another. The colors vary from rich dark crimson through the intermediate tints to white. The petals are of heavy texture and waved. Almost all the varieties of Primroses are worth growing and wherever planted, they increase in beauty and interest with each succeeding year.
UTILIZE. Primulas make delightful subjects for the rock garden, edging a shady border or against old walls. They naturalize readily along streams, woods or shrubbery and are also suited for growing in porch boxes or in pots. The flowers are fragrant and make splendid cut flowers.
GENERAL. Primulas are not difficult to grow, yet they reward one for any amount of trouble. One of the first requisites is to keep the soil moist. The plants will die if they are allowed to pass through the dry Summer months without plenty of water. Primroses should be planted in a rich, well-drained soil in a shaded nook in order. to protect the plants from the hot sunshine during the Summer. Slight protection during Winter is needed, such as a light mulching of leaves and straw. In the Fall, if the crowns of any of the plants are above the surface of the soil, these plants should be taken up and reset. Primroses resent a great deal of cultivation; good, rich soil, partially shaded quarters and plenty of moisture are all they need.
PROPAGATION. Primroses are usually propagated by seeds sown in March in a coldframe or in May to July outdoors in shaded places. The seed should just be scratched into the surface soil and firmed. The plants can also be divided early in Spring or in the Fall.
The few requirements for primroses are easily met and are found in practically every garden. They do require shade throughout Mid-America, but this is always available on the north side of the house or in the shade of shrubs, evergreens, or trees. Primroses not only offer a variety of form, size, color, the habit of growth, but bloom (depending upon the variety) over a considerable period of time. Starting with the early Juliae hybrids such as ‘Wanda’ which blooms about pussy willow time, one continues through the mass of bloom of the polyanthus through to the double and triple decked flowers of the Japanese primroses in late May and even early June. Some of the less common helodoxa primroses may even bloom up into July. Not many other plants give such a long period of bloom.
It’s easy to get started with primroses. Blooming size plants of the more common forms are available from many nurseries. From the Pacific Coast primrose specialists, you can buy flowering size plants of many different kinds. At certain times of the year they offer seedling primroses at very attractive prices. These young vigorous plants take hold quickly and give considerable bloom the following spring. Primroses may be grown from seeds. Although only the more common kinds such as Polyanthus are available from the average seed store, primrose specialists handle a wide range of species and varieties.
Most primroses are very easy to grow from seeds. Contrary to the recommendations of some primrose specialists, there is no need of freezing the seeds before planting. As long as the temperatures are not up in the 80’s day and night, primrose seeds can be sown either outdoors or indoors. The greatest difficultly in raising primroses from seeds however, is sowing the seeds in the proper sort of seed bed.
A mixture of equal parts sand and peat moss with the seeds covered 1/16 to 1/18 of an inch with this material seems to be ideal. Since there is no nourishment in this mixture, an inch layer of it can be put on top of a soil mixture made up of equal parts of soil, sand, and peat. Primrose seeds may be sown in early August, although if the temperatures are high it may pay to put the seed pans or flats in a cool cellar until the seeds germinate.
The seeds may be sown in November for spring germination in the cold frame or can be sown any time during the fall in the greenhouse to be kept growing throughout the winter. Seeds may also be sown outdoors, preferably in a cold the sand and peat seed bed will give wonderful results. I personally have had equally good results sowing the seeds in a greenhouse in October, in the greenhouse in January, the cold frame in March and in early August.
After the seedlings get their second or third leaves they can be transplanted. Again the soil mixture is very important. You will probably get better root growth if they are put in a bed or in flat rather than in individual pots. Make the soil of equal parts garden loam and peat. Mix a cup of any complete commercial fertilizer with each bushel of the soil mixture.
The more common vigorous primroses such as Polyanthus can be planted three inches apart. The smaller ones can be put closer together. If, during the spring and early summer, you are planting the primrose seedlings in a cold frame, they should have a mixture of at least equal parts peat and soil and preferably three parts peat to one part soil. There should be a bed of this four to six inches deep for them to grow in. Again the fertilizer should be thoroughly mixed through the bed before planting.
For many of you who are buying seedlings or growing your own seedlings, better results will be obtained in most gardens by growing them in a cold frame where they can be shaded with muslin (an old sheet) or by a lath shade. If they are kept thoroughly watered throughout the summer and fertilized every two to three weeks with a liquid fertilizer they will make an enormous amount of growth during the summer.
The root systems will be at least the size of your fist and every bit of it will come out in the peaty mixture that you have them growing in. You will learn from experience as you try to grow some of the less common and more difficult primroses that you may have to keep a number of the species in a shaded cold frame rather than try to plant them in the garden itself.
Primroses, with the exception of Florindae, helodoxa, Bulleyana, Beesiana, and japonica require a well drained soil. These we have just mentioned, however, will grow in a relatively wet soil. Florindae and japonica will thrive in a bog.
Before planting any primroses in the garden proper the bed should be prepared by mixing the soil so it is at least half peat to a depth of at least eight inches. As with all other planting, a complete commercial fertilizer should be mixed with the soil.
Primroses can be planted in early spring, in late spring after they have finished blooming when they are normally divided, or in the early fall. The more common primroses seem to be perfectly hardy and except for a light mulch to prevent heaving they do not require a great deal of winter protection.
Primroses should be fertilized regularly. In the early spring before growth starts scatter a complete commercial fertilizer such as a 4-12-4 or something similar over the entire bed. Another application can be given in the early fall to stimulate a little fall growth before the ground freezes.
The worst primrose pest and the one that probably kills more primroses than any other through the Midwest is the spider mite (red spider). Because primrose leaves are close to the ground, it is difficult to contact these mites with the average dust or spray. The use of natural products to control mites is recommended.
Slugs are always around primroses because they grow in the shade. Either prepared slug bait sold under various trade names. They should be used at least once a month starting with April and continuing through the season until fall freezing. Sow bugs may be controlled by dusting or spraying with chlordane.
Now we are confronted with the problem of knowing what primroses to grow. In the past the English were considered as having the best primroses. But today it is interesting to know that in England the florists using primroses for cut flowers are growing not their own hybrids but those of our own Pacific Coast primrose specialists. They are hybrid Polyanthus.
There is no question but that the bulk of primroses in your garden will be Polyanthus. The range of color is from white to cream to yellow to orange to pink to red to purple to blue. The flowers are from one half inch in ordinary ones up to silver dollar size in the improved strains. They may be purchased as mixed plants or according to colors. The same is true of the seeds. There is nothing more showy in a spring garden than Polyanthus primroses. They are usually perfectly hardy and given the proper soil and other conditions they will multiply.
Japanese primroses are seldom grown to the extent that they should be although they are just as easy to grow. They do not multiply as much as the Polyanthus, but their 18-24 inch spikes of white, pink, or red flowers are magnificent. If you have a wet poorly drained shaded spot in your yard they will thrive there. They are very fast growing from seeds.
Somewhat similar to the Japanese primroses with more delicate colors are Bulleyana and Beesiana. They do not seem to be quite so hardy or as easy to grow as japonica.
Auriculas are very different from their sister primroses. They have smooth leaves that look almost like small cabbage leaves. The flowers come in cream, pale yellow, lavender and purple. They are relatively easy to grow from seeds, but in many gardens will not be as permanent. Personally, I find that they winter better in the cold frame, then they can be put out into the beds in the spring where they can be seen and enjoyed.
Primula denticulata has rather wide spreading leaves and a little compact head of lavender flowers in the early spring. It is a good grower and easy to grow. In the cooler climates, it may develop into sizable clumps. Others may find that they are not quite as permanent as the Polyanthus.
Many parts of the country reached record heat levels this summer. Whether this year’s summer weather left you with brown patches of grass or dried-out flower beds, now is the time to begin repairing and replenishing. Waiting until next spring to start over can leave you with a huge project. Instead, you might consider completing a few of the following projects to get a start on a beautiful, thriving lawn for next year.
Do a Final Weed Pull
Fall is the perfect time to go through your yard and pull any remaining weeds. While you shouldn’t have as many weeds as you did during spring or summer, some weeds will continue growing into the fall months. Waiting to pull these weeds until spring gives them time to germinate, which means they could come back stronger than ever. In fact, fall may be the best time of the year to deal with difficult weeds, like Creeping Charlie or Dandelion.
Complete a Thorough Yard Cleanup
Lawn furniture and decor can block sunlight and rain from reaching parts of your lawn. Putting your outdoor furniture away a little early gives you time to repair these damaged parts of your lawn through other techniques, like core aeration and lawn seeding. Go through your yard and remove all furniture, decorations, branches, and garbage.
Make sure you also clean up any garden beds to prevent weeds from spreading to other parts of your lawn. This is also a good time to go through your yard, trim back any hanging branches, and clean out the gutters. Otherwise, the broken branches or extra leaves will eventually make it to your lawn, adding even more damage. A well-maintained lawn now means you’ll be ready to enjoy the outdoors as soon as better weather returns.
Schedule Your Core Aeration Appointment
A core aeration appointment is one of the best ways to repair your lawn after a long, dry, hot summer. Lawn aeration services involve loosening compacted soil, which allows more nutrients, water, and oxygen to reach the grass’s roots, helping them to thrive. Schedule your core aeration appointment as soon as possible to ensure you get it done before winter comes.
Overseeding is also a good idea, especially in excessively damaged parts of your lawn or areas with thin grass. Lawn aeration pulls plugs from your grass, which makes room for essential nutrients to reach the roots. Adding seeds during this time also ensures they’re able to reach deep into the roots, which encourages better growth.
Water Your Lawn and Then Water More
It’s also a good idea to continue watering your lawn, especially after aeration and seeding services. If you live in an area with high fall rainfall, you might not have to water as frequently. However, it’s important to ensure that your newly planted seeds have ample water to grow into a thriving lawn.
Plan Next Year’s Landscaping Schedule
Fall is also a good time to evaluate your lawn goals and to put a landscaping plan in place for next spring. Spring will come fast, and before you know it, it’ll be time to begin working toward your landscaping goals. Whereas fall is the best time for lawn aeration and seeding services, spring is when you’ll want to complete a thorough yard cleanup and remove debris. Spring is also an excellent time for fertilizing your lawn.
Keep Mowing Your Lawn
Avoid putting your lawn mower away too early. Keep your lawn mower handy until your area gets its first frost. As a general rule, your last lawn mowing should be somewhere between October and November, but this may vary depending on the current weather and your location. Ideally, you want your lawn to be between two and two and a half inches after your last cutting. Continue cutting to this length until winter arrives. This grass length is perfect for surviving winter. Anything shorter and your lawn roots can be exposed to freezing temperatures. Anything longer, and your lawn is at risk of yard diseases.
Give It Time
Repairing damaged lawns takes time. The cooler weather that comes with fall should help repair some damage. However, lawns with more excessive damage may require services like professional lawn aeration or seeding.
Excessive heat, increased foot traffic, and summer pests can wreak havoc on your lawn during the summer months. The good news is that fall is the best time to begin repairing some of that damage. Taking steps to repair dried, damaged grass now can minimize your spring cleanup needs while ensuring you can begin enjoying your yard as soon as the warmer weather returns.
Ivy (Hedera spp.) makes an awesome houseplant. Its trailing vines are an attractive addition to any indoor space and it’s a pretty easy plant to grow.
Instead of paintings, my mother liked to decorate the walls of our living room with ivy. This living art brought nature to our home and brightened our indoor space – a welcome sight during our long Canadian winters.
This climbing plant is also extremely versatile – you can train it into a topiary or allow its trailing vines to cascade over furniture. It does well in low to medium humidity, cool temperatures, and bright indirect light.
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Propagating ivy from cuttings is an easy method to produce more plants. There are two ways you can do this – by rooting in medium or in water.
Here’s what we’ll cover:
How to Propagate Ivy Cuttings
Getting Started
Before you take your cuttings and get started on this project, you’ll need to gather your supplies.
You’ll need:
A healthy plant
Clean knife, scissors, or shears
Propagation pots
Propagation media
Pencil or dowel
Rooting hormone (optional)
Glass jar for rooting in water (if applicable)
Once your cuttings have taken root, you’ll also need potting soil and a container to transplant your new plants into.
Rooting in media is the preferred method of propagating cuttings since it is more likely to succeed than rooting in water.
Start by preparing your propagation container and rooting medium. Choose a pot or propagation tray that will fit the desired number of stems.
For example, if you use a four-inch pot, it can hold two cuttings. You will need to make sure the cuttings aren’t crowded or they may end up rotting.
Fill your container with a pre-moistened propagation medium such as a mix of perlite and coarse sand, or a mixture of peat moss with perlite or sand.
Using a pencil or dowel, make two-inch-deep holes in the rooting medium where your cuttings will be placed.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
Choose a healthy shoot and look for a leaf node – the place where a leaf attaches to a stem. This is a good location for new roots to form.
Ivy also has aerial roots along its stem close to leaf nodes – these roots help it to climb trees and other structures in nature.
For propagation, stem sections that contain these adventitious roots have an even better chance of rooting than stem sections without them.
Using a clean knife or other tool, take a four- to six-inch cutting, right below a leaf node.
Cuttings six inches or shorter are ideal because the resulting plant will be bushy rather than leggy. Take off all the leaves from the bottom two inches.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
At this point, you can choose whether to use rooting hormone or not. Your chances of success will be greater if you opt to use it.
If using, pour a small amount of rooting hormone powder into a container. Place the bottom inch of the stem in the rooting hormone and swirl it around to coat the base of the stem.
Lightly tap the cutting against the container to get rid of any excess powder.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
If you find the powder isn’t sticking to your cutting, you can try wetting the bottom of the stem, tapping to get rid of excess water, then repeating the steps above with rooting powder.
Place your cuttings into the premade holes in the propagation medium, trying not to wipe off the rooting hormone as you do. Gently pat down the soil around the stems so they stay upright.
Keeping your cuttings covered will help decrease water loss. If you use a propagation tray as your rooting container, then you can easily cover it with a plastic dome to keep the environment humid.
If you use a pot, put it in a plastic bag and tie it up or put a plastic bag upside down over your pot.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
Keep the pots in a location with bright, indirect light and ensure that the soil remains consistently moist.
After six to eight weeks, you can check if your cuttings have rooted by gently tugging them. If they resist, they are rooted!
If you want to be sure, you can try carefully lifting out the plant with a pencil or other tool. There should be a few inch-long roots present before you pot up the cuttings. New leaf development is also an indication that they have rooted.
Potting up your cuttings instead of keeping them in the propagation medium ensures your new plant gets off to the best start.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
Choose a small container for each rooted cutting – a four- to five-inch pot should do – with drainage holes.
Fill it with a pre-moistened potting soil that retains water well, make a hole the size of the root ball, and set your plant so that the top of the root ball is an inch below the top of the container. Backfill with soil.
Water the soil until the extra water flows out the bottom of the pot. Then put a saucer under your pot and place it in a sunny spot out of direct light. Now sit back and marvel at your new ivy plant!
Rooting in Water
An aesthetically pleasing way to root ivy is in water – a decorative glass vase or even a water glass filled with stems looks beautiful. Plus, you’ll see the new roots forming through the clear glass.
Since they were rooted in water, these cuttings won’t have had time to develop the root hairs they will need to absorb water from soil.
This means they have less chance of survival than those propagated in media. However, it’s still a simple and fun way to create more plants, so it’s definitely worth a try.
With a clean blade take a four- to six-inch cutting measuring from the tip of the stem and cut just below a leaf node.
Photo by Alicja Szubert.
Leaving at least two or three leaves at the top, remove the rest of the leaves from the bottom three inches of the cutting. No leaves should be in the water or even touching the water.
Then, simply place the stems in three inches of water in a glass or a jar and find a home for them near a north-facing window or in indirect light.
You can put your cuttings together in one container or in individual containers.
Change the water every few days or when you see it turning cloudy to prevent algae or bacteria buildup.
After a few weeks, you’ll see the new roots forming. Wait until these are about an inch or two long before moving on to the next step.
For the cuttings’ new home, find a pot with drainage holes that is just big enough for the root system – a four- to five-inch container should provide the roots ample room.
Using a pre-moistened water retentive potting soil, fill the pot with potting soil up to an inch below the rim of the container.
Create a hole in the soil, and gently set your rooted cutting inside, ensuring that the top of the root system is level with the soil surface.
Fill in any gaps with the potting soil, firming it down to keep the stem upright and ensure contact between the soil and root system. Water the soil until the water flows out under the bottom of the pot to get rid of any air pockets.
Increase humidity around your plant by covering the pot with a plastic bag, making sure the bag doesn’t interfere with the foliage. After a few days, open the bag slowly – a little more each day – to get the young plant used to the new environment.
After a week or so, remove the bag and set your new ivy plant in a location with bright, indirect light and enjoy!
Worth the Wait
If you want to increase your houseplant collection, propagating ivy cuttings is an easy way to add to your indoor jungle.
Two months may seem like a long time to wait for ivy to root, but rooting in water means you’ll have a beautiful display that is sure to catch the eye in the meantime.
Rooting in medium is simple and sure to give you a strong new plant to enjoy. So either way you choose, it’s worth the wait!
Are you growing ivy? Have you tried propagation? Tell us about it in the comments section below.
We live in an era when technology largely rules the roost. At every turn we’re bombarded by new electronic devices, apps, and functionality intended to make our lives better, or at least to make some things easier. However, I question that any time I’m troubleshooting software problems, rebooting devices, or talking to customer service to resolve a technical difficulty. Despite these pitfalls, there’s one area of tech that I find myself increasingly impressed with and excited about—nature and gardening apps.
These digital applications for smartphones have put powerful tools right at our fingertips. Although there’s something wonderful about opening a reference book to discover the identity of a mystery insect, digital apps can cut your investigation time from hours down to minutes. Plus, because digital databases can be populated and updated faster than books, it’s likely that the app info is more current.
Another interesting aspect about some of these apps is that they’re community-science supported, which means that the users can help increase the scientific knowledge base by reporting their observations. For example, an app user can relay that they spotted an invasive weed or bird species in their area, which helps scientists and other users know the species’ range or that it’s on the move.
There are many different types of gardening and nature apps to choose from, with the most popular being in the area of identification. The following are major categories to search for in your smartphone’s app store the next time you’re curious about something in the garden or you have a problem to solve. You might consider searching garden design, plant maintenance/care, and vegetable garden planning as well—because I guarantee there’s an app for those too.
Join the conversation
What is your favorite gardening app? Your gardening community would love to know. If you’re a Fine Gardening All Access member, visit our forum to share your favorite app with fellow gardeners on the Gardening Answers online forum. Visit by clicking here!
Ever fall in love with a plant while walking through the neighborhood or on a hike and have no clue what it is? Or do you have a bothersome mystery weed you think might also be an invasive? Plant identification apps are terrific in such situations. With the snap of a photo on your phone, you can be well on your way to identifying that unknown plant. While these apps don’t always drill down to specific cultivars, they can get you close by zeroing in on the species. Once you know that, an online search can reveal varieties of that plant.
PlantNET
Plant ID
PlantSnap
LeafSnap
Google Lens
Reputable Garden-Pest and Disease-Identification Apps
Among the top questions we get from readers is “What is wrong with my plant?” Pests and diseases are big concerns for gardeners, and identification is the first step in solving the problem. While it is often a good idea to seek identification help and management guidance from your local cooperative extension office, pest and disease ID apps can get you headed in the right management direction or can put your mind at ease when they reveal that the problem is relatively benign.
Agrio
Plant Disease Identifier
PictureThis Premium
Reputable Wildlife-Identification Apps
Many gardeners get just as excited about the wildlife in their gardens as they do about the plants—especially when it comes to birds and butterflies. Lucky for us, there are also apps for identifying our winged visitors and other forms of wildlife, such as amphibians. Some apps can identify birds not only by appearance but also by song. Likewise, apps that help identify butterflies can distinguish them in both their caterpillar and adult stages. And if you’re trying to figure out the bad bugs or pests, you can use some wildlife apps for that also.
Seek by iNaturalist
Merlin Bird ID by Cornell Lab
Leps by Fieldguide
Picture Insect
Jennifer Benner is content editor for Fine Gardening. She has a bachelor’s degree in horticulture from The Ohio State University.
Adding mimosa leaves as a fertilizer to a bed didn’t increase plant growth. Instead, it seems to have stunted it.
A couple months ago we set up a test where we added mimosa (Albizia julibrissin) leaves to one bed, with a control bed next to it. Then we planted a variety of brassicas, including mustard, pak choi and cauliflower. Interestingly, the bed with the mimosa leaves has done worse than the one without.
We got the original idea for using mimosa leaves as fertilizer from a book titled Restoring the Soil by author Roland Bunch. In that book, Bunch describes using fresh Gliricidia sepium leaves as a fertilizer by burying them next to growing crops.
We decided to do the same thing with mimosa.
Here’s what we found:
While watching that video, James asked in the live comments section:
Albizia julibrissin might have some use as a nitrogen-fixer due to the species below-ground nodulation; however, using the high-protein leaves to fertilize a garden bed was not effective. We have used alfalfa as fertilizer before and planted right away, which gave us good results, so the problem isn’t because we were “burying leaves” and soaking up the nitrogen in the soil. The nitrogen in these leaves would preclude that anyways. Burying high-carbon materials can be a problem, not buying “green” composting materials.
There is another issue going on here. My guess is that mimosa is allelopathic and suppressed the growth.
Allelopathy in Mimosa
There is a noticeable difference when the beds are compared side-by-side. It seems there is an allelopathic effect from the leaves which dwarfs brassica growth and induces earlier bolting.
“The current study evaluated the allelopathic potential of the Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) leaf residues on seed germination and biomass attributes of the Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) seedlings. An experiment was conducted based on a completely randomized design by eight replications. Experimental treatments consisted of different levels of leaf residues at concentrations of 0%, 2.5%, 5%,and 7.5%.Germination index was used in order to investigate the effect of allelochemicals on seeds germination. In addition, the effect of allelopathic materials on seedling biomass was measured by calculating the parameters of collar diameter, fresh and dry weight of seedlings, root dry weight, number of leaves, seedling weight vigor index and percentages of seedling water content index. The results revealed that seed germination index, seedling dry weight, seedling fresh and dry root weight and seedling weight vigor index significantly decreased at different concentrations of leaf residues compared to control, but the increase in concentration had no significant effect on these attributes. But higher concentrations of leaf residues had stronger inhibitory effects on seedling collar diameter, fresh seedling weight and the number of leaves per seedling. The present study clearly proved the allelopathic effects of the Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) leaf residues on biomass attributes of the Tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima) seedlings. In addition, the Persian silk tree (Albizia julibrissin) leaf residues can be used to control the irregular growth of Tree of heaven seed as an invasive species, as well as weed management in agroforestry systems which require further studies.”
Note that it reduces biomass, and that it was the “leaf residue” which did so.
I’ve used mimosa as a chop-and-drop tree for a decade or more, yet it appears this might not be a good idea. This is why we do backyard science experiments, instead of just assuming that a method or a species will work.
If you are ready to take your container design to the next level, join us for this course with Barbara Libner, who has been designing stunning containers professionally for over two decades. Barbara will walk you through every step of creating the perfect container as she shares her tips and techniques for better plant combinations, including numerous examples from her own designs and recipes you can follow on your own. Explore the concepts of color, texture, balance, and repetition as you learn to transform your own containers from ordinary to extraordinary. You can view each class on demand and then dive into an online forum where you can share ideas with other course participants and get your questions answered by Barbara herself.
In this course, you will learn how to:
Determine what kind of approach is right for your space and your aesthetic
Choose a container with the best color and material for your space
Develop a planting color scheme that thrills
Get the most bang for your buck when shopping for plants
Choose between seasonal or year-round interest
Get your plants off to the best start when planting
Maintain your creation for maximum longevity
Plan for seasonal swaps to keep the show going
Lesson 1
This initial class will get you familiarized—or refreshed—on the basics of designing a container garden. Barbara will cover why it’s aesthetically important to add containers to your garden and how you can use them to improve your landscape and/or complement your home. She will also dig into choosing the best containers and soil mixes and will explain how to assess the conditions in your garden that will determine what plants will thrive in your containers.
Lesson 2
Have you always wondered why the container gardens in magazines look so much better than the ones you create at home? In this class, Barbara will share the secrets to putting plants together for incredible visual appeal. She will cover choosing color palettes, ways to add contrast and interest, and how to use foliage to maximize the composition’s impact. Finally, all that theory will be put to practical use with Barbara’s special formula for the perfect container: the Fabulous Five.
Lesson 3
This class will teach you how to keep your containers looking stunning for months by choosing the best plants and caring for them as they grow and develop. Barbara will also cover the best ways to embrace seasonality—how to choose plants for multiseason interest and how to swap out plants in a cost-efficient manner. Barbara will also cover features that keep a container looking beautiful every month of the year (yes, even in winter).
About the Presenter
Barbara Libner accidentally turned a lifelong passion for plants and design into a career when a seasonal nursery job became a full-time, decades-long journey of botanical discovery. She specializes in four-season containers for an array of different climates. When not designing containers or being a general plant nerd, she is the lead visual merchandiser for Ravenna Gardens, an independent urban garden center in Seattle. Barbara is a true artist who works with color, texture, and habit to craft potted masterpieces. Her background in art history has trained her to identify and accentuate certain design elements, prioritizing the form of each plant she works with over its color. In fact, if you ask Barbara, it’s the juxtaposition of the different types of foliage in a container planting that gives it long-lasting appeal.
If you like the beauty and impact that ornamental grasses bring to a garden design, you will love the many shapes, forms and colors that North American native species offer. Whether you need a practical groundcover, a dramatic focal point, or an airy filler to knit a matrix planting together, Danielle, Carol, and guest Paula Gross have some options that will inspire you to start your spring shopping list now.
Expert guest: Paula Gross is a horticulture educator at Central Piedmont Community College and co-author of The Southeast Native Plant Primer with Larry Mellichamp and Will Stuart.
Danielle’s Plants
Blue-eyed grass
Blue-eyed grass (Sisyrinchium angustifolium, Zones 4-9)
‘Carousel’ little bluestem (credit: Jim Ault)
‘Carousel’ little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Carousel’, Zones 3-9)
‘Northwind’ switchgrass
‘Northwind’ switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Northwind’, Zones 4-9)
It seems, as the numbers of people getting into gardening still rises, the same applies to the numbers of new plant introductions. With so many plants being introduced every year, there are always the variegated varieties that peak my interest. Not only is a beautiful flower produced on these plants, but the interest of the plant itself is held throughout the entire growing season. The plant’s white or yellow edges cause a different look than the all-green variety, as well as having the capability of brightening up an area without even being in bloom. These plants are just as hardy as their green cousins, so no other care is needed to grow them.
Some variegated varieties that are suitable in many different locations are:
Hosta – This hardy plant is so versatile and almost bomb-proof. It will grow well in full-shade to full-sun, in the poorest of soils and in moist or dry areas. If grown in dry soil, it does appreciate a large soaking once every 4 to 6 weeks, but otherwise no care is needed. Slugs create the only damage to the plants, making holes in the leaves, but this is easily fixed by laying crushed eggshells or used coffee grounds on the soil underneath. The most commonly seen is “Hosta marginata” with the white variegation on the leaves, but more striking is the golden variegated “Golden Tiara”.
Variegated Jacob’s Ladder – This plant certainly makes your head turn when you walk by. The leaves are so finely cut and with the variegated edges, it surely is in a class by itself. As it is a fairly new introduction, don’t be surprised to pay more for it, but it is worth planting even as a specimen plant. It grows best in part-shade and well-drained soil, but will tolerate more clay if it is given.Soft blue bell-like flowers are formed loosely in a spike that emerge from the center above the leaves.
Variegated Brunnera – Also known as “Perennial Forget-Me-Not”, and is a true perennial returning a little larger in size every year. This plant has rough and hairy leavesthat are heart shaped, and tiny blue flowers are formed in clusters on the very top of the stems. Being not a large plant at 8 to 12 inches tall, it would be best mass planted in a part-shade location.
Goldleaf Weigela– This shrub bears crimson pink or red flowers late spring, then the wonderful foliage appears. As the name suggests, its leaves have a golden edge, thus creating a great backdrop for any plants grown in front. This shrub can become very large in size, therefore needing a large area to be planted in. Plant in full sun to part-shade in well-drained soil and it will thrive.
Dappled Willow – If you have a moisture retentive location, this is a shrub to grow. A neat shrub that is easy to maintain, it grows small white-speckled green leaves along the whispy branches. If the leaves are looked at close enough, it seems as though they have been splattered with white paint. To make it more attractive still, the new growth in the spring has a very pink tone on the tips of the branches, thus seeming from a distance that it is in bloom. It can become large if allowed to grow naturally, but pruning the branches even by half their length doesn’t seem to bother this shrub.
Silverleaf Dogwood– The red branches of this shrub keeps winter interest in the garden, then when spring arrives the leaves unfurl to bright green with a pure white edge. Almost startling to look at, it certainly brightens any corner it is placed in. It also can be pruned hard, likes a moist site to grown inand does equally well in either shade or sun.
Many, many more variegated plants are available; either annuals or perennials such as Variegated Geraniums, Variegated Sedum, Variegated Iris, Variegated Money Plant and Variegated Arabis. Certainly any garden can accommodate at least one variegated perennial, annual or shrub, creating beauty and interest in any corner of your garden.
Taking a moment amongst the flowers is something that Rebecca O’Donnell mentions often when talking about the inspiration and mood of her transportive store, The Quiet Botanist in Hudson, New York. Before she and her family relocated from the city, looking for a slower-paced life, the Australian creative director’s days were a whirl of work and travel. “At the time I was struggling with Lyme disease and I needed to slow down,” she says. “The idea was to create a space where I could heal, surrounded by what I love. It was developed out of a desire to slow down and listen.”
Tucked away down an alley, her exquisite store is a hidden treasure box with wooden panelling, stained glass windows, plasterwork ceilings, and floor-to-ceiling flowers. “Others were not so convinced,” she says of the off-the-beaten-track location. “But I loved the fact that it was a store to be discovered and experienced. A hidden gem of sorts where the scent of the flowers lures you in from the street.”
Photography courtesy of The Quiet Botanist.
Above: The beautiful entrance to the store.
The scent of those blooms wafts out the door and down the street, too; interior walls are covered with bunches of everlasting wildflowers, foliage, and ethereal dried wreaths ($220) that will last for three years or more. Tables are bordered with mini dried flower bouquets or sage bundles that combine foliage and flowers with a sage smudge stick ($30).
Rebecca describes herself as a constant gardener but also works closely with local growers in Stuyvesant, including Farmstead and Damsel Garden, who supply almost all the flowers except for some specimens, like banksia, that will not grow locally. Going forward, she plans to return to growing organic crops herself, at her farm nearby along the Hudson River.
Above: Rebecca creates bespoke arrangements presented in handmade vessels such as this Signe Vase made by Brooklyn-based ceramicist, Sarah Donato; $320.
We’re back with Susan Warde in St. Paul, Minnesota! Yesterday we looked back at the year in her front garden, and today we’re taking the same tour through the seasons but in her back garden, where things are a bit shadier but no less beautiful.
May 17: The back garden is shadier than the front, and the colors are subtler, but the unfurling fronds of maidenhair fern (Adiantum pedatum, Zones 3–8) in the foreground and royal fern (Osmunda regalis, Zones 3–9) in the top right give a pop of color to the spring garden. White trillium (Trillium grandiflorum, Zones 3–8) and white-edged hostas light up the background.
May 23: Though this tall Northern Lights azalea’s cultivar name is ‘White Lights’ (Rhododendron ‘White Lights’, Zones 4–8), it is actually pink unless grown in full sun. Bare ground is exposed where I dug out quantities of gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides, Zones 3–8). Tiny shoots kept coming back all summer. I don’t recommend it!
May 27: This area is surrounded by a flagstone path. The small maple (upper left) is Acer × pseudoseiboldianum ‘Ice Dragon’ (Zones 4–8). Hostas (the white-edged ones are ‘Blue Ivory’, Zones 3–8), ferns, bugleweed (Ajuga reptens, Zones 3–10), and astilbes (Astilbe sp., Zones 4–8) crowd around it.
June 5: The back garden is mostly about foliage. Here Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium japonicum, Zones 5–9) maidenhair fern, sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis, Zones 4–8), meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum, Zones 4–7), and three different hostas contrast nicely in a narrow garden along the garage.
June 7: Purple Siberian iris (Iris siberica, Zones 3–8) are in bloom by early June. Behind them is a large clump of narrow-leaved spleenwort (Diplasium pycnocarpon, Zones 3–8).
June 19: At this point I’d begun replanting the space (photo 2) by now more or less free of gooseneck loosestrife. This area of the back garden includes Japanese painted fern and beech fern (Phegopteris connectilis, Zones 2–5) on either side of the ‘El Niño’ hostas. The ground cover on the left is Sedum ‘John Creech’ (Zones 3–8), and there are a couple of patches of wild ginger (Asarum canadense, Zones 4–6). The azalea has leafed out; it will turn orange in September.
July 11: The back garden features pinks and purples in spring. By midsummer most of the blooms are white or lavender. These white spikes, very attractive to pollinators, belong to Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum, Zones 4–8).
August 8: A lot of hostas and many species of ferns fill in the late summer garden.
October 25: It’s all over except for the cleaning up, but a new-this-season clematis is putting out a few last blossoms. On the left is a Korean maple (Acer pseudosieboldianum, Zones 4–8), also reflected in the mirror.
October 28: The back of the garden is lit up by the flame leaves of the ‘Ice Dragon’ maple shown in the third photo. It’s a hardy hybrid between a Japanese maple and a Korean maple.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
Gardening is a highly enjoyable and engaging hobby that is suitable for people of all ages. It keeps you active and encourages you to venture outside into the fresh air and sunlight.
However, there is one major thing that makes gardening more difficult than it needs to be – pests. Garden pests are a common annoyance that many gardeners face. They present various challenges and can cause damage to your plants.
Rodents, insects, and birds can leave droppings on your plants, chew through leaves, and trample your shrubs. As a result, your garden can look worse for wear, and plants may even die as a result of pest-induced damage.
Taking pest prevention steps ensures your garden looks as good as it can and your plants remain healthy throughout the entire year. There are lots of strategies you can adopt to control the pest levels in your garden and get rid of unwanted insects, rodents, and birds quickly before they cause irreversible damage to your garden.
Below, we’ve covered the most common garden pests and effective pest control methods you can use to protect your plants. Note that you will also need to monitor soil temperature and test soil pH to ensure your plants have the optimal environment for growth.
Aphids
Although minuscule, aphids can be detrimental to plants. They suck the sap out of plants, causing the leaves to become distorted and curl at the edges.
Aphids can reproduce at a rapid rate, making them one of the more difficult pests to control. However, with the right steps, you can free your garden of these tiny pests and keep your plants healthy.
The best method to control aphids is to introduce predatory species, such as ladybirds, that will eat the aphids and manage the problem for you. You can also use insecticidal soap that will kill soft-bodied insects, such as aphids if they come into direct contact with the soap.
Caterpillars
As cute as they may look, caterpillars can be a nuisance for gardeners. Caterpillars chew plant leaves, causing aesthetic defects and physical damage.
If you have the time, you can remove caterpillars by hand whenever you spot them. However, if you’d prefer a quicker and less laborious method, you can spray organic pesticides and insecticides on your plants to kill caterpillars before they can cause extensive damage to your garden. Wasps are also a great way to manage the number of caterpillars in your garden, as they are natural predators.
Snails and Slugs
Slugs secrete pellets that contain a compound called metaldehyde, which can poison pets and other wildlife if they eat these pellets or dead snails and slugs. However, even if you don’t have any pets, you’ll still want to control the levels of these pests in your garden.
Snails and slugs can eat several times their body weight in a single sitting, making them deadly for plants. They enjoy chewing on plant debris, leaves, and grass, leaving your garden looking worse for wear and potentially interrupting your plant’s ability to photosynthesize.
Thankfully, there are a lot of effective ways to get rid of snails and slugs, including using:
Organic slug pellets, which contain iron phosphate instead of metaldehyde
Coffee beans or ground coffee to deter them from your plants
Copper tape to act as a barrier to your plants
Snail and slug repellent spray
Nematodes, which act as natural predators of snails and slugs
Whiteflies
Whiteflies are very small but mighty insects. They feed on plant sap and excrete honeydew, which is a sticky substance that can cause your plant’s leaves to wilt.
Although whiteflies are difficult to spot due to their tiny size, you can identify a whitefly infestation by searching for signs of stunted leaf growth or yellowing leaves.
It can be pretty tough, if not impossible, to completely eliminate whiteflies from your garden. However, you can use insecticide soaps, insecticides, natural oils (such as neem oil), and reflective mulches to reduce the number of whiteflies in your garden.
Japanese Beetles
The Japanese beetle has a characteristic and unmissable metallic green and bronze appearance. They can damage plants at the roots, leaves, and flowers when they feed.
Thankfully, there are lots of simple ways to get rid of Japanese beetles from your garden to protect your plants, including natural methods like catnip, garlic, and chives. You can also use repellant sprays, pheromone traps, and pesticides or handpick them from your plants whenever you spot them.
Watering Christmas cactus correctly is essential for maintaining your plant’s health and preserving its beautiful appearance.
In this post, I’ll explain how to tell when it’s time to water your Schlumbergera buckleyi plant, and give detailed step-by-step instructions for keeping it properly hydrated.
By following the techniques in this guide you’ll learn all you need to know about your Christmas cactus plant’s moisture needs, including the best types of water to use, and how to adapt your watering schedule as the seasons change.
Christmas Cactus Water Requirements
The Christmas (aka December) cactus needs consistent moisture, and they don’t like to be overly wet or completely dried out.
Despite their common name, they’re a type of succulent plant, so they can’t tolerate extreme drought conditions that desert cacti thrive in.
In nature they are epiphytes that grow on other plants or rocks, and get most of their moisture from the air rather than the ground.
Does Christmas Cactus Need A Lot Of Water?
Christmas cacti don’t need a lot of water, but they do need consistent moisture, however it’s important not to overdo it.
Over or under watering can cause the leaves, segments, or buds to drop, or lead to root rot, and wilting, mushy leaves, along with other problems.
Unlike some plants, the Christmas cactus isn’t overly sensitive to impurities like salts and fluoride in tap water. That said, I do recommend using distilled or rainwater because they are purer.
To avoid shocking or harming your plant, make sure the water is tepid, or at room temperature. And if you do decide to use city tap water, allow the chlorine to evaporate first by letting it sit out for 24 hours.
Getting ready to water my Christmas cactus
When To Water Christmas Cactus
To know when it’s time to water your Christmas cactus, check the soil regularly. It should be dry 1” deep before giving it more.
I don’t recommend watering on a set schedule because it’s more likely you’ll give it too much. Always check how dry or wet the soil is first.
How Do I Know If My Christmas Cactus Needs Water?
The easiest way to tell if your Schlumbergera buckleyi needs water is to push your finger into the soil. If the top inch feels dry, then it’s time to give your plant a drink.
Alternatively, use a moisture gauge – a small hygrometer probe that displays how much water is in the soil. A reading of 1 to 3 will tell you that it is dry and it’s time to irrigate your plant.
Water meter probe at ideal Christmas cactus moisture level
Should I Water My Christmas Cactus While It’s Blooming?
It’s important to water your Schlumbergera buckleyi while it’s flowering. Keep the soil evenly moist and make sure that it never dries out completely.
But it’s equally important not to overwater during this time, as this can cause the flowers and buds to drop.
When forcing your Christmas cactus to rebloom, reduce the amount of water you give it and allow the soil to dry out more between drinks. Once it sets buds you can return to your regular routine of keeping the soil consistently moist.
Do You Water Christmas Cactus After It Blooms?
Your plant will need a short rest when it’s done flowering, so give it less water at that time and allow the soil to dry out more throughout the winter. Do not to let it become bone dry though.
When you start to see new leaves forming in spring you can return to your regular watering schedule.
How Often To Water Christmas Cactus
There are a few things that influence how often you’ll need to water your December cactus, including the time of year, the environment, and the size of the plant.
In general, you’ll need to water it more frequently during the spring and summer compared to the colder months, particularly if your plant is outside.
The size of the pot makes a difference, too. I recommend checking large containers on a monthly basis and smaller ones weekly.
How Often To Water In Spring & Summer
Spring and summer are the seasons of active growth for your Christmas cactus, so it will need more water during this time.
The increased temperatures and sun exposure will also dry the soil out faster, especially if it’s outdoors.
Check your indoor plant every 2 to 3 weeks to see if it needs a drink, or your outdoor plant weekly.
Start cutting down on the amount of water you give your Schlumbergera buckleyi in late summer.
How Often To Water In Fall & Winter
You won’t need to water as much during the cooler months as the plant’s growth begins to slow down.
Allowing it to dry out more in the fall will encourage it to flower. Once it sets buds in early winter, keep the soil evenly moist to stop the buds and/or flowers from dropping.
Make it a weekly habit to check your plant during the colder months. Your heating system can dry out the indoor air, which means you may have to water more often.
Watering Christmas cactus from the top
How Much To Water Christmas Cactus
Your December cactus should never dry out completely, since this can cause the buds and flowers to drop and the leaves to wilt.
But you need to be careful not to give it too much water either, as the roots may rot if the soil is soggy.
Instead, check the soil using your finger or a moisture gauge and only give your plant a drink if the top inch is dry, or the gauge shows a reading between 1 and 3.
Underwatering Symptoms
It’s less common to underwater a Christmas cactus than to give it too much, but it’s good to know the signs just in case.
You’ll notice that some of the symptoms listed below are very similar to those of overwatering. That’s why it’s so important to determine if your plant really does need a drink before giving it more.
The signs of an underwatered Schlumbergera buckleyi are:
Buds and/or flowers dropping
Entire plant looks droopy
Dry, pale-looking soil
Soil pulling away from the inside of the pot
Leaves turning brown or look lighter in color
Overwatering Symptoms
Not only is overwatering far more common than underwatering, it’s also the #1 killer. Although they like consistent moisture, saturating the soil can cause irreparable harm.
Here are the signs that your Christmas cactus is getting too much.
Soggy soil, with water puddling on the surface
Mushy, limp, or droopy leaves and branches
Buds and/or flowers dropping
Leaves and segments dropping
Mushy roots
Tiny gnats flying around the plant
A sour smell caused by rotting roots, branches, or stems
Yellow leaves on overwatered Christmas cactus
Christmas Cactus Watering Techniques
There are two different methods you can use to irrigate your Schlumbergera buckleyi – either watering from the top or the bottom.
Top-watering is the best method to use, as soaking the rootball can quickly over-saturate the soil. Below, I’ll describe both techniques and the pros and cons of using them.
Top Watering
To water from the top, pour it slowly over the soil until it pools briefly on the surface and you can see it flowing through the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot.
Avoid pouring water over the top of the leaves, as they may rot if it sits on them for too long. Make sure that all excess water has drained away, then empty the drip tray and replace the pot.
This is the method I recommend you use for watering your Christmas cactus because it ensures the plant is never soaking and prevents overwatering.
Bottom Watering
To water from the bottom, you fill the drip tray so that the plant can absorb it through the drainage holes in the pot.
The problem with this method, however, is that the soil can feel dry at the top even when the roots are saturated. This means it’s very easy to overwater your plant.
For that reason, I don’t recommend bottom watering unless the soil has dried out so much that it’s unable to absorb water through the surface. In that situation, soak it for around 20 minutes, or until it starts absorbing moisture, then immediately empty the drip tray.
The exact amount of water a Schlumbergera buckleyi needs varies, depending on its location, environment, size, and the time of year. The best approach is to check the soil often and only water your plant when the top inch is dry.
Do you water a Christmas cactus from the top or bottom?
I recommend watering your Christmas cactus from the top, not the bottom. It’s the safest method as it lowers the risk of saturating the roots, which could lead to rot.
Should I spray my Christmas cactus with water?
You can spray your Christmas cactus with water if the indoor air is dry, as it prefers a humid environment. Mist it very lightly, however, as the leaves may rot if water sits on them for too long.
Can you water a Christmas cactus too much?
Yes, you can water a Christmas cactus too much, and overwatering is actually their #1 killer. That’s why it’s important to check the moisture level of the soil rather than sticking to a set schedule for watering.
How wet should Christmas cactus be?
A Christmas cactus should never be wet, but they do like to be kept evenly moist. The soil should never be soggy, nor should you allow it to dry out completely.
What is the best way to water a Christmas cactus?
The best way to water a Christmas cactus is from the top, pouring it over the surface of the soil and allowing it to drain from the bottom of the pot. Empty the drip tray immediately so that the roots don’t become saturated.
If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!
More About Watering Plants
Share your tips for watering Christmas cactus in the comments section below.
Step By Step Instructions
How To Water Christmas Cactus
Learn how to water your Christmas cactus with these step-by-step instructions. You’ll discover how to tell when your plant needs a drink, the best watering technique to use, and the signs of over and underwatering to look out for.
Notes
Always make sure to check the moisture level of the soil before watering your Christmas cactus. It should be dry 1” deep and never wet or soggy.
Never leave your Christmas cactus soaking in water or it could cause root rot.
Use distilled or rainwater to irrigate your plant as they are free from the impurities found in tap water. If you use city tap, let it sit out first so the chlorine can evaporate.
Keep your Christmas cactus evenly moist while it’s blooming, or the buds/flower may start to drop off.
In the case of many plants, crinkled leaves are a sign that something’s wrong. But for the waffle plant, it’s just par for the course, and delightfully so.
Flaunting colorful leaves with a waffle-like texture, Strobilanthes alternata is a wonderful option for when you want something different from the standard green, smooth foliage of many other houseplants.
And while it doesn’t taste all that great – even with berries, whipped cream, and syrup – a waffle plant can definitely make you smile like a warm plate of homestyle Eggos does.
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Beautiful, compact, and easy to care for, the waffle plant is a worthy addition to your houseplant collection. And with the proper TLC, they’ll look their absolute best for a good long while.
With this guide, you’ll know exactly what to do to make this happen. Propagation, cultivation, health care – all the know-how you need can be found right here.
Here are the specifics:
What Are Waffle Plants?
Also known as the purple waffle, red ivy, metal leaf, metallic, or cemetery plant, the waffle plant is an herbaceous tropical perennial from the Acanthus family.
It’s commonly found growing in dense carpets underneath the canopies of larger trees.
Hardy in USDA Zones 10 to 11 and originating from Indonesia, India, and Malaysia, the waffle plant is also known by its older name Hemigraphis alternata in some botanical circles, although it has technically been reclassified as Strobilanthes alternata.
This species is used to growing in the damp and shady understories of tropical forests, where they receive dappled light that filters down through the canopy.
As a result, the leaves have evolved to catch all the light they can.
Oppositely-arranged, these simple leaves are oval to heart shaped and “puckered” in texture, with scalloped margins and a metallic sheen.
They’re typically dark green up top and dark purple below, although this can vary a bit in surprising and delightful ways.
Growing six to nine inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide at maturity, waffle plants make wonderful ground covers when grown in-ground, as they spread profusely with their purple, prostrate stems.
Whether in pots, hanging baskets, or rectangular planters, this lateral spreading fills out containers quite nicely.
In spring or summer, waffle plants bloom with small, five-lobed, bell-shaped flowers on one-inch racemes. While some consider them visually insignificant, I think the blooms are an aesthetic treat.
Cultivation and History
As you can imagine, a significant spreader such as S. alternata gets around with the vigor and enthusiasm of The Beach Boys.
Thanks to human introduction and commercialization, the waffle plant can be found growing as ornamental plantings in tropical and subtropical regions of North and South America, Asia, India, and the Indian and Pacific Islands.
On many occasions, waffle plants have actually escaped from cultivation and become naturalized in their new homes.
They can spread out of their placement sites in the garden, or when gardeners dump the leaves and stems as garden waste – these structures can easily start growing as new specimens.
Often displacing native flora, S. alternata is classified as invasive in the Dominican Republic, Hawaii, the Cook Islands, Fiji, French Polynesia, Samoa, Chagos Islands, Reunion, Niue, Palau, and Tonga.
In folk medicine, the leaves of waffle plants are used to treat anemia, dysentery, hemorrhoids, and gallstones, and are also used as a sterility-inducing contraceptive.
But S. alternata is definitely more popular in ornamental gardening. And as a houseplant, it packs the beauty without its potential to spread throughout your yard and become an ecological problem.
Waffle Plant Propagation
Waffle plant seeds are tough to collect from indoor specimens, so seed sowing isn’t a common propagation method among houseplant growers.
You’d have much faster and more reliable success if you were to take stem cuttings or simply transplant a juvenile specimen.
From Cuttings
In early spring, use a sharp, sterile blade to take four- to six-inch cuttings from healthy-looking waffle plant stems. Make sure that each cutting has at least one node on it.
Remove the foliage from the lower half of each cutting, and dip the cut ends in a rooting hormone such as Bonide’s Bontone II IBA powder, available at Arbico Organics.
Prepare a three- to four-inch container for each cutting you took, and fill them with a 50:50 mix of a well-draining substrate like perlite and a moisture-retentive substrate such as peat moss.
Stick the cuttings halfway in the media, moisten it, and set the containers where they’ll be exposed to bright, indirect light.
Humidify each cutting with a covering of clear plastic, whether it’s a jerry-rigged plastic baggie or individual humidity domes, like this 10-piece set of four-inch containers with accompanying plastic domes, available on Amazon.
Keep the media consistently moist as the cuttings root. Once you see new growth above the soil line as an indication of rooting, you can remove the plastic coverings.
This can happen rather quickly: just seven to 10 days after planting your cuttings!
Keep up the care until the cuttings outgrow their containers. At this point, you can transplant them into more permanent homes.
Transplanting
Whether you have well-developed cuttings or a nursery start in need of a new pot, transplanting is just what the doctor ordered.
Prepare a well-draining pot that’s a couple of inches wider in diameter than the root system, as the goal is to provide the roots with at least an inch of elbow room on all sides.
Fill the new pot with well-draining, yet moisture-retaining media, then create a hole wide and deep enough to accommodate the transplant’s root system.
Remove the transplant from its original container, lower it in its new one, backfill any gaps in the hole with the dug-out media, then water in your transplant.
Place the container in bright, indirect light, set a saucer under the container to catch any water that runs off, and you’re done!
How to Grow Waffle Plants
Once you’ve got an established S. alternata, caring for it is as easy as (waffle) pie!
Climate and Exposure Needs
As mentioned earlier, bright, indirect sunlight is essential for S. alternata to thrive, as its leaves evolved to absorb all the indirect light they can snatch from underneath the dense canopies of larger trees.
Temperature-wise, 50 to 80°F is an acceptable range. Aim to hover around that Goldilocks value of 65°F, and you’re golden.
Since waffle plants like humidity, you can provide this by grouping them with other houseplants, placing a humidifier nearby, or setting them onto a tray of pebbles that are partially submerged in water, i.e. a humidity tray.
Bathrooms tend to be pretty humid locations, as well, especially if you shower often and keep the toilet lid up. The lid, not the seat – you learn that the hard way, growing up with sisters.
Soil Needs
A combo of both moisture retention and drainage are essential for a waffle plant’s soil, along with a pH of 6.0 to 7.0.
Ensure that the growing media is organically-rich as well, and you’ve got yourself some fertile ground for S. alternata to thrive.
Need some soil? Try this six-quart bag of tropical potting mix from Miracle-Gro, available on Amazon.
Water and Fertilizer Needs
As a species that’s used to growing in the damp and shady understory of tropical forests, S. alternata has a preference for consistently moist – yet not soggy – soils.
This means watering whenever the soil’s surface feels dry to the touch, but no sooner.
Monthly applications of a balanced fertilizer throughout the spring and summer will keep your waffle plant well-fed and happy.
Make sure the growing media is moisture-retentive, yet well-draining.
Add water whenever you feel that the surface of growing media is dry.
Pruning and Maintenance
The waffle plant is a low-stress houseplant that’s easy to maintain – perfect for the laissez-faire plant parent.
Repot whenever the root system has less than an inch of room on all sides. If the roots start sticking out the container’s drainage holes, then swift repotting becomes absolutely essential.
The leaves and spreading stems of S. alternata should be trimmed as needed to keep them compact and contained. Feel free to pinch budding blooms or growth tips to encourage bushiness.
Additionally, any dead, sick, diseased, or damaged leaves should be pruned whenever you notice them.
During the dormancy period of fall and winter, water needs will be significantly lessened, so make sure to keep your irrigation frequency flexible, even if you’ve gotten used to your specimen needing a drink at particular intervals.
Waffle Plant Cultivars to Select
If you thought a regular, run-of-the-mill S. alternata was the only variety of waffle plant available, prepare to have your world rocked.
Just like the taste of a Belgian waffle blows your standard waffle out of the water, ‘Belgian Waffle’ can put a regular waffle plant to shame.
Flaunting medium green leaves with creamy yellow margins of an irregular shape and thickness, ‘Belgian Waffle’ measures six inches tall and 12 inches wide at maturity.
More compact, colorful, and beautiful… props to whoever came up with the cultivar name, it’s right on the money!
Red Flame Ivy
It’s Opposite Day! Or you’ll at least think so, after laying eyes on ‘Red Flame Ivy.’
Similar to the standard species in size and form, this variety distinguishes itself with its flipped leaf colors: purple up top, green beneath. Proof that going against the current can result in success.
Snow White
Much like its namesake, ‘Snow White’ is strikingly beautiful, the fairest in all the land. But unlike the Disney character, you don’t have to be a hot prince to end up with ‘Snow White.’ What a relief!
Coming in at a compact six inches tall and 12 inches wide, this variety has very light green leaves, which also sport a delightful white and pink variegation.
These fair hues are a nice departure from the darker greens and purples of the standard species, in my opinion.
Managing Pests and Disease
Thankfully, indoor gardeners don’t have as many pests and diseases to worry about as their outdoor counterparts, especially if they keep their homes somewhat clean.
But as many houseplant parents have found out the hard way, issues can still occur indoors. Let’s talk about how to manage the ones most often afflicting S. alternata!
Insects
Even when they’re not consuming your houseplants, having a bunch of bugs in the home is no bueno. Let’s discuss how to manage them!
Aphids
A familiar foe for veteran green thumbs, aphids are small, translucent, and soft-bodied insects that extract sap from plants with their piercing-sucking mouthparts, which can cause chlorosis, leaf distortion, and stunted growth.
Additionally, aphids excrete honeydew as they feed, which can collect on stems and foliage and result in the formation of black sooty mold. Plus, if you happen to be close enough to notice, a dense infestation of crawling bugs isn’t the best look.
These pests also suck vital fluids from plants, Capri-Sun-style, leaving infested specimens with chlorosis, wilting leaves, and stunted growth.
They also excrete that pleasant-sounding, yet nasty honeydew as they feed, which can lead to black sooty mold. Plus, large groups of scale can build up in conspicuous, irritating bunches, like clusters of moles growing in your skin creases.
Sprays of horticultural oil and insecticidal soap will kill scale insects, while a flat, hard edge like that of a butter knife can be used to physically scrape them off.
Despite their white and fly-like appearance, whiteflies are actually more closely related to aphids and mealybugs than the true flies that hover around fresh-cut fruits.
Soft-bodied, tiny, and triangular in shape, whiteflies feed with piercing-sucking mouthparts too, leading to chlorosis, leaf curling, and leaf drop.
They also excrete honeydew, which naturally comes with the associated sooty mold.
Horticultural oil and insecticidal soap applications can kill these pests via direct contact, while yellow sticky traps should attract any nearby whiteflies.
Root rot is an abiotic condition that often occurs in oversaturated soils.
When roots don’t receive enough oxygen, they suffocate and become necrotic, which causes wilt, discoloration, and general decline above the soil line.
Preventing root rot is as simple as providing ample drainage and not overwatering from the get-go.
To reverse root rot, you will need doing those things immediately you notice symptoms, along with unpotting the specimen and pruning away any rotted roots.
But if more than half of the root system is rotted away, then the plant’s chances of survival are more grim than hopeful.
Best Uses for Waffle Plants
Whether you set it in a pot or a hanging basket, the waffle plant’s aesthetic strengths are its crinkly leaves and dark purple colors.
Therefore, putting it next to smooth-textured and more stereotypically green specimens should provide a nice visual contrast.
Its tropical look and love of humidity actually makes S. alternata a wonderful terrarium planting, if you keep it small enough.
It’s easy to be indecisive, especially with all the different houseplants vying for room in your home. But you’ll definitely want to put S. alternata towards the front of your growing queue!
Their beautiful leaves and ease of care make growing waffle plants quite enjoyable. So be sure to pick up one or two and get the fun times rolling.
Curious about other aspects of waffle plant care? Have some hard-earned wisdom of your own to share? The comments section awaits!
From erosion control to weed suppression, ground covers play an important role in the garden. They benefit neighboring plants by shading the ground, which helps keep soil cool and reduces moisture loss to evaporation. Many ground covers provide nectar to pollinators and shelter ground-dwelling insects and vertebrates. From an aesthetic standpoint, ground covers lend gardens a finished look. They can be used to emphasize focal points or to soften transitions between garden elements. Evergreen ground covers provide these services all year long, while creating a bridge from one season to the next. Here are a few fabulous evergreen ground covers for the Southwest.
Choose from these xeriscape favorites for hot, dry, and sunny locations
Thanks to the benefits they provide, ground covers have become staples of xeric and water-wise gardens. Among the most popular of these is hardy ice plant (Delosperma cooperi and cvs., Zones 6–10), a ground-hugging succulent that grows just 3 to 6 inches tall and spreads up to 2 feet wide. Gardeners and pollinators alike adore the brilliant magenta pink blooms, which cover plants from late spring through summer. Several cultivars and hybrids are available with varying flower colors.
Silver-edged horehound (Marrubium rotundifolium, Zones 4–9) makes a carpet of soft, wooly foliage that gently mounds up to 10 inches tall and spreads 1 to 2 feet wide. The foliage is white on the underside, and the leaf edges curl up to give the light green topsides a silver lining. Most gardeners choose to shear off the flowers, which are insignificant.
Germander sage.Photo: Kim Toscano
Pair silver-edged horehound with the germander sage (Salvia chamaedryoides and cvs., Zones 7–10), a more upright ground cover with fine silver-green foliage and vibrant blue blooms that attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Plants bloom over a long period, from late spring through fall. This semi-woody perennial is great for covering ground; it spreads 3 to 4 feet wide while maintaining a height of 1 to 2 feet.
All three of these ground covers thrive in hot, dry sites in full sun. They are adapted to sandy or rocky soils and require excellent drainage. Once established, these are hardy, drought-tolerant selections.
Consider these native ground covers for challenging sites
Native plants often provide the best solution for challenging areas. A variety of species make excellent evergreen ground covers. Damianita (Chrysactinia mexicana, Zones 7–11) has been gaining popularity throughout the Southwest thanks to its impressive floral displays. Blooming profusely in spring and fall, with sporadic blooms during the heat of summer, damianita creates a golden carpet when planted in mass. Plants grow up to 2 feet tall and wide and are extremely drought tolerant. For the best performance, place damianita in full sun and well-drained soil.
Orange Carpet® creeping hummingbird trumpet (Zauschneria garrettii ‘PWWG01S’, Zones 5–9) is a native cultivar with a low-growing, trailing habit. Also commonly called California fuchsia, this subshrub species spreads like a ground cover, forming a loose mat of gently arching foliage. Orange Carpet® features brilliant red-orange blooms that open mid to late summer and attract hummingbirds to the garden. Water during flowering encourages additional blooms. Give this plant full sun to partial shade and good drainage, and you will be handsomely rewarded.
Creeping juniper.Photo: Kim Toscano
Not all ground covers are petite. Creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis and cvs., Zones 3–9) is widely planted as a ground cover, and for good reason: It covers a lot of space. Spreading 5 to 8 feet wide yet reaching only 12 to 18 inches tall, creeping juniper excels at stabilizing slopes and tackling erosion. Though native to Canada and the northern United States, this needled evergreen is heat and drought tolerant once established. It grows naturally in sandy or rocky soils and requires full sun and good drainage.
Another native shrub, creeping mahonia (Berberis repens and cvs., syn. Mahonia repens and cvs., Zones 5–9) provides excellent erosion control on slopes and banks. It is found primarily at higher elevations in coniferous forests. Plants spread by stolons, which help stabilize soil. Creeping mahonia grows 18 inches tall and wide. With yellow blooms from mid through late spring followed by clusters of blue-purple berries, this low-growing shrub attracts birds and other wildlife to the garden. Plant creeping mahonia in rich, well-draining soil in full to partial shade.
Evergreen ground covers integrate well with deciduous varieties as well as spring bulbs. Use them to line walkways, or plant them under shrubs and tall perennials. In areas with heavier soil, these selections work well in rock gardens and raised planters.
—Kim Toscano is a horticulturist based in Stillwater, Oklahoma. She previously hosted Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly PBS television program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service.
Cold frames are a great way to get a jump-start on or extend the gardening season. An easy way to get started with cold-frame growing is to put it to good use cultivating herbs through the winter months. Cold frames create a microclimate by utilizing the sun and insulation. This environment creates conditions so that plants grown inside are protected from frost and can take advantage of warmer soil. Though it takes a bit of effort to set up and maintain, it is well worth the reward of having fresh and flavorful herbs during the coldest months of the year. Even in a Midwest winter, you can grow fresh herbs that will tolerate this chilly but snug situation. Here are some tips and easy herbs to grow in a cold frame.
Cold-frame tips
If you don’t have a cold frame already, they are fairly easy to set up. An appropriately constructed cold frame can be purchased and assembled or done as a DIY project using new or repurposed materials.
Picking plants that are cold hardy will help ensure success in cold-frame growing.
Providing moisture is key to plant success.
Put a thermometer in your cold frame to ensure that the temperature stays below 60°F during the day.
Vent your cold frame on sunny or warmer days to prevent overheating.
In cases of extreme cold, you can place an insulating cover over the cold frame at night to keep the plants cozy.
Snow can act as extra insulation in the case of extreme cold weather. But make sure to remove it when temps rise so that the plants can receive the sunlight they need.
Chives.Photo: Mark Dwyer
Chives are easy to start in or transplant into a cold frame
Fresh chives (Allium schoenoprasum and cvs., Zones 4–8) have myriad uses in the kitchen, and this includes our winter recipes. Cold-tolerant chives can actually be sown in the spring and will continue to provide fresh growth (remove the flowers) well into winter. However, you can also transplant your chives into the cold frame in fall or plant/sink a container of chives into the cold frame as well.
Peppermint (Mentha × piperita). Photo: Jennifer Benner
Potted mints will produce fresh, new leaves when grown in a winter cold frame
The wide range of mints (Mentha spp. and cvs., Zones 3–9) that we can grow in the Midwest is impressive, as is their reliability as vigorous perennials. Do be wary of their propensity to spread; they are often best grown in pots. Even so, with repeated frosts ending the outdoor season for mints, existing pots (or newly potted divisions) can be sunk into the soil within your cold-frame soil with just the rim of the pot exposed. This added ground insulation will allow your mints to tolerate temperature extremes and continue to produce new leaves that can be utilized throughout the winter.
Flatleaf parsley.Photo: Jennifer Benner
Parsley from a cold frame is great for winter soups and stews
Fresh parsley (Petroselinum crispum and cvs., Zones 5–9) certainly makes a nice garnish, but it also serves as an excellent culinary ingredient throughout the year—including in winter soups, stews, and other comfort-food dishes. Technically biennial, curled and flatleaf parsley selections are both very cold hardy and will continue to provide new leaves when grown in a cold frame.
Sage.Photo: Michelle Gervais
Even more herbs to grow in your cold frame
Of course, there are many other herbs. Once you get the hang of winter cold-frame gardening, it will be fun to add to your herb lineup. Achieving a balance of humidity and proper air circulation will continue to be important for your success. With a little research, though, you can discover additional methods for growing more herbs in your winter cold frame—including the following:
I read recently that ancient Greece–inspired and Mediterranean décor was the next big thing in interior design. Perhaps many of you will feel inspired to add a marble bust to your fireplace mantle. But what about Mediterranean plants? In the Southeast, plants that prefer a Mediterranean climate are not always at home. Humidity and wet winters—not just the cold—are normally the downfall of these plants. But there are some Mediterranean staples that we can grow very well in our region. They are not always extremely long-lived but can be enjoyed in the garden while they last.
One of my favorite long-lasting Mediterranean plants for the Southeast is rosemary (Salvia sosmarinus syn. Rosmarinus officinalis, Zones 8–11). This is a beautiful plant for the landscape and has been used for hundreds of years in the kitchen for its unique flavor profile. I consider rosemary a subshrub in our region. Most cultivars reach 2 to 4 feet tall over time. Few other plants can offer the combination of evergreen foliage, attractive blooms, and fragrance you find with rosemary.
Adorable, small, blue to purple rosemary flowers bloom in late spring and early summer. Photo: Steve Aitken
How to Grow Rosemary in the Southeast
Because rosemary is on the edge of hardiness for many of us, plant it in late spring in the Southeast. This gives the plant the entirety of the growing season to get established. For most, the month of May is ideal. Cool, wet soil and temperature fluctuations can be hard on unestablished plants. Good drainage and full sun are the key ingredients to growing rosemary. Plant rosemary slightly above grade, mounding soil up to the roots. This will help with drainage, especially during winter. If you have a sunny hillside, this is an ideal location.
If you want to grow rosemary for culinary use, know that the very light pruning required to grab a few sprigs won’t hurt the plant. If you want to be heavy-handed with pruning, timing becomes more important. If substantial pruning is desired, early June is a good window of time. Pruning in late summer or early fall can be disastrous and cause new growth susceptible to damage in winter. Additionally, pruning too early in spring before the soil warms is often a death sentence for this warm weather–loving plant. As plants age, woody stems start to develop. Plants will not respond favorably to being cut back into their woody stem sections and leaving no foliage. Cutting rosemary too far back into its woody growth can cause stems to die.
Cultivar Selection Is Key in the Southeast
You may have already taken note that rosemary is listed as hardy in Zones 8-11. This is accurate for most rosemary. Being in Zone 8 means that average lows rarely drop below 10°F. Many of us in the northern Southeast experience temperatures below 10°F yearly. This is where cultivar selection is very important. There are several rosemary cultivars known to survive in Zones 6 and 7 and to persist for many years. If the bloom is important, you may want to explore multiple cultivars. Different cultivars may bloom at wildly different times. There are early-season and late-season bloomers. If taste is important, different cultivars are also known to have slightly different flavors. This can be important if you like to cook with rosemary.
Rosemary is a wonderful plant to add to any full-sun garden. I particularly enjoy planting rosemary along garden paths. Brushing your hand against this aromatic herb enlivens your senses as you travel through the garden. If your primary goal is using rosemary for cooking, I suggest trying the taste of different cultivars before planting. The distinct camphor-pine herbiness of rosemary’s natural oil is stronger with individual cultivars. Rosemary is also reported to have a variety of health benefits. Below is a list of some of the top cultivar selections you can make in the Southeast.
Top Cultivars for the Southeast
‘Arp’ rosemary, one of the most cold-hardy varieties, is reliably hardy to Zone 6.
‘Arp’ rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus ‘Arp’ syn. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Arp’, Zones 6–11
‘Arp’ grows 4 feet tall and wide. It has an open habit but can be kept denser with properly timed pruning. Featuring gray-green leaves with a heavy pine taste, it sports bright blue to purple flowers. This cultivar is hardy to –10°F. It was selected in 1972 from plants growing in Arp, Texas, by Madalene Hill.
‘Salem’ rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus ‘Salem’ syn. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Salem’, Zones 7–11
‘Salem’ grows 2 feet tall and wide. It does not seem to be as hardy as ‘Arp’ or ‘Madeline Hill’ but is known to be more tolerant of wet soil. This is a plant that is popular in moist areas of the Pacific Northwest. Overall it’s a more formal-looking rosemary with a nice flavor. I have seen it growing comfortably in Zone 7.
‘Madeline Hill’, a sport of ‘Arp’, features a compact, dense growth habit.
‘Madeline Hill’ rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus ‘Madeline Hill’ syn. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Madeline Hill’, Zones 6–11
‘Madeline Hill’ rosemary, which is also known as ‘Hill Hardy’ or ‘Hill’s Hardy’, reaches 3 to 4 feet tall and wide. Hardy to at least 0°F, this plant was discovered as a sport (naturally occurring mutation) of ‘Arp’ rosemary. It’s a more compact, denser plant with greener foliage. It was named ‘Madeline Hill’ after Madalene Hill, who discovered ‘Arp’ (although it is spelled differently). After ‘Arp,’ this is perhaps the second most cold-hardy rosemary plant on the market.
‘Tuscan Blue’ rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus ‘Tuscan Blue’ syn. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Tuscan Blue’, Zones 8–11
‘Tuscan Blue’ is an attractive rosemary with very aromatic leaves and dark blue flowers. It grows 6 to 7 feet tall and has an upright habit. This rosemary is probably the best one to grow strictly for aesthetics. ‘Tuscan Blue’ was introduced prior to 1948 from Tuscany, Italy. It’s not as hardy as other rosemary cultivars mentioned here, but it is a very fast grower.
Prostrate rosemary’s weeping habit makes it the perfect choice for planting over a tall wall.
Prostrate rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus ‘Prostratus’ syn. Rosmarinus officinalis ‘Prostratus’, Zones 7–11
This low-growing, creeping form of rosemary stays under a foot tall. There are several weeping forms of rosemary sold under different names (perhaps many of which are the same plant); ‘Huntington Carpet’ is another often-sold prostrate form. Extremely attractive draping over walls and rock, prostrate rosemary will need some protection and good drainage to survive. The taste has less of a camphor flavor than that of other selections. This plant’s hardiness may be an issue for colder regions of the Southeast.
If you provide for their basic needs and choose a smart cultivar for your zone, you’ll find that rosemary may reward you in many ways. Apart from its culinary value, it makes an attractive subshrub in the landscape with its beautiful textured foliage and cute purple flowers.
After a long winter nothing brings more joy than seeing the first signs of spring. With a little planning and patience, you can amplify and enhance this feeling of delight by incorporating masses of minor bulbs into a lawn or garden bed. Here are a few of the tiny, lesser-known treasures that can be used to flood almost any garden with color before the trees leaf out in spring:
Outlining planting areas with spray paint can help you plan where different bulbs will go.
Minor bulbs look best en masse
Because the flowers and foliage of minor bulbs are small, aim big when you plant them. Larger bulbs are often purchased and planted in groups of dozens or perhaps hundreds, but minor bulbs planted by the hundreds or even thousands will make the biggest impact. Most of the varieties listed will produce seed and naturalize to create dense carpets of vibrant color over time. Plant a single species to create a dramatic effect, or mix different varieties together to create dynamic combinations that become richer over time as seedings take root and increase the number of flowers. If you wish to create specific combinations of bulbs that blend together, it may be useful to outline your planting areas with different colors of spray paint.
A garden bed or a lawn that will not be mowed until early summer is a great location for golden garlic and other minor bulbs. Photo: Jennifer Benner
Find a location where your bulbs will thrive
A great place to site your planting is under the canopy of large deciduous trees, where the turf may be sparse due to a lack of light in midsummer. Another ideal location is in large or even small lawn areas, a planting style sometimes known as a bulb meadow. One caveat when incorporating naturalized bulbs into a lawn: in order for the bulbs to proliferate, you’ll either need to avoid mowing until the bulb foliage senesces or adjust your mower height to a minimum of 4 inches to avoid cutting the majority of bulb foliage. Minor bulbs work equally well in mixed border plantings where other later emerging and blooming perennials will help to cover up the declining bulb foliage.
Scattering bulbs by the handful and planting them where they land is a great way to help your bulb display look more natural.
Planting minor bulbs is a simple process
Due to their small size, shallow holes are all that is needed. The rule of thumb for planting all bulbs is that the distance from the top of the bulb to the soil surface should be two times the height of the bulb. For example, if a bulb is 1 inch tall, it should be planted in a hole that is 3 inches deep.
A soil knife is ideal for digging planting holes; the sharp blade is the perfect width, it easily cuts through turf or garden soil, and many soil knives have depth indicators on the blade to make measuring easy.
When spacing small bulbs there is no need to be fussy. After blending a bulb combination together in a large bucket, simply scatter handfuls of bulbs across the designated planting area and tuck them into the ground where they fall for a naturalistic effect.
Many garden centers offer minor bulbs in fall. However, if you need large quantities of specific varieties, it may be best to order from a reputable source in early summer so you will have exactly what you need for fall planting.
With the wide selection of minor bulbs on the market the sky is the limit when it comes to creating dynamic tapestries of early spring color. I encourage you to be bold, be creative, and try a few unusual combinations of these little garden gems that pack a large punch.
—Adam Glas is a garden supervisor and rosarian at the Scott Arboretum of Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.
Birdhouses are a great way to support birds, but did you know you can make a birdhouse from an autumn gourd? It’s simple and easy.
Supplies needed
A large gourd with a long neck, like a gooseneck or bottle gourd
A wire brush or sandpaper
A large container to soak the gourd
Bleach
A drill
A 1½- to 2-inch drill bit
A ¼-inch drill bit
A marker
Chopsticks or long tweezers
Waterproof spray paint or other finish appropriate for wood
Bendy wire, such as picture-frame wire
Steps for creating your birdhouse
It’s easy to come across gourds for sale at plant nurseries and grocery stores during autumn. Choose your gourd, and then dry it out over winter. To dry the gourd, place it in a cool, dry place, such as a shed, garage, or cellar. If you’re drying multiple gourds, make sure they don’t touch each other. It’s OK to expose a gourd to freezing temperatures as long as it doesn’t get wet.
Check on your gourd periodically, rotating it occasionally. It’s normal for it to develop mold on its skin, but a gourd that starts to shrivel or collapse on itself is rotting and should be discarded. It should take a gourd several weeks to dry out. A gourd that is completely dried should have a hard exterior and be very lightweight. When you shake it, you should hear the seeds rattling around inside.
When your gourd has dried, begin to remove the mold with wire brush and sandpaper. Wear a mask to protect yourself from mold particles.
Soak the gourd in a 10% solution of bleach and water, and scrub it with a wire brush again. This should remove much of the skin as well as any lingering mold. After this step is completed, allow the gourd to dry.
To turn the dried gourd into a birdhouse, you will first need to drill a hole using a drill and a hole-saw drill bit. Different-sized holes will attract different birds, but a hole that is 1½ to 2 inches in diameter will work for most small species of bird. Birds will be able to enter the birdhouse through this hole without a perch.
Drill holes in the bottom and sides of the gourd for drainage and ventilation. Use a small drill bit for this, such as a ¼-inch bit. Drill through the top of the gourd so that you can hang it up.
To clean out the interior of the gourd, use chopsticks or long tweezers to scrape the dried pulp and seeds from the inside of the gourd and pull them through or shake them out of the opening. You don’t have to remove all of the pulp and seeds, but you should try to remove most of them. If you have access to an air compressor, you can use it to blow out the insides of the gourd.
To protect the gourd from the elements, you will need to cover it in some sort of finish. Spray paint is an easy and cheap method of providing waterproof sealing, but you could also use any other finish appropriate for wood. Pick an attractive color, or use a clear spray paint for a more natural look.
To hang the birdhouse, use a bendy wire you can twist—such as picture-frame wire—to thread through the holes at the top of the gourd.
Find a spot in your yard to hang up the gourd where you can observe birds coming and going. And enjoy your birdhouse for many seasons to come.
May 23: Though this tall Northern Lights azalea’s cultivar name is ‘White Lights’ (Rhododendron ‘White Lights’, Zones 4–8), it is actually pink unless grown in full sun. Bare ground is exposed where I dug out quantities of gooseneck loosestrife (Lysimachia clethroides, Zones 3–8). Tiny shoots kept coming back all summer. I don’t recommend it!
May 27: This area is surrounded by a flagstone path. The small maple (upper left) is Acer × pseudoseiboldianum ‘Ice Dragon’ (Zones 4–8). Hostas (the white-edged ones are ‘Blue Ivory’, Zones 3–8), ferns, bugleweed (Ajuga reptens, Zones 3–10), and astilbes (Astilbe sp., Zones 4–8) crowd around it.
June 5: The back garden is mostly about foliage. Here Japanese painted ferns (Athyrium japonicum, Zones 5–9) maidenhair fern, sensitive fern (Onoclea sensibilis, Zones 4–8), meadow rue (Thalictrum dioicum, Zones 4–7), and three different hostas contrast nicely in a narrow garden along the garage.
June 7: Purple Siberian iris (Iris siberica, Zones 3–8) are in bloom by early June. Behind them is a large clump of narrow-leaved spleenwort (Diplasium pycnocarpon, Zones 3–8).
June 19: At this point I’d begun replanting the space (photo 2) by now more or less free of gooseneck loosestrife. This area of the back garden includes Japanese painted fern and beech fern (Phegopteris connectilis, Zones 2–5) on either side of the ‘El Niño’ hostas. The ground cover on the left is Sedum ‘John Creech’ (Zones 3–8), and there are a couple of patches of wild ginger (Asarum canadense, Zones 4–6). The azalea has leafed out; it will turn orange in September.
July 11: The back garden features pinks and purples in spring. By midsummer most of the blooms are white or lavender. These white spikes, very attractive to pollinators, belong to Culver’s root (Veronicastrum virginicum, Zones 4–8).
August 8: A lot of hostas and many species of ferns fill in the late summer garden.
October 25: It’s all over except for the cleaning up, but a new-this-season clematis is putting out a few last blossoms. On the left is a Korean maple (Acer pseudosieboldianum, Zones 4–8), also reflected in the mirror.
October 28: The back of the garden is lit up by the flame leaves of the ‘Ice Dragon’ maple shown in the third photo. It’s a hardy hybrid between a Japanese maple and a Korean maple.
