Category: Home & Garden

Whether you have the space to create an expansive, pollinator-friendly landscape or just enough room to pot up a couple plants that are pollinator favorites, we can all do our part in helping these beneficial bugs. A good place to start is seeking out the plants that support the pollinators native to our area. To aid in that search, we asked regional experts to share some of the best pollinator plants for their region. Below, you’ll find four picks for the California. To learn even more about gardening for pollinators, check out Gardening for Pollinators: Everything You Need to Know and Grow for a Gorgeous Pollinator Garden.

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1. ‘Russian River’ coyote mint

Name: Monardella villosa subsp. franciscana ‘Russian River’

Zones: 6–10

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Native range: Southern Oregon, California

‘Russian River’ coyote mint features purple, tubular flowers that are highly attractive to bees and butterflies. Hummingbirds love them too, making this plant important to supporting biodiversity. ‘Russian River’ has aromatic gray-green leaves and a loose, low-growing, spreading habit. Its drought tolerance makes it the perfect choice for rock gardens or planting under native oak trees (Quercus spp. and cvs., Zones 4–10). This cultivar is more vigorous than the straight species. It can survive with no supplemental water, but it will look better and bloom longer with some occasional water during summer.

 

2. ‘Hallmark’ orange stalked bulbine

Name: Bulbine frutescens ‘Hallmark’

Zones: 8–11

Size: 1 to 2 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Native range: South Africa

The vibrant flowers of ‘Hallmark’ orange stalked bulbine attract many pollinators. While it typically blooms in spring and summer, this plant can continue to flower sporadically throughout the rest of the year. ‘Hallmark’ has a clumping, mounding growth habit and spreads through rhizomes. The tall spikes of small, star-shaped flowers that are a vibrant yellow to orange rise above the fleshy foliage, creating a striking display. As a succulent, this bulbine is adapted to drought conditions and has low water needs.

 

3. Bush poppy

Name: Dendromecon rigida

Zones: 8–10

Size: 6 to 10 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; well-drained soil

Native range: California

Many beneficial insects flock to this resilient evergreen shrub. Bush poppy has stunning yellow flowers that bloom from March to June. Thriving in a sunny site with fast-draining soil, it also tolerates clay soil with minimal watering. This shrub grows rapidly and exhibits excellent cold tolerance for a California native plant, recovering quickly from freezes. Bush poppy is known for its toughness, surpassing even California lilacs (Ceanothus spp. and cvs., Zones 7–10), and it provides a remarkable display early in spring. This plant is ideal for landscapes that require a durable flowering shrub.

 

4. Saint Catherine’s lace

Name: Eriogonum giganteum

Zones: 8b–11

Size: 4 to 8 feet tall and 6 to 8 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Channel Islands

St. Catherine’s lace is a notable species of California’s native flora. Its small, nectar-rich white blooms, which appear from late spring until fall, attract bees and butter­flies. Just below, its large, bushy growth forms dense patches that provide small birds with cover from predators and harsh weather. This plant thrives in dry Mediterranean conditions—hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters. It prefers rocky soil but can be grown in clay as long as it’s well-draining. While it can withstand periods of drought, supplemental watering during extremely hot weather may be beneficial.

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Shireen Zia is the owner of EcoGardens Landscape Design in Los Altos, California.

Whether you have the space to create an expansive, pollinator-friendly landscape or just enough room to pot up a couple plants that are pollinator favorites, we can all do our part in helping these beneficial bugs. A good place to start is seeking out the plants that support the pollinators native to our area. To aid in that search, we asked regional experts to share some of the best pollinator plants for their region. Below, you’ll find four picks for the Northwest. To learn even more about gardening for pollinators, check out Gardening for Pollinators: Everything You Need to Know and Grow for a Gorgeous Pollinator Garden.

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1. ‘Red Bells’ enkianthus

Name: Enkianthus campanulatus ‘Red Bells’

Zones: 6–8

Size: 6 to 8 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, acidic, well-drained soil

Native range: Himalayan region, Japan

‘Red Bells’ enkianthus is the belle of the garden ball, with tiers of gracefully arching branches and clusters of tiny bell-shaped blooms ribboned with crimson veins. In fall the tufted foliage of this elegant upright shrub turns a brilliant gold, but its beauty is more than skin deep. From spring to midsummer it is loaded with blooms that are positively humming with bees and hummingbirds, who are gathering pollen and feeding on nectar. Nearly maintenance-free, resistant to pests and diseases, and the recipient of several garden awards, ‘Red Bells’ enkianthus is a winning choice for both gardeners and pollinators. Try it as an accent in a woodland border, in a mass planting, or even in a large container.

 

2. ‘Thunderhead’ sedum

Name: Hylotelephium ‘Thunderhead’

Zones: 4–9

Size: 30 inches tall and 24 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun; lean, dry, well-drained soil

Native range: Europe, Asia

As its name implies, my favorite new plant is anything but subtle. Like a clap of thunder, this drought-tolerant perennial will stop people in their tracks. With giant, fluffy heads of deep rose flowers atop dark gray-green foliage, it’s a feast for the eyes and for the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds that visit it from August through September. Its dramatic color takes center stage at a point in the season when many flowers begin to fade. I recently designed a border with a mass planting of ‘Thunderhead’ sedum set against a deep green backdrop, accented with chartreuse ‘Lemon Lime’ heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica* ‘Lemon Lime’, Zones 6–9) and ‘Everillo’ sedge (Carex oshimensis ‘Everillo’, Zones 5–9) to soften the edges.

 

3. Snowcone^® Japanese snowbell

Name: Styrax japonicus ‘JFS-D’

Zones: 5–8

Size: 20 to 30 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, well-drained, acidic soil

Native range: Japan, Korea, China

Snowcone^® Japanese snowbell is a perfect pollinator-friendly tree for small gardens and will bring you joy all year long. From mid to late spring, small, star-shaped blooms cover its pyramidal form, looking like freshly fallen snow. The nodding flowers entice pollinators with their delicate scent and produce plenty of nectar and pollen for bees and hummingbirds. When the glossy green foliage fills in, it casts just enough shade for a backyard picnic on a hot summer day. As fall approaches, the leaves turn gold. In winter, you might do a double take when you notice what appear to be tiny ornaments left by a garden gnome; these are its dangling, olive-shaped fruits.

 

4. ‘Golden Jubilee’ giant hyssop

Name: Agastache rugosa ‘Golden Jubilee’

Zones: 5–8

Size: 20 to 36 inches tall and 16 to 24 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; evenly moist, well-drained soil

Native range: China, Vietnam, Laos, Korea, Japan

Gorgeous, licorice-scented foliage and contrasting spikes of lavender-blue flowers make ‘Golden Jubilee’ giant hyssop a dramatic choice for the butterfly garden. Butterflies and hummingbirds feed on the spikes of nectar-filled blooms from mid to late summer, and you can enjoy a few of the edible flowers too. Sprinkle them on summer salads, or use them as a colorful garnish on any savory dish. This sunny herb looks great in the middle of a border, in a container, or as a shot of color in the herb garden. Afternoon shade will make its foliage performance even better. To enhance butter­fly habitat in your garden, add a water source nearby and leave a patch of undisturbed fallen leaves for winter shelter.

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*Invasive Alert:

Heavenly bamboo (Nandina domestica)

This plant is considered invasive in AL, FL, GA, MD, MO, and SC.

Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.

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Cynthia Sayre is curator of collections at VanDusen Botanical Garden in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Whether you have the space to create an expansive, pollinator-friendly landscape or just enough room to pot up a couple plants that are pollinator favorites, we can all do our part in helping these beneficial bugs. A good place to start is seeking out the plants that support the pollinators native to our area. To aid in that search, we asked regional experts to share some of the best pollinator plants for their region. Below, you’ll find four picks for the Northeast. To learn even more about gardening for pollinators, check out Gardening for Pollinators: Everything You Need to Know and Grow for a Gorgeous Pollinator Garden.

 

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1. Swamp Milkweed

Name: Asclepias incarnata

Zones: 3–6

Size: 3 to 4 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; moist soil

Native range: Eastern United States

When most people think of planting milkweed for monarch butterflies, they imagine common milkweed (A. syriaca) with its big, rounded leaves. Although great in wild meadows, it always seems to be in the wrong spot in gardens, wandering around unpredictably, being hard to move, and tending to flop over pathways and neighboring plants. But there are several other native milkweeds that are just as tasty to monarch butterfly caterpillars and much easier to landscape with. One is the more refined native swamp milkweed. With pink (sometimes white) flowers, it is naturally found in moist places but seems equally happy in average to rich garden soil.

 

2. ‘Jeana’ Garden Phlox

Name: Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’

Zones: 4–8

Size: 2 to 4 feet tall and 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern and southern United States

As it has been a decorative mainstay for so long, we tend to forget that garden phlox is an eastern native plant. Hummingbird moths love it, especially some old white forms, methodically hovering at flower tube after flower tube to get the sweet nectar. But the surprise phlox in the pollinator garden is ‘Jeana’, a tall cultivar with pink, mid- to late-summer blooms. Although small flowered, ‘Jeana’ stands out among other phloxes as a swallowtail butterfly magnet, being especially attractive to the bright-yellow tiger swallowtails. Discovered in Tennessee among a patch of wild phlox, ‘Jeana’ was selected for its mildew resistance. At Sakonnet Garden, we find that copious summer watering of all phlox types keeps the leaves strong enough to deter most mildew outbreaks.

 

3. ‘Black Adder’ Agastache

Name: Agastache ‘Black Adder’

Zones: 6–9

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and 2 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun; rich, well-drained soil

Native range: North American hybrid

Two of the best bee-pollinator plants are the extremely long-blooming blue hybrid agastaches ‘Black Adder’ and ‘Blue Fortune’, the former beloved by bumblebees, and the later preferred by honeybees. Related to native dry-country pink and orange midwestern agastaches, which drown in the wet winters of the eastern United States, these hybrids are more moisture tolerant and in fact want composted, well-drained soil when growing. With licorice-scented aromatic foliage that can be eaten in an exotic salad, ‘Black Adder’ has dark, lavenderblue flower spikes that bloom and bloom, making it a valuable addition to the back border. Deadhead in late summer to prolong the show.

 

4. ‘Chocolate’ Snakeroot

Name: Ageratina altissima ‘Chocolate’ (syn. Eupatorium rugosum ‘Chocolate’)

Zones: 4–8

Size: 3 to 5 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Partial shade; moist, rich soil

Native range: Eastern North America

Disguised as a burgundy-leaved ornamental all summer long, this perennial comes into its own as a valuable pollinator plant in October near the finale of the southbound monarch butterfly migration and as migrating painted lady populations are looking for nectar. On some autumn days I’ve seen dozens of butterflies cover big patches of ‘Chocolate’ snakeroot’s white fluffy flowers. Although young plants are slow to develop in size, they eventually become a robust border perennial.

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John Gwynne is a landscape architect and co-creator of the Sakonnet Garden (sakonnetgarden.net) in Little Compton, Rhode Island.

Whether you have the space to create an expansive, pollinator-friendly landscape or just enough room to pot up a couple plants that are pollinator favorites, we can all do our part in helping these beneficial bugs. A good place to start is seeking out the plants that support the pollinators native to our area. To aid in that search, we asked regional experts to share some of the best pollinator plants for their region. Below, you’ll find four picks for the Southeast. To learn even more about gardening for pollinators, check out Gardening for Pollinators: Everything You Need to Know and Grow for a Gorgeous Pollinator Garden.

 

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1. Chinese abelia

Name: Linnaea chinensis (syn. Abelia chinensis)

Zones: 6–9

Size: 5 to 8 feet tall and 2 to 3 feet wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Southeastern China

I like the straight species of Chinese abelia mainly for its fragrant flower clusters, which are so heavy that they almost give the plant a weeping effect when it is in bloom from early to late summer. This is a bee and butterfly magnet, and it hums with pollinator activity during this time. After the flowers fade they are replaced by bracts that turn a soft pink (pictured); these hang on right up until we get a hard freeze, extending the season of interest and providing cuttings for autumn bouquets. Chinese abelia enjoys regular moisture but can be quite drought tolerant once established. Because there are so many hybrids on the market, the straight species can be a little hard to find, but it is worth seeking out.

 

2. Bat-faced cuphea

Name: Cuphea llavea

Zones: 9–12

Size: 18 to 30 inches tall and 24 to 36 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun; consistently moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Mexico

Although this sun-loving tropical plant must be treated as an annual or overwintered indoors throughout much of our region, it is well worth growing. Like all cupheas, it is great for pollinators and will feed a host of bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds from late spring until frost. It looks absolutely perfect spilling over the side of a container, and if it is planted in the ground it will be relatively drought tolerant once established. Its flowers look very much like tiny bats’ faces, complete with little red ears, which make it a fun choice for getting children excited about gardening. Although nothing is truly deer proof, bat-faced cuphea is quite deer resistant.

 

3. Delta Blues™ chaste tree

Name: Vitex agnus-castus ‘PIIVAC-I’

Zones: 6–9

Size: 8 to 10 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun; well-drained soil

Native range: Mediterranean region, Asia

Chaste tree is a classic southern plant, and Delta Blues™ packs plenty of that southern charm into a nice, intermediate-size plant that will fit easily into most garden spaces. It is extremely drought tolerant, deer resistant, and quite tolerant of salt. The dark purple flower spikes are set against foliage that is a soft, minty green. After an early summer flush of flowers, it will continue to rebloom throughout the summer, especially if you deadhead after the first set of blooms finishes. Pruning is a matter of preference. Delta Blues™ chaste tree can be trained into a vase shape if you’d like to plant under it, or you can let its branches fill in all the way to the ground for a more relaxed look.

 

4. ‘White Flame’ salvia

Name: Salvia ‘White Flame’

Zones: 7–10

Size: 18 to 24 inches tall and 12 to 18 inches wide

Conditions: Full sun; average to moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

Part of my work at the University of Tennessee Gardens is conducting plant trials, and that’s how I got to know ‘White Flame’ salvia. It was sent to us as a new introduction, and although it was listed as an annual, it has come back for us three years in a row. It is a hybrid of two salvia species: longspike Mexican sage (Salvia longispicata, Zones 7–10) and mealycup sage (S. farinacea, Zones 8–10). In the Southeast, many salvias have a tendency to “surge,” blooming vigorously for a few weeks and then taking a break before they flower again. ‘White Flame’ never stops. It is constantly in bloom, and it never looks dingy, unlike some other white summer flowers.

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Contributing editor Jason Reeves is curator of the University of Tennessee Gardens in Jackson. He can be followed on Facebook at “Jason Reeves – in the garden.”

Photos, except where noted: courtesy of Jason Reeves

Whether you have the space to create an expansive, pollinator-friendly landscape or just enough room to pot up a couple plants that are pollinator favorites, we can all do our part in helping these beneficial bugs. A good place to start is seeking out the plants that support the pollinators native to our area. To aid in that search, we asked regional experts to share some of the best pollinator plants for their region. Below, you’ll find four picks for the Midwest. To learn even more about gardening for pollinators, check out Gardening for Pollinators: Everything You Need to Know and Grow for a Gorgeous Pollinator Garden.

 

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1. Pawpaw

Name: Asimina triloba

Zones: 4–9

Size: 10 to 30 feet tall and 8 to 10 feet wide

Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist, fertile, well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern United States

Also known as Indiana banana, pawpaw can be found growing in woodlands throughout the Midwest. The maroon flowers smell a bit of carrion, making them attractive to various flies. (Hey, a pollinator is a pollinator; they can’t all be beauty queens.) The caterpillars of the beautiful black-and-white zebra swallowtail butterfly and the somewhat drab pawpaw sphinx moth feed exclusively on pawpaw, reminding us that growing host plants for caterpillars is another way to support pollinators. The edible fruit looks like a small papaya, 3 to 6 inches long and a couple inches wide, with custardy flesh and large brown seeds. Many cultivars are being selected for the size and taste of their fruit, so you can find a plant that feeds wildlife and people alike.

 

2. Korean angelica

Name: Angelica gigas

Zones: 5–9

Size: 3 to 6 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average to moist, well-drained soil

Native range: Korea, China

This is a truly elegant and majestic plant. You could think of it as the Geena Davis of your garden—tall, beautiful, and a great performer. Although Korean angelica usually grows like a biennial, it can also be monocarpic, taking three years to bloom before dying. In midsummer it has umbels of tightly packed plum or maroon flowers over large, bold leaves that lend it a tropical look. The 4- to 6-inch flower clusters are consistently covered in pollinators, particularly wasps, who are so intent on their food gathering that they will totally ignore you. Like all self-sowing biennials, once it is established it will act like a perennial, with new plants coming into bloom each year.

 

3. ‘Hillside Sheffield Pink’ garden mum

Name: Chrysanthemum ‘Hillside Sheffield Pink’

Zones: 4–9

Size: 2 to 3 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun; average, well-drained soil

Native range: Hybrid

As a rule, ‘Hillside Sheffield Pink’ is the last perennial to bloom in my garden. Its apricot-pink daisy flowers don’t open until late autumn; I always worry that frost will nip them in the bud, but seemingly the blooms don’t mind a little frost or even a light freeze. They provide a last bit of food for any pollinators still buzzing around as the season ends, and they are also fabulous in autumn bouquets. Like most mums, ‘Hillside Sheffield Pink’ detests wet soil and shade, and it should not be planted in a location that is soggy in winter. Otherwise it is fairly vigorous, with no pinching or fuss required. You may need to divide it a bit more often than other perennials, and you will almost certainly end up with extra plants to share.

 

4. Mountain mint

Name: Pycnanthemum muticum

Zones: 4–8

Size: 1 to 3 feet tall and wide

Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist to wet, fertile, well-drained soil

Native range: Eastern North America

Mountain mint absolutely vibrates with insect activity during its extended bloom time, which stretches from early to late summer. The plant itself is beautiful, if a bit aggressive, and may spread to form an impressive colony if given the right conditions. The rhizomes are relatively shallow, so it is easy enough to cut back its roots or divide it in spring to keep its spread under control. Its compact, upright form is covered in attractive, aromatic foliage topped with shimmering silver bracts and clusters of tiny pinkish-white flowers that butterflies, bees, and all manner of beneficial insects find irresistible. It is a larval host for a few native moths and butterflies, but deer and rabbits tend to leave its mint-scented foliage alone.

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Irvin Etienne is curator of herbaceous plants and seasonal garden design at Newfields in Indianapolis.

Just like apples, some pears are self-fruitful, or at least partially so. Others are sterile and can’t pollinate other trees.

I know I’ve just made this sound kind of complicated, but it’s really not. This guide will answer all of your questions and even help you find a few recommended pairings.

Here’s what’s coming up:

Now, before we jump in, don’t overthink it. Pollination is more of a concern for large-scale growers.

Those of us who dabble in home growing will usually find that as long as a neighbor within a few blocks has a pear, things will work themselves out.

And one of the nice things about living in urban and suburban areas is that you can bet someone nearby will be growing a similar tree.

As a personal example, I have a lovely ‘Buerre Bosc,’ and my neighbor has a ‘Shenandoah.’

These are in different blooming groups, but somehow they make it work, and we both get to enjoy oodles of beautifully-shaped fruits in the fall.

Or maybe my tree is being pollinated by a different neighbor that I don’t even know about.

In other words, it’s best to ensure you have a pollinator by planting one yourself. That way, you aren’t taking any chances. But unless you live in a remote area far from anyone else, chances are pretty good that your tree will be pollinated.

If you can’t possibly fit a second specimen in your yard, choose a self-fruitful or partially self-fruitful type and cross your fingers.

To help this all make even more sense, let’s talk about how pollination works.

How Pear Pollination Works

As with many plants, pears rely on insects for pollination.

Honeybees, mason bees, some types of wasps, and flies are the most common pollinators, but many critters from the Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera orders will do the job.

If you spray your plants for pests in the spring or if you have a wet, windy spring, you might not see enough pollination for your trees to develop fruit because pollinators will either be killed off, or they won’t be able to visit as many flowers as they usually do.

That’s why many experts recommend that you not spray for pests when trees are in flower.

Pear flowers are both male and female. That is, the plants are cosexual and each flower has both male and the female reproductive parts.

Each flower is made up of outer sepals, which look like little leaves, and these hold the petals.

Inside the petals are lots of little filaments topped with anthers. The anthers are the parts that hold the pollen that will be transferred to a stigma to complete fertilization.

Five stigmas emerge from a disk at the base of the anthers.

The stigma, or the female part, is what receives the pollen. Once it does, the pollen works its way down to the ovary in a day or two, and fertilization occurs. The ovary is where the fruit will eventually develop.

When the flowers open, the stigmas are folded inwards, and the anthers burst open, a process known as dehiscence. As the flower matures, the stigmas tilt out, making them more available for pollination.

Now all the flower has to do is wait for a pollinator to come along.

Pear flowers don’t produce a ton of sugary nectar, so honeybees will pass them up in favor of more enticing fare. Since we rely on honeybees to pollinate so many of our crops, that can be a problem.

That might seem like a weird evolutionary tactic, but the trees were originally pollinated by native bees that don’t seek out sugar.

That’s why orchard growers rely on other bee species like mason bees since they don’t need sugary sweet nectar to be happy. Or, they might keep twice as many honeybees as they would for pollinating other fruit trees.

But it’s not just a matter of one insect visiting the flower. Each flower needs to be pollinated multiple times with pollen from another tree, unless the tree is self-fertile.

When a flower isn’t well pollinated, it may drop from the tree before it is mature, or the fruit will be deformed.

Well-pollinated fruits have more seeds and a better shape, and they will store longer.

Home growers don’t need to keep bees, but it never hurts to have some flowers growing in your garden to entice our insect friends.

We have a guide to 13 of the best flowers for attracting pollinators if you’re looking for some ideas.

There are a few pear trees that are exceptions to the partner requirement. These are partially or fully self-fertile and don’t have to rely on another tree for pollination.

But you will always see a larger harvest if your specimen has a pal.

Also, most self-fertile or partially self-fertile types need warm, dry weather to pollinate well, even more so than self-infertile pear trees, so gardeners in climates with cold, wet springs shouldn’t rely on a single tree to pollinate itself.

Bloom Time

Pears are categorized according to when they bloom in order to facilitate selection of the right partner. There are four generally accepted categories: early (group 1 or A), early to mid (group 2 or B), mid (group 3 or C), and last to bloom (group 4 or D).

Having said that, there is no industry standard on how pears are categorized. Some people use numbers, and others use the letter designation. Some divide cultivars into six categories, some use five, and others just use three.

When you’re out shopping for a tree, the easiest thing to do is stick with one source’s designation.

If your local nursery uses the five-category system, stick with it rather than checking against multiple sources. Things can get confusing really fast otherwise.

Keep in mind that bloom time and ripening time are totally unrelated. A tree can bloom first thing in spring and the fruit will be some of the last to ripen.

Cultivars that have “early” in their name are usually referring to how early the fruit matures, not the bloom period.

Pear Cultivars to Select

As we mentioned, some pears are partially self-fruitful. This includes most Asian types.

A few European types, like ‘Early Gold’ and ‘Concorde,’ are entirely self-fertile.

Asian and European pears will pollinate each other. However, all of them don’t bloom at the same time, so if you want one of each, you’ll need to be careful about which you select.

A tree cannot be paired with the same cultivar for pollination. It must be a different type. So a ‘Bosc’ can’t pollinate another ‘Bosc.’ Wouldn’t it be nice if things were that simple, though?

Flowers are usually the first things that grab our attention when we are selecting plants to add to our landscapes. However, most plants only flower for a short period of time, so it behooves us to consider plants’ other attributes—and there are many! Sometimes the same flowers that seduced us into opening our wallets are replaced with an amazing fruit display. Colorful fruits of all shapes and sizes can add drama to our landscapes throughout the year. In addition to their visual beauty, many fruits are important sources of nutrition for wildlife, particularly birds. Here are a few examples of awesome plants whose fruit shines in the garden in summer, fall, and winter.

Learn more about gardening for the birds

How to help birds survive winter

Gardening for birds and pollinators

Plants for Birds for Your Region

Shrubs

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‘Heavy Berry’ beautyberry has branches dripping with tight purple clusters

Name: Callicarpa japonica ‘Heavy Berry’
Zones: 5–8
Size: 4 to 6 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soil
Native range: China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea

Throughout spring and summer, beautyberries receive little attention. Jump ahead to late summer and fall, and all eyes gravitate to the stunning fruit display this genus is known for. ‘Heavy Berry’ in particular screams for attention, producing dazzling clusters of BB-size, shiny, violet-purple fruits up and down upright stems. The fruits persist for a couple of months, or until they fill the bellies of hungry birds. Prior to this magical display, hundreds of tiny pinkish-white flowers open in late spring and would normally go unnoticed, hidden among the foliage, if not for a surprisingly sweet fragrance that urges closer inspection. Pruning beautyberry to 10 inches from the ground every couple of years in late winter will result in strong, vigorous plants, and because flowers form on new growth, fruit production will not be affected.

Black chokeberry is a favorite of many different birds

Name: Aronia melanocarpa
Zones: 3–8
Size: 3 to 8 feet tall and 3 to 6 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern North America

In recent years, black chokeberry has risen in popularity as a superfruit. Health benefits aside, this native shrub is a great alternative to burning bush (Euonymus alatus,* Zones 4–8) because of its consistently brilliant scarlet fall color. But in midspring, clusters of five-petaled white flowers, each decorated with showy pink stamens, sit atop upright stems. The subsequent fruits are quite astringent at first and need some time to mature before you grab a handful. Birds also take advantage of the fruits’ nutritional qualities. I have witnessed black chokeberry covered with flocks of hungry robins and eastern bluebirds. Both your garden and the local wildlife will reap the benefits of including this fantastic suckering shrub in your yard.

Gorgeous white fringetree flowers give way to large blue orbs

Name: Chionanthus virginicus
Zones: 3–9
Size: 10 to 20 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soil
Native range: Southeastern United States

Despite having southern roots, white fringetree is a fantastic large shrub or small tree for northern gardens. In early summer, branches are decorated with 4- to 8-inchlong pendulous clusters of fringelike, creamy-white flowers that emit a subtle, sweet fragrance. White fringetree is typically dioecious (meaning there are male and female plants), and the flowers on the boys tend to be showier than those on the girls. Female plants make up for their less impressive floral display by producing luscious bunches of fruit that resemble blue black olives. These are enjoyed by an assortment of wildlife. In addition to its cold-hardiness, this beneficial native requires little maintenance, has few (if any) insect and disease problems, and has proven to be tolerant of urban conditions.

Bright pink and orange are a sight to behold on strawberry bush

Name: Euonymus americanus
Zones: 6–9
Size: 4 to 6 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Partial shade; moist, well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern United States

Strawberry bush inhabits the understory of moist woodlands in its native habitat, forming sprawling colonies of green to purplish-green stems. The flowers that bloom in late spring are not particularly showy, but after the pollinators visit, the resultant fruit display is noteworthy. Verrucose seed capsules mature into an eye-catching vibrant pink and eventually split open to reveal bright orange seeds, leading to the common name of “hearts-a-burstin’,” which in my opinion is a better description of this plant than “strawberry bush.” Witnessing this fruit spectacle will certainly amaze you. The contrast of pink seed capsules and orange seeds is unlike much else you might see in the garden.

 

Trees

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Alien-looking fruits turn heads toward Ashe’s magnolia

Name: Magnolia macrophylla subsp. ashei
Zones: 5b–9
Size: 15 to 30 feet tall and wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; moist, acidic, well-drained soil
Native range: Florida panhandle

Want to add a tropical look to your garden without having to remove a mushy lump from the ground after the first hard frost? Consider adding this exotic-looking understory tree. Its exceptionally large leaves, reaching up to 30 inches long and 10 inches wide, provide a big, bold texture in the landscape. In addition, unlike most magnolias whose flowers shine in early spring, the blooms of Ashe’s magnolia open in late spring or early summer, avoiding any late frosts. The flowers, which are the size of dinner plates, are white with small amounts of violet in their centers. They emit an intoxicating fragrance. These blossoms are replaced with impressive 3-inch-long, rosy-pink fruits consisting of multiple carpels (seed-bearing structures) that, when mature, split open to reveal vibrant orange seeds. So grab your lawn chair and piña colada, and sit under the cooling shade of this southern belle.

American wintergreen makes a fragrant creeping ground cover

Name: Gaultheria procumbens
Zones: 3–8
Size: 3 to 6 inches tall and 6 to 12 inches wide
Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist, acidic, well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern North America

Ground covers provide many benefits to our landscapes, such as reducing soil erosion and suppressing weeds. Selecting evergreen ground covers creates additional year-round appeal. One of the best short evergreen creepers is American wintergreen. It has exceptional glossy, dark green leaves that shine throughout the year, often taking on maroon tones in winter, more so when exposed to more sun. Being in the heath family, it has small, bell-shaped flowers that bloom in summer and resemble those of its close relatives, such as species of blueberries (Vaccinium spp. and cvs., Zones 4–9). Showy red fruit, a good winter food source for many species of birds, replaces the flowers and wonderfully complements the lustrous foliage. Crush a leaf or try a berry to enjoy the fresh wintergreen fragrance and flavor.

The dangling berries of longstalk holly set it apart

Name: Ilex pedunculosa
Zones: 5–8
Size: 15 to 30 feet tall and 15 to 20 feet wide
Conditions: Full sun to partial shade; average, well-drained soil
Native range: Japan, China, Taiwan

Considered one of the hardiest Ilex species, longstalk holly distinguishes itself from others in the genus with its smooth-margined leaves and red autumn berries held on long, graceful, pendulous stalks. This fruit persists into winter. Most hollies are dioecious, with fruit developing on the female plants. Both sexes, however, are needed to ensure a beautiful fruit display. I have had great success growing this holly, which can develop as a small tree or large shrub, under a high canopy with dappled shade. As with most broad-leaved evergreens, avoid planting longstalk holly in exposed sites where it can experience damage from harsh winds and sun, particularly in the winter.

 

Perennials

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Gaze at white baneberry to see it looking back at you

Name: Actaea pachypoda
Zones: 3–8
Size: 1½ to 2½ feet tall 2 to 3 feet wide
Conditions: Partial to full shade; moist, rich, well-drained soil
Native range: Eastern North America

I have always been intrigued by how our native plants got their common names. Often a plant’s common name refers to a particular physical characteristic. A great example of this is the alternative common name for white baneberry: doll’s-eyes. In late summer, clusters of brilliant white, pea-size fruits develop, each with a black spot resembling the porcelain eyes used in doll making. Even better,
these “eyes” are held on contrasting vivid pinkish-red stalks and look appetizing—but refrain from the temptation, as they are very poisonous. The fruit glistens in the lower light of the shade garden, drawing attention from afar. Earlier in spring, bottlebrush-like clusters of tiny white star-shaped flowers open above attractive clumps of compound foliage, to the delight of pollinators. Regardless of how you refer to it, white baneberry deserves a special spot in a woodland garden.

The red fruit of bunchberry jumps out in the middle of summer

Name: Cornus canadensis
Zones: 2–6
Size: 4 to 9 inches tall and 12 inches wide
Conditions: Partial shade; rich, acidic, well-drained soil
Native range: Northern North America, Greenland, eastern Asia

I tried multiple times to grow this wonderful ground cover in my south-central Connecticut garden, but to no avail. Now that I live in Maine, I find this diminutive dogwood throughout the neighboring woodlands. It seems to prefer cooler, less humid northern climates. In late spring, the forest floor sparkles with clusters of tiny, greenish-yellow flowers subtended by four showy white bracts that attract several species of native bees. Raspberry-red fruit clusters develop in the heat of the summer and persist through fall or until they are eaten by hungry birds or mammals. Autumn’s cooler temperatures encourage the leaves to transition to a wine-red color, continuing bunchberry’s seasonal interest.

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Why is my plant not producing fruit?

Picture this: You have picked out a plant for its stunning berry display, but disappointment quickly ensues because the anticipated display doesn’t happen. Why? There are several possibilities.

1. If you are an overly aggressive pruner, or are not pruning correctly, your manicured plant will likely not give you the anticipated fruit display. Research how to prune your specific plant and if it needs pruning at all.

2. The age of a plant can also be a culprit; your plant may not have reached the level of maturity required for it to consistently flower and fruit.

3. The light level may be too low. Research the proper lighting situation for your plant. Increasing the amount of sunlight when appropriate often results in more flowers and, subsequently, more fruit.

4. Too much fertilizer encourages lots of vegetative growth. The plant may focus more on producing new stems and leaves than producing flowers, and fruit production can suffer because of this.

5. Often, such as in the case of most hollies, the reason for poor berry production is that the plant is dioecious, with male and female flowers produced on separate plants, and you only have a female. No male pollinator nearby results in no fruit on the female. Many nurseries are now listing the suggested male plants on the labels of females, so be sure to check them.

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*Invasive Alert:

Burning bush (Euonymus alatus)

This plant is considered invasive in CT, DE, GA, IN, KY, MA, MD, ME, MN, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, SC, TN, VA, WI, and WV.

Please visit invasiveplantatlas.org for more information.

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Andy Brand is the director of horticulture at Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens in Boothbay.

Because color is so personal, it’s often one of the easiest design elements to nail down; people immediately know which colors they like and dislike. However, when choosing your garden color palette, don’t forget to consider the mood or atmosphere you wish to evoke. Cool colors have a calming effect, while warm colors grab your attention and elicit feelings of excitement.

When it came to color for this garden, the homeowners and I knew we wanted it to transport visitors to a peaceful, natural-looking paradise with some splashes of excitement. To achieve this, we looked to the surrounding area (a meadow) for inspiration and echoed its subdued palette, being sure to include contrasting hues and small pops of color. The palette consists of purples, silvers, pinks, oranges, and, of course, many shades of green, as well as touches of light blues, whites, and dark red for soothing and dramatic effects.

Silver is a neutral color that goes with everything

You know that friend who can easily mingle with everyone at a party? That is silver in a garden. It is also fantastic at emphasizing and complementing a plant’s texture, with its iridescent qualities and striking shadows as the light changes throughout the day. Without dynamic silver plants like artemisias and ‘Sussex Silver’ ozothamnus in the mix, I think many plantings in this garden would just fall flat.

Main plant

‘Sussex Silver’ ozothamnus (Ozothamnus ‘Sussex Silver’, Zones 7–9)

Another option

‘Sea Foam’ artemisia (Artemisia ‘Sea Foam’, Zones 4–10) Photo: doreenwynja.com

‘Sea Foam’ artemisia (Artemisia ‘Sea Foam’, Zones 4–10)

Pops of pink add a cheerful touch

Although very pale pink can read as calming, deeper pinks infuse a scene with cheerful color. Too much, though, can look artificial and overly intense. Magenta-pink asters are great for adding a glow in late summer when the garden is starting to go to sleep, while medium-pink-flowering plants such as Joe Pye weeds provide a balanced, more natural-looking color-family echo.

Main plant

‘September Ruby’ aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ‘September Ruby’, Zones 4–8)

Another option

‘Little Joe’ Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium dubium ‘Little Joe’, Zones 3–9)

Green is the king of backdrops and transitions

Because it is everywhere in nature, green is sometimes overlooked for its design value. As Mother Nature’s ultimate backdrop color, green helps draw attention to and buffer neighboring colors. It is fun to play with different greens displayed in various leaf shapes and forms. The toothed bluish-green leaves of honey bush serve as a great transition color for silver while providing an intriguing form and texture.

Main plant

Pacific wax myrtle (Myrica californica, Zones 7–9)

Another option

Honey bush (Melianthus major and cvs., Zones 8–11)

Purple works great as a unifier and for contrast

As a secondary hue on the color wheel, purple is an excellent unifier when threaded through a garden. It plays nicely with other colors. My favorite use of purple is in its darkest (nearly black or deep burgundy) forms. Darkly shaded flowers are dramatically wonderful, but foliage like that of Black Scallop^® ajuga is indispensable as a long-lasting contrasting element for the many variations of green found in the landscape.

Main plant

Throatwort (Trachelium caeruleum and cvs., Zones 9–11)

Another option

Black Scallop^® ajuga (Ajuga reptans ‘Binblasca’, Zones 4–9)

Splashes of orange brighten any scene

I love orange because it is a bright, happy color without being too garish. When combined with silver, it also evokes a sense of the desert landscape and transports you to a sunny locale—a perfect application in this dry garden. Some ornamental grasses pop with orange fall color. In summer, ‘Mango Popsicle’ red-hot poker provides stunning orange flowers that work well in many design motifs.

Main plant

‘Standing Ovation’ little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium ‘Standing Ovation’, Zones 3–9)

Another option

‘Mango Popsicle’ red-hot poker (Kniphofia ‘Mango Popsicle’, Zones 6–9)

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Wesley Younie is an artist and landscape designer who transforms landscape “canvases” into beautiful, functional, and sustainable works of art in the greater Portland, Oregon, area.

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp. and cvs., Zones 11–12) are evergreen perennials native to much of Central America and Southeast Asia. But their glossy leaves and tan, spiky flowers surrounded by white bracts have made them popular houseplants around the globe. Luckily, they are resilient and not too demanding. However, if you want to make your peace lily thrive and bloom, you should strive to meet all of its requirements. Providing your plant with what it needs will reward you with mesmerizing flowers and lush foliage.

Getting the lighting right is one of the most important aspects of peace lily care. While they can handle low light, these houseplants thrive with bright, indirect light. They can also tolerate up to two hours of direct sunlight per day. Also, be sure to water your plant once the top few inches of soil dries out. Droopy leaves are a sign of thirst, but if your plant’s leaves are wilting a day after watering, this could be a sign of overwatering. In this case, wait until your plant is completely dried out before watering again.

While peace lilies do fine in normal home temperatures, their ideal range is 75°F to 85°F, so the warmest spot in your home is a good place for them. Although they come from tropical climates, peace lilies tolerate low temperatures better than some other tropical plants. But if the mercury dips below 50°F, their growth will slow; a temperature below 45°F could be deadly.

Learn more

More on houseplants and indoor gardening

Houseplant myths

Can all houseplants go outside in summer?

Well-draining, rich soil is key

Make sure the potting soil you provide is porous, well-draining, and nutrient-rich. If you want to improve soil aeration, you can use a store-bought potting mix and enrich it with large particle amendments, such as perlite or orchid bark. A good mix is three parts commercial mix, one part perlite, and one part bark. A mix like this will reduce the risk of root rot from overwatering.

If you repot your peace lily annually, you don’t have to fertilize it, since the fresh soil will provide the plant with nutrients. If you do want to fertilize your plant, always do so when it’s actively growing; otherwise the nutrients will sit in the soil and the plant will not be able to absorb them. This nutrient accumulation can damage your plant and its root system. You can fertilize your peace lily using any fertilizer with a nitrogen/phosphorous/potassium (NPK) ratio of 3:1:2; just make sure to read the instructions on the package to avoid overfertilizing.

Avoid these common pests and diseases

Some of the pests that affect peace lilies are aphids, mealybugs, and fungus gnats. In cases of a minor infestation, you can remove aphids and mealybugs with a strong jet of water. You can also wipe down the leaves. If that doesn’t work, spray the plant thoroughly with insecticidal soap, horticultural oil, or neem oil.

To get rid of fungus gnats, use an organic microbial larvicide such as Mosquito Bits in combination with yellow sticky traps. Follow the instructions on preparation, and water your plants with the larvicide solution for a minimum of two weeks. This will kill the larvae in the soil, while the traps will catch the adults.

Two diseases peace lilies might suffer from are cylindrocladium root rot and aerial blight. Yellowing of the lower leaves is one of the first symptoms of cylindrocladium root rot. Lower parts of petioles and the roots will then start to rot. Aerial blight symptoms include large brown dead spots on leaf margins and centers. Plants with these diseases must be discarded. However, don’t panic if you start to notice yellow or brown spots on your plant; nine times out of 10 this is an indication of a cultural problem, not a disease.

If you’ve met all their basic needs, you will find that peace lilies aren’t too fussy. Just care for them properly and enjoy their beauty for years to come.

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Three spectacular varieties

While there are many peace lily cultivars, the following are known for being out-of-the-ordinary stunners that would be instant focal points in your home.

‘Sensation’ is a well-named colossus

(S. ‘Sensation’)

This giant variety has massive leaves. It can grow as tall as 6 feet and up to 4 feet wide. Its dark green foliage is glossy with a deeply ribbed pattern. Due to its lush greenery, ’Sensation’ can enrich any space with a tropical jungle vibe.

‘Silver Streak’ is a diminutive cutie

(S. ‘Silver Streak’ syn. ‘White Stripe’ syn. ‘White Lightning’)

‘Silver Streak’ is a compact variety that grows only 10 to 15 inches tall and 5 to 10 inches wide. It boasts a matte finish to its leaves, which have a distinctive white stripe along their centers. This gives ‘Silver Streak’ a unique flair.

‘Picasso’ is the best variegated option

(S. ‘Picasso’)

The rare variety ’Picasso’ is extremely variegated, with big white and lightgreen splotches on its leaves. Like other variegated peace lilies, this beauty needs more light than its nonvariegated counterparts. More indirect light should produce more variegation. ’Picasso’ grows 15 to 20 inches tall and wide.

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How do I get my peace lily to bloom?

There are a few reasons why your plant might not be blooming. First, peace lilies need to mature before they start to flower, and many need to be up to 15 months old before they start blooming naturally. Even though it may seem like it, the plant you buy may not be mature enough to flower. Nurseries often use gibberellic acid to prompt young peace lilies into producing flowers before they normally would.

Once the plant is old enough, it will need a lot of light to prompt blossoming. While peace lilies can survive with lower light, they will not flower in those conditions. Giving your plant high levels of indirect light and up to two hours of weak direct sunlight a day (such as morning or late afternoon light) can help prompt flowering.

Besides light, it’s essential to provide optimal growing conditions and proper care. Ensure that your plant has everything it needs, and it will start to bloom. How often peace lilies bloom depends on the variety. Some are nearly everblooming, while others might bloom once or twice a year. Flowers should last for about two months.

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Vladan Nikolic is the owner and operator of Mr. Houseplant, a company that offers houseplant consultations and workshops. You can follow his gardening journey on Instagram @nikolicvladan.

Today, an uninvited guest often lurks in the cozy corners of homes in Portland, Maine. This
small, yet formidable enemy is the carpet beetle, a pest that, despite its size, can wreak
substantial havoc in our households.

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Carpet beetles belong to the Dermestidae family and are renowned for their appetite for devouring organic fibers. They stealthily nibble on an array of household items, from your warm woolens to beloved antique furniture, leaving behind a trail of destruction that reflects their insatiable hunger.

Several species of carpet beetles cohabit with us, each with their distinct traits and tastes. The black carpet beetle, a common unwelcome housemate, flaunts a glossy black body and is particularly fond of fabric and grains. In contrast, the varied carpet beetle, identified by its speckled appearance, has a more diversified palate, including feathers and dead insects.

These tiny yet tenacious pests lead a stealthy life cycle that allows them to cause maximum damage undetected. They often lay eggs in dark, secluded spaces, and their larvae, notorious for causing most of the destruction, stay active for several months before transforming into adult beetles.

Therefore, in the quiet city of Portland, the battle against carpet beetles remains a silent yet constant struggle. Knowledge is our first line of defense in this war against these destructive pests.

Identifying Carpet Beetle Infestations: Your First Step With Maine Pest Control Companies

To win any battle, understanding your opponent is the first step to victory. In this case, getting to know the elusive carpet beetle can aid you in fighting off these uninvited guests. To do this effectively, it might be wise to engage with experienced Maine pest control companies.

In terms of appearance, adult carpet beetles may seem quite harmless. They are small, often not more than 1/8 inch long, with a variety of body colors ranging from black to a more complex mottled pattern of white, yellow, or orange. Their oval-shaped bodies might even give off a deceptive sense of innocence, but don’t be fooled.

While the adults may seem relatively harmless, their offspring tell a different story. The larvae, small and creamy white, are the real culprits. You might spot them on your carpets, furniture, or other cozy corners of your home.

A significant red flag is the damage they leave in their wake. Irregular holes in your carpets and furniture are classic signs of their destructive dining. You might notice a favorite woolen jumper suddenly sporting a new, unwanted pattern or discover that a cherished rug now has an unasked-for design. These subtleties can tip you off to the presence of carpet beetles in your home.

Recognizing these signs early is crucial in halting the progress of these destructive pests. It’s not a job for the faint-hearted, and this is where professional Maine pest control companies come into the picture. With their knowledge and expertise, they can guide you through the process of effectively dealing with carpet beetle infestations.

Health and Property Risks: Pest Control in Maine

Despite their diminutive size, carpet beetles pose significant risks to our health and properties. As stealthy invaders, their impact is felt more deeply than one would expect from such tiny creatures.

While they do not directly transmit diseases, their presence in your home can still pose health risks. For some, especially those with sensitivity or underlying allergies, the mere presence of carpet beetle larvae can trigger uncomfortable allergic reactions.

These reactions can manifest as skin irritations, often mistaken for bed bugs or flea bites. In more severe cases, the fine, prickly hairs on the larvae can be inhaled, leading to respiratory distress.

To mitigate these risks, engaging with pest control in Maine can provide a systematic and effective approach to eradicating these pests.

Remember, pest control in Maine is not just about managing an existing problem; it’s also about preventing future infestations and preserving the comfort and safety of your home.

Preventing Carpet Beetle Infestations: Effective Carpet Beetle Control Methods

In the world of pests, the age-old saying “prevention is better than cure” rings incredibly true, forming the backbone of Pest Control Portland Maine. The very best way to safeguard your home from the damage of carpet beetles is by implementing preventative measures designed to make your home less attractive to these voracious creatures.

The first step in this preventive strategy involves a thorough and regular cleaning regimen. Carpet beetles, especially their larvae, are experts at hiding in overlooked, rarely cleaned areas of your home.

These might include the hidden corners under furniture, the secluded niches of your cupboards, or the silent recesses behind heavy drapes.

Regular vacuuming of these areas can help remove any hidden eggs or larvae, disrupting their life cycle and preventing them from causing damage.

In addition to physical cleaning, the use of approved insecticide treatments can form a protective barrier against these pests. When correctly applied, these treatments can kill adult beetles, larvae, and even eggs, providing comprehensive protection for your home.

Keeping your home clutter-free is another simple yet effective preventive strategy. A tidy home provides fewer hiding spots for these pests and allows for more efficient cleaning.

Frequently laundering carpets and upholstered furniture not only freshen up your living space but also eliminates potential beetle hotspots.

When it comes to safeguarding your most cherished belongings, consider storing them in pest-proof containers. Not only does this physically protect them from potential damage, but it also insulates them from roaming beetles. It is crucial to inspect and clean these items before storing them, as dirty materials are often irresistible to carpet beetles.

A comprehensive prevention plan forms the bedrock of effective pest control. By taking proactive steps today, you can save yourself from the headache of a carpet beetle infestation tomorrow.

The Power of Knowledge: Educating Homeowners and Tenants

Knowledge is our most potent weapon in the fight against carpet beetles. Increasing awareness among homeowners and tenants about the signs of a carpet beetle infestation and the preventive methods is fundamental in maintaining beetle-free homes.

Education can foster a sense of vigilance, encouraging regular inspection of susceptible areas and the early detection of an infestation. This proactive approach can minimize the risk of extensive damage and costly repairs.

Seeking Professional Pest Control Services

In some instances, despite our best efforts, carpet beetles might still find their way into our homes. When faced with severe infestations or significant damage, it’s time to call in the cavalry—professional pest control services.

These experts bring with them a wealth of experience, specialized knowledge, and effective treatments. They can provide a comprehensive inspection, identify the source of the infestation, and implement a tailored solution to your carpet beetle problem.

Trusting professionals can ease the burden of pest management, providing reassurance and peace of mind in the face of a daunting beetle infestation.

Prevention and Protection With Green Shield Pest Solutions

Carpet beetle infestations, while problematic, are controllable and preventable. By being vigilant and proactive, homeowners can safeguard their valuable possessions from these destructive pests.

When faced with serious infestations, partnering with a professional pest control Portland Maine company can ensure effective and thorough treatment. Green Shield Pest Solutions, a leading name in pest control, offers a comprehensive range of services to keep your home pest-free.

If you’re concerned about carpet beetles in your home, don’t hesitate to reach out to a trusted pest control company. Remember, when it comes to pests, prevention is always better than cure.

Gardening with children is a very rewarding experience, as long as you can get them out there in the first place! I have tons of tips about gardening for kids to encourage kids to go outside, get their hands in the dirt, and foster a love for nature.

Every gardening season that passes by, my Kiddo gets more interested in the garden. From my pregnancy to practically double digits, he’s grown up with gardening.

He calls himself a Mini Master Gardener, and I think it’s a well-deserved title.

Besides gardening more with me, he’s also taken a bigger interest in what I do here on Garden Therapy. I’ve always been respectful of his boundaries, only sharing what he wants me to share here and on social media.

But he’s been wanting to get involved! Last year, he joined me on CBC radio and even hosted a live event with me for Crayola about crafting with nature.

When we work with children, we learn how much it means to build connections with plants. I’m witnessing firsthand how Kiddo is falling in love with nature and how he wants to advocate for it.

Over the years, I’ve done many projects that are crafty and fun and can be used to get kids to engage in the garden. Here are my best tips for gardening for kids and how I raised Kiddo to be a Mini Master Gardener.

This post will cover…

Gardening With Babies

When I was writing my first book, Garden Made, Kiddo came along with me. I was pregnant when I signed the contract and began doing the projects, photographing them, and writing, all while Kiddo kicked inside of me. He was gardening with me even before he took his first breath!

After he was born, I would wrap Kiddo in the carrier or carry him on my back and carry him. I would use this precious time to do some gardening, allowing us fresh air and sunlight.

As he got older, I would plop him down on the blanket while I gardened. I would give him sensory things to work on, like a pumpkin with the top cut off so he could stick his fingers inside and touch the goo.

I also gave him things like kale flowers or any other elements from the garden that he could safely eat, smell, and play with.

At that time, I would get about five minutes of gardening in while he sat on the blanket. It wasn’t much, but it was time spent together outside.

It’s important to remember that you can get your daily gardening therapy in without actually gardening. All you need to do is engage with plants and soil or get outside and appreciate your space.  

Creating a Play Garden

As Kiddo got older, I redesigned my space as a play garden. So often, we tell kids to stay out of the garden or to keep off the grass, but instead, I wanted to invite him in. Play gardens are spaces designed with tiny humans in mind, actively giving them space to engage with the garden.

I designed the space for Kiddo, but it was also beautiful and educational. To start, a play garden needs a ground they can trample on. You can use groundcover plants like clover or ajuga or stepping stones. I made my own hopscotch stepping stones to turn it into a game!

Next, fill in the garden with low plants that are decorative, sensory, and even edible. I love bunny tails and lamb’s ear for touching or structural plants like alliums and bleeding hearts. Edible flowers like violas and pansies are easy to grow, encourage pollinators, and are fun for children to look at.

Consider adding plants just for fragrance like mint, lavender, lilies, and hyacinths. Overall, engaging the senses with lots of colour, scents, and the encouragement for touch and play are great.

To finish the garden, you can add structures. For Kiddo, I placed a table and chairs made of wood stumps. Kiddo also loved his digging pot. Rather than dig plants out in the garden, I gave him a pot filled with plastic dinosaurs that he could dig out, pour water on, and plant as he saw fit.

Gardening for Kids

When Kiddo reached school age, he started participating when I designed children’s learning gardens at his preschool and his afterschool program. He went from playing in the garden to playing an active role in planting and maintaining it.

He’s certainly one of the only kids his age who can identify and pronounce a hydrangea or hellebores.

Last spring, CBC asked both of us to come on the radio and talk about gardening. It sparked something in him. Not only is he interested in gardening, but teaching gardening at his age. He wants to share his knowledge with others!

As they get older, follow their lead. Your garden may not be the most beautifully designed and carefully curated, but it becomes a shared space for you and your kids. The more the kids get out there, the better.

Gardening Activities for Kids

Involve your kids from the very start, encouraging them to participate in the planning process. When I used to volunteer with learning gardens, we always started by laying out a blanket and bringing out the seed catalogues and leftover seeds packets.

Ask them what they want to plant. Are there any vegetables, herbs, fruit, and flowers they want to include again from last year? Or a plant they want to try growing? What do they like to eat from the grocery store, and is it possible to grow them in the garden?

The kids can cut out photos from the catalogues or even draw their favourites. You can even ask them to help you pick a location to plant them, using it as a teaching moment to talk about sun, water, soil, and temperature needs.

Kids always have boatloads of fun planting seeds and plants. Make sure to do this activity together, getting dirt under their fingernails.

Maintaining the Garden

Kids can get involved well after planting and planning. One of the best ways to do so is to make things a game. For instance, you can get them to help you with the weeding. First, identify the weeds, then start a weed-pulling contest to see who can pull the most weeds in a given time.

They can even help with managing pests. Teach them what bad bugs look like and get them to pick them off the plants when they see them.

You can also ask them to help water the plants while you’re out tending to the garden. Any way you can get them outside, even if it’s just for five minutes, is a great way to get kids into gardening.

Making Crafts from the Garden

The garden is full of treasures for kids to get creative with. From pressing flowers to making windchimes, my favourite garden activities for kids involve making crafts using materials from the garden.

As a big crafter and do-it-yourselfer, I have many, many ideas for projects you can make with kids. Check them all out in this post.

Gardening With Teenagers

While Kiddo isn’t a teenager yet (and thank goodness. I’m not ready!), I love watching Kiddo grow up and become more involved with our shared garden. We’ve just moved, and in our new space, I know he will have a say in the kinds of things we plant and include in the backyard this time.

Give your kids room to grow. Designate a portion of the garden, whether a whole bed or a couple of containers, for them to grow their own garden. Let them select the plants, plant them, and be responsible for taking care of them.

The older they get, the more they can help you start seeds, transfer them outside, harvest, and take care of the space. Teach them how to make preserves and cook with their garden bounty!

If you teach kids to fall in love with plants, they’ll also fall in love with the earth. When I wrote the dedication for my book, The Regenerative Garden, I wrote it to Kiddo as the protector of the bees, grazer of flowers, and budding eco-activist.

When we encourage gardening for kids, we allow them to grow a passion for the natural world and become some of mother nature’s biggest advocates!

Frequently Asked Questions About Gardening for Kids

Employ one or more of these tips for gardening for kids, and you’ll grow great memories along with tasty vegetables and colourful flowers.

More Tips for Gardening With Kids

Cover crops aren’t just for professional growers. They are also vital for a nutrient-rich home garden. Year after year, vegetables pull vital nutrients from the soil without putting anything back for the years to come. Cover crops are meant to solve this problem by natural and organic processes. Because they act as a living mulch, the soil isn’t lost to erosion, splashing, and winds associated with a bare winter garden. 

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Adding extra soil, fertilizer, compost, or mulch every few years can add up quickly, not to mention the labor involved. Simply keeping the ground covered with a cover crop is the answer to perpetual soil loss and overworked land. By using a cover crop mix, the natural benefits of organic mulches, manures, and compost can be enjoyed while saving a few bucks and forgoing the backbreaking work of transporting such materials. Additionally, cover crop root systems help stabilize soil in raised beds, plots, and open gardens all year long, preventing erosion during the winter and spring runoff seasons.

 

The first step to accessing these benefits is finding the right cover crop seeds that match the needs of the soil. Start by understanding what the growing space is like. Feel the soil. Is it hard with clay? Or have the plants been yellow, weak, or overtaken by weeds? Use the tried-and-true method of growing cover crops to restore and revitalize spent garden soil. For nutrient needs, try planting a legume such as peas or clover to add nitrogen back into the soil. Legumes are known for transforming nitrogen from the air into a usable form for plants in the soil via root nodules. These are processing centers for beneficial bacteria that place nitrogen directly into the root zone of upcoming crops. 

For hard soils, add winter rye to help break up compact clay loams. Use grains or grasses like rye, barley, wheat, or triticale to increase the rich, dark organic matter in dry and poor soil. Organic matter is key to developing healthy, fertile soils that are able to supply nutrients to plants, retain moisture, and drain excess water properly. For the best pest control benefits cover crops have to offer, plant brassicas such as mustard and radishes. Cover crops have so many great benefits, but one of the most favored is weed suppression. Simply having something over the soil during the off-season can prevent pesky and aggressive weeds from taking over home gardens. 

After identifying what the soil needs and selecting the seeds that will help improve it, find out when the local first and last frost dates are. When planting a fall cover crop, broadcast the seeds when the temperatures start decreasing from the heat of the summer. Then, lightly rake the seeds in to maintain contact with the moist soil. Allow enough time, based on the life cycle of the chosen seeds, to germinate and grow several inches. Cut, mow, or till cover crops around the time of the first fall frost. Over the winter season, the plant matter will break down and create new soil with beneficial nutrients right where plants can use it in the coming seasons. 

In the spring, wait to plant until just after the last spring frost. Like a fall cover crop, allow several weeks to develop healthy growth before terminating. Again, cut, mow, or till at least 2-3 weeks before starting a garden for the season. It takes at least this long for the plant material to decompose, making nutrients available for the current growing season. Be sure to take note if the crops selected are perennials or annuals. Perennial crops that are allowed to go to seed may spring volunteers throughout the growing season. To terminate these crops, it is important to disrupt the root systems. Mowing may not be enough, especially for crops such as clover that are commonly mowed and paired with traditional lawn grasses.

Growing a mix of various seeds is best to enjoy all of the benefits a cover crop can offer. Here at True Leaf Market, a garden cover crop mix can be found that includes 4 legumes to increase nutrients, 3 hardy grains for biomass and erosion prevention, radish to break up hard soils, collard for organic matter, and yellow mustard for pest management. This mix can be used as either a spring or fall cover crop. Be sure to cut the cover crop before it goes to seed. Not doing so will result in volunteers popping up during the main growing season. 

To get started with cover crops, try a mix like this one. Then, learn more about these plants and how to take charge of the garden and long-term soil health for years. To get better acquainted with the many options available as cover crops, walk through a trusted cover crop guide to understand what plants can be used, when to plant them, and how they are used in the garden setting. 

Learning about cover crops can seem overwhelming at first. Just remember, this is the same practice that has been used to maintain healthy land to sustain civilizations for centuries. It isn’t about following some new practice; it’s about going back to the roots and preserving the existing land. Gardening can seem like a never-ending knot of confusion with different opinions and practices being touted as the best. Don’t get tied up in the mess. Gardening can be simple, just stick to the practices that have been tried and true for century after century. 

The takeaway here is that soil is the ultimate source of a wonderful and productive garden. To protect it during the off-season and prepare for the growing season, use a cover crop to reduce soil erosion, increase nutrients for the coming seasons, and improve soil quality. The process starts by identifying how the soil can be improved, then broadcast the chosen cover crop seed, lightly raking the seed into the soil, watering, growing, cutting, or mowing, then allowing the garden to rest for 2-3 weeks before planting in the spring. Follow these simple steps to guarantee a successful garden all year long. Garden the natural way with cover crops. Learn more: www.trueleafmarket.com

About the author: Ashleigh Smith is the managing editor at True Leaf Market, with a bachelor’s degree in Horticulture from Brigham Young University – Idaho. Authentic Leaf Market is a nationally certified organic, non-GMO seed and horticultural company based in Salt Lake City, Utah. The True Leaf Market staff specializes in supplying a large selection of conventional, heirloom, and organic seeds to home gardeners everywhere. Learn more: www.trueleafmarket.com.

1. Pick your space

2. If the weeds, grass or shrubs are taller than a few inches, chop them to the ground

3. Water the area deeply to fill the ground with moisture

4. Lay down a double layer of cardboard or a thick layer of newspapers for weed block and soak it all with the hose

5. Stack a whole bunch of organic material on top of the weed block, then water again to soak everything

A forest floor is not covered in grass. Instead, it is a mix of decayed material, covered with still decaying material with regular new additions of leaves and twigs and fruit and other debris on top. The whole forest floor is like a compost pile. It doesn’t get tilled and it replenishes itself over time as material falls from the trees. Yet a forest may only drop a few inches of material in a year and takes its time to build up the soil layers. We don’t have to wait that long when we gather lots and lots of stuff and dump it on the ground all at once to start our forest. This gets things kicking FAST!

Annual gardeners have used this method of stacking up organic matter in their vegetable gardens. Most of us are familiar with Ruth Stout (Gardening Without Work), Patricia Lanza (Lasagna Gardening) and Paul Gautschi (of the Back to Eden film) and their deep mulch gardening methods. Personally, I find that deep mulching annual garden beds in Florida is a huge amount of work and hard to maintain due to how fast our soil eats organic matter – yet I find it very, very useful in perennial systems. Bare soil around trees and shrubs is hard on them, especially when the soil is just sand. Trees like to have a nice, cool, forest floor environment around their roots and that’s what we’re creating right at the beginning. Since we don’t have a forest already, we literally build it from the ground up.

Wetting the ground at the beginning is important. If you mulch on top of dry soil water can hardly get through to the tree roots. It takes a long, long time to get that sand wet under the mulch. But if you soak the ground at the beginning, then mulch over the top, the moisture stays in the sand beneath and helps the mulch above rot down into soil.

Covering up the existing weeds and grass with cardboard or another weed block starves them of light, making them rot down into the soil, creating humus while attracting worms and a host of other beneficial organisms.

We wet the cardboard after laying it down to make it stay in place and to make it easier for subsequent rains to soak through. If you do not have cardboard or are worried about potential contaminants in it or in newspapers, no worries. Banana leaves, palm fronds, heliconia leaves, or other big leaves act as a decent weed block. Just put a lot of them down as they aren’t as thick or long-lasting as cardboard.

After you have your weed block layer in place, chuck a bunch of biomass on top of it. We’re talking logs and prunings and grass clippings and raked leaves. You can also throw some seaweed down if you live near the beach. That adds extra nutrients to the system. If you have compost, throw some of that there too. Anything that adds nutrients and feeds the plants is great. Feel free to throw in paper plates, coffee grounds, shredded paper and kitchen scraps to your pile of yard waste. If it looks too ugly, smash it all down and throw some nice, purchased mulch over the top. I got away with some really ugly sheet composting that way. No one even knew there were chicken bones and rotten potatoes hiding under there but they fed the trees quite nicely.

A few months after the big yard waste drop, I came back to check on the food forest. The yard waste mountain had already shrunk quite a bit, settling onto the ground, browning and rotting.

I dug around beneath it and found something I had rarely saw in that backyard when I was a kid. Life!

Worms and beetles and millipedes. There was a lot of tiny life beneath that pile of rotting material, and not only that, a forest floor was starting to develop.

I pulled up a good handful of crumbly, black, sandy humus. It looked nothing like the soil we started with, except for the grains of sand mixed into it. It smelled alive, like fresh mushrooms, and was the best soil I had ever seen in that yard.

“Welcome back,” the neighbor said from behind the fence.

“Good to see you,” I said. “Look at this!”

I brought a good handful of new soil to the fence. “See? This came from all the yard waste we dropped.”

He looked at my handful of black, living humusy soil.

“Well,” he said after a moment. “I never saw this before.” He looked closer and shook his head. “I learned something new today.”

I know how he felt. It seems like magic to me as well. The first time I sheet mulched on top of rocky clay soil in Tennessee, the resulting rich loam a year later was a wonderful surprise. In Florida, the breakdown process happens much faster.

You can turn Florida sand into good stuff. It’s not easy, and it doesn’t last if you don’t renew it regularly, but if you create a food forest with lots of mulch at the beginning, then grow plants you can keep dropping to the ground to build the forest floor, you can indeed turn sugar sand into good, healthy ground.

At the beginning of your Florida food forest, an easy option is to start with a load of mulching material from outside, then start producing your own mulch right in your food forest.

Producing your own mulch? Like – with a chipper?

No – no need for a chipper. Just grow various plants that you can chop into pieces and throw on the ground. Many plants can be cut again and again to serve as mulch, and they’ll keep coming back. When I was a kid there was an Albizia lebbeck tree that kept growing in the hedge just on the neighbor’s side of the fence. My dad cut that thing down again and again, trying to get rid of it – and it kept coming back. I know now that the tree was a nitrogen-fixing, fast-growing pioneer species that would have been great as a chop-and-drop tree for a food forest, but back then we just thought it was a pain in the neck. There’s a good chance that right now you have something growing in your yard that is similar. Instead of trying to kill it, why not turn it into a compost factory? Cut the top off, throw it around a tree you want to feed, then let it grow back again. When it grows back good and strong, cut it again.

And plant more trees like it! More biomass = more potential humus. 

Excerpt from Create Your Own Florida Food Forest, Revised, Expanded and Illustrated 2nd Edition

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Would you like to find out how to grow garlic?  It’s such an easy crop to grow!

Growing garlic doesn’t take up much space, it’s not very fussy, and there are lots of different varieties available for you to experiment with.  It’s also a good crop to involve children with too, because it’s easy and fun to plant.

How to grow your own garlic

If you’re thinking “This all sounds great – so how do I grow garlic?”, you’re in the right place!

This post covers everything you need to know about garlic growing. I’ve included advice on when, where and how to plant garlic bulbs, plus tips on caring for your garlic plants, harvesting your homegrown garlic, and how to grow garlic in pots.

How does garlic grow?

Garlic (or allium sativum, to use it’s Latin name) is grown from a bulb. Each bulb is made up of a number of garlic cloves. You’ll be very familiar with garlic bulbs; they look the same as the garlic you buy in the supermarket.

How do I grow garlic from a bulb?

To grow garlic, you break the bulb up and plant each clove in the ground. Each clove will grow into a new bulb of garlic – so just one bulb can produce a sizeable garlic harvest.

Garlic growing: when to plant garlic

You can plant *garlic in autumn or spring. If you plant in autumn, your crop will be ready the following summer.

Apparently autumn-planted varieties tend to be more successful and produce larger bulbs.  I’ve always planted my garlic in autumn, mainly because it’s one less crop to get started in the madness of early spring planting!

Where should I plant garlic in the garden?

Does garlic need full sun? Ideally, yes. Growing garlic in a sunny location gives you the best chance of harvesting lots of large, tasty bulbs.

Garlic growing in partial shade will still produce bulbs, but these are likely to be smaller. The flavour shouldn’t be affected though.

The best soil for growing garlic

Garlic growing is best suited to a loose soil which has good drainage. It doesn’t enjoy sitting in water, and can rot if it’s exposed to soggy conditions – hence the need for well-drained soil.

If your soil is a heavy clay, it’s a good idea to either add sand before planting, or grow garlic in raised beds or pots.

Can you plant garlic from the grocery store?

Will store bought garlic grow? Possibly.

Ideally you should buy *garlic bulbs for planting from the garden centre or a seed garlic supplier. These are the best garlic bulbs to plant, because they will be certified virus-free and more likely to grow well. Having said that, I have planted supermarket-bought garlic in the past and it has grown. The bulbs were on the small side, but they were perfectly usable. I would say that if you can’t make a special trip to the garden centre give it a try!

How to plant garlic: can you plant garlic that has sprouted?

It’s fine to plant garlic that has sprouted. A sprouted clove has just begun the process of growing. As long as it’s nice and firm with no signs of damage, it should still grow perfectly well once planted.

How to grow garlic from a clove

Ready to have a go at growing your own garlic? Here’s a simple step-by-step guide on how to plant garlic cloves.

Before you begin your garlic bulb planting, you need to prepare your soil (or garlic bed).  Remove any weeds, dig over the area with a *garden fork, and rake the soil surface to even it out.

How to plant garlic cloves

Use a *trowel to create a shallow trench in a straight line. It helps to use a *planting line like I have in the picture, but don’t worry too much about getting it perfectly straight.

Do you peel garlic before planting?

You don’t need to peel garlic cloves before you plant them. It’s fine if some of the papery outer layer flakes off, but try to leave the skins intact. They provide protection against bacteria, and help prevent a sprout emerging before roots have formed.

Do you need to soak garlic before planting?

Some gardeners swear by soaking their garlic before planting, while others never bother.

Soaking garlic in a solution of water, fertiliser and baking soda will provide some protection against fungal diseases. Garlic bulbs can also be soaked in rubbing alcohol to kill any mites. Both of these pests can seriously damage your garlic crop, so it’s not hard to see why people make the effort.

However, you don’t have to soak garlic before planting. I personally never have. If you’re keen to reduce the risk of a poor harvest, have a go at soaking. If you’re not too concerned or tight on time, you can plant garlic without soaking it first.

How deep to plant garlic

Planting garlic bulbs is very simple. Break up your bulb of garlic into individual cloves, then plant each clove about an inch below the surface of the soil. Make sure the pointy end of each clove is facing up.

How far apart to plant garlic

Depending on your garlic variety, you will need to leave 10-15cm space between cloves (4-6 inches apart). Leaving the right amount of room when planting garlic bulbs will help each clove grow well, and avoid them competing with each other for nutrients. It’s always worth checking the packaging for the variety you’re growing, to make sure you get this bit right.

Once your garlic cloves are all in place, fill the trench back in so that the cloves sit just below the surface of the soil.

As you garlic plants grow, keep on top of any weeds that emerge. Leaving these in the ground will inhibit the growth of your crop.

Great companion plants for growing garlic

Garlic is a great companion plant, because it acts as a natural pest and fungus deterrent. Growing it alongside other crops will provide those crops with some natural protection. Because it’s quite a small plant, it’s easy to tuck it in amongst your other fruit, vegetables, and even flowers, to help keep pests under control.

Great companion plants for garlic include:

• potatoes
• beetroot
• spinach
• tomatoes
• carrots
• broccoli
• kale
• peppers
• cabbage

Roses, nasturtiums, marigolds and geraniums are all good companion flowers for garlic.

Avoid growing peas, beans and asparagus near garlic, as it can limit their growth.

Watering garlic: does garlic need a lot of water?

Watering garlic is pretty low effort. Water the row well after planting your garlic cloves, but don’t water it again over winter.

Water your growing garlic in spring and early summer if the weather is very dry. Avoid watering once the bulbs are looking nicely formed, as doing so can cause them to rot. White rot is a common problem with garlic.

What does overwatered garlic look like?

Overwatered garlic usually starts to develop wilted, drooping or yellowing leaves. If you spot any of these, stop watering and monitor the moisture levels in the soil.

Fertiliser for garlic growing

Does garlic need fertiliser? In short, yes.

Garlic is a hungry plant, and it’s in the soil for a long period of time, so it’s a good idea to feed it with a suitable fertiliser. If you’re planting garlic in autumn, start feeding your plants in the following spring.

The best fertiliser for garlic plants is one that’s rich in nitrogen – check the label before you buy. Make sure also that you go for a *plant food which is designed specifically for edible plants.

Fertilising garlic can also be done by adding organic matter or manure to the soil before planting garlic. This will give the plants a boost right from the start.

How to grow garlic in a pot

If you don’t have much space in your garden, you can grow garlic in a pot. Garlic will grow perfectly well in a container, so if you’ve only got a patio or balcony you can still grow your own supply. Here’s how to grow garlic in pots.

To grow garlic in a pot, ideally you should use a container that has a minimum depth of 20cm, and at least one drainage hole. This will provide enough space for strong root growth.

How to plant garlic in a pot

The method for planting garlic in pots is the same as for planting it in the ground.

Fill your container with compost (multipurpose compost is fine), and plant each clove about an inch below the surface of the soil.

Leave 10-15cm between each clove, and don’t plant any cloves close to the edge of the pot.

Water your container once the cloves are planted, and keep an eye on moisture levels after this. Containers tend to dry out more quickly than soil, so you might need to water your pot if the weather is dry.

How to grow garlic indoors

It’s possible to grow garlic indoors, but it’s important to understand that you won’t be able to grow a bulb of garlic in the same way as you can by planting it outdoors.

If you grow garlic in a pot indoors, the cloves will produce garlic sprouts. These are the green leaves that grow out of the top of the clove. You can use them as seasoning in your cooking; their flavour is usually lighter than fresh garlic.

Keep the soil in your pot moist, and try to place it in a position that receives good natural light. Harvest your garlic sprouts as you need them, until you’ve used them all up and the bulb is exhausted.

How long does garlic take to grow?

Given that garlic grows underground, you might be wondering how you know when garlic is ready to harvest.

Autumn-planted garlic will be ready for harvesting around July next year.

If you’re planting garlic in spring, it will be ready to harvest slightly later.

How to harvest garlic

Here’s what you need to know about how to harvest garlic.

How do you know when garlic is ready to pick?

Garlic is ready to harvest when the foliage turns yellow. If you’re thinking “Why is my garlic plant dying?”, the answer is because the leaves have done their job and it’s harvest time.

If you’re not sure whether it’s the best time to harvest, just dig up one plant to see what the bulb size is. If you’re careful, you can have a quick look and re-plant if necessary.

When you’re ready to harvest your garlic, lift the bulbs gently with a fork. Lay them out in a single layer to dry off; a well-ventilated greenhouse or shed is the ideal dry place for this.

It will take around two to four weeks for the bulbs to dry out, obviously this is very much dependent on the weather.

Once all the foliage is showing no signs of moisture, you can cut the stalks off and store – or eat! – your garlic bulbs.

How do you store garlic?

If you’re not eating your garlic straight away, you need to store it somewhere that’s cool and has good air circulation. Don’t store garlic in bright, direct sunlight; somewhere with low light levels is ideal.

Never store garlic in plastic bags. These can seal in moisture which will rot your harvest. Use paper or string bags instead.

Another easy way to store garlic is to leave the stalks on, tie a bunch together with string, then hang the whole thing up.

What happens if you leave garlic in the ground too long?

If you leave garlic in the ground too long, the bulbs will eventually split open. This makes the garlic cloves more vulnerable, so they are more likely to develop mould in damp conditions or become dried out in dry conditions.

And that’s it, a quick guide on how to grow garlic at home that will hopefully give you a lovely crop of garlic for your cooking.  Will you be growing your own garlic this year?

A quick guide to garlic varieties

There are lots of different varieties of garlic available to grow, here’s a quick overview of the two main types of garlic.

Hardneck varieties of garlic

Hardneck garlic varieties have a tall, woody stem that runs through the middle of the head of cloves. This stem will produce a flower stalk if left; it’s often referred to as a scape. These flower stems, or garlic scapes, are edible.

Hardneck garlic produces smaller heads than softneck garlic, usually with between 4 and 12 cloves per head of garlic. However, it tends to have larger cloves than softneck garlic.

The skin on hardneck garlic is easy to remove. This type of garlic is often see as more powerfully and interestingly flavoured than softneck garlic.

If you’re growing garlic in a cold climate, hardneck types will cope better than softneck types.

Here are some common varieties of hardneck garlic:

• Caulk Wight
• Picardy
• Kingsland Wight
• Rocambole

Softneck varieties of garlic

Softneck garlic varieties have a softer, flexible stem – hence the name.

This type of garlic has bigger heads than hardneck varieties, each with around 8 to 20 cloves

The skin on softneck garlic is tighter and harder to remove, making it easier to store for longer than hardneck garlic. It’s likely to be the garlic you buy in the grocery store.

Softneck garlic is better suited to a warmer climate that enjoys less cold winters.

Common softneck varieties of garlic include:

• Early Purple Wight
• Germidour
• Pickardy Wight
• Provence Wight

Elephant garlic

This giant isn’t really a true garlic: it’s actually more closely related to the leek family. However, it looks and tastes like garlic.

Elephant garlic is so-named due to it’s size: the large bulbs are usually around twice the size of regular garlic. The cloves may be large, but they have a mild flavour.

More grow your own tips

For more inspiration on growing your own you might like to take a look at these gardening posts:

What to Plant now

Quick & easy vegetables to grow

How to grow a windowsill herb garden

Easy vegetables to grow in pots

How to grow potatoes in bags

55 easy grow your own tips, ideas and resources

Pin for later: How to plant garlic

The vegetable garden isn’t the usual source of inspiration when it comes to perfume, but for Ramdane Touhami and Victoire de Taillac, the intensely creative husband and wife duo behind Paris-based beauty brand L’Officine Universelle Buly, humble vegetables from beetroots to sweet potatoes are central to Les Jardin Francais, a new collection of six fragrances and body products.

Inspired in part by the plant hunters of the 18th and 19th century and fueled by their own vegetable garden at Victoire’s family property in southwest France, the collection transforms familiar vegetables into otherworldly scents.

Recently, we reached out to the couple to get the lowdown on how becoming a vegetable grower has fed into being a Parisian perfumer.

Photography courtesy of L’Officine Universelle Buly.

The couple are superstars of the fragrance world, working as creative directors and entrepreneurs. Ramdane has his own creative agency, Art Recherche Industrie and has worked for numerous brands from Liberty to Moncler but is probably best known for rebooting France’s storied candle maker, Cire Trudon. Victoire, meanwhile, worked for the cult boutique Colette before the couple later joined forces, first to create the niche perfume consultancy Parfumerie Générale, and then later to reinvent Buly, whose stores are a 19th-century-inspired treasure trove of potions and beauty essentials, including water-based scents in porcelain bottles, exquisite lip balms in octagonal monogrammed cases, and scented candles in marble jars. In 2018 the couple published their first book, An Atlas of Natural Beauty.

For Victoire the veg patch offers a rich source of scent, even though vegetables have long been sidelined in the perfume world in favor of the romantic and luxurious appeal of feminine flowers. Her wake-up call to the potential of using vegetables as the inspiration for a collection of scents was her own potager at her family home in Gascony, in southwest France. The experience of growing edibles for her young family has transformed her work as a perfumer: “It completely changes your sense of smell. Because we have the soil, we have the moisture and warmth. And then when you take them out of the soil and cut the leaves, there are even more scents. Everything about it has changed my sense of smell—it’s improved so much.”

Ramdane had been thinking about doing vegetable-inspired fragrances for a while, says Victoire, but the catalyst was a 19th-century collection of seeds that a dealer friend in Paris found for them. “It was like a library and suddenly you see there is so much out there in nature, so why not be inspired by this?” says Victoire. The exotic packets of seeds, gathered from around the world, have inspired the evocative collection of vegetable-based scents that were a year in the making.

My name is Enrique Zuniga. My husband, Christian Altman, our three dogs, and I live in Forest Park, Illinois (Zone 5b), which is located just west of downtown Chicago. Both Christian and I have had a love of gardening since we were children, but we fully tapped into our inner gardener when we were presented with the opportunity to work with a yard full of turf grass when we moved to our current house in 2017. The vast majority of the yard gets full sun, so we decided to remove large patches of turf grass and plant sun-loving perennials that are mostly native to Illinois.

Since we have done all of the landscaping work ourselves, we have done one garden project each spring/summer since 2017. We spend a lot of time out in the yard with our dogs, so we decided to make the garden as interesting as possible with different colors, shapes, sizes, textures, and smells. Our favorite flowers change throughout the growing season, depending on whether they are attracting hummingbirds, bees, moths, flies, or butterflies.

There is nothing more rewarding than seeing the reaction of visitors to our garden. The garden is at a point where we can dig up and give away volunteer plants to friends and neighbors. Most times they come over to our house to pick up the volunteer plants, and every single person is in awe of what they see when they enter the garden.

Though we are located in a densely populated urban area, we know that the right plants can not only draw in human admirers, but they can lure in the nature that we all need in our lives.

Tidy grass paths lead to lush, healthy plants. Raised beds for vegetables are to the right, with screen sides that keep animals out (and look great while doing so).

Every patch of earth is a place to garden. Notable plants here include Rudbeckia maxima (Zones 4–9), with silver foliage and tall stems of yellow flowers, some common milkweed (Asclepias syriaca, Zones 3–9), and clumps of calamint (Calamintha nepeta, Zones 5–7) that provide airy masses of flowers to tie it all together.

Anise-scented sage (Salvia guaranitica, Zones 8–10) has tall spikes of purple flowers much loved by bees and hummingbirds.

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia, Zones 3–9) is a native shrub with fragrant flowers that are white or—as with this cultivar—pink.

Calamint is a workhorse plant. Each flower may be small, but they are produced in huge numbers of a long spell in the summer, and bees love them.

A bumblebee has stopped by for pollen and nectar.

Agastache (Agastache fortunei, Zones 4–9) is another favorite for pollinators.

Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium, Zones 4–9) is a great native perennial with a bold presence in the garden and masses of flowers in high summer.

Details of the Joe Pye weed flowers.

Enrique sent in so many great photos of his garden that we’ll be back tomorrow to see more!

 

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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Too hot to garden? Take the summer off and plant a heat-tolerant cover crop instead. Planting a cover crop after spring crops finish is an excellent way to improve your soil while waiting for the more bearable temperatures and fall planting season. Learn which cover crops grow well in hot climates, when to plant them, and what to do at the end of the season with the tips in this blog post. 

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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Beat the Heat: Revolutionize Your Summer Garden with Heat-Tolerant Cover Crops

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Is it better to not plant anything during the summer? No! 

Garden soil is full of life we can’t see – fungi, bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, earthworms, and more! Fungi and bacteria feed on the nutrients in the soil emitted by the plant’s roots. The soil food web is missing a key component if nothing is growing. 

After spring crops are harvested, and temperatures are rising, it may be tempting to leave the ground bare and return when temperatures decline in the fall. However, doing this can have a detrimental effect on your soil. Bare soil will dry out, heat up, and become compacted, and the life in the soil will suffer. 

At the very least, cover your soil with a thick 3-5 inch (7-12 cm) layer of mulch and water enough to keep the soil from drying out over the summer. 

If you don’t want to garden and want a mostly “hands-off garden” during the hottest months of the year, plant a cover crop instead. 

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Why plant cover crops in hot climate areas? 

Cover crops are great for capturing and recycling nutrients in your soil. Leguminous cover crops like cowpeas can even fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, enriching your soil.

Some of the benefits of growing cover crops include: 

• Cover crops can lower soil temperatures by keeping the soil surface shaded. 
• There is less water lost through evaporation from the soil’s surface. 
• Cover crops add organic matter to the soil and feed the microorganisms. 
• Over time, cover crops can improve soil fertility, structure, and moisture capacity. 
• Summer rainfall will soak into the soil with plants and established root systems rather than running off or eroding the soil. 
• Cover crops often suppress weeds.

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Which cover crops grow well in hot, dry summers? 

Luckily, there are a variety of heat-tolerant cover crops that can provide these benefits. Let’s cover a few of the different types. 

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1. Cowpeas (black-eyed peas) as a cover crop in hot climate areas

Black-eyed peas are legumes that can withstand high temperatures and enrich the soil through nitrogen fixation. Their deep roots absorb and retain water for growth and are a nutritious food source. Taller vining varieties produce vigorously and are well-suited for cover crops.

How to plant: Direct seed into the garden. Plant seeds 1 inch deep and 4-6 inches (2.54 cm deep and 10-15 cm) apart. I plant 8-10 per square foot gardening. Get seeds here.

Time required: About 75 days before cutting back. Plant in bed 2-3 weeks after cutting back.

When and how to cut back: When they begin to bloom, cut off at soil level or pull from soil to prevent regrowth. Leave plants on top of the soil or cover with compost. 

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2. Buckwheat as a heat-tolerant cover crop

A fast grower that goes from seed to bloom in about 30 days, buckwheat is often grown as a smother crop to suppress weeds. Get seeds here.

Good to know: Follow buckwheat plantings with transplants rather than seeds because buckwheat is allopathic and may deter seed germination the following season.

How to plant: Scatter seeds about 4 inches (10 cm) apart. Seeds sprout quickly. 

Time required: 30-40 days before cutting back. Plant in bed 1-2 weeks after cutting back.

When and how to cut back: Cut back buckwheat during blooming to prevent seed formation and dropping. Cut off at soil level. Leave plants on top of the soil or cover with compost. 

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3. Sweet potatoes as a heat-tolerant cover crop

With a long growing season, deep roots, and sprawling vines, sweet potatoes are an easy-to-grow cover crop option that produces edible leaves and tubers (depending on when you harvest them). 

How to plant: Plant sweet potatoes from slips (learn how to make sweet potato slips in this post), spaced 12-18 inches (30-46 cm) apart.

Time required: 90-120 days before cutting back (you can cut back sooner if you don’t want edible tubers). Plant in bed 3-4 weeks after cutting back.

When to cut back: Cut back leaves 2-3 weeks before your desired planting date. After cutting off leaves, dig at the base of the plant and remove any developed tubers (sweet potatoes!), then pile leaves on the soil. Leave plants on top of the soil or cover with compost. 

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4. Tithonia as a cover crop in hot climates

Tithonia is a large plant that produces a significant amount of plant matter. This vegetation decomposes quickly and may improve soil fertility when used as a chop-and-drop mulch. 

How to plant: Allow 2 feet (0.61 m) between plants. Seeds can take 10-15 days to germinate. Consider starting seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your desired planting date. Tithonia seeds need light to germinate; cover lightly (¼ inch / .6 cm) with soil.   Click here for seeds.

Time required: 60-90 days before cutting back. Plant in bed 2-3 weeks after cutting back.

When and how to cut back: Cut back before stems become woody and the flowers produce seeds. (Remove seed heads if necessary.) Chop up plant matter and leave it on top of the soil. 

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When is the best time to plant heat-tolerant cover crops in hot summer areas? 

Begin planting cover crops after spring, and early-summer vegetables finish from about May through June or early July.

You may be able to plant later as well. Count back from your desired fall planting date to see if there is enough time for the crop to germinate, grow, and die back.

Monitor seed-grown crops and keep the soil moist until the crop germinates. Once crops germinate, give cover crops water as needed throughout the growing season.

These heat-tolerant cover crops are somewhat drought-tolerant; overwatering is unnecessary. Monitor the crops as they grow, being sure to cut back at the appropriate time. 

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What to do after cutting back cover crops

In most cases, cut the cover crop off at soil level and leave the crop on the surface as mulch. Leave the roots in the ground, as they’ll continue to add organic matter and nutrients to your soil.

The plant matter from your cover crops is an excellent source of organic matter and nutrients for your soil. Instead of removing the cuttings, leave them on the surface of your raised beds. Over time, they will decompose and improve soil structure, water retention, and fertility.

You can also top with a layer of compost or incorporate the crop into the top few inches of soil. 

Generally, wait at least two weeks before planting the next crop. To plant, move the residue aside and plant your seeds or seedlings. Then, move the residue back around the plant to serve as mulch.

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If this post about heat-tolerant cover crops was helpful, please share it:

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Sources used in this article and further reading:

I love Roos and her approach to painting. She is a relentless plein air painter, working in conditions that would make anyone else give up. Snow, rain, wind… she’s on it.

In this recent video she’s fighting to get that liquid golden look of an early morning sunrise as the sun climbs higher and hotter:

I like how she just continues until she’s there. Day after day, she goes out and paints.

That’s the way to get stuff done. Just do it.

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Discover ten more ideas for vertical gardening, from cattle panels to trellis netting and more. Learn how to incorporate these ideas into your garden and get inspired to grow with vertical space today!

One of my most viewed YouTube videos covers various ways to incorporate vertical gardening into your space. Since publishing that video nearly three years ago, I have continued implementing new vertical gardening techniques in my garden. Here are some of my favorite new ways to garden vertically.

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Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. See my disclosure policy for more information.

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Ten More Ideas for Vertical Gardening

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1. Cattle panels

In my first video, there were so many comments about how much people love using cattle panels for vertical space. I love using them too. Cattle panels, with their sturdy structure and open grid, are excellent tools for vertical gardening. Here are some creative ways to use them:

• Tomato Towers: Use cattle panels to create tomato towers. The open grid provides perfect support for these heavy fruiting vines.
• Cucumber Trellis: Shape a cattle panel into an arch and secure it between two garden beds to create a cucumber trellis. It allows cucumbers to hang down for easy picking.
• Bean Tunnel: Create a tunnel using a cattle panel for climbing beans. This not only makes harvesting easier but also provides a fun garden feature.
• Pea Fence: Peas need something to cling to as they grow. A cattle panel, with its small grid squares, is ideal for this.
• Vertical Squash Support: Use cattle panels to grow squash vertically to save space and prevent pest damage and rot when fruits rest on the ground.

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2. Trellis netting

Using trellis netting is an easy way to keep your cut flowers buzzing with pollinators and looking beautiful.

Many of my favorite cut flowers grow quite tall, and staking them individually can be tedious. Enter trellis netting – a flower farmer’s idea for vertical gardening you can add to your garden. I used trellis netting this season to support my lisianthus.

• I put wooden pole supports in each corner and then stretched the net between the poles. I used this trellis netting from Amazon.
• The netting is held taught between the four stakes.
• Cut off the excess netting.
• The flowers grow up and are supported by the netting.
• For taller flowers, use two layers of netting several inches apart.

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3. Freyr trellis

The Freyr trellis is a timeless way to add structure and beauty to your garden – attach a string or jute netting to a pole and watch your plants grow. 

Well-designed, well-made, easy to install, and easy to use. You can attach strings to the pole and use a vertical string technique or attach jute netting. The Freyr trellis is available from Seattle Urban Farm Company. It is not inexpensive but will last many years. I added this jute netting from Amazon.

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4. Use the space between existing supports

Who knew rebar could be so useful? I’m almost embarrassed to admit this next one. I’ve had this rebar trellis since 2015, and I realized this season I could use the poles for vertical supports in the middle of the bed.

Stringing jute across the bed worked well to support these tomatillos this season. If you’re looking for ideas for vertical gardening, look at your garden and see where you already have supports in place. Could you use them to support vertical growing crops?

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5. Gracie Modern Arbor

If you’re looking for a statement piece, try a Gracie Modern Arbor.

I’ve admired the beauty and elegance of this arbor for years and was thrilled to add one at the entrance to my garden last fall. Currently, luffa vines are making their way up, and hopefully, the coral vine I planted will take off and take over this arbor as well. The Gracie Modern Arbor was simple to install, exceptionally well-made, and available for purchase from Terra Trellis.

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More Ideas for Vertical Gardening

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6. Ladder mesh block trellises

I keep finding more ways to use ladder mesh block to garden vertically, so I’m including this vertical gardening idea again. Ladder mesh block is inexpensive and versatile. It’s the perfect size to add to grow bags and other containers. This season I’m growing cantaloupe, Armenian cucumbers, and butternut squash on these versatile trellises.

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7. Tomato cages

One of the most common ideas for vertical gardening is using tomato cages. I didn’t include these in the first video, but I use them all the time, and I’m guessing you have some in your garden too! They often get a bad rap, but they can be a cost-effective solution. They are a good option for supporting smaller determinate tomatoes and peppers. You can buy sturdier ones online or check your local nursery for different options.

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8. Galvanized cube towers

I was excited when I saw these at a local nursery. Galvanized cube towers – here’s what I love about them. They are easy to install by pushing the supports down into the soil. Once in place, they are sturdy and secure. The interior is large, with plenty of room for crops to grow. The towers are also collapsable for easy storage. Purchase them at local nurseries or online from Midwest Wire Works.

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9. Whiskey barrel supports

I’m a huge fan of growing in whiskey barrels. My friend’s husband welds these supports that fit inside them perfectly. I’ve seen variations of these types of trellises for sale in other places as well. Adding a trellis doubles your growing space. Whiskey barrel supports are perfect for growing sweet peas, one of my favorite climbing flowers.

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10. Bamboo poles

Humble bamboo poles are inexpensive and so versatile. Use one or use several. Is something growing that needs a little extra support? Push a bamboo pole into the ground near the base of the plant. I use these clips to attach the stem to the pole (if needed).

If you know what you are growing will require support (like these borlotti beans), put the poles in place when planting. I purchase my bamboo poles from Amazon.

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Let me know in the comments your ideas for vertical gardening. Don’t forget to check out the other vertical gardening resources available on my blog and YouTube.

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Caladiums are not as difficult to care for as many people think, and they make a beautiful addition to any home or garden.

To enjoy the colorful leaves year after year, it’s important for gardeners to understand their life cycle and how to create an environment where they can thrive.

This complete guide is designed to teach you everything you need to know about caladium care.

It includes information on light, soil, water, fertilizer, temperature, pruning and so much more, so you’ll feel confident each step of the way.

Quick Caladium Care Overview

Scientific name:	Caladium
Classification:	Tropical plant
Common names:	Angel Wings, Elephant Ears
Hardiness:	Zones 9-13
Temperature:	65-80°F (18.3-26.6°C)
Flowers:	Green, white, pink, or red, blooms spring-fall
Light:	Full to partial shade, medium light indoors.
Water:	Keep soil evenly moist, do not overwater
Humidity:	High
Fertilizer:	General purpose plant food, spring-summer
Soil:	Rich, fertile, well-draining
Common pests:	Slugs, aphids, caterpillars, mealybugs, whiteflies, thrips

Information About Caladiums

Caladiums, also known as angel wings or elephant ears, are a tropical perennial native to the rainforests in Central and South America.

They’re known for their varied, striking foliage which can present in different shapes, sizes, and colors. Hues of green, white, red, and pink are the most common.

Thin stems sprout up from underground tubers (aka bulbs) and end in showy, leafy foliage that can reach up to 30” tall.

The natural life cycle of a caladium plant involves a period of dormancy in the fall or winter, then the growth of new foliage in the spring and summer.

Different Caladium Types

There are over 1000 different caladium cultivars available these days, each with different appearances.

The leaves can be heart, lance, or arrow-shaped, with colors that appear in stripes, spots, or variegation.

No matter which variety of caladium you choose, each one requires similar care. Here are a few of the most popular options.

• Caladium ‘Frieda Hemple’ – This 18” cultivar has deep red foliage with dark green leaf margins.

• Caladium ‘Florida Fantasy’ – White leaves with deep pink veins and dark green borders are characteristics of this 24” variety.

• Caladium ‘White Cranberry Star’ – This cultivar reaches up to 22” tall with pink bespeckled white leaves that have striking green veins.

• Caladium ‘Florida Moonlight’ – The vibrant white, nearly translucent leaves on this variety are delicately veined with pale green, and reach sizes up to 18”.

Flowers

Caladium flowers are rare, especially on indoor plants, but they can appear anytime between the spring and fall.

The blooms are spathe-type flowers with a central spike, or spadix. Depending on the cultivar, the blossoms can be white, red, pink, or green.

Toxicity

According to the ASPCA website, a caladium plant is toxic to both cats and dogs if ingested.

So it’s a good idea to keep them out of reach of both pets and children if you’re concerned about that.

How To Grow Caladiums

Before we dive into how to care for caladiums, first we need to discuss where to grow them. Choosing the best location will help encourage healthy, colorful foliage.

Hardiness

Caladiums are not cold hardy. They’re perennials as long as the tubers stay above 50°F (10°C) during dormancy. But anything below 45°F (7.2°C) will damage and eventually kill the plant.

This means they can only stay outdoors year round in zones 9-13. In cooler regions, you’ll need to keep them indoors during winter and replant them in the spring when temperatures return to 60°F (15.5°C) and above.

Where To Grow Caladiums

The best place to grow caladiums is somewhere that is sheltered from direct sun. In their native environment they thrive underneath the rainforest canopy, so partial, dappled, or full shade locations are best.

They do very well in containers as well, and are popular mixed with other seasonal flowers or foliage. Any pot needs to have ample drainage to avoid issues of rot.

Indoors they’ll need bright, indirect light, such as an east or west-facing window, or a sunny area filtered by a sheer curtain.

They are also sensitive to cold or dry air. Find a space that’s sheltered from wind, cold drafts, air conditioning vents, or heaters.

Caladium Plant Care & Growing Instructions

Now that you have the perfect location in mind, it’s time to talk about caladium plant care. The tips here will help you create an environment in which they can thrive.

Light

Caladium plants like bright light but do not like direct sun. Some morning exposure is okay, but the afternoon sun can quickly fade or burn the foliage.

Outdoors choose a spot that’s shaded from mid-morning on. Inside you can place them near a bright window.

Water

Understanding when and how to water at different times of year is an important component in successful caladium care.

In the spring and summer they need moist, but not soggy, soil. Give them a deep, thorough drink when the top 2-3” is dry. Always drain the excess water to prevent root or bulb rot.

In the winter you should not water them at all. If you have trouble finding the right balance, use a soil moisture gauge to help you understand when they need it.

Humidity

Tropical plants like caladiums need high humidity to thrive. In very arid environments, grouping plants near each other or misting lightly can help.

Indoors, use a small humidifier, pebble tray, or mist them daily. You can also monitor the levels with a digital gauge.

Temperature

The ideal temperature range for caladiums is between 65-80°F (18.3-26.6°C). Anything below 45°F (7.2°C) can damage and kill the plant, and eventually the tuber too.

It’s important to keep dormant bulbs in an area where it’s at least 50°F (10°C) or above.

In very high heat, ensure they’re protected from the sun, and keep an eye on water levels to prevent them from drying out.

Fertilizer

Another important part of caladium care is the occasional feeding. It helps stimulate new, healthy growth after dormancy.

Apply a general purpose, organic granular fertilizer once in the spring and summer, or a liquid option once per month until the fall. Compost tea and fish emulsion are also great choices.

As soon as the leaves begin to die in the fall, signaling the approach of dormancy, stop feeding altogether until the following spring.

Soil

Caladiums aren’t too picky about their soil, so a good quality, general purpose one will work.

But their ideal mix is something rich with organic matter and well-draining, with a pH of 5.5-6.5 (which you can check with a probe meter).

Amend garden soil with compost to improve drainage and fertility before planting bulbs in the spring.

Transplanting & Repotting

Moving or repotting your caladium is very easy. Wait until the tuber has fully entered dormancy in the fall then dig it up and store it somewhere dry.

In the spring, place the bulb in rich, well-draining soil in its new garden location or container and resume regular care.

Pruning

Pruning your caladium can help it look its best all season long, but it’s not really required unless the foliage is damaged or begins to naturally die back.

In that case, use pruning shears or precision snips to trim away any dead or damaged leaves at the soil line.

Pest Control Tips

Healthy caladium plants are not often bothered by pests, but occasionally they can be affected by caterpillars, slugs, aphids, mealybugs, thrips, or whiteflies.

Hand pick large insects and drop them in a bucket of soapy water. For smaller pests, use neem oil or an insecticidal soap. I make my own by mixing 1 teaspoon of mild liquid soap with 1 liter of water.

Dormancy

Winter dormancy is a natural part of the caladium life cycle, even for indoor plants. It’s triggered by shorter days and cooler weather in the fall.

The signs include slowly dying foliage. You can remove the leaves as soon as they’re completely dry.

There are lots of details in my overwintering caladiums guide, but it’s most important to know that the bulbs need to be kept above 50°F (10°C), in a dry, sheltered location.

You can either leave them in the pot, or dig them up and store them in a box until spring.

Caladium Propagation Tips

Caladium plants can only be propagated by dividing the tubers. Stem or leaf cuttings will not work.

You must have a mature bulb that contains two or three knobs, or eyes. Use a sharp knife and cut the tuber into pieces, each containing one eye.

Let the pieces callous for a few days, then plant in lightly damp, well-draining soil and place them in indirect sun.

Troubleshooting Common Problems

Once you get the hang of it, caladiums are pretty easy to grow and care for, but no plant is without problems. If you run into one of these more common issues, my tips can help get you back on track.

Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves can be caused by any environmental stress, dormancy, or lack of nutrients.

If just a few leaves are yellowing, it’s a sign that dormancy is beginning, and there’s nothing to worry about.

However if several leaves turn yellow at once, check for changes to the environment. Drafts, cold exposure, improper watering, and dryness are common factors.

If all of these are normal, then try feeding with an all-purpose liquid fertilizer to reinvigorate your plant.

Caladium Plant Dying

Many beginners can misunderstand the signs of dormancy and worry their plant is dying. It’s a normal process for the foliage to begin to wilt and die when the days grow shorter and temperatures cool.

As long as this happens gradually and you have a firm, healthy tuber when the foliage is gone, overwinter it and resume care in the spring.

If all the foliage dies rapidly, or the bulb is soft, your plant may have tuber rot from overwatering or the temperature may be too hot or cold.

Leaves Drooping

Drooping caladium leaves can be a sign of improper watering practices or dormancy, depending on how many are affected.

Stems and leaves will slowly start to wilt at the beginning of dormancy, which is normal.

If many are affected at once, check the soil to make sure it’s not bone dry or water-logged. A moisture gauge is a good tool to use if you struggle with watering.

Brown Spots Or Leaves

Brown spots or leaves on your caladium plant could be caused by improper watering, temperature issues, lack of humidity, over fertilization, or sunburn.

If the leaves are soft, check for cold temperatures or soggy soil. Allow them to dry more between drinks and keep them above 65°F (18.3°C) for optimal growth.

Dry, crispy brown leaves are the result of too much direct sun or fertilizer, dry air, or drought stress. Increase humidity by misting, ensure the soil isn’t bone dry, and provide shade.

FAQs

Here I’ve answered some of the most commonly I get asked questions about caladium plant care. If yours isn’t listed, please add it to the comments section below.

Do caladiums come back every year?

Caladiums can come back every year as long as the bulbs are kept dry and above 50°F (10°C) during their dormant period.

What is the secret to growing caladiums?

The secret to growing caladiums is understanding their needs and life cycle. Give them proper water and light exposure during the active growth periods in spring and summer, and protect the bulbs to help them survive winter dormancy.

Are caladiums hard to care for?

Caladiums are not hard to care for once you understand their intolerance for cold and direct sun. With shade and moderately warm temperatures, they’re easy and fun to grow.

How long do caladium plants last?

A caladium plant will last for about 6 months out of the year until it enters a dormant state to store energy. With proper care, you can regrow them from the same bulb for many years.

Do caladiums do better indoors or outdoors?

Caladiums do very well as both indoors or outdoors. Outside they can thrive in a shaded, well-drained location, while indoors they benefit from consistent temperatures, indirect light, and high humidity.

If you want to learn all there is to know about maintaining healthy indoor plants, then you need my Houseplant Care eBook. It will show you everything you need to know about how to keep every plant in your home thriving. Download your copy now!

More About Flower Gardening

Share your caladium plant care tips in the comments section below.