Category: Home & Garden

This article will explore how to use wood ashes in the compost and in your garden, and when it is appropriate to do so.

Benefits of Wood Ash

Wood ash from your fireplace contains a number of nutrients that can be very beneficial to a garden – in the right circumstances.

But never use the ash from charcoal, trash fires, or treated wood, which can contain toxic chemical residue from additives.

Wood ash contains potassium and calcium in considerable quantities, as well as lesser amounts of magnesium and phosphorus, and micronutrients such as copper and zinc.

Due to its high level of calcium, it can increase the pH of soil, making it an ideal natural substitute for lime, an amendment often used to balance soil that is too acidic.

It can be a very useful amendment where acidity is too high for growing most veggies, in a pH range of 6.0 and below.

But you’ll need to be cautious. If the soil is already neutral or alkaline, adding ashes will cause excess alkalinity and add soluble salts, ultimately doing more harm than good.

So how do you know when it makes sense to add ashes to your compost or garden?

Let’s explore.

Test Your Soil

Before adding ashes (or any other amendment, for that matter) to your garden, be sure to get your soil tested!

You can easily request a test through your local agricultural extension office.

You can buy home pH and soil test kits or pH meters at your local hardware store or online, though I would recommend getting a test from your local extension office at least once.

The results of these tests are more comprehensive and they will tell you a whole lot about your soil, including information about any other nutrient deficiencies.

If you don’t have access to professional testing or a kit, it is possible to DIY a basic test of the pH with just two cups full of soil, some vinegar, and some baking soda.

Pour vinegar into the first cup. If the soil begins to fizz, it is alkaline.

Add some water to moisten the soil in the second cup, then add baking soda. Fizz this time means it is acidic.

This method is not especially accurate, and you won’t be able to determine the exact pH level of your soil this way. It is still a good idea to get a more accurate test when you are able.

In the meantime, however, this simple method should at least give you a general sense of whether the soil is acidic or alkaline.

When to Compost: Timing and Moderation

The key is to add small amounts of cooled ashes to a new or uncooked pile. Because it has such a high pH value, it is important that you don’t add too much to your compost.

According to Olivia Saunders, Extension Field Specialist in Food and Agriculture at the University of New Hampshire Extension, “it should not make up more than 5% of your compost.”

Additionally, once the compost nears maturity, the addition of ash could raise the pH too much, increasing the bioavailability of heavy metals to harmful levels.

How to Compost

Before you start, be sure to suit up with gloves, eye protection, and a mask to avoid any potential irritation to the skin, eyes, or lungs. Also, ensure that the ashes have completely cooled before handling them.

Sprinkle the ash onto your compost pile along with the appropriate ratio of brown and green material.

What does this mean? Add about a quarter inch for each 18-inch section of browns and for every six inches of greens. Be sure to turn the pile each time you add new material.

As a reminder, browns include carbon rich materials such as straw, hay, and dried leaves, while greens are more nitrogen heavy items such as kitchen scraps and fresh grass clippings.

To learn more on the basics of composting, check out this article.

If you have a hot compost pile, add a small amount of ash along with other new materials every month or so while it is active.

If the pile is cold or rarely added to, only add ash in the fall or late summer, allowing time for everything to break down before being used in the garden during the growing season.

You can collect ashes and store them in a covered container through the winter.

Adding It Directly to the Garden

If you have determined via a test that your pH is low – below 6.5 – you can also choose to add ashes directly to the garden to reduce acidity.

Incorporating ashes can also increase the bioavailability of potassium, phosphorus, and various micronutrients, thereby increasing fertility.

Spread on calm days to prevent it from blowing around and scattering to unwanted areas – including all over your clothes.

Apply in moderation, lightly dusting a small amount on the garden surface and working it into the soil several inches deep with a fork.

According to Rosie Lerner, Horticulture Specialist at Purdue University, “Acidic soils (pH less than 5.5) will likely be improved by wood ash addition.

Soils that are slightly acidic (pH 6.0 to 6.5) should not be harmed by the application of 20 pounds per 100 square feet annually, if the ash is worked into the soil about six inches or so.”

Be sure to test the soil again the following year. You can reapply if the pH is still too low, but if it has reached 6.5, don’t add any more. If you raise the pH too much, this can deplete the bioavailability of essential nutrients.

Do not apply to acid-loving plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons, or azaleas.

Continue to test your soil every few years and amend as necessary.

Worm composting directly in the garden bed simplifies the process of vermicomposting. When you use in-bed vermicomposting bins, the worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed. 

In-bed vermicomposting solves the problem of what to do with the worms during extremes of hot and cold. For example, vermicomposting in hot weather places (like the low desert of Arizona) is difficult unless you bring the worms inside during the summer months. With in-bed vermicomposting, the worms simply burrow deeper in the beds during the heat of an Arizona summer, and then emerge again in the fall. 

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Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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How does vermicomposting work?

Worm composting – also called vermicomposting (‘vermi’ = worm) – is the process of using worms to compost food scraps into vermicompost. Worms eat up to half their weight each day in kitchen scraps, and the byproduct of all that eating is worm castings. Worm castings = GARDEN GOLD!

During the digestion process, the worms secrete chemicals that break organic matter into nutrition that is readily available for plants. Worm castings, along with the chemicals secreted during digestion, make up vermicompost.

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What are the benefits of worm composting (vermicomposting)?

• Vermicompost improves soil texture and structure, and aerates the soil. 
• Vermicompost increases the water-holding capacity of soil. 
• The nutrients in vermicompost are immediately available to plants. 
• Worm castings contribute to faster plant growth and higher production.
• Worm castings are dense in microorganisms and nutrients.
• The chemicals in worm castings help prevent “damping off” and other diseases.

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What is the easiest way to make and maintain a vermicomposting (worm composting) bin?

A vermicomposting bin built into your raised beds, containers, or in-ground garden bed is the easiest way to make a worm composting bin. 

No need to harvest the worm castings or move the worms inside for extremes of hot and cold temperatures. The worms live, work, reproduce, and make worm castings in the garden bed, right where they are needed. 

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When should I add in-bed vermicomposting bins to by garden beds?

Nighttime temperatures should be in the 70’s (°F) (21-26°C) when adding worms to your beds.

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Which type of worms should I use for in-bed vermicomposting?

Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of the hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level.

That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you buy nightcrawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.

Purchasing red wiggler worms locally is the best choice. I get my worms from Arizona Worm Farm here in Phoenix. You can also buy them online.

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How do I make an in-bed vermicomposter (worm composter)?

Supplies needed for in-bed vermicomposting:

• Bin (see options below).
• Shredded cardboard – This shredder from Amazon will shred cardboard boxes (remove tape and labels first).
• Kitchen scraps.
• Worms – Red wigglers are preferred. The earthworms typically found in the garden aren’t suitable for vermicomposting.

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Bin options for in-bed vermicomposting:

The bin helps designate a place in your garden for the worms to go. Choose one slightly smaller than the depth of your garden bed. There are several options:

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Directions for installing and using an in-bed vermicomposting bin:

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How many in-bed vermicomposting bins should you have?

I have one worm habitat in each bed. One habitat per bed is enough to get a continuous flow of microbes.

You can add as many bins as you need to process your food scraps and waste, but you don’t need a high density of worms for a successful garden.

I split one bag of worms between two worm habitats. Each bag contains about 3/4 of a pound of worms (around 500-700 worms, including babies, cocoons, and habitat). Worms multiply to fit the space and available food. In a big garden, worms will breed faster. Adding more worms initially means they will slow their breeding sooner. Waste of worms and money.

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What do worms eat?

Good for feeding worms	Avoid feeding worms
Coffee grounds, grains, tea bags, vegetables, fruit, eggshells, paper	Dairy, oily food, spicy food, meat, citrus, salty foods, alcohol, glossy paper

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Tips for feeding worms:

Add equal amounts of greens and browns each time you feed.

• Make sure worms have eaten previously-added food scraps before adding more. Plan on feeding worms about once per week.
• Cut or blend food before adding to bins. Smaller pieces of food break down faster and speed up the composting process. 
• After adding food scraps (greens), cover with browns to avoid attracting fruit flies. 
• Remove large pieces of uneaten food. Pay attention to what the worms are eating and not eating. 
• The interior of the bin should have the moisture consistency of a wrung-out sponge (damp but not overly wet). Spray lightly with a hose if necessary.
• Replace lid on bucket after feeding. 

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Frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:

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Question: I have a ton of black soldier fly larvae in both of my bins. Will they be detrimental to my red wigglers?

Answer: Black soldier flies are unusual in the Phoenix metro area because it is so dry here. They won’t hurt the worms, and within two or three weeks they pupate into harmless flies (the live fly has no mouth – the only stage of the insect that eats is the larvae) that die within a day or two.  

The larvae are voracious eaters so someone that finds them in the bin should feed much more than normal. If they put buckets or bins in the ground like your set up, they may observe fewer worms in their bucket or bin as the worms will move away from the heat the larvae produce.  

The worms are fine and will return when the larvae leave. The larvae don’t bite – if someone wanted to remove them (easiest is with a kitchen strainer) and toss them, that is a fine option too.

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Question: I dug into two of the buckets to see how my worms were doing, and they were missing. Not a worm to be found in either bucket. Would you expect the worms to stay in that bucket full of compost, or have they perhaps left their original home and are now crawling around through the rest of my garden, maybe just coming back to the bucket for their meals?

Answer: The worms go throughout the beds and then there are usually some in the buckets with the scraps. I’m guessing with the intense heat we are having they are burrowing down as deep as they can go.

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Question: I have two guinea pigs, and feed them alfalfa hay, organic alfalfa pellets, and leafy greens such as romaine lettuce, spinach, swiss chard, and parsley. They produce a lot of waste (approximately 1 quart of waste hay and pellets daily). I read that I can add their waste and their waste hay directly to my raised bed gardens, which I have been doing and have been digging it in with a hand spade. Will red wiggler worms compost the guinea pig waste and waste hay?

Answer: Red wigglers will eat guinea pig manure as it decomposes – and they will not eat anything that they don’t like until it decomposes enough for them to eat. A pound of worms will eat about a pound of waste a week. You will likely produce a lot more than that, but that’s not harmful either. The worms will eat what they want, and the rest will feed your beds as it has.  Your current process will probably produce good results – the worms will improve it.

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More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:

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Question: How often do you have to add water to the compost buckets in Arizona heat?

Answer: The beds get watered 2-3 times a week during the summer and about once a week in the winter. The buckets are in the middle of one of the watering grids in my beds, and get watered as well.

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Question: Can you add chicken poop to the buckets?

Answer: You can, in small amounts. Too much will overwhelm the worms. Just mix the poop with bedding (anything that was a tree…leaves or shredded cardboard or mulch) and they will do great.

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Question: Do the finished castings seep into the garden through the holes in the bucket or does it need to be scooped out?

Answer: Both. It is carried out of the bed by the worms movement. When the worms have completed the food scraps you can also scoop the castings out and spread them around the bed. You then begin the process again, adding fresh cardboard and food scraps. The worms will come back into the bin. 

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More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:

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Question: How do the in-bed vermicomposting worms do during the summer? Is there anything special you do to keep them cool during Arizona summers so they don’t die?

Answer: They burrow down into the beds and look for cool spots to stay cool. In-bed worm composting in Arizona is a great option for our hot summers. Beds should be at least 12 inches deep. 

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Question: Do you ever have problems with ants attacking the worms in the in-bed vermicomposting bins? 

Answer: Ants don’t generally attack worms. By making the area a little moister, you can discourage ants and make the habitat better for the worms. You can use these ant bait traps. 

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Question: WIll in-bed vermicomposting work in containers?

Answer: Generally, it will work fine. The challenge with worms in pots for most people is that they tend to let plants get root bound and there is less soil than the worms like. As long as you have organic material and space for them to move they will do great. You don’t need to bury a bin in the container. You can do the same thing if you just dig out a hole and put a lid on the hole.

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More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:

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Question: Can worms eat bokashi compost?

Answer: Absolutely. Done right, bokashi produces lots of microbes and breaks down waste to make it easier for the worms to consume.

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Question: My bed is raised completely off the ground, due to the previous owner PLANTING Bermuda grass (sigh). I’ve been reading that these sorts of beds are not a good home for worms since they may get too hot or drown. We are in Arkansas, so it doesn’t typically get above 100, the bed has good drainage, and has a soil depth of about 10″. Do you think worms would be OK to add or no?

Answer: We never worry about drowning worms. They will find dry places to hang out. If she can grow vegetables, the worms will be fine. Fully-raised beds (off the ground) do tend to get hot. She should shade it in the summer, but they will probably be fine. The worst thing that might happen is they die over the summer and she has to add more in September when they start getting cooler nights.

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Question: Will chemical fertilizers hurt the worms?  

Answer: In small amounts, probably not, but direct contact or a large amount could. The whole idea of worms is to let them convert organic materials into a natural source of nitrogen. The worms should reduce or eliminate the need for inorganic fertilizers. Chemical fertilizers such as inorganic nitrate salt will reduce the pH, but they also kill some of the microbes we like.

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More frequently asked questions about in-bed vermicomposting:

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Question: Can I use earthworms or do I need to use red wrigglers for in-bed vermicomposting?  

Answer: Red wigglers are composting worms that hang out in the top six inches of your garden. “Earthworms” is a generic term for one of hundreds of varieties of worms. If you dig them from the garden, they won’t stay in the compost level. That’s not bad, but they won’t hang out in the habitat we set up. Most bait worms need cooler temperatures than Arizona summers. If you are buying night crawlers, you will probably lose them in June or July. We want all worms. Red wigglers will stay and live better, but no worm is bad.

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Question: Can I feed my vermicomposting worms bread?  

Answer: Yes. Grain-based items are fine (i.e., crackers, cooked rice, pizza crust, and bread). 

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Question: What do I do about cockroaches in my bins?  

Answer: Cockroaches can be hard to eliminate completely, but the best bet is to aggressively cover the food waste with browns. Adding at least an inch of browns on top will help. 

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Plants with leaves as sharp as razor blades. Plants that smell like rotten meat. Plants that will cause severe gastrointestinal problems if ingested. These all sound like great garden additions, right? Let me run right out to the nursery and buy all of these “nasties”! I think you’d be in the minority if that’s what you’re thinking.

When you see the first part of the headline on page 36, “Nasty Plants … ,” you might think we’ve lost our minds here at Fine Gardening. But take a closer look at the second half of that headline: “… for a Nicer Garden.” This feature by Bonni Engelhardt confronts a harsh reality, head on. Most gardeners battle deer, bunnies, gophers, and myriad other fuzzy plant predators. According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, there are approximately 36 million deer in the United States. Now I have no idea how they determine these sorts of things, but that count seems strangely accurate to me. As I sat down to write this letter, I glanced out my office window to see a sizable harem of female deer making their way along the woodland edge of my property, their sights set on my ‘Filips Magic Moment’ arborvitae, no doubt. “I need to get out there with some spray,” I thought.

Winter is on the horizon here in New England, and the four-legged pests are getting brazen. But I’m getting tired of dousing certain plants with deterrents on a regular basis. Given the size of my garden and the expense of building materials, however, a fence is not a viable option unless bankruptcy is a term I find palatable.

This is why the concept laid out in Bonni’s article is so appealing to me. Why not fill our beds with plants that protect themselves? These options aren’t ugly by any stretch of the imagination. In fact, if gardeners were simply presented with the plant list and no topic classification, I’m sure most of them would add many to their 2024 shopping lists. Who wouldn’t be taken by the arresting site of a backlit winged thorn rose?

Now, these “nasties” don’t come without a warning label. If you have children or pets that like to graze upon the garden’s offerings, toxic plants aren’t a good choice. And you are going to need some long-handled pruners and a sturdy pair of leather gloves to trim a few of these selections if you value the skin on your arms at all. But that seems like a small price to pay for an array of plants that will never require any protection from me to look great.

Despite all the deer spray I administer, my arbs still get browsed every year. And trust me—‘Filips Magic Moment’ isn’t so magical when it looks like a diseased, misshapen arrow. That’s a sight that truly deserves the label “nasty.” Spring task list, item #1: Remove arborvitae; replace with ‘Sasaba’ holly tea olive.

—Danielle Sherry, executive editor

Collaborative post

Every home has its vital spaces: the kitchen for nourishment, bedrooms for rest, and living rooms for family bonding. But have you considered the transformative power of a dedicated playroom for your children?

A space that’s tailored for imagination, learning, and unrestricted play can be more than just an extension of a child’s world; it can also stimulate growth and discovery.

Here are some compelling reasons why a children’s playroom isn’t merely a luxury, but a beneficial must-have in modern homes.

Managing playtime clutter

Every parent has faced the whirlwind aftermath of an energetic play session: toys strewn everywhere, art supplies scattered, and bits and bobs hiding in every conceivable corner. A dedicated playroom in your home stands as the vanguard against this daily chaos.

By providing a centralised space where messes are not just expected, but welcomed, parents can reclaim the sanctity of their living rooms and bedrooms.

Beyond mere containment, this room gives children the freedom to immerse fully in their play. It’s a space where they can spread out, experiment, and create without the looming pressure of immediate tidying up.

Learning essential life lessons

Playrooms are more than just repositories for toys; they’re vibrant learning hubs. As children navigate their way through make-believe worlds and toy landscapes, they’re subtly imbibing critical life values. The act of organising their toys after a play session isn’t merely about cleanliness; it’s their first dance with responsibility.

Setting boundaries for where playthings belong instils a sense of respect for spaces and possessions. The gentle structure a playroom demands readies children to understand discipline, time management, and care for their belongings.

Fostering teamwork & sharing

Within the four walls of a playroom, micro-societies form. Siblings, or even visiting friends, must navigate shared spaces, toys, and resources. These scenarios, commonplace in a playroom, become foundational lessons in teamwork, sharing, and cooperation.

When two want the same toy, or when a group activity is in play, children learn the fine art of negotiation, patience, and compromise. It’s here that they grasp the joys of collaborative play, discovering that sometimes, shared imagination creates far more fun than solo ventures.

Encouraging child development & growth

Play is a child’s most essential job, and a playroom is their office.

The benefits extend beyond immediate fun, deeply impacting cognitive and emotional growth. The choice of toys plays a pivotal role in this developmental journey. Amid the endless amounts of toys lining the shelves, some stand out for their unique contributions.

For instance, Jellycat toys help children to develop not just by being cuddly companions, but by encouraging fine motor skills, fostering communication, promoting sensory exploration, and offering educational value. In a playroom designed with intentionality, every game, toy, and activity converges to create a developmental powerhouse.

A productive distraction for busy days

In the midst of our fast-paced lives, there are moments when parents need undistracted time, whether it’s for work, household chores, or simply a moment of respite. A well-equipped playroom becomes a beacon during these times. Here, children find multiple avenues to stay entertained, engaged, and safe.

It’s a space where they can independently explore, play, and learn while parents can momentarily step away, assured of the knowledge that their children are in a safe environment. This self-directed play not only offers parents a reprieve, but also nurtures a child’s sense of independence and self-reliance.

A safe sanctuary for developing imagination

Every child deserves a space where their imagination is the limit. Playrooms, adorned with their favourite themes and characters, become these safe zones. They can be astronauts, pirates, scientists, or explorers without judgement or restriction.

The emotional and psychological benefits of such a space are profound. It fosters autonomy, boosts self-esteem, and offers a retreat when the world outside feels overwhelming. A playroom stands as a testament to a child’s individuality, allowing them to be unabashedly themselves.

Maybe its best trait is its drought resistance once established, which makes it ideal for xeriscaping.

Or is it the multitudes of pups the plants produce for easy propagation? Or the fragrant blooms that attract pollinators and hummingbirds?

While we have established that lace aloe is the top plant in its genus, we’ll have to determine its top attribute after I share more about its habits and growing requirements.

To be honest, we might disagree when the facts are known about all its attributes…

Here’s what I’ll cover:

What Is Lace Aloe?

While A. aristata is no longer considered a true aloe, this species and aloe vera are both part of the Asphodelaceae family.

Some call A. aristata guinea fowl plant, and I agree the markings on the leaves call to mind the patterns of those birds.

It’s also called a torch plant thanks to the coral-orange tuberous flowers that bloom in late spring and summer on 20-inch stalks.

They’re the only tall aspect, though. The rest of the plant is low growing, reaching nine inches max.

But it’s vigorous, and a single rosette may eventually spread a couple of feet and multiply to become a throng of eight to 10 rosettes.

As well as being pretty, the plants can resist drought once established. They do okay even in poor soil, too, though they prefer sandy loam outdoors and occasional fertilizer when grown inside.

They are native to southern Africa and are found in the Eastern and Western Cape, and the Free State provinces of South Africa, and Lesotho.

Unlike the species still classified as true aloes, which tend to be hardy as perennials in Zones 9 to 11, A. aristata can be grown in rock gardens, beds, borders, and mass plantings in areas that get far colder.

There’s a bit of debate about whether they’re cold hardy in Zone 7, and I would advise you to proceed with caution and grow yours in containers to bring indoors during the winter if you live in that region.

But everyone agrees that this plant is hardy in Zones 8 to 10.

Would you like to see this unusual succulent growing in your landscape or on a windowsill? Keep reading, and you can make that happen.

Lace Aloe Propagation

Whether you’re intent on growing your first lace aloe or are trying for multiples from plants you already have, dividing pups produced by a parent plant is the simplest way to propagate.

This species is known for producing numerous offshoots, and our guide can tell you the best way to divide pups from the parent plant.

Spoiler alert: It’s easy.

To root a cutting instead, use a sanitized knife to cut a leaf off at its base. Let it form a callus by setting the cutting in a cool, dry place for at least two hours or overnight.

Succulents like lace aloe won’t need rooting hormone. Just place the cuttings into seed-starting cells or a shallow tray of ordinary succulent or seed-starting mix, cut side down.

Keep the surface moist with a spray bottle of water until roots form.

It is technically possible to propagate A. aristata from seed outdoors in sandy loam or inside in a potting mix.

Should you happen to live in an area where this is a common xeriscaping plant, you might be able to find friends or neighbors who save the seeds and are willing to share.

You can find directions for sowing seeds in our guide to growing a similar succulent, tiger aloe.

How to Grow Lace Aloe Outdoors

Outdoors, grow lace aloe in sandy loam and direct sun to part shade.

These plants dearly love the morning sun if that’s available.

In the hotter USDA Zones where this succulent thrives, you may need to provide a part-shade location or toss some shade cloth on strategically in the heat of the day during the harshest summer weather.

While it’s not a member of the Aloe genus anymore, A. aristata still benefits from the same growing strategies as those other spiky, fleshy succulents.

See our guide to growing aloe outdoors for more step-by-step instructions.

Bear in mind, though, that A. aristata is hardy as far north as Zone 7, so much of the advice about avoiding freezes and overwintering the plants does not apply.

How to Grow Indoors

Indoors, plant lace aloe in pots that are porous and don’t retain water, such as unglazed terra cotta.

The pots should be just an inch or two wider than the rosette and they must have drainage holes.

Use a potting mix specially formulated for succulents and cacti, and fill the pots to within about an inch of the rim.

If the soil is any higher, you risk all the water running off the top when you water before it reaches the plants.

Grown as a houseplant, A. aristata needs plenty of indirect light, and a few hours of direct morning sun are a bonus. It also requires water, but only once the top two inches of the potting mix are dry.

You can determine if indoor pots need water by poking your pinky into the edge of the pot or using a soil moisture meter.

Drench the soil at the surface and let it drain for at least 15 minutes, discarding the excess.

Those who grow lace aloe outdoors also report this succulent is unappealing to squirrels and voles.

The few insect pests it tends to attract are mealybugs or scale insects, which are both more common when you grow this succulent indoors.

Find tips for coping with scale or learn how to eradicate mealybugs in our guides.

The most common disease is also the most devastating: root rot. It’s caused by fungal pathogens that breed in overly soggy soil and eventually rot the roots, which kills the plant.

Avoid root rot by always planting A. aristata in well-draining soil, watering only when the top couple of inches are dry, and never letting it sit in a garden or saucer of pooled water.

You can find more tips in our guide to preventing and managing rot in succulents.

Best Uses of Lace Aloe

Between its relative cold tolerance and its pretty rosettes, A. aristata helps gardeners in Zones 7 to 10 add a desert vibe to the landscape.

Whether it’s blooming in summer or the leaves are dormant but evergreen in the winter months, lace aloe adds flair to desert gardens, rock gardens, and xeriscapes.

Indoors, it complements southwestern decor. Grow it with upright and trailing succulents for a trendy take on the thrill-spill-fill container garden concept.

The attractive green-gray leaves with their white speckles also make this succulent a fine option for holiday decor.

Haworthia fasciata (haw-WORTH-ee-uh fass-ee-AY-tuh), now named Haworthiopsis fasciata, is a succulent plant native to South Africa shrub lands.

Haworthia plants are often compared to Ox Tongue plants (Gasteria) and sometimes even confused with Aloe plants. However, it is not surprising, like Aloes, Haworthia fasciata belongs to the Asphodeloideae family and the genus Haworthia.

These plants have thick, dark green leaves with horizontal zebra stripes of white tubercles, warts, or white bumps on the outer surface of the thick leaves.

Owing to this distinctive and beautiful foliage, these plants earned the common names:

• Zebra plant
• Zebra cactus
• Zebra Haworthia

The inside of the leaves is plain and smooth. Like most other succulents, Haworthias are low maintenance.

Haworthiopsis fasciata plants are drought tolerant, storing water in their thick, stiff leaves.

Cultivation and Haworthia Fasciata Care

Haworthiopsis Fasciata Growth and Size

The zebra plant is a relatively small plant. It grows in a rosette that can reach around 5″ – 8” inches in height. 

Zebra plants have thick, pointy, triangular-shaped, dark green leaves with horizontal white stripes.  

Generally, the growing season begins in the spring through the fall and is considered one of the slower-growing species.  However, its leaves tend to curve inward, and its growth habit is taller. 

The green triangular leaves are clustered together, giving the plant a “Zebra” effect.

NOTE: Haworthia attenuata has a similar appearance.

Flowering and Fragrance

Haworthiopsis Fasciata is a flowering plant producing white flowers, usually during the spring.

Some plants also bloom during the summer months.

Well-grown zebra plants produce inflorescence (long stems) during the flowering season.

These stems bear tiny striped green and white haworthia flower in color with no fragrance.

Keep in mind zebra fasciata cactus can experience a hard time breaking out into full bloom when it is grown indoors.

Light, Shade, and Temperature

Zebra plant succulent enjoys locations receiving a lot of bright indirect sunlight but no direct sun exposure. Too much sun can cause leaves to turn white.

However, little zebra plants also appreciate some light shade in the heat of the afternoon. The leaves may change color in bright, direct sunlight. 

They do well in medium to high light. Therefore, when grown as a houseplant, keeping them near east or south windows that receive loads of natural light is generally advisable.

For gardeners, they are easy to grow, preferring a well-draining soil mix. While the plant is somewhat tolerant of low-light conditions, it prefers full sun or bright direct light, which also produces the best colors in the leaves. 

During the summer, the ideal room temperatures for Haworthia fasciata range from 60° to 85° degrees Fahrenheit. They will tolerate high heat levels.

As the temperature drops, it is important to make sure that the temperature does not drop below 50° degrees Fahrenheit to ensure plant health. 

The zone 10 plants are not cold-hardy and do not like cold temperatures.

Watering and Feeding

Haworthiopsis fasciata care includes proper watering and feeding. Water in moderation.

During the summer, water the plant thoroughly, allowing the soil to dry out between watering sessions. Be careful to avoid overwatering and root rot.

 If the leaves are brown or yellow and mushy, or the center of the plant is turning brown, that is a sign of overwatering. Hold off on watering your plant for several weeks. 

As these plants can store moisture in their leaves, reduce watering as the temperature starts to drop and allow the soil at the top to dry out.

When zebra cactus is grown in a terrarium, only use fertilizer once every 4 – 6 months.

Otherwise, applying diluted liquid fertilizer every 2 – 3 months is enough to provide these plants with the nutrients for proper health and growth.

There is no need to fertilize the zebra plant succulent during winter. Keep humidity low, around 10% or lower, at all times.

Related: Tips On Haworthia Watering

Porous Soil & Transplanting

Zebra fasciata grows best in a cactus potting mix with excellent drainage.

A mixture of equal part perlite, potting soil, and part sand is also a viable alternative.

When plants outgrow their pot, transplant during the spring season.

It is advisable to move the succulent Haworthia to only a slightly bigger pot.

Generally, these plants need to be repotted every two years into a new cactus mix.

Grooming and Maintenance

Once the haworthiopsis fasciata flower fades, groom by cutting off the flower stems.

Leaf cuttings take longer to produce new plants, but they’re fascinating to watch! Start by removing an entire leaf from a mature plant.

Using a sharp, clean knife, cut off the stem an inch below where the leaves begin to space out. Remove all the leaves from that bottom inch, leaving you with a spiky rosette on a stem. 

Popular Haworthia Succulents To Grow and Collect

How to Propagate Zebra Fasciata Cactus

Succulent zebra plants propagate easily – the same as Aloe plants.

Take cuttings from the clump-forming mother plant, no longer than just a couple of inches long.

Let them dry for a few days, allowing the wound to heal, before planting.

Haworthia plants also produce pups or offsets from the parent plant. Simply remove the baby plants from the parent and replant them in their own individual pots.

Irrespective of the propagation method, make sure not to overwater the plant.

Water sparingly and allow the soil to dry afterward.

Zebra Fasciata Pest or Diseases

The most common problem encountered by the zebra plant succulent is scale insects, mealybugs, and, at times, spider mites.

These scale bugs stick to the leaves and suck the juice out of the plant’s leaves, robbing the plant of the essential nutrients.

If the plant is attacked, the easiest way to handle this problem is to spray the affected plant using a good-quality pesticide.

Related: Learn how to control problems with succulent diseases and pests

Uses For Fasciata Zebra Plant

Haworthia plants make excellent additions to desert dish-gardens.

Display these window sill succulents in small pots. It is another way to appreciate the beautiful foliage of this extraordinary plant.

Haworthias are non-toxic, making them excellent starter plants for kids.

Do you have a problem with succulent leaves falling off your plants? Fleshy-leaved succulents and cactus may often drop their leaves for a wide variety of reasons.

Falling leaves are a natural part of the growth process or a response to environmental stress, which may include circumstances such as:

• Reduction in Energy Needs
• Too Much or Too Little Water
• Excessive Light
• Chemical Shock
• Excessive Heat
• Excessive Cold
• Lack of Light

… and More.

In this article, we explore the many reasons why succulent leaves may be dropping from your plants and share advice to help you deal with this problem.

7 Reasons and Answers To Why Are My Succulent Leaves Falling Off

Below, we look at potential causes for succulent dropping leaves. There are many factors the can contribute to leaf loss:

• The types of succulents
• Care of succulents
• Type of soil
• Pots with drainage
• Temperatures and periods of heat

#1 – Temperature Irregularities

The majority of succulents thrive in very warm, dry areas. Dropping leaves is sometimes a natural response to extended periods of excessive heat or drought.

Even though fallen leaves are a normal coping mechanism, it’s not one you want in an attractive ornamental plant. 

Succulents can start to drop their leaves if they’re kept in low-light conditions for too long.

The most common reason for brown or dark spots on the leaves of your succulents is sun damage or sunburn.

You can slowly increase the length of sun exposure over a period of a few weeks until your succulent is getting around six hours of bright and direct sunlight each day or about 12 hours of artificial light.

To prevent your succulents from becoming stressed by extreme heat, you should locate them in the light shade when kept outdoors during hot weather. If they look wilted or sunburned, either move them or place a shade cloth over them.

Indoors, keep your succulents away from windows a bit so they get plenty of bright indirect light but are not scorched by direct, magnified sunlight.

Conversely, succulents may also drop leaves and show other signs of stress when touched by frost.

Most succulents do not survive freezing weather and may develop burned black and falling leaves.

A plant stressed by frost but not killed will usually generate some new leaves to replace the damaged leaves.

It’s better to allow the damaged leaves to fall off naturally than to pull or prune them away. NOTE: Try starting some new plants with the leaves.

Plant cold-sensitive succulents in protected areas outdoors and mulch or cover in winter as appropriate for protection.

Keep indoor succulents away from areas (e.g., near exterior doors) where they might receive cold blasts of air during the winter months.

#2 – Lighting Excesses & Changes

Most succulents like the Echeveria plant, Aloes, and Haworthias do best with consistent, bright indirect lighting 6-8 hours a day.

When kept in a low light setting, your succulents lose color and may even turn yellow. 

Related: Learn more about succulent leaves turning yellow.

Eventually, the leaves will fall off.

Other signs of excessively low lighting include stretching.

If your plant is leaning toward the light and creating long, spindly stems, it’s a sign you need to move the plant into a better-lit area. 

The stem and the plant itself stretch out toward the direction of the light source.

Sudden changes in light can cause succulent plants to drop leaves. Watch how your plant reacts when moving to a different location or when using a grow light, or when making any sort of adjustments.

If you have had your plant oriented in one way toward the sun for a long time and then you suddenly turn it, this is often enough stress to cause leaf drop. 

Likewise, if you move the plant from a relatively low-lit area to a very highly-lit area or vice versa, leaf loss may occur.

Be sure to make any changes gradually so your plant will have time to adapt.

#3 – Succulent Leaves Falling Off From Pests Can Also Be The Problem

Check out these links for more details:

#4 – Chemical Burns Can Cause Leaf Drop

Chemicals can shock your houseplant’s system and don’t have to be excessively harsh chemicals.

Even treatments for maladies, such as the fungus designed to use with succulents, can cause your plant to drop its leaves.

When treating your plant for any ailment, it’s wise to look for natural alternatives first.

Nutrients can be added in by re-potting the plant in a fresh potting mix or by fertilizing the plant.

If you must turn to chemical treatment, be sure to follow the packaging instructions very carefully.

Keep your plant in an ideal, consistent setting during treatment to avoid excessive stress.

#5 – Are You Watering Correctly?

Even though the vast majority of outdoor succulents are drought tolerant, a lack of water will naturally cause them to wilt and drop leaves.

By the same token, excess water can cause succulent leaves to swell up too much and fall off. Look for signs of root rot.

Rot in succulents can happen due to too much water, heavy potting mix that holds too much moisture, high humidity, heat (as discussed above), or frost.

Leaves that fall off from overwatering or underwatering appear wet and mushy, and the stem may appear puffy.

Pull off any dead leaves from the plant or remove dead leaves that have fallen off into the soil to prevent insects and bugs from hiding in there.

You must find the perfect medium to water your plants in just the right amount. As a rule of thumb, all succulent lovers must follow a regular watering schedule to prevent making the soil too damp. 

You should wait until the soil is nearly dry and then water very thoroughly.

Related: How often should you water a succulent?

#6 – Is Your Succulent in the Right Kind of Container?

Containers for succulents and cacti should always be made of porous, breathable material such as terra-cotta or hypertufa, and they should always have plenty of drainage holes.

#7 Is Your Succulent in the Right Kind of Potting Soil?

Succulent plants need light, airy, well-draining soil. Succulent and cactus specialty soil is easy to find at any gardening center.

It’s also great to use a succulent pot with a drainage hole. This helps prevent overwatering as well.  When you water, you should be able to pour the water through the soil and have it run freely through the ample drainage holes in the bottom of your container.

Related: How to make succulent soil!

#8 Is Your Plant Growing?

Sometimes as succulent plants grow taller, leaves falling off or naturally shedding their lower leaves is common. This is not a cause for alarm.

Succulent Care Is Easy

Consistency and moderation are the keys to successful succulent care.

• Be sure to provide your plant with enough light (without scorching it). 
• Keep it consistently warm during the day, and don’t allow it to become excessively chilled at night.
• Provide a pot and potting soil allowing for good air circulation around the root system.
• Water seldom and thoroughly.

If you follow these guidelines, your succulent should only experience fallen leaves and leaf drops as a part of normal growth.

Homesteading is a way of becoming closer to the earth by living a more self-reliant and holistic lifestyle. From growing your own produce to making candles, there are so many ways you can embrace a more natural lifestyle, even in the city. Here’s how you can return to your roots by embracing urban homesteading.

My Instagram feed has been flooded these days with garden harvest hauls, flower pounding prints onto fabric, collecting eggs from the coop, and so many more posts about homesteading.

People want to return to using the land and nature as a support. I think the past few years have made people realize how vital self-sufficiency can be and how nature can boost your mental health.

Homesteading can include many aspects, from preserving goods and embracing agriculture to making textiles or producing your own energy. Traditionally, you need lots of farmland to live the homesteading life.

But I’ve seen many ways people have twisted homesteading on its head and made it work for even small spaces. If you live in a city or town with limited space like me, you can still employ many homesteading practices at home.

Here are plenty of projects and ways you can begin urban homesteading!

This post will cover…

What is a Homestead?

Homesteads are a return to traditional living, with homes on farms or off the grid that are self-sufficient. Theoretically, they get everything they need to live on their property.

Homesteaders live off the land as much as possible. They plant gardens, keep animals, hunt, and gather from the surroundings to sustain themselves.

To be 100% self-reliant, of course, takes a lot of work and land. Nowadays, many people are using these older homestead practices and applying them to a more modern and urban lifestyle.

Many of the things I talk about in Garden Therapy can be considered homesteading practices. After all, gardening is a key component of homesteading. But did you know that I live in urban Vancouver on a small city lot?

You don’t need a ton of space to get started. Urban homesteading is very much possible, and I can’t wait to share with you some projects you can do to begin homesteading on your property.

Gardening

As you can probably tell by the name of this website, gardening is a big part of my life and a core part of urban homesteading. The biggest misconception about homesteads is that you need acres of land to grow enough food to be self-reliant. Let me tell you that is a considerable feat for even a seasoned gardener.

The more practical goal is to grow plants to supplement what you buy from the grocery store or farmer’s market.

I practice regenerative gardening, a sustainable method of organic gardening that encourages your garden to be more self-reliant and in harmony with existing ecosystems. It may sound complex, but it really is simple to get started with. You can check out my post on 25 practices to start regenerative gardening or refer to my book, The Regenerative Garden, for everything you need to know.

Another important thing to remember is that anyone can garden, even those in an apartment without a balcony. There are many ways to grow food indoors or get involved with a community garden.

Herbs

Some people grow lots of vegetables or fields of flowers—every gardener has their passion. For me, my love lies in herbs. They can be beautiful, great for wildlife, edible, and medicinal. I love plants that can be multi-faceted.

You’ll find that many plants are more beneficial than you may think. Roses are terrific for skin care. Feverfew can help to prevent and treat migraines and headaches. Hops can aid with insomnia and digestion issues. I could go on!

You can check out all my herbal guides to get the low down on the benefits of plants—you may even already have some in your garden.

Canning

You’ll find that no matter how well you plan succession planting, you’ll end up with more than you need at one time. This is where canning comes in! Try canning, pickling, and making all kinds of preserves and jams with your extra bounty.

Here are a few recipes that I use for my harvests:

Preserves from your garden make for such thoughtful gifts. If I’m heading to a friend’s for dinner or coming up with Christmas presents, I can easily grab something from my stash. Dress up your preserves with these free printable canning labels.

Soap Making

Many years ago, our ancestors would make soap out of oil and wood ash. Luckily, things are a little easier these days for us urban homesteaders!

For beginners, I always recommend getting started with melt and pour soap. This method uses an existing soap base and allows you to add colours and scents and pour them into your mould of choice. It’s a great way to dip your toes into the soap making process.

The other method of making soap is my preferred method, cold process. Through cold process, you mix a combination of oils and lye. This creates a chemical reaction known as saponification, resulting in hard bars of artisanal soap.

I make cold process soap constantly, so I have many recipes on Garden Therapy that you can try out. But here are a few of my favourites.

Candle Making

Candle making is one of the easiest ways to get into the urban homestead mindset. It doesn’t require much space or even supplies, making it a quick and easy project.

I’ve been making my own candles for years and have even written a book about fun and unique candle projects, Make & Give Home Candle Making.

Here are a few of my favourite candle projects you can try out!

You can easily get started by purchasing a candle making kit. Or you can go out and buy the supplies and repurpose containers. This list covers all the supplies you might need to start candle making.

Salves and Remedies

Plants are powerful allies to have in our medicine cabinet. So often, I can find an aid for common ailments just by going into my backyard and putting together some natural ingredients. Whether you’re looking for prevention or treatment, there’s a plant ally you can turn to.

I make many salves and balms using infused oil. First, I dry the plants with desirable properties and benefits and then infuse them in oil to transfer those properties. Here is a complete list of all the healing salves and balms I make regularly.

In addition, these are other common natural healing methods I like to use:

Green Cleaning

Besides using the medicinal properties of plants to help heal my body, they can also be amazing cleansers for the home. 

I avoid using chemical cleaners at all costs, instead turning to staple items like vinegar and alcohol infused with plants from my garden. They’re just as effective in cleaning and disinfecting as the cleaners you might get from the store.

You can find a ton of natural cleaning products for around the home in my cleaning roundup post. My book, Handmade Soaps, Sanitizers, and Cleaners, also has recipes to sanitize your home and cleanse your body.

Bee Keeping

Are you on Bee TikTok? I’ve learned so much about bees, from breeding queens to bees staging coups. It seems that everyone is becoming obsessed with taking care of bees, and I’m here for it!

I’ve long been a big bee fan without actually delving into beekeeping. It’s all about creating a safe space for them and realizing that your yard is also theirs!

Here are three big things everyone can do for bees:

• Create a safe home. Building a bee house on your property gives a safe space for solitary bees to nest in.
• Create a bee bath. Like a bird bath, a bee bath gives a safe and accessible space for bees to stop and have a drink.
• Succession planting. Ensure you have flowers blooming from early spring to late fall to give bees a continuous food source.

If you want to try traditional beekeeping, you must peek at these gorgeous painted beehives. Perhaps you could do something similar to dress up your garden and bee lodge!

Backyard Chickens

When people think of urban homesteading, they think of chickens. While not all bylaws will allow chickens in urban areas, yours might!

I’m not a big expert in keeping chickens, as I’ve never had any. However, I have had a few guest bloggers share their knowledge about caring for chickens over the years.

Urban Homesteading for Beginners

If you’ve reached the end of this list and feel a little overwhelmed about where to begin, I have you covered. Here are a few projects that are very easy to do and great for those who want to get started with urban homesteading without full-on committing:

Frequently Asked Questions About Urban Homesteads

More Tips for Creating an Urban Homestead

However, many varieties have unique requirements for ripening. They’re picked when mature but still underripe and placed in cold storage for conditioning before they can be ripened.

And they need to be handled gently to avoid damaging the soft-skinned flesh.

If you’re a pear fan (and who isn’t?), here’s everything you need to know about how to handle and store your pear harvest.

Two Types of Pear

Pears belong to the genus Pyrus, and two species are grown for consumption.

The familiar, soft-fleshed European (P. communis) varieties have a juicy, buttery texture and classic teardrop shape.

A more recent option for home gardeners is the crisp-fleshed Asian (P. pyrifolia) varieties that have a crunchy texture and a round shape much like that of apples.

European cultivars fall into two categories based on their harvest time: summer and winter pears, and this will determine how you store and ripen them.

Summer varieties don’t require a period of cold storage before ripening. But the only summer variety that stores well is ‘Bartlett,’ which can be kept for one to two months.

And for best quality, winter varieties like ‘Anjou,’ ‘Bosc,’ and ‘Comice’ require four to eight weeks of cold storage before they’re ripened. The cold inhibits the ripening process and allows the fruit to develop better texture and flavor.

The fruit of Asian trees are simply allowed to mature and ripen on the branch, and are juicy and crisp when eaten freshly picked from the spur. They do moderately well in cold storage, but typically only keep for up to three months.

Picking Fruit

Unfortunately, unlike Asian types or apples, the fruit of European cultivars do not fare well when allowed to ripen on the branch.

They ripen from the inside out and have a tendency to develop a coarse, mealy texture, and suffer from core collapse – where the fruit rots from the inside – so fruits are harvested when they’re mature, but not yet ripe.

Maturity is defined as ready to pick, but the fruit is typically still green and hard, depending on the cultivar. Ripe means they’re ready to eat.

So how do you know when they are ready to pick? As the expected harvest date approaches, start to watch your pears closely.

In most cases, you can tell that a fruit is mature when it releases readily from the branch. To test this, lift the hanging fruit to a horizontal position – if it releases easily, it’s mature.

Unless it’s a ‘Bosc,’ which are known to be stubborn about letting go of the branch.

Some varieties, like ‘Anjou’ and ‘Bartlett,’ change color slightly at maturity, going from dark green to a lighter shade or develop a rosy blush on the side that’s exposed to the most sunlight. At the same time, pores in the skin called lenticels may become more noticeable.

If fruit has already started to drop from the branches, harvest promptly. They may be past their prime for fresh eating, but much of the crop can still be salvaged for canning, jams, and other preserves.

Fruit growing at the top of trees and on limb ends usually mature a little earlier than those in the center.

However, keep in mind that none of the above applies to Asian pears, which mature and ripen on the tree.

As Asian cultivars mature, fruits can change color from an underripe green to shades of gold, russet, or yellow, depending on the cultivar.

As mentioned, summer varieties do not store well – with the exception of ‘Bartlett’ that may keep for up to two months. Asian types can be stored as described below and used within three months.

Choose a shallow cardboard or wooden box and cut out a few ventilation slots on each side if needed. Insulate the box with crumpled newsprint.

For winter varieties that require a period of cold storage prior to ripening, wrap the fruit lightly in tissue paper.

Place the fruit carefully in the box in a single layer, and handle them gently to avoid bruising. Space them so that the fruit is not touching.

To maximize storage time, the ideal temperature is 30-32°F with a humidity of 85 to 90 percent. In these conditions, pears will keep from two to six months, depending on the variety.

An old refrigerator is perfect for this purpose, but an unheated cellar, garage, or shed also works – provided air circulation is good and temperatures remain in the range of 30 to 40°F.

But warmer temperatures will also mean significantly reduced storage length. If temperatures drop to 29°F or below, the fruit will freeze and your harvest will be ruined.

Check your fruit on a regular basis, and discard those that develop mold or overly soft flesh.

Remove any that begin to ripen – or in the case of Asian types, those that are overripe – and use in the kitchen immediately.

Avoid storing your pears close to strong-smelling produce like garlic as the fruit can absorb these odors.

How to Ripen

After winter pears have been cold conditioned, they need to ripen before you can eat them.

To ripen, bring the fruit out of cold storage and into room temperature (60-70°F). You can place them in a bowl on a countertop and they should ripen in three to 10 days.

To speed up ripening, you can add a ripe apple, avocado, or banana to the bowl. They release ethylene gas which accelerates the ripening process.

You can also place a few in a loosely closed paper bag which can help to speed up ripening.

Fruit is ripe when the stem flesh just above the shoulders yields gently to pressure. If the flesh is still hard, allow them to ripen for a few more days.

To ripen more slowly, you can put your pears in a loosely sealed plastic bag and place in a slightly cooler area, with temperatures between 45 and 60°F.

After ripening, fruit can be stored in the refrigerator but should be brought to room temperature before eating for the best flavor and texture.

Preserves

If you have a big harvest of ripe fruit, pears also make fantastic preserves.

Try spicy homemade pear butter or jam, or slice and can them in a light syrup. Dehydrated, they make a sweet, chewy treat.

They can also be frozen in a light syrup or you can freeze peeled slices on a tray and transfer to freezer bags when solid. They tend to turn mushy when they defrost, so you’ll want to use them in baking or other recipes where texture isn’t important.

And of course, they make an exceptionally fine wine!

For more inspiration on how to use up your ripe fruit, check out these recipe ideas on our sister site, Foodal.

Here’s everything you need to know to add it to your vegetable patch this year:

Let’s dig into the details!

What Is Savoy Cabbage?

Savoy cabbage, like all other cabbage varieties is a specific cultivar of Brassica oleracea. The wrinkly leaves have a milder flavor and a lighter texture than the more traditional green cabbage that many of us are used to.

According to Texas A&M University, the name savoy comes from the historical Savoy region of the Western Alps in parts of what is now Italy, France, and Switzerland.

When and How to Plant

As with other varieties of cabbage, savoy doesn’t do well in hot weather. Therefore, it can be grown once in the spring, and again in the fall.

In the spring, you should aim to get transplants in the ground immediately after your last frost. This gives plants time to fully develop before it becomes too hot. Start seeds five or six weeks before your expected last frost date.

In the fall, crops should be transplanted in late July to mid-September. Those in colder regions should transplant earlier, while those in warmer regions can transplant later.

Seeds for transplants should be started in late June to early August, depending on when you want to plant.

No matter when you plant, choose a site with full sun and good drainage. Plant seedlings 12-18 inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart.

This crop can also be direct seeded, but it will take up space in your garden for a longer period of time. Direct seed in July and August for zones one through six and in August and September for zones seven through ten.

To direct seed crops, plant seeds four inches apart in rows 18-24 inches apart. When the seedlings are two inches tall, thin to 12-18 inches apart.

You can also grow Savoy cabbage in containers. For one plant per container, choose a pot that is at least 12 inches in diameter and 12 inches deep. If planting more than one cabbage per container, space plants 12 inches apart.

Crop Management

The light and water requirements for savoy cabbage is the same as other cabbages. It does best in full sun and requires one inch of water per week.

Savoy cabbage is susceptible to many of the pests that attack other brassicas. These include cabbage worms, flea beetles, slugs, and cutworms.

One way to protect your plants from these pests is to practice crop rotation. Do your best to avoid planting brassicas – think cabbages, kale, and collards – in the same area two years in a row.

Rotating crops helps break the pests’ life cycle. When juveniles emerge in the spring, they don’t have their preferred host plant to feed on, so they die or move on.

Floating row covers  physically exclude flying pests from your crops. They work best if you put them on before insect populations get too high, so scout your crop a few times a week to check for early signs of pests such as eggs or recently arrived adults. Better yet, apply these covers when the plants are still small and before the insects have appeared.

How to Harvest

Savoy cabbage heads will be ready to harvest 70 to 110 days after planting seeds, depending on the variety. Check your seed packet to see when your variety will be ready.

While heads should be compact, this variety does have a little more give than others. When you touch a mature cabbage, don’t be surprised if it feels squishy. However, if you can push the cabbage inwards more than a quarter of an inch, it needs more time to mature.

To harvest the cabbage, simply cut the stem near ground level. After removing any discolored leaves, store in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator for up to a month.

Recipes and Cooking Ideas

One of my favorite ways to cook savoy cabbage is in haluski – a Polish dish of butter, onions, cabbage, and noodles.

For a quick preparation, saute one chopped onion and a head of thinly sliced cabbage in butter until soft. Meanwhile, cook egg noodles according to package directions. Toss the noodles with the vegetables for a comforting cool-weather dish.

Nutritious savoy cabbage is also great in slaws such as this cabbage and pea sprout salad with Asian-inspired dressing from our sister site, Foodal.

Today we’re in Colonial Heights, Virginia, visiting Nancy Snyder’s garden.

Nancy has had this hibiscus (Hibiscus ‘Midnight Marvel’ (Zones 5–9) in the garden for three years, and she says it gets taller each year. Hardy hibiscus like this are hybrids of North American native species and have some of the largest, most dramatic flowers of any perennial.

This flower goes by many names: resurrection lily, surprise lily, or, most dramatically, naked ladies. They all refer to Lycoris squamigera (Zones 5–9), which sends up these beautiful flowers in late summer/early fall. All the common names refer to the fact that the flowers come up (surprisingly, nakedly) without any leaves. The leaves emerge in the spring and then vanish, like a daffodil, for the summer.

Moon flower (Ipomoea alba, Zones 10–11 or as an annual) is a close relative of the morning glory, but instead of opening in the morning, these huge, fragrant, white flowers open up in the evening. The white color and scent serve to attract the moths that pollinate them.

Hen and chicks (Sempervivum hybrid, Zones 4–8) are wonderful, easy-to-grow, hardy succulents that will thrive in a wide range of climates and conditions provided they are given decent drainage.

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum, Zones 4–9) is a native wildflower common in the woods and forests of eastern North America. The blooms range from green to the dramatic brown stripes seen here and are followed in late summer by big heads of brilliant red berries.

Tiger lily (Lilium lancifolium, Zones 3–9) is a carefree species from Asia happily growing in sun or partial shade and producing these brilliant orange flowers covered with brown speckles.

 

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.

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Labor Day is behind us. Summer, the official version, is over. Just don’t tell the basil. It’s still going strong, at farmers’ markets and in the pots on my terrace. If I could choose just one flavor to extend the longest, brightest days of the year, this would be it. The evocative, familiar fragrance of the soft herb is the embodiment of summer, but shorter days do not spell its end. If there is one constant to my summer and early fall supper menus it is an ever-evolving riff on a famous salad that basil defines: the caprese. These last salads of summer may feature the traditional mozzarella, but I often use creamier burrata, and sometimes heretical feta. But there is always basil. Sweet green, purple, tiny, or Thai.

There is time. Eat basil while you can. (And you’ll need a watermelon for the basil and burrata recipe at the end.)

Photography by Marie Viljoen.

What makes an insalata di caprese (mozzarella, tomato, basil) a classic is its sumptuous austerity. It’s a combination of ingredients whose contrasting and complementary qualities are genius in their simplicity. Juicy, sweetly acid tomatoes, the soft cheese, the bitterly fragrant leaves of basil. A slick of olive oil, a shower of salt, and black pepper, for the reckless. The basic version can be exquisite, or awful. It’s as good as your ingredients. And if they are truly of the season, this salad’s supple framework allows you to improvise. Wonderfully.

Blanching is the simple practice of binding large outer leaves together over and around developing cauliflower heads, to prevent them from yellowing or browning and developing a bitter flavor due to an overabundance of sun exposure. Some older white varieties can even turn shades of blotchy purple.

In this brief article, you will learn when and how to blanch cauliflower with its own leaves.

When the Time Is Right

About a month after sowing, healthy cauliflower plants will be lush with leafy foliage. At this time, the first tiny heads should begin to appear. Check our our cauliflower growing guide if you are just getting started.

Some cultivars, like ‘Early White Hybrid,’ have foliage that grows upward and outward, away from the heads. This does little, if anything, to shade the developing heads from the sun.

These varieties require blanching by hand to protect them from damage.

Others, such as ‘Snowball Self-Blanching,’ will naturally wrap their inner leaves around the maturing heads.

Often this is enough to successfully shelter them from the intense rays, but they, too, can benefit from gardener intervention.

It may seem like a no-brainer to buy the self-shielding type.

However, considerations such as flavor, head size, length of the growing season, and price may make other types more appealing to some gardeners.

Watch plants closely when seedlings reach the one-month mark, because you should begin sun protection on a dry day before the heads are 3 inches across, for the most appetizing crop.

If you start late, or skip blanching altogether, you are likely to still produce an edible crop. However, the curds may be discolored or even sun-scorched, and the flavor may become bitter.

How to Go About It

If you’re not sure whether you have a self-blanching variety or not, look at how the leaves are growing. If they are wrapping around the developing head and effectively shielding it from the sun, you may not need to take any protective action.

Imagine peeling a banana in reverse again. We have to make the open peels stay closed.

However, we also need to leave some room for airflow, for peeking in to monitor progress, and to allow the head to reach its mature dimensions of six to eight inches in diameter. This is why we bind them loosely.

Alternative methods include bending large leaves over the head until they touch the ground, and weighing them down with a brick or rock, or placing a large container over entire plants.

I’m not a fan of these methods, for two reasons:

First, they can reduce airflow and lead to fungal growth.

And second, by enclosing the ground, it can create a moist space that’s attractive to nibbling slugs and snails.

Here’s a tip: Blanch on a dry day, after the morning dew has evaporated. This way, no moisture gets trapped near the curds and fungal growth is inhibited.

That’s all there is to it!

Harvest Ready

Check developing heads every few days by peeking in between the leaves. Keep an eye out for any hidden pests, and treat as needed. Learn more about controlling cauliflower pests here.

In one to three weeks, they should reach their mature dimensions and be ready for harvest. When the time is right, simply unbind the leaves to reveal your crop.

Recommended Uses

Each of these 19 varieties includes some recommendations or special notes. Maybe it’s a good use for the fruit, or growing considerations. Each one is different, and you’re gonna have to check out each tree to find what they are.

Flowering Group 1

1. Early Harvest

Talk about an ‘Early Harvest!’ These apples are firm and crisp, and produce fruit very early.

The fruit lasts for weeks in the refrigerator, but like most apples, they taste best when fresh.

‘Early Harvest’ also does well when pollinated with white-flowering crabapples.

• Growing Zones: 3 to 8
• Chill Hours: 800 to 1000
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 1, 2
• Height: 20 to 25 feet (dwarf varieties available)

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: When picked young the fruit is excellent for baking. This tree blooms earlier than many other apple cultivars, so consider adding some white-flowering crabapples to your landscape to aid in pollination.

2. Gravenstein

If you like your apples tart (and I sure do), this might be the one you’ve been waiting to pucker up with.

‘Gravenstein’

A native to Denmark, the ‘Gravenstein’ is an excellent apple for making into sauces and cider. The fruit tends to ripen unevenly, so frequent picking is recommended.

• Growing Zones: 2 to 9
• Chill Hours: 700
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 1, 2
• Height: 15 to 20 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Triploid! Great for cooking and is hardy to cold weather. Blooms earlier than most.

This cultivar is available from Nature Hills Nursery.

Flowering Group 2

3. Lodi

Oh, lordy, I love a ‘Lodi’ apple. I’ve admittedly never had one of these unless it was from an orchard, but they’re pretty darn good to snack into.

They tend to produce their fruit earlier than many other cultivars, even in Flowering Group 2, so that’s a plus for when you want to start chowing down on homegrown fruit earlier than the fall.

• Growing Zones: 3 to 8
• Chill Hours: 800 to 1000
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 1, 2, 3
• Height: 10 to 25 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Triploid! Excellent for applesauce and early season pies. The fruit freezes better than it survives being refrigerated. Can handle a wider array of soils than other types.

4. McIntosh

I grew up on a dying orchard dominated by ‘McIntosh’ trees, so these are my favorites.

‘McIntosh’

Juicy, tart, and with just the right amount of crunch, the ‘McIntosh’ is perfect for snacking straight from the tree. Or, you could use them to make a pie like my aunts used to do.

They are also beautiful as an ornamental and… you know what? If you can grow a ‘McIntosh,’ grow it! You won’t regret planting this hardy tree with its tasty fruit!

• Growing Zones: 4 to 7
• Chill Hours: 900
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 1, 2, 3
• Height: 15 to 20 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Cold hardy, provides a bountiful and early harvest each year. Pollinators love a McIntosh.

Four to five foot ‘McIntosh’ trees in #3 Containers are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

Flowering Group 3

5. Arkansas Black

If there was a contest for “Coolest Apple Name” it would surely be awarded to the Arkansas Black. Fortunately, the tree is also a hardy and vigorous grower.

‘Arkansas Black’

The almost-black skin and golden flesh is perfect for cooking, but the tough fruit can be a bit much to easily snack on.

• Growing Zones: 4 to 8
• Chill Hours: 800 to 900
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 12 to 16 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Triploid! Fruit harvest is large but late in the season. Stores well for extended periods. Great for use in wintertime pancakes.

‘Arkansas Black’ trees are available from Fast Growing Trees.

6. Fuji

A Japanese cultivar bred from American stock, the ‘Fuji’ is always a favorite for fresh eating.

‘Fuji’

The fruit tastes delicious when used for juicing and cider.

• Growing Zones: 6 to 9
• Chill Hours: 200 to 400
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 10 to 15 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Does not tolerate drought. Best harvested in early September. Can be stored for up to six months if refrigerated.

Four to five foot ‘Fuji’ trees are available from Nature Hill Nursery.

7. Granny Smith

My number two favorite apple, the ‘Granny Smith’ is a tree with strong limbs and an equally strong flavor.

‘Granny Smith’

The fruit is best harvested in October, but because this tree thrives in warmer climates than most cultivars, it makes picking a pleasant experience.

• Growing Zones: 6 to 9
• Chill Hours: 400
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 18 to 20 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Self-fertile! Great for raw snacking and in baked treats like scones (find the recipe for these and other delicious uses for your harvest on our sister site, Foodal.) Responds very well to regular, careful pruning.

Four to five foot ‘Granny Smith’ trees are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

8. Jonagold

A name that isn’t easy to forget, the ‘Jonagold’ offers a balanced flavor and lovely appearance. The attractive fruit is delicious when eaten raw, and those lovely white flowers are easy to appreciate.

‘Jonagold’

• Growing Zones: 5 to 8
• Chill Hours: 700 to 800
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 12 to 15 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Triploid! Offers a balanced flavor but needs a balanced growing area as well, with soils that are well-drained, slightly acidic, and of average fertility. Susceptible to root rot in poorly drained areas.

‘Jonagold’ is available from Fast Growing Trees.

9. Macoun

With a fun-to-say name, the ‘Macoun’ is another cultivar that rivals the tastiness of the McIntosh, with fruit that is very sweet.

‘Macoun’

It can be a little more picky than other cultivars in terms of ideal growing conditions, and prefers especially deep and well-draining soil. But the fruit it provides makes up for its pickiness.

• Growing Zones: 4 to 7
• Chill Hours: 600
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 15 to 20 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Perfect for fresh eating and for purees and sauces. This type does not do well in storage and should be utilized when fresh. The growing habit is upright and requires diligent, aggressive pruning.

‘Macoun’ apple trees are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

10. Pink Lady

With a name like ‘Pink Lady,’ you can be sure that this apple is a looker. It’s a classic in the grocery store and a great mid-season variety to enjoy straight from the tree.

‘Pink Lady’

The trees themselves are quite lovely, and the flavor of the fruit packs a subtle tart punch.

Hold off on eating one of these after you pick it for about a month to experience the flavor at its peak.

• Growing Zones: 6 to 9
• Chill Hours: 200 to 400
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 12 to 20 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Self-fruitful and a popular choice for regions of the American Southwest that are otherwise devoid of apple species.

‘Pink Lady’ trees are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

11. Red Jonathan

An old-timey tree, the ‘Red Jonathan’ possesses a uniquely sharp taste.

‘Red Jonathan’

It is excellent for long-term storage with medium-sized apples that are perfect for snacking, and is quite the looker while in bloom.

• Growing Zones: 4 to 8
• Chill Hours: 700 to 800
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 15 to 20 feet

‘Red Jonathan’ trees are available from Perfect Plants Nursery.

12. Wealthy

Quite the looker, the ‘Wealthy’ possesses stunning blooms and has a flavor reminiscent of strawberries.

‘Wealthy’

It is resistant to most apple illnesses, and best of all, the fruit drops on maturity. Talk about easy!

• Growing Zones: 4 to 7
• Chill Hours: 1000
• Pollinates With Flowering Groups: 2, 3, 4
• Height: 12 to 15 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Great for any culinary purpose. Long bloom period and very juicy fruit.

‘Wealthy’ trees are available from Nature Hills.

Flowering Group 4

13. Empire

The ‘Empire’ is not my favorite variety – but it may be yours!

‘Empire’

It’s hard to find a better looking fruit out there, and the modest height of this cultivar makes it an ideal solution for smaller properties.

Some folks claim that the ‘Empire’ outdoes the McIntosh in sheer delectability (but I just can’t agree with that)!

• Growing Zones: 4 to 9
• Chill Hours: 800
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 3, 4, 5
• Height: About 15 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: To avoid growing a hundred tiny apples, you’ll want to regularly thin your ‘Empire’ crop to maximize the size of your fruit.

‘Empire’ trees are available from Nature Hills.

14. Gala

Originating from New Zealand (the land down under the Land Down Under – remember that Men at Work song?), the ‘Gala’ is easy to grow and offers a sweet taste.

‘Gala’

The fruit can be stored for months at a time, and is ideal for snacking and cooking. The tree grows easily and is less picky than others.

• Growing Zones: 5 to 8
• Chill Hours: 500
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 3, 4, 5
• Height: 12 to 16 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Self-fertile… but this is not recommended. The ‘Gala’ strongly benefits from cross-pollination. Regular pruning promotes better fruit spurs. Best harvested near the end of August or early September, depending on where you live.

‘Gala’ trees are available from Nature Hills Nursery.

15. Honeycrisp

Crunchy, sweet, and a delight to look at, the ‘Honeycrisp’ has excellent storage life. But better than that, it may be planted in a wide range of climates and grows vigorously.

‘Honeycrisp’

Its taste is spectacular, reason enough for me to add one to my own yard.

• Growing Zones: 3 to 7
• Chill Hours: 800 to 1000
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 3, 4, 5
• Height: 14 to 15 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Self-fertile! The central leader tends to require a bit of support as the tree gets on in size and age.

‘Honeycrisp’ trees are available from Nature Hills.

Read more about caring for Honeycrisp trees here.

16. Red Delicious

Some people love the ‘Red Delicious.’ Having said that, I’m always reminded of my school lunchroom. It’s safe to say I’ll never be able to appreciate this apple, but it does have its advocates!

‘Red Delicious’

The tree grows quickly and the fruit stores for up to six months. That’s probably why it’s a mainstay in cafeterias everywhere.

• Growing Zones: 5 to 8
• Chill Hours: 700 to 800
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 3, 4, 5
• Height: 20 to 25 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Great for desserts. Requires regular watering, and fruit is best harvested at the end of September.

‘Red Delicious’ trees are available from Planting Tree.

17. Winesap

Producing a good-sized crop, the ‘Winesap’ grows in an appealing oval shape and sports pink flowers when in bloom.

‘Winesap’

The sweet and tart flavor of the fruit is reminiscent of wine, which makes it perfect for apple cider donuts or served alongside a glass of red.

• Growing Zones: 5 to 8
• Chill Hours: 800
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 3, 4, 5
• Height: 20 to 25 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Requires regular watering. Excellent choice for making applesauce and provides a crop size to get you all you’ll need.

‘Winesap’ trees are available from Fast Growing Trees.

Flowering Group 5

18. Northern Spy

While it may take some time to become established, the Northern Spy is an excellent apple with admirable hardiness against the cold.

It can hold its leaves well into December, and requires plenty of pruning to encourage good structure. A classic tree that requires ample work to truly enjoy!

• Growing Zones: 3 to 7
• Chill Hours: 1000
• Pollinates with Flowering Groups: 4, 5, 6
• Height: 25 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Store fruit in cool conditions to enjoy in the springtime.

19. Red Rome

The Red Rome has a distinctive droopy appearance which translates to “it’s gonna need some support.”

The tree is not especially fast growing, but because it grows later in the season, it is less susceptible to hard freezes.

The flesh of the fruit is almost hard, so it’s great for baking but less ideal for raw eating.

• Growing Zones: 4 to 8
• Chill Hours: 700
• Pollinates with Flowering Group(s): 4, 5, 6
• Height: 10 to 14 feet

Recommended Uses and Special Notes: Great for adding to homemade barbecue sauce. Harvest in late October, and the fruit stores well when refrigerated.

Snack Time’s Over

Now we’ve got a nice collection of apple trees to consider for our homes and gardens!

Make sure you’re planting trees that’ll grow in your zone, and also share a neighboring flowering group. And of course, make sure you’re picking the right apple for your needs.

Please leave your comments, questions, suggestions, and requests in the comments – they’re always appreciated!

And for more information on how to grow and care for apple trees, check out some of our other guides:

Echeveria succulents are superb as solitary specimens, massed in groups for borders or containers, and in succulent groupings for gravel, meditation, rock, and fairy gardens.

And many echeveria varieties develop darling, mini-me offsets over the growing season, spreading into handsome clumps as they grow.

Plus, they make a creative addition to bridal bouquets, living walls, and wreaths as well.

Hailing from semi-desert conditions in mountainous regions of Mexico, Central America, and South America, they’re highly drought tolerant and make an excellent choice for water-wise gardens and xeriscapes.

Striking ornamentals that are low maintenance and easy-care to the max, is your home or garden in need of some exciting echeveria?

Then you’ve come to the right place to learn about 27 of the most popular echeveria varieties!

Here’s a selection of top picks to get you started:

Wonderfully showy in the garden, echeveria requires excellent soil drainage and full sun to thrive.

Frost-tender perennials, they’re cold-hardy in USDA Zones 9 to 11. But beyond this range, they need to be brought indoors to survive winter.

If you’re gardening outside of their hardiness range, consider planting them in containers to make the move indoors fast and easy when fall arrives – be sure to check our growing guide for details on how to care for echeveria plants.

Now, let’s explore those popular echeveria varieties!

1. Afterglow

Satisfaction is a sure thing with the large, luminous rosettes of hybrid Echeveria ‘Afterglow.’

The leaves gleam in shades of gray and powdery lavender-pink and plants produce stout stalks adorned with fiery orange flowers over the growing season.

Plants reach a height and width of 12 to 24 inches and make an eye-catching addition to water-wise containers and tabletop displays, path and sidewalk borders, and in rock or succulent gardens.

2. Allegra

A joyous addition to any setting, ‘Allegra’ has luminous, blue-gray leaves tinged in mauve and finished with a powdery frosting.

The open, cupped rosettes of this hybrid grow six to eight inches tall and five to six inches wide, producing spikes of flowers in bright fuchsia and orange.

Producing multiple offsets, ‘Allegra’ forms attractive mounding clusters that add a sumptuous look to borders, living walls, patio planters, and troughs.

‘Blue Rose’ grows eight inches tall with a width of six inches, and makes a lovely cool-colored choice for borders, containers, and rockeries.

7. Bumps

Compellingly attractive, hybrid ‘Bumps’ features single, loose rosettes in luminous colors and wide, undulating leaves covered in strange, bumpy nodules. It produces small, tubular flowers of coral pink.

Growing up to 12 inches wide and six inches tall, this echeveria variety has core colors of ice to jade green, with leaf edges in red tones of neon pink to mulberry.

Visually arresting, ‘Bumps’ makes a perfect specimen for centerpiece planters, fairy and rock gardens, and Halloween tables!

See our guide to spooky and scary-looking plants for more suggestions in this vein.

8. Chroma

A beautiful succulent with dark, variegated foliage, ‘Chroma’ changes color depending on the amount of light it receives, with core hues of blue-green, celery green, and blush pink, and edging or splotches of bronzy-brown, burgundy, grape, and orange.

The rosettes of this hybrid grow up to six inches tall and four inches wide, producing offsets and spikes of bell-shaped, orange to ruby flowers with yellow tips.

‘Chroma’ makes a unique accent in mixed succulent plantings or massed into borders, containers, and rockeries.

9. Culibra

Whimsically odd, hybrid ‘Culibra’ glows in pastel colors with uniquely furled, bumpy leaves.

The rosette’s heart is cool ice green that transitions to powder blue and lilac with bright pink edging, and is finished with a waxy frost.

Rosettes are mostly solitary and grow up to 10 inches tall and seven inches wide, producing stalks of deep pink flowers tipped in yellow.

‘Culibra’ adds unique flair to containers, tabletop planters, and fairy or sci-fi gardens.

10. Doris Taylor

Also known as the wooly rose, ‘Doris Taylor’ (E. pulvinata x E. setosa) has thick, celery-green colored leaves with a pink flush that are covered in silvery hairs, giving a soft, fuzzy appearance.

The short stems produce numerous vertical offsets, forming loose clumps with spikes of attractive, orange-tinged, yellow flowers.

Plants grow up to five inches tall and eight inches wide and make a lovely addition to borders, green roofs, and patio planters.

11. Imbricata

Popular for its vigorous growth and mesmerizing geometry, ‘Imbricata’ (E. glauca x E. gibbiflora ‘Metallica’) has tight rosettes of ice green to powdered teal, with loose spikes of bell-shaped, flame orange flowers.

Multiplying freely, offsets hug the mother tightly, creating beautiful fractal patterns that beautifully fill containers, rock gardens, and centerpiece arrangements.

12. Irish Mint

With a distinctive, tubular leaf shape and upswept growth habit, ‘Irish Mint’ (E. derenbergii hybrid) ranges in color from icy and mint greens to shades of mauve or burgundy.

The uneven rosettes pup readily into sprawling clumps and develop stalks of coral pink buds that open to showy orange flowers.

Mature plants measure up to six inches tall and eight inches wide and make a unique addition to centerpieces, containers, and gravel or rock gardens.

13. Lipstick

The tight, uniform rosettes grow up to four inches wide and six inches tall, slowly developing hugging offsets and arching spires of sunshine yellow to neon pink flowers.

‘Lola’ is well suited to beds, containers, tabletop displays, and in meditation, rock, or Zen gardens.

15. Mauna Loa

Erupting in vividly colored, loose rosettes, ‘Mauna Loa’ (E. gibbiflora hybrid) has spectacular, wide leaves with bumps, wavy edges, and wrinkles.

Plants start out a cool, glacier green then the colors heat up as they mature, morphing into blue, burgundy, and lilac tones with magma red edges.

Solitary rosettes grow six inches tall with a spread of eight to 12 inches and produce spires of red bell-shaped flowers with yellow tips.

A striking choice for borders, containers, and gravel or succulent gardens.

20. Neon Breakers

Buzzing in electric shades of burgundy, mauve, and purple with a cool, moraine green core, hybrid ‘Neon Breakers’ is a showstopper with wide, spade-like leaves and charming, ruffled edges.

The loose rosettes grow up to three inches tall and eight inches wide and produce spires of coral pink flowers and mounding offsets.

An exceptional and colorful choice for living walls, planters, and rockeries – plant in full sun for the brightest purple tones.

21. Painted

Pretty as a picture, E. nodulosa aka painted echeveria is noted for its branched, erect or sprawling habit and fabulous colors – olive green at the core with broad margins in vivid hues of burgundy, cranberry, magenta, plum, and scarlet.

The rosettes produce multiple offsets and can grow 12 to 24 inches tall with a diameter of up to four inches.

Tall stalks of bell-shaped yellow flowers with pink to red markings are a standout feature of this exceptionally colorful choice for containers and gravel, rock, or succulent gardens.

22. Peacock

Strutting its finery, E. peacockii, aka peacock echeveria varieties have sharply pointed, spoon shaped leaves of glowing blue gray to mauve with red tips and margins, and a waxy finish.

The tight rosettes grow three to 12 inches tall with a spread of four to six inches and develop spikes of urn-like, coral pink flowers.

Multiple offsets create a spreading carpet of pups that make attractive container plants and ground covers, and in gravel or rock gardens.

23. Red Velvet

Lush and plush, E. pulvinata ‘Red Velvet’ is highly ornamental with plump, spade-like leaves of jade green, deep margins of burgundy to scarlet, and a covering of short white hairs.

The short stemmed, shrub-like echeveria plants grow up to 12 inches tall with loose rosettes three to four inches wide.

Bearing an abundance of fiery blooms in orange, red, and yellow, ‘Red Velvet’ lends a striking presence to gravel and rock gardens, in containers, and as a rambling ground cover.

24. Topsy Turvy

Unusual and appealing, the silvery gray green leaves of E. runyonii ‘Topsy Turvy’ have a downward fold along their length with upward sweeping tips.

Clearly these shrubs have a lot going for them – and I’ve only scratched the surface of their merits!

If you’ve already decided that Oregon grape is on your shrub “shortlist,” I bet you’re wondering how to best care for these plants.

Sun exposure, water needs, pruning – yes, we’ll cover it all, and then some.

Keep reading to find out more!

What Is Oregon Grape?

Oregon grapes are woody shrubs, many of them evergreen or semi-evergreen. Some are low-growing ground covers, while others are upright shrubs reaching up to 15 feet tall and 12 feet wide.

These plants are known for their alternate, compound leaves which bring color and texture to the landscape.

Many species have leaflets that resemble holly, with sharp teeth that may even be spiky.

New growth on these plants is reddish, maturing to green, dark green, or bluish-green, and turning beautiful shades of red, yellow, or purple in autumn.

Flowers appear in big clusters. These are bright yellow and very fragrant.

The berries of Oregon grape are edible, and they can be blue, black, or red, depending on the species.

Many of these species bear fruits that have a similar appearance to grapes, which explains their common name.

Cultivation and History

Native to Asia and North America, Oregon grapes are members of the Berberidaceae family, related to such plants as barberries, blue cohosh (Caulophyllum spp.), mayapples (Podophyllum spp.), and twinleaf (Jeffersonia spp.).

Oregon grape species – also known as “grape holly” – were formerly classified within the Mahonia genus, but are now classified in the genus Berberis by many, but not all taxonomists. Some still classify them as Mahonia, which is considered a synonym.

(Berberis, by the way, means “barberry” and comes from Arabic.)

Mahonia species have a long history of use by humans. In North America, Indigenous peoples such as the Cheyenne and Blackfoot used these plants for food, dye, and medicinal purposes.

The roots and stems of Berberis species contain berberine, which has medicinal properties and is used in herbal medicine for the treatment of small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO), among other medical conditions.

These shrubs also make great dye plants, with roots, stems, and bark used to produce yellow dyes, and berries used for bluish-purple dyes.

And the berries remain a favorite among current-day foragers, providing excellent fruit for the making of jams and jellies.

Check the growing zone for your selected species or cultivar before planting – depending on which you choose, mahonias can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 4b to 10b.

Oregon Grape Propagation

When propagating mahonias, you’ll need to check on particular details for the type you’re growing, since not all species are propagated in the same way.

For B. aquifolium, which is the type you are most likely to grow if you purchase a specimen from a garden nursery, your options are to propagate via cuttings or seeds.

Here’s how to propagate B. aquifolium:

From Seed

Mahonias can be grown from seed fairly easily. There are many different methods for propagating in this way – I’m going to describe the simplest one.

If you’ve obtained seeds by collecting fresh fruit, first remove the pulp from the seeds and ensure that the seed is clean before sowing it. Otherwise, mold can be an issue.

These seeds can be sown in fall, just as you would pre-seed your veggie garden. They can also be sown in spring, but require a three-month period of cold stratification in order to germinate.

Before sowing in place, clear the growing area of any weeds or other vegetation.

Consider mixing some compost into your soil, which will increase organic matter and help with water retention.

Sow seeds half an inch deep and three to six feet apart. Cover with an inch of mulch and keep the growing area moist while awaiting germination.

Once seedlings germinate, keep the soil moist, irrigating if needed in the absence of rainfall.

When these seedlings are several inches tall you can begin to transition to less irrigation.

From Cuttings

Take cuttings from new, softwood growth in late spring to early summer using sterilized garden pruners.

Start more cuttings than you need, as not all will root successfully.

Cuttings should have two to three pairs of leaflets each. Cut off the bottom pair of leaflets entirely, and cut the other leaflets in half.

Next, take the blade of your garden pruners and score the stem close to the cut end without cutting all the way through.

Prepare a mixture of two parts sand and one part vermiculite, and fill nursery pots with this growing medium. Pots ranging from four inches to one gallon in size are good picks for this project.

Transplanting

Once you have a potted plant that you have grown yourself or purchased from a nursery, you can either plant it in the ground or – in some situations – grow it in a decorative container.

Learn more about growing shrubs in containers with our article.

B. aquifolium will require three to six feet of space. If you’re growing another species, check its mature spread to determine how much room it will need.

If you haven’t already done so, you might want to sketch out your landscaping design in a gardening notebook before you get started.

Clear the planting area of weeds and other vegetation before getting started, then dig a hole that is a couple of inches deeper and twice as wide as your plant’s nursery pot.

Mix some finished compost into the removed soil – it will help with water retention and act as an organic fertilizer.

Tilt the shrub at an angle and squeeze the pot to loosen the roots, then ease the shrub out of the pot.

If the plant has become rootbound, rub the tangled roots until they have been loosened. Rootbound or not, try to loosen the edges of the root ball so that the plant experiences less transplant shock.

Situate the root ball in the hole, positioning it so that the crown of the plant is level with the surface of the soil. To do this, you may need to dig the hole slightly deeper, or add some of the removed soil back into the hole under the root ball.

Once the shrub is positioned well, backfill with soil and compost. Then water in the shrub, let the water settle, and water a second time.

Depending on your climate, you may need to water daily, especially if rain is lacking and conditions are hot.

Irrigate if needed over the next couple of months, then gradually reduce watering.

How to Grow Oregon Grape Holly

As you’ll learn later in the article, there are many different types of Oregon grape to choose from.

In the home landscape, the most common species used is B. aquifolium, so we’ll cover growing requirements for that species here.

B. aquifolium can grow in full sun to part shade, but it will need more water when grown in more direct sunlight.

These shrubs are fairly drought tolerant, able to survive with just seven inches of water per year in some locations, but they will also grow in areas that receive over 150 inches of precipitation a year.

That means this shrub has some flexibility in how much water it needs and is able to tolerate once established.

In arid locations, established plants should be watered about once a month for best results, depending on weather conditions.

And when it comes to soil, well-drained loam is best for this shrub.

Not sure what type of soil you have? Read our article about testing your soil to find out!

Growing Tips

• Grow in full sun to part shade.
• Provide more water for specimens grown in full sun.
• Locate in well-drained, loamy soils.

Pruning and Maintenance

There’s typically no need to prune Oregon grapes, but some gardeners like to rejuvenate plants by cutting back old or damaged stems to the ground. Plan to cut back only one-quarter of the plant’s stems per year, and do this task in late winter.

Read our article on pruning for further guidance.

If your specimen is the type that produces suckers, they can be cut back to the ground as needed or dug up to use as divisions for replanting.

Fertilizer for these plants will depend on which species you grow and which region you live in.

Compost serves as an excellent all-purpose fertilizer. It can be worked into the soil before planting, or added as a top dressing during the growing season.

Placing mulch around mahonias will help with water retention and keeping plants cooler during the summer months.

If you’re not sure what type of mulch to use, read our article to find the perfect mulch solution for your landscaping needs!

Oregon Grape Species and Cultivars to Select

There are many different species and cultivars of Oregon grape to consider using in your landscaping, depending on your preferences and location.

Note that some types of Berberis are prone to becoming invasive, such as B. bealei, also known as leatherleaf mahonia.

For the most positive ecological impact and easier maintenance, choose one of these shrubs that’s native to your region. Let’s look at some options:

Aquifolium

Native to California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington, as well as British Columbia, tall Oregon grape (B. aquifolium) grows in a wide range of different habitats across elevations as low as 35 feet to heights over 9,000 feet.

This species reaches five to eight feet tall and three to six feet wide.

Also known as Mahonia aquifolium and “holly-leaved barberry,” this species has glossy leaves and is evergreen to semi-evergreen.

Plant tall Oregon grape in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9, in full sun to part shade.

Its evergreen leaves are bluish-green, holly-like, and have sharp spines. Its flowers are yellow and its fruits are red, orange, or yellow.

Grow Utah holly in full sun in dry, well-drained, rocky soils.

Although it will require frequent watering at first, this plant is very drought tolerant and is considered xeric once established.

This species is great for fall color – its foliage turns purple in autumn.

Utah holly can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 10.

Nervosa

Dull Oregon grape (B. nervosa) is another Pacific Northwest native, with a range from British Columbia to California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.

Also known as “Cascade barberry” and “longleaf mahonia,” this evergreen species has oblong leaves with sharp teeth. Longleaf mahonia usually reaches about two feet tall and three feet wide, but can sometimes grow as tall as six feet.

While its leaves aren’t exactly dull, they are not quite as shiny as those of tall Oregon grape, thus its name.

Dull Oregon grape produces yellow flowers in late spring to early summer, followed by blue berries.

This species thrives in well-drained soils. It grows best in part shade, and has low moisture needs once established.

Longleaf mahonia can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 9.

Repens

Creeping Oregon grape (B. repens) is native to western North America, ranging from Minnesota and Texas to California and British Columbia.

This semi-evergreen has a trailing growth habit with leathery, holly-like leaves that have a matte finish.

Also known as M. repens and “creeping barberry,” this low-growing species also has yellow flowers, and its fruits are blue to black.

Herbivores

If you grow one of the prickly-leaved types of mahonia, you won’t have to worry much about browsers like deer nibbling your plant’s foliage – those sharp leaf spines and tough leaves are off-putting to these four-legged neighbors.

Mealybugs

Noticing tufts of white fluff on your shrubs? They could be woolly aphids, but then again, they could be mealybugs. (Grab a hand lens or snap a closeup photo if you’re not sure – if most of the bugs you’re seeing lack wings, they are mealybugs.)

These sucking insects steal nutrients from plants, and sometimes spread disease as well.

If you notice mealybugs on your shrubs, grab your garden hose, and use a strong jet of water to knock them off. That may in itself do the trick, though you may have to repeat the hose blast every day for a week.

Need more help dealing with mealybugs? Read our article.

Scale

Related to mealybugs, another pest to look out for is scale.

Scale insects also suck nutrients from plants, but they are much harder to remove than mealybugs.

These pests have carapaces that serve as camouflage, making them look more like little spots stuck on a plant’s stems or leaves, maybe more like a sign of disease than a pest.

For light infestations of scale, you can gently scrape them off with a butterknife.

But for larger infestations, you’ll want to read our article to learn about your options for controlling scale insects.

Thrips

Not all thrips are pests, but the ones that feed on plants can be a real problem.

These insects feed on sap, leaving telltale signs such as stippling, scarring, and discoloration on both leaves and flowers.

Making matters worse, they can also spread diseases to plants as they feed.

If you suspect a thrip infestation, you’ll need to acquaint yourself with integrated pest management practices so you can properly monitor and manage these pests.

Learn more about controlling thrips in our article.

Disease

Seeing any suspicious looking spots on the foliage of your Oregon grapes? Here’s what to monitor for:

Leaf Spot

Leaf spot diseases cause exactly what you would expect – spotted foliage.

These diseases, which also afflict beets, cole crops, and tomatoes, among other plants, are caused by fungi, bacteria, and other pathogens.

While leaf spots won’t always affect an entire mahonia shrub or even prevent it from thriving, these pathogens can interfere with the plant’s ability to photosynthesize, and infections can cause leaves to drop.

Prevention should be your main tactic when it comes to these diseases, and the pathogens thrive in wet conditions.

To discourage leaf spot, allow adequate spacing between plants to ensure good airflow.

When watering, water at the base of the plants rather than using sprinklers.

Finally, when applying mulch, take care not to pile it up around the shrubs’ stems. Instead, leave a couple of mulch-free inches around the crowns to keep moisture and humidity levels there in check.

Powdery Mildew

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease that causes the formation of dusty, whitish-gray spots on plant foliage and stems.

The fungus thrives when conditions are mild with higher humidity at night.

While some specimens recover from powdery mildew on their own, others can develop deformed foliage.

Luckily, it’s easy to manage powdery mildew organically. Learn more about treating powdery mildew with homemade and organic remedies here!

Rust

Another fungal disease, rust will cause the appearance of orange, red, or yellow spots or growths on plant foliage and stems.

Severe infections can cause leaves to pucker and fall.

These pathogens can affect many other types of plants in addition to mahonias, including roses, canna lilies, apple trees, and asparagus.

You run the biggest risk of rust with Oregon grapes if you purchase a specimen that was infected in the nursery, so inspect new plants before you buy them and look for the tell-tale signs of reddish colored spots on foliage.

Best Uses of Oregon Grape

As shrubs, Oregon grapes can take on many different roles in the home landscape.

Of foremost interest to many of us foragers, these shrubs can be incorporated as edible landscaping. When growing them for their fruit, know that these are self-pollinating plants, so you can get by with just one specimen.

The berries can be quite acidic, so are most often incorporated into jellies or jams, where their tartness can be tempered with added sugar.

But let’s not let our appetites run away with us and overlook the aesthetic value of these plants, which make excellent foundation plantings!

With their compound, toothed leaves, grape hollies cut a coarse silhouette in the landscape, drawing the eye.

Many species can be used for xeriscaping, and they will also be effective when used in mass plantings.

They make a good substitute for the highly invasive heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica). (But if both Oregon grape and nandina are invasive in your area, why not find a native alternative?)

And of course, these shrubs are real knockouts when it comes to fall color. In fact, they offer more than just autumn color, they provide spring and winter color as well!

We’ve covered food for humans and visual interest, but these plants also have excellent functional value.

For starters, mahonias provide great food and habitat for wildlife.

Low-growing types like creeping barberry can be used as a ground cover to stabilize slopes, fight erosion, or to restore clear cut areas.

Upright species like tall Oregon grape can be used to form hedgerows, borders, or screens.

Or put their prickly leaves to use in defensive landscaping!

Looking for companion plants for your mahonias?

Depending on your location, landscaping needs, and chosen Berberis species, make your selection for companions among perennials like columbine (Aquilegia spp.), western sword fern (Polystichum munitum), or rosy pussytoes (Antennaria rosea).

For shrubs, consider Apache plume (Fallugia paradoxa), oceanspray (Holodiscus discolor), rubber rabbitbrush (Ericameria nauseosa), or serviceberry (Amelanchier alnifolia).

For deciduous tree pals, these make excellent choices: bigtooth maple (Acer grandidentatum), Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii), Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii), Indian plum (Oemlaria cerasiformis), Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana), or quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides).

Finally, for evergreen trees, you might consider Pacific madrone (Arbutus menziesii), pinyon pines (Pinus spp.), redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum), or western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) as companion plants.

As the vibrant colors of summer disappear into the warm, earthy tones of autumn, homeowners throughout the country have the ideal opportunity to enhance the curb appeal of their property. Fall is a season of change, and what better way to celebrate than by freshening up the exterior of your home? Whether renting a single-family home or multiple apartment units, an owner must guarantee that the exterior property areas are adequately maintained. 

Image source

As a property owner, you always look for ways to increase the rental property’s value and attract the best tenants. While you may focus on the home’s interior, the external beauty of rental properties often gets overlooked. This article guides you through five easy ways to improve your curb appeal this fall, allowing your home to shine in the middle of the changing seasons.

Importance of Building Curb Appeal During Fall Season

 

Improving curb appeal during the fall season can significantly boost property value. Prospective renters are frequently looking for properties that convey a sense of warmth and comfort as the weather cools and the leaves begin to turn. A well-kept and aesthetically pleasing exterior can make a lasting positive impression, ultimately translating into a better-perceived value for your property.

 

First impressions are essential, and a beautifully landscaped front yard decorated with seasonal decorations may make your property more desirable. It can set your house apart from others on the market, potentially leading to faster sales and higher offers.

Additionally, fall curb appeal projects frequently contain important maintenance jobs like gutter cleaning, fixing any outside damage, and ensuring your home is adequately insulated, all of which improve your property’s general health and durability. These elements add to your property’s perceived and actual value, making it a smart move for homeowners wishing to increase the value of their home to invest in curb appeal in the autumn.

Increasing your home’s curb appeal during the fall is essential to give it a seasonal charm. Harnessing the unique beauty of fall may alter your property when the leaves change to deep, earthy hues and the air becomes crisp. Pumpkins, wreaths, and mums are a few examples of fall-themed decor items that produce a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

 

This seasonal appeal not only improves the beauty of your home but also creates a connection with nature and the changing environment. It’s a chance to show off your creativity and leave a lasting impact on guests and neighbors. Furthermore, the warmth and character provided by fall curb appeal can boost your enjoyment of your home during this fantastic time of year. Finally, creating fall curb appeal allows you to celebrate the exceptional beauty of the season and share it with those who walk by your door.

• Maintenance and Protection

Building curb appeal throughout autumn is critical for home maintenance and protection. As the weather cools and winter approaches, repairing the exterior of your home becomes a proactive measure to protect your investment. Bay Property Management Group of Northern Virginia can schedule maintenance with trusted contractors.

 

Firstly, fall curb appeal projects frequently include essential maintenance activities. Cleaning gutters, repairing any external damage, and assessing your home’s roofing and siding can help prevent potential issues from worsening during the harsh winter months. These procedures maintain the visual appeal of your home and ensure its structural stability.

 

Second, by preparing your landscaping for fall, you are assisting it in surviving the winter. Trimming shrubs and trees keeps them from being overburdened with snow and ice, lowering their risk of breaking. Furthermore, addressing drainage issues or cracked pathways now might prevent costly repairs later, saving you time and money.

 

In essence, enhancing curb appeal in the autumn is a strategic investment in maintaining and safeguarding your home from the problems that winter can bring.

5 Easy Ways to Boost Curb Appeal This Fall

Make sure the lawn is cut frequently on any homes you own that you rent out. Also, there should be a timing for fertilizer applications to the seasons. A well-kept garden is one of the first things a potential tenant notices.

 

If you pay close attention to several external factors, your property may look more inviting than the nearby rental properties. A rental property could benefit from the planting of small trees or plants. Planting vibrant flowers or incorporating a flower box into specific outdoor places are additional ways to improve the curb appeal of a rental property.

Enhancing the entrance to your home can have a significant impact because it serves as the focal point of the outside. Start by painting your front door a new, warm color that fits the season, like a deep crimson, golden yellow, or rich brown. To welcome visitors, think about including a chic, seasonal wreath.

 

Upgrade your door hardware, such as the handle and knocker, to give a touch of elegance. Potted plants with autumn flowers and beautiful lamps can work to frame the entrance and create an attractive path.

 

Ensure your entrance is well-lit; consider installing outdoor sconces or pendant lights to highlight the area and enhance safety during the fall’s shorter days.

 

Finally, a tidy and well-kept porch or stoop is essential. Sweep away debris, fix cracks, and touch up the paint or stain on railings and steps. These easy changes will create a warm and welcoming entry that will increase the curb appeal of your property during the autumn season.

The autumn season brings more precipitation, which might be a deal breaker for purchasers who believe water penetration will be an issue. To avoid pooling water, ensure the grading around the foundation slopes away from the house and, if necessary, add downspout extenders to move water into the yard. Clean the gutters regularly, and after significant rain, take a good stroll around your property to discover any issue locations that may allow water into the house, such as door and window caulking.

The lack of natural sunshine is a problem homeowners encounter when trying to maintain the appearance of their home’s exterior as Autumn and Winter approach. The good news is that your home can still look magnificent after dark.

 

It would help if you changed outdated lighting fixtures and, where possible, increased light levels. Another option is to install walkway lighting. There are different kinds available, and adding outdoor lighting also improves the aesthetics of your property during the day.

To improve drainage and prevent water damage to your home, clean leaves and other debris out of your gutters. Clear out your gutters before winter weather arrives since they could become clogged and cause ice dams. Save yourself some time and the risk of climbing the ladder by hiring a professional to do this work.

Outdoor Maintenance Responsibilities of Landlords and Tenants

1. Landscape 

Landlords are usually responsible for the overall landscaping of the property, which includes mowing the lawn, trimming trees and bushes, and keeping walkways clear. As part of your obligation to offer a habitable environment, you should ensure your property’s exterior is well-maintained and appealing to renters and guests.

Tenants are responsible for keeping the outdoor areas they utilize daily clean. This includes cleaning up any trash or debris they produce and keeping public places, such as sidewalks and common areas, clear of clutter. 

Tenants contribute to a pleasant and safe environment for all residents and visitors by immediately cleaning up after themselves and complying with cleanliness standards while also meeting their outdoor maintenance responsibilities.

Tenants should notify the landlord or property management of any outdoor maintenance issues, safety hazards, or essential repairs as soon as possible. Timely reporting ensures that problems get handled as quickly as possible, preserving the safety and functionality of outdoor spaces.

Final Thoughts

Improving the curb appeal of your property this fall can be a simple task. You can change your property into a pleasant autumnal refuge with the simple yet effective tactics outlined. From vibrant seasonal landscaping to a well-lit and inviting doorway, these five simple tips will make your home stand out in the neighborhood, no matter what the season brings. 

 

Embracing the spirit of fall creates a warm and inviting atmosphere, adds value to your property, and ensures proper maintenance. Take advantage of this season’s distinct appeal by transforming your home into a showcase of autumn’s splendor for everybody to enjoy.

 

IT IS NOT TIME quite yet here for what I call the mad stash, storing those non-hardy plants for the winter that we wish to keep alive for another year of service. But it is time to make some plans to do just that.

Marianne Willburn, author of “Tropical Plants and How to Love Them” (affiliate link), and a serious mad stasher, is here to help us puzzle out what goes where for best results.

Marianne is a contributing editor to the collaborative blog called “Garden Rant,” and she’s also the author of the 2021 book, “Tropical Plants and How to Love Them.”’

We’ve both been stashing many kinds of investment plants over many years, with wins and losses along the way. So we wanted to compare notes to help you fine-tune your strategic plans for adapting spots in the house, cellar, garage, wherever, to improve your overwintering results with tender treasures (like Marianne’s bromeliads grouped in a terrarium on a pebble tray, above).

Plus: Comment near the bottom of the page for a chance to win a copy of the book.

Read along as you listen to the Sept. 18, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).

overwintering tender plants, with marianne willburn

 

Margaret Roach: So just to sort of set the scene, Marianne, we should tell people where we garden and what our realities are that we’re stashing things against [laughter]. I’m Zone 5b in New York State, Hudson Valley, and maybe I can get to minus 10 or minus 15. Sometimes we don’t. I can have frost in May, even late May. I can have it as early as late September; sometimes it’s not till mid-October. What about you? Where are you?

Marianne Willburn: I am in Northern Virginia. I am in 6b. Some people like to sort of think they’re in 7, but they’re not [laughter]. We’re in 6b and it can get down as low as negative 5, but zero is usually around where we are. Our first frost is usually around October 15th. It can go as late as November 1st, and when it does, it just means we’re all exhausted, because we can take on so much more work as the season goes on.

Margaret: Oh, yes.

Marianne: You probably know that deal, right?

Margaret: Yes, yes, yes. Yeah, we don’t want the frost or the freeze to come, the hard freezes to come, but on the other hand… It can mean, “Oh, well, I’m done with my chores for this year.” [Laughter.]

Marianne: Oh yeah. When I go down to Florida for Tropical Plant International Expo in January, and I see everybody working so hard down there, I am so thankful to have a break.

Margaret: Right, to not have a 12-month season. So, I just wanted to compare notes on what spaces we use in our home kind of worlds, what places we call into action. I store things in my cellar, which might be 40-something degrees, certainly under 50, but above 40. I have an unheated barn that I use for some things, and of course even the house in some cases. What about you? What are some of the spaces?

Marianne: Yes, there’s some similarities there. I have a garage that’s frost free, stays in that sort of 35-to-40 range because the boiler is there. I used to do the same thing in my cellar, like you did, in my last house. I used to keep things in an unheated barn as well, but I’m staying closer to the house these days, and I keep things as houseplants, which are really happy as houseplants. And then I keep sort of my “ugly corner” [laughter] of the high-maintenance plants that are not happy being houseplants, but they get to cope together in shared ugliness, and my care, and a little bit of added humidity from being close together. And I use ugliness as a little bit of a joke. They’re not as beautiful as some of our classic houseplants.

Margaret: Right. Well, and really, I mean you were just saying “as houseplants,” so you’re not talking about your traditional houseplants that might even be indoors all year. You’re talking about plants that you bring into the house and say, “O.K., can you cooperate enough to stay alive for the winter?” [Laughter.]

Marianne: Exactly. “Can we just make it through a few months together? And this might not be great for you, it might not be great for me, but the end is just to get you through this time period.” And I do different things to make that happen. And also a couple different places in my house. I always go for the coolest place in my house for those kind of plants because the cooler, the better in a drier condition. So if I’m away from heating ducts, and particularly one of my rooms that doesn’t have heating ducts, that’s the best situation for those plants.

Margaret: Right. So what we’re getting at then is that we need to do a little kind of analysis of… And a lot of this is trial and error. I mean, I’ve had plants that the first year they lived with me, I didn’t make them very happy, and then I kind of figured out, you know, I read the feedback they were giving me, and I did better the next year and so forth. But it’s sort of: can we keep it in active growth, or should we let it go dormant, or is it sort of going to be (like you talked about the ugly corner or whatever) that it’s sort of somewhere in between. They’re not really active and lush, but they’re not really totally fully dormant in the cellar, in the dark, in the cold.

Marianne: Yes.

Margaret: So how do you, give us some examples of some of the ones that you keep awake, let go to sleep, you know what I mean, what’s in which spaces?

Marianne: Yeah, A really great example of that are some of my smaller Alocasia, and Alocasia has become a popular houseplant. The elephant ears, but very specific elephant ears.

And these plants, in fact, I was just talking to a grower the other day who said, “I don’t know why these are houseplants.” Because the spider mites want them. These are very different than Colocasia, which, no way are you keeping as a houseplant. If you are, you are amazing. But Alocasia are a little bit thicker, a little waxier sometimes. They’re usually an upright leaf. There’s a few other things that are a little bit different about them, but those are all generalities.

And these plants, they don’t necessarily want to go into full dormancy. You can put them into full dormancy in that cellar of yours just frost-free. But they would rather stay “in the green” and they’d rather stay in sort of a stasis situation, where they’re 50, 60 degrees, just sort of getting through. Well, I can’t give any of my plants that kind of, “Oh, sure, I’ve got a part of my house that’s 55 degrees.” [Laughter.] That’s really tough. So I put them in the coldest part of my dining room for the littlest ones. The big ones, I don’t care. You’re going into dormancy, you’re going into dormancy in the garage, you’re big enough to handle it. [Above, ‘Pharoah’s Mask’ and ‘Morning Dew’ Colocasia at Marianne’s.]

Margaret: Because you can’t really accommodate them otherwise. I have friends who have a sunroom and it has a little heat, but it’s not super-heated. And that’s the kind of space. And I have another friend who has kind of like a mudroom, vestibule kind of thing that can be closed off a little bit, but it has windows on two sides. And so these are these transitional spaces that we can sometimes pack with plants that want that stasis that you’re talking about.

And without making our house, the whole house, super-cold or whatever, and without exposing them to the heat of the main house, you know, the main parts of the house where we were living. But not everyone has that space. Not everyone has that space.

Marianne: No, we’re aiming towards as cool and dry as possible, not meaning we want them to be dry, but you don’t want them to be cool and wet. That’s really bad. Cold and wet is bad, that’s rotting.

But what we have in our houses usually is warm and dry. And that on one hand tells a plant, “Grow, it’s warm.” And then on the other side, on the moisture side says, “Stop growing. There’s no moisture.” And so you’re putting these plants into this split-personality situation where they go, “What, do I grow? Do I not grow?” And then they just spiral down into death spiral. So we want to push towards the coolest that we can for these pickier plants.

Make some choices in the fall when you’re tired, this is the best time to do it. I know you’re tired, I’m tired. You’re tired of rain, I’m tired of drought, and this is the time that you make those choices so you don’t baby a plant through the winter, go through all this trouble for it and then in the spring, “Oh, O.K., well I have to find a place for that.” Because spring has come and you’re excited and everything’s great, but now you’ve got a huge workload. So making those choices right now, being discerning about, “Do I really need that plant? Did I love it this year? Did it do a lot for what I was trying to create on my deck or patio or garden?” That, I think, is the best place to start. Let’s be really discerning in what we need to keep first and then figure out how are we going to keep them.

Margaret: Yeah. And this is going to take some homework, and again, like I said earlier, trial and error. And I think the Alocasia and Colocasia, the elephant ears that are all lumped together. There’s been so much interest in them in the last, I don’t know, 15 years or whatever. There’s a zillion different ones and they’re all a little different. Some make, like the Colocasia, I think they make more like a, is it a tuber or a rhizome? I don’t even…

Marianne: It’s a corm, yeah.

Margaret: A corm, okay. And so again, you can kind of put them to sleep in the cellar the way you can, your Canna or whatever. But some of these other ones, the more showy, newer cultivars, especially the Alocasia, not so much. And what I’ve had happen is I’ve tried to keep it limping along and then I’ve tried the dormancy. I’ve tried both. And then the thing doesn’t want to wake up when I want it to wake up, which is in spring, so that then I can enjoy May, June, July, August, September, my only frost-free season. It might not wake up till July or August [laughter].

Marianne: Oh, yes. And I had that happen this year. Yeah, absolutely. I was so late getting things started because of a really big speaking schedule. So I got it late. I really only got my Alocasia moving about three weeks ago. Well, hello. It’s July.

Margaret: Exactly, exactly. So this is the thing is that sometimes you don’t kill it, but it backfires for the utilitarian value of the plants. So we need to also find plants that, as you talk about in your book, are kind of our best friends and good companion, I know you have different phrases for them, but into the different chapters, you kind of group them in these charming ways, almost anthropomorphizing them.

But we need to find ones that are suited to the conditions we can realistically offer and not spend $50 on something that, unless we’re O.K. with that, that we might not be able to overwinter.

Marianne: Yes, absolutely. I mean that $50 that you spend in May for something that’s going to last easily until the beginning of October, end of September, that’s a pretty decent investment for what is in effect a flower bouquet that lasted that many months. Right?

Margaret: Right. It is.

Marianne: That’s a summer romance. But we might not want to do that with that many plants [laughter].

Margaret: Right, and on the other hand, I might for that price buy a young shrub and I might put it in a big pot, a shrub that’s at least as hardy as my area or maybe a little hardier. And I might put it in a big pot and I might then drag it into my garage for the winter. And I might have that as a piece of portable garden decor for 10 years. Or I might end up putting it into the ground when it gets big enough, moving it up into a bigger pot once or twice and then putting it in the ground. So it depends on what we think an investment, a good investment and a good return on our investment is. And for each of us, that’s something different.

Some of my best were shrubs or Japanese maples, small Japanese maple trees that I’ve had 15 years in a progression of larger pots. And every year they’re key fixtures in the garden. They’re like my “annuals” because they lived the rest of the year in the barn, but they’re great [laughter].

Marianne: And very personalized. They’re going to be different for each of us. We can do that with some tender plants like Brugmansia or Plumeria, which can just get pulled into the garage, just kept above freezing, can be stunning, come back very quickly in the spring, and that makes a lot of sense. But if you’re doing that with the Alocasia that we talked about, and it’s taking so long, it doesn’t make sense. So figuring that out for yourself, that’s really important.

Margaret: If you want a good return on investment, buy cannas [laughter]. [Canna rhizome, above.]

Marianne: Oh yes.

Margaret: Because they’re rock hard, they just, I swear, I mean I never lose any, they just go into the cellar and they’re just happy and it’s no big deal. I actually ended up buying, I have so many of them now, I ended up buying a few… At the like Dollar Store or something, the hardware store, I ended up buying a few of those plastic laundry baskets. It’s like plastic mesh. It’s just a big laundry basket with the two handles, one on either end. And it’s like I just put them in there, carry them downstairs, and then I put a sort of a tarp loosely over the whole thing and that’s the end of that. And then I carry them back up in the spring. It’s easy.

Marianne: It’s ridiculous how easy they are.

Margaret: Yeah. So what about, one thing I love and I’ve had mixed success because there’s so many actually different types of plants within this group, but what about the bromeliads? How about those? Because, and some can be grown as houseplants and some are more fussy. And what about that? Do you have any of those in your collection?

Marianne: Oh, yes.

Margaret: Because they’re so gorgeous and they’re so wonderful for outdoors in a sort of indirect light kind of, I think. Some of them can be in the sun, but some of them in a bright spot. I love how they look.

Marianne: Yes. You’ve just touched on probably my favorite group of plants because they’re fascinating. They are statement-making and they’re still very different. When you can get your hand on a good one, you keep it. I have tried to keep my collection small so that it’s workable.

These plants need, over all, a little bit more humidity if you can give it to them. And so what I’ve done is in a place in my office, which is cooler, it’s absolutely freezing to me in the winter [laughter], I have a terrarium in there that’s open on the top and a pebble tray in the bottom of that terrarium. And I can get about four to five bromeliads in that. And they sit on that pebble tray that I constantly fill with water, and that extra humidity that’s built because of the glass sides of the terrarium and the fact that these plants are close together.. They do need some air movement as well; they’re finicky about that, but that allows them to do really well. And they’re in a sunnier window, so they have a little bit of light. I’ve got a mister when I’m feeling bored and in the middle of an article that I’m just mind-blocked on, I can just sit there misting them, thinking about it.

So, they work really well. This last year I had a Vriesea bloom for me in the middle of the winter and I’m like, “Well, I’m doing something right with these guys.”

Margaret: Wow, good. Oh, yeah, yeah.

Marianne: And then of course my Tillandsia, which are bromeliads, those are my air plants. Those are even less care needed. Those decorate the kitchen. I love putting a xerographica, Tillandsia xerographica [above at Marianne’s], up in where my rolling pins are that come out, a few of them are in my kitchen.

Margaret: [Laughter.] A little creature. A little creature.

Marianne: It is. And those are fun. And they just get a bath once a week. They get a nice dunk once a week and they’re good. The bromeliad, sort of the ones that people think of as bromeliads, the Neoregelia, Vriesea, Aechmea, those type of things, those I fill the funnel and let them have enough water at that way.

Margaret: So that cup like central at their crown, a cup-like area.

Marianne: Yes. And I mean, I remember Liz talking to somebody at Bullis Bromeliads down in Florida, really wonderful grower, and she was saying, “Don’t fill the cup. It can be bad in the winter.” But that hasn’t been my experience.

Margaret: No, not for me. If I don’t fill it, they look unhappy.

Marianne: Yeah, and so that has also shown me that what is working for one person may not be working for another and that we have to play with these plants. Trial and error is one way of saying it. I like to say playing with them, because we’re figuring out what our boundaries are, our limits are with them, and how they can respond to what we’re giving them.

Margaret: Yeah. And there’s some no-nos, like you talked about warm and dry. Some places in our homes are just impossible for certain types of plants, like the ones you were just talking about. They’re not going to be happy in a super-dry, super-warm spot, the bromeliads probably. But if a plant wants to be sort of asleep and you keep soaking it, keep watering it and stuff, that can also cause its decline. Do you know what I mean? It’s like forcing someone to be half-awake or three-quarters awake who doesn’t want to. Or if it’s too cold and it’s cold and wet, that’s a really bad combination, too. So it’s also sort of figuring out that and when to back off.

Marianne: I mean ideally I would love at some point to, I just got a greenhouse last year, got it all up and going. I would love to heat it to about 50 and put all these guys into stasis there, but that’s going to be really expensive and may not be worth it to me.

Margaret: Yeah. And it’s a lot of work, too, because something always goes wrong. There’s always an emergency. Everyone I know who has a greenhouse there’s… I’ve never had one, but there’s always some emergency, some drama.

Marianne: Yeah, And I think that there’s strength in this book in that I did all of this work with tropicals and subtropicals without the aid of that greenhouse. So it’s to show people, “Hey, you can do this without a greenhouse. You can do it with one, too.” But there’s ways of getting around it. And again, it comes to paring down the plants that make the most sense for you.

Some of my big statement-making plants outside are some of my best houseplants inside. Things like my large Schefflera or a very large philodendron that I have. Those, I’ve got a beautiful Beaucarnea recurvata, the ponytail palm. It’s fantastic inside, it’s fantastic outside. And so it’s a win-win all year long for me, the only downside to it really is just taking it in and out on the dolly.

Margaret: Right, and I agree. I think that statement sort of houseplant, plants that can be accommodated and are happy to be inside and can also be then used in our vignettes outside in the garden in the right spots. That’s your biggest 12-month plant, the plant you’re going to get 12 months of happy service out of. So I have a lot of those as well.

And I want to ask you about, sort of quick, “What to do with…” For instance, a lot of people have been growing these red Abyssinian bananas. Is that something, do you cut it back and bring it in or what do you do with that, for instance, real quick?

Marianne: I do. Those plants are very, very easy to store until they get very, very big. And then you’re going to start rethinking, “O.K., I can start again next year with a new plant.” They grow very quickly. But if you got something that’s maybe one to three years old, I dig it. It’s very, very shallowly rooted. Do not be afraid that those roots are very tiny just around the base of this plant. Take them into the garage. I wrap that rootball with an old towel, because it acts as a humidifier, basically, a regulator.

And then I put a plastic bag over the top of that and I put that into a large 10 gallon or 20 gallon trug that I can move around if I need to. But it pretty much stays in the same place.

Always store them vertically, because if you store them horizontally, and you’re going to want to because you want to stack them or something, they’ll start to grow ever so much and they will distort during the winter, and it takes a while to get them out of that.

You cut off all of those leaves, leave the growing point, you’re going to start to see some growth in the spring as the temperatures are starting to pick up at, I say spring, but let’s say end of February, beginning of March, as temperatures are getting a little bit warmer, that’s when you’re going to repot them and get them ready to be going outside for like a May… For you guys probably May 15th.

Margaret: Yes, exactly. Exactly. I just want to talk about some things we store because they’re tasty. [Laughter.] You and I both have a freezer thing going on. I can’t grow herbs year round outside, but I have enough, and so I freeze everything from parsley to various pestos of lots and lots of different green herbs, all kinds of things, tomatoes, and who knows what. So I freeze lots of different things. But you also freeze some of your sort of “edimental,” ornamental-edible tropical goodies, like gingery sort of things. Tell us a couple real quick of that you do, you freeze.

Marianne: Well, I am awash right now in turmeric [laughter], and so that’s one of them. And I do grow this as an edimental, it’s exactly right. It’s very beautiful in the garden. And those roots, those rhizomes are edible. And so I will do a couple different things. I’ll either leave them whole and just grate them straight from the freezer with a microplane onto the top of rice or what have you, give it that beautiful yellow color, turmeric rice. Or I’ll chop them very finely and put them in an ice cube tray so I can just add some turmeric to, I’m talking really fine. [Next year’s turmeric for the garden in storage at Marianne’s.]

Margaret: Yes, and I do that with a lot of my herbs too. Exactly. Make sort of like an ice cube out it with just a tiny bit of water.

Marianne: Yeah, and I’ll do that also with ginger, with young ginger, because I cannot ripen ginger the way that it needs to be ripened. So I get to have the young ginger instead, which is fantastic, chopped up.

I also save Kaffir lime leaves, Makrut lime leaves, because those aren’t always available for me in the winter, and that is the flavoring behind a good green curry.

Lemongrass. I’m actually going to be doing my lemongrass probably this week because it’s been so dry. So I’ll be cutting those and saving them in little bundles to put into the freezer. And that’s delicious. Not to chop up, it’s a flavor agent.

Margaret: Right. The way we use a bay leaf in a recipe.

Marianne: Exactly.

Margaret: Well I’m always glad to talk to you and the mad stash lies just ahead. If we can just make it to the finish line. I hope you get some rain. I’m so sorry. I would’ve sent you some, but I didn’t have control over it.

Marianne: That’s O.K. And can I just say, Margaret, I love the term mad stash. I’m going to use that all the time now.

Margaret: Oh, good. Because I’ve always thought of it like that instead of the mad dash, it’s the mad stash. So yeah, so I hope I’ll talk to you again soon. Thank you, Marianne. Thank you.

Marianne: Thank you Margaret.

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