We’re returning to Mel’s gorgeous New York State garden today.
I sent in a GPOD entry in March 2022: Mel’s Rustic Cabin Garden. This submission focused on the summer garden, and I decided it would be fun to share some more photos of my garden during my favorite time of the year—autumn. All of these photos are from September and October of 2021 and 2022.
The garden was started in 2003 and has evolved continually since then and will continue to do so. I think that older gardens are very challenging, as shrubs and trees can just outgrow their space or die. A few years back we lost tons of junipers and arborvitae in the Northeast, and I lost three huge junipers along the path to the front steps and had to hurriedly repair the damage before an Open Days Garden tour. Sometimes, forced change has some surprising and wonderful results. Losing the junipers opened up the view from the steps, and I added a little rock garden with a ‘Wolf Eyes’ kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa ‘Wolf Eyes’, Zones 5–8), Abies koreana ‘Ice Breaker’ (Zones 5–7), andAralia cordata ‘Sun King’ (Zones 4–8), among other things (image 5).
I love the fall garden! There is so much color added with the foliage both in the garden and the borrowed view, the weeds slow down, and some browning and drying out looks right!
From the porch with the red maples (Acerrubrum, Zones 3–9) blazing in the background you can see the ‘Bobo’ hydrangea (Hydrangeapaniculata ‘Bobo’, Zones 3–8) and ‘Bloodgood’ maple (Acer palmatum ‘Bloodgood’, Zones 5–9) clearly. A climbing hydrangea (Hydrangea anomala, Zones 4–8) is in the foreground, and the porcupine grass (Miscanthus sinensis ‘Strictus’, Zones 5–9) is a standout at this time of the year.
Down the path from the parking court to the steps through the conifer shade garden—which is dominated by a largeJuniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii Columnaris’ (Zones 4–9)—there is aPicea abies ‘Gold Drift’ (Zones 2–7) next to the fence in front of the showy ‘Bobo’ hydrangea.
This photo was taken on September 13 and looks down the central path in the garden, with the ‘Bobo’ hydrangea in the front and my belovedHeuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’ (Zones 3–8), the newish ‘Lemony Lace’ elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Lemony Lace’, Zones 5–7), and the persistent black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida, Zones 3–8) leaning out into the path. The slightly unusual Spodiopogon sibiricus (Zones 5–9) in the middle left of the photo is one of my favorites; it had been there for a decade and died back to almost nothing in the winter of 2021 with no rhyme or reason. The gangly tree in the back is a staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina, Zones 3–8) that volunteered in 2007 and that I have nurtured and pruned ever since. I love it, and so do the birds, which I can watch from my upstairs bedroom window.
Facing the house through the ‘Lemony Lace’, once again there is the show-off ‘Bobo’, as well as a ‘Pink Diamond’ tree-form hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond) next to the steps and aPieris‘Brouwers’s Beauty’ (Zones 5–8) next to it. I love ‘Brouwers’s Beauty’ but gave up on them in my designs because they rarely do well. The tree on the left is a variegated Norway maple (Acer platanoides, Zones 3–7) that I prune to keep it at a reasonable size.
On my porch is an Abutilon (Zones 8–11 or as an annual or a houseplant) in a container. Another red maple is showing off in the distance.
Down the lilting gravel path parallel to the porch, my prizePicea pungens ‘Procumbens’ (Zones 2–8) on the left was maimed by the deer a few years ago. That surprised me because they “aren’t supposed” to eat blue spruce.
This photo is packed with color, including the kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa, Zones 5–8) fruit,Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ (Zones 4–9) blooms,Physostegia virginiana (Zones 3–9) blooms, the Harry Lauders walking stick (Corylus avellana ‘Red Dragon’, Zones 4–8) foliage, inflorescence of the maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 4–9), and the variegated boxwood (Buxussp., Zones 5–9).
This photo, taken on September 2, is also jam-packed:Imperata cylindric (not invasive in my Zone 4/5 garden),Ligularia dentata (Zones 3–8), a variegated sweet flag (Acorus calamus ‘Variegatus’, Zones 4–10) that is actually in the little pond, the ‘Lemony Lace’, a ‘Little Devil’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Little Devil’, Zones 2–8), with the ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela (Weigela‘Wine and Roses’, Zones 4–8) right behind.
I love portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora, Zones 2–11) and how it shines in this close-up with the ‘Autumn Bride’ coral bells, ‘Blue Carpet’ juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Carpet’, Zones 4–7), Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’, Zones 5–9) in the pond, the pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata, Zones 3–10), etc.
This photo shows off the morning light and what a simple fence and gravel path can do to set off a vignette. I love the flowers of thePersicaria aplexicaulis ‘Firetail’, obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana), and my favorite new mountain mint (Pycnanthemum pilosum, Zones 4–8).
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.
The recipe calls for fresh basil, but all you have is last year’s dried leaves. So can you use dried herbs in place of fresh ones? I get many questions like this about using herbs. From herbal recipes and soap-making to cooking, here’s how to measure herbs, whether that’s fresh or dried!
Herbs are powerful little helpers. We often don’t realize just how beneficial these plants can be! You probably already know they can turn any dish into a five-star meal.
To help you get the most out of your herbs, I want to share how to use them properly. I’ll tell you when it’s the right time to use fresh vs dried herbs and how to measure herbs so you can enjoy all the herby goodness in your cooking and herbal recipes.
Jump ahead to….
When to Use Fresh vs Dried Herbs
There are many different uses for using fresh herbs and dried ones. It all depends on how long you want to use it and what you will use it for!
The argument for fresh is strong. Fresh herbs will always give you more flavour and medicinal properties. However, they contain water which is a big problem for longevity.
When you have water, you invite bacteria, which can cause your product to spoil. Therefore, whenever you use fresh herbs for anything, the product must be refrigerated and used relatively soon.
Fresh vs Dried Herbs for Cooking
Most people use fresh herbs when cooking, as they can snip some from their garden or grab some at the store. This works because you will eat it immediately or refrigerate the leftovers.
If you wanted to make a culinary oil, it wouldn’t last as long when made with fresh herbs. But if you use dried herbs, the infused oil will last as long as the expiration date on the oil.
When making vinegar infusions, however, you can use fresh or dried. Vinegar acts as a preservative and kills any bacteria from fresh herbs.
You can notice a major flavour difference between fresh and dried herbs.
For instance, I sometimes choose to use dried oregano vs fresh. When fresh, it tastes good in pasta. But when dried, it works well in Mexican and Greek cooking.
Tip: Always use the leaves rather than the stems when working with fresh herbs. The stems add bitterness.
Fresh vs Dried Herbs for Herbal Recipes
When it comes to herbalism, fresh herbs will always have the most medicinal and healing properties. Fresh herbs will be much more powerful if you’re actively treating something.
However, if you’re making any kind of product, such as soap or a salve, that you use regularly, dried herbs will give you that longevity. This way, you won’t have to toss what you don’t use and keep remaking your products.
When using herbs in crafts, it’s also a question of longevity. Fresh will give you pretty designs for things like clay or prints, while dried can be used for ever-lasting bouquets.
How to Measure Herbs
One question gets asked frequently on my posts for herbal and natural beauty recipes…how much herbs do I need?People want exact herbal measurements!
Well, it’s easier said than done.
You need to follow exact measurements in cooking, baking, and even soap-making. You’ll probably see things like a ¼ cup, a sprinkle, or tell you to add something to taste. It’s all pretty straightforward!
But in herbalism, the goal is never about a specific amount but about getting as many medicinal properties from the herbs as possible.
This makes it hard to give proper herbal measurements. You could be using differed sized jars, the herbs could be packed more or less, the size of the herbs vary, etc.
Instead, to do any herbal extractions, you will want to use as many available herbs as possible that fit.
To do this, take your container and fill it full of herbs. It should feel like a fairy mattress when you push down on it. Yes, this isn’t a traditional measurement, but that’s what you expect in herbalism!
Then, fill the container with the liquid, whether vinegar, oil, or alcohol.
This works well if you’re using the cold infusion method. You can also use heat to make a herbal infusion, which has a similar mindset. Just make sure never to fry the herbs! Very gentle heat will bring the herbal properties out.
Can You Use Herbs Twice?
After you’ve strained your herbs for any infusion, whether a culinary oil or a tincture, people also ask whether you can use these herbs again.
Technically, you can. However, most of the herb’s beneficial properties will come out in the first infusion and not the second.
The best way to look at this is by making a cup of tea. Once the tea has finished steeping, strain the herbs out and make another cup using the same tea leaves.
When you taste the second cup of tea, notice how much weaker it is. The actual taste will also change.
The same thing will happen with your herbs; the two infusions won’t have the same properties. So, after making an infusion, you can either compost the herbs or make a second, weaker infusion.
Got any more questions on how to use herbs? Leave them in the comments below, and I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.
Whether it’s a screaming infant in the theater, a breakup gone horribly wrong, or the ‘It’s Not Your Fault’ scene from “Good Will Hunting,” weeping speaks volumes: “Don’t bring a baby to the movies.” “Let ’em down easier next time.” “Matt Damon has range.”
This is true in the botanical world, as well. Plants with a weeping form stand out from the upright clumps of greenery that we’re so used to seeing.
The uniqueness of foliage not attempting to stretch up for sunlight is intriguing, to say the least. And the beloved Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, comes in weeping form!
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Also known as A. palmatum var. dissectum, Japanese weeping maples add the majesty of dissected leaves and a cascading habit to an already-awesome plant. It’s well worth learning how to grow one in your own landscape or garden.
So much so, in fact, that we’ve whipped up this little guide here. We’ll cover everything you’ll need to know to grow these plants yourself.
Here are the specific nuggets of knowledge that you’ll be nibbling on up ahead:
What Are Japanese Weeping Maples?
Although plants can secrete tear-like water droplets from the ends of their leaves – a process known as guttation – this isn’t what “weeping” is referring to in this case.
When a plant’s common name contains the word “weeping,” this is in reference to the drooping growth habit of its branches and foliage.
Along with this weeping form, A. palmatum var. dissectum also has dissected leaves with seven to eleven lobes each.
Each lobe is jagged, feathery, and finely cut down to its point of attachment, or node. The end result is lace-like foliage that sways a bit more gracefully in the wind than standard Japanese maple foliage.
For these reasons, this variety is also commonly referred to as threadleaf, cutleaf, or laceleaf Japanese maple.
A. palmatum var. dissectum has an average height of eight to 10 feet so it’s a bit shorter than a standard Japanese maple, with a typical A. palmatum ranging in height from 15 to 25 feet.
Both the standard species and this variety possess a spread that is typically equal to or greater than their width.
I’ve generalized these details for a reason, though – with all of the natural variations and different cultivars out there, one all-encompassing description is difficult to provide if not impossible.
But a weeping habit and finely-dissected leaves are common features that all maples of this variety share.
Cultivation and History
Best grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8, A. palmatum var. dissectum hails from China, Japan, and Korea. This plant owes the “Japanese” part of its common moniker to the way it was heavily cultivated by the Japanese people for centuries.
Japanese maples were first mentioned in writing way back in the 7th century, and they were introduced to England and the eastern United States in 1840 and 1862, respectively.
The majority of Japanese weeping maple varieties were carried to America by Japanese immigrants, who traveled across the Pacific to the West Coast of the USA.
These cultivars, formerly unknown to Western gardeners, were brought to light by J. D. Vertrees, a retired county extension agent from Oregon who published a book titled “Japanese Maples” in 1978.
This was the first text to cover A. palmatum var. dissectum cultivars in English, and it was also the first publication of Timber Press.
Many different cultivars have been bred since then, with each possessing a unique combination of characteristics that give this variety of Japanese maple its own ornamental niche in the landscape.
Propagation
Many A. palmatum var. dissectum cultivars were propagated by taking cuttings from a mutated branch of a standard Japanese maple, so it’s best to avoid growing Japanese weeping maple cultivars from seed.
Cuttings will produce a pure genetic copy of the plant that you’re propagating, while seeds may leave you with a plant that’s not quite what you were looking for.
Along with rooting cuttings, you can also transplant a Japanese weeping maple that you purchased from a nursery or an online vendor.
From Cuttings
Begin by taking softwood cuttings of new, fresh growth from a mature tree in May.
With a sterilized blade, remove a three- to four-inch cutting from the tip of a branch. Choose one with nodes that are spaced close together, if possible.
Remove the leaves from the lower half of the cutting and dip the defoliated end in rooting hormone powder or gel.
Bonide offers 1.25-ounce containers of IBA root hormone powder – enough for rooting 2,800 average cuttings – via Arbico Organics.
Stick the hormone-dipped end of the cutting into a well-draining, 1020-sized plastic seed tray that’s filled with a 50/50 mix of sphagnum peat moss and perlite. Place the tray adjacent to a sunny window and keep the media moist.
Hardening off can begin once the cutting has developed a set or two of new leaves.
On a spring day after the threat of frost has passed, place the cutting outside in a partially-shaded spot, and leave it out for 30 to 60 minutes. Once that time’s up, bring the cutting back inside.
The next day, do the same thing, but add an additional 30 to 60 minutes. Repeat this addition of time with each successive day until the cuttings are acclimated to a full day’s worth of outdoor exposure.
At this point, you’re ready for transplanting!
Via Transplanting
Prepare holes in your garden that are as deep as each transplant’s root system is tall. Make the holes a bit wider than the roots, though – this makes for easier backfilling.
Place the transplants into their respective holes, then backfill with the dug out soil. Water in the transplants, and keep the adjacent soil moist until they become established.
How to Grow
As with any plant, proper cultivation is essential for ideal health and aesthetics.
Climate and Exposure Needs
Japanese weeping maples grow best in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8, so make sure you don’t plant north or south of these regions.
A. palmatum var. dissectum loves partial shade exposures. Full sun is a bit too harsh, while full shade will diminish a Japanese weeping maple’s fall color. Think Goldilocks – not too much, not too little, but just right.
Soil Needs
Above all else, the soil must be well-draining. This can be accomplished with many different soil textures, but trying to improve the drainage to plant in clay is a hassle. Choose a space with a silt loam or sandy texture if possible.
Slightly acidic soils are also your best bet, so shoot for a pH somewhere in the range of 5.5 to 6.5.
Water and Fertilizer Needs
Until established, the soil where Japanese weeping maples are planted should be kept moist. Afterwards, they only need moderate supplemental irrigation. In practice, wait until the top couple inches of soil are dry before watering in the absence of rain.
Every spring, A. palmatum var. dissectum could use some fertilization before the leaves emerge.
This is best achieved by working two to four inches of organic material into the soil above the root zone. Organic materials such as compost and well-rotted manure are solid choices.
Irrigate moderately by letting the top one to two inches of soil dry out in between watering.
Pruning
Feel free to remove diseased, dying, and sickly branches whenever you happen to notice them. Use sterilized blades when doing so.
Interested in shaping your A. palmatum var. dissectum to better suit your aesthetic vision? Find more tips on pruning here.
Cultivars to Select
There are many different varieties of Japanese weeping maples to choose from… it’s almost overwhelming! Here are several that – in my humble opinion – truly stand out.
Crimson Queen
Known for its crimson red growth that emerges in spring and persists throughout the growing season, ‘Crimson Queen’ practically demands fealty with its gorgeous leaves.
Come autumn, the foliage’s redness changes from a blood-red crimson to a bright-red scarlet. All of that in combination with beautifully cascading branches, ‘Crimson Queen’ makes for a wonderful addition to the garden.
You can pick up ‘Inaba Shidare’ from Maple Ridge Nursery in one-, three-, seven-, 15-, and 25-gallon containers.
Seiryu
In defiance of its Japanese weeping maple kin, ‘Seiryu’ has an upright growing habit, standing tall while its brethren are fit to droop. With a rich green color during the growing season, its foliage turns shades of gold, orange, and orange-red in autumn.
It’s a bit taller than average as well, with a mature height of 10 to 15 feet.
Long story short – if you like the Japanese weeping maple but dislike the “weeping” part, and you also want something other than a standard Japanese maple, then ‘Seiryu’ is for you.
With seven- to nine-lobed leaves that start off green in spring and turn yellow-gold or red in fall, ‘Viridis’ is a widely available cultivar of A. palmatum var. dissectum.
With its varied color scheme at different times of year, many gardeners will be able to find a suitable space in the landscape where the hues of ‘Viridis’ will complement the plantings around it.
It reaches six to eight feet in height and six to 10 feet in width, and specimens can be purchased from FastGrowingTrees.com.
Waterfall
‘Waterfall’ is very similar to ‘Viridis,’ except for its large, three- to five-inch-long and equally wide leaves. It’s a bit more shrub-like than ‘Viridis,’ with a more rounded form.
Subtle differences, sure… but ‘Waterfall’ is nevertheless an essential cultivar for any diehard Japanese weeping maple collector to own.
One notable factoid: A. palmatum var. dissectum is notably resistant to rabbit damage! But this plant is far from indestructible. Let’s examine what types of pests and diseases can threaten a Japanese weeping maple’s health.
Insects
In addition to the damage that they already cause, insects can be vectors for disease. By dialing in their management, a gardener can help to prevent disease outbreaks as well.
Aphids
Aphids are small, green, soft-bodied insects that feed directly from the phloem of plant tissues with sucking mouthparts.
Along with the stress and structural destruction that this causes the plant, aphids excrete honeydew as they feed, which can attract ants and lead to black sooty mold infections as well as further tissue damage.
The best forms of control include strong sprays of water and applications of horticultural oil. The former will physically knock the aphids off of leaf surfaces, while the latter will snuff them out.
Also known as the granulate ambrosia beetle, Xylosandrus crassiusculus shows up in early spring to attack deciduous trees with thin bark such as Japanese weeping maples.
Their presence is indicated by wilting leaves and toothpick-like woody trunk protrusions.
The beetles bore into trunks, feed on sapwood and heartwood, and vector fungal pathogens. Suffering from the combined damage of all these issues, infested plants often die.
Pyrethroid insecticide applications can work as a preventative measure, and permethrin formulations can be applied in February, a month before the beetles usually show up to bore into trees.
If pruning dead wood doesn’t save an infested tree, it’s best to remove and destroy the entire specimen to prevent further spread.
Green-Striped Maple Worms
Dryocampa rubicunda feeds on a few different types of tree, but maples are its favorite host. The worms are the larval stage of the adult moths, aka rosy maple moths.
These moths lay yellow eggs on the underside of leaves. The larvae that hatch out are about an inch and a half long when fully grown, with black heads, green and white stripes, and red markings on both ends of their bodies.
After hatching, the mapleworms start feeding on foliage, which can end up severely defoliating infested trees.
The damage is usually temporary, but overall growth can be stunted if defoliation occurs repeatedly in consecutive years. All this damage and stress can leave the infested tree vulnerable to more severe issues down the line.
For prevention, it’s important to avoid fertilizing excessively, as an overabundance of nutrients can make plant tissues more appetizing to the pests.
Scrape off the yellow egg clusters when you find them, or just remove the entire leaf. Severely infested branches can be pruned away and disposed of.
Monterey sells pint-, quart-, and gallon-sized containers of Bt insecticide concentrate that are available from Arbico Organics.
We’ve just hit the highlights of the most common pest issues here. You can use our in-depth pest guide to learn more about identifying and controlling other creepy crawlies that may harm your trees.
Disease
Using sterilized tools, disease-free soil, and proper cultivation practices will go a long way in keeping specimens healthy.
Anthracnose
Caused by fungi, anthracnose causes darkened foliar spots, leaf cupping, leaf curling, and premature leaf drop.
Cool and wet weather conditions are often precursors to anthracnose infections. The fungal spores overwinter in trees and fallen leaf detritus, and are splashed by water and carried by wind in spring.
Anthracnose is rarely more than a cosmetic issue, so it can be ignored and the tree will most likely be fine. But if control is warranted in the case of severe infections, there are some things you can do.
Raking up and destroying leaf detritus, pruning infected branches, and proper cultivation practices are all excellent preventative measures. In the event of severe defoliation several years in a row, fungicides can be applied to prevent reinfection.
Leaf Scorch
While not a disease per se as it isn’t caused by an infectious pathogen, leaf scorch is a physiological condition that occurs when there isn’t enough water for plants to cope with harsh heat and sun.
As a result of leaf scorch, foliage will brown and dry along the leaf margins. As the scorch progresses, entire leaves will blacken and die.
There is no known cure for scorched foliage, but plants can bounce back if the causal stressors are remediated. This means proper watering and proper fertilizing, since the former leads to leaf scorch and the latter damages water-collecting roots.
Best Uses
A Japanese weeping maple makes for an ideal specimen planting, so be sure to put yours in a place where it will stand out as a focal point in the landscape.
Most specimen plants also make good accents… but not this one. Its size, growing habit, and foliar interest make it pretty tough for an A. palmatum var. dissectum to share the spotlight. But hey – a plant could certainly have worse qualities.
With how these plants weep, you wouldn’t want to put any smaller plants underneath the canopy, much like you wouldn’t want someone with an attractive forehead to sport bangs.
But this weeping habit makes background plantings stand out all the more, so… pros and cons!
Quick Reference Growing Guide
Plant Type:
Deciduous tree
Flower/Foliage Color:
Gold, purple, red/Green, orange, purple, red
Native to:
China, Japan, Korea
Tolerance:
Shade, rabbits
Hardiness (USDA Zone):
5-8
Maintenance:
Low to moderate
Season:
Spring (fall color)
Soil Type:
Fertile, sandy, silt loam
Exposure:
Partial shade
Soil pH:
5.5-6.5
Time to Maturity:
10-15 years
Soil Drainage:
Well-draining
Planting Depth:
1/4 inch (seeds), depth of root ball (transplants)
Uses:
Specimen
Spacing
6-12 feet
Order:
Sapindales
Height:
8-10 feet
Family:
Sapindaceae
Spread:
10-12 feet
Genus:
Acer
Water Needs:
Moderate
Species:
Palmatum
Common Pests and Disease:
Aphids, Asian ambrosia beetles, green-striped mapleworms; anthracnose, leaf scorch
Variety:
Dissectum
The Japanese Weeping Maple: It’ll Bring You to Tears
For some people, it becomes harder and harder to cry with age.
Set your eyes on an A. palmatum var. dissectum, however, and you may find yourself welling up… or, if you dislike revealing your sensitive side, you may wonder aloud who’s cutting onions nearby.
Hyperbole aside, the Japanese weeping maple is truly beautiful. It’ll make a wonderful addition to your garden or landscape!
Any remarks or questions can go in the comments section below. We get a kick out of reading your comments here at Gardener’s Path, so don’t be shy!
Batavian lettuce, also known as summer crisp, is the little veggie that could.
It can tolerate heat better than many other lettuce types but it’s still hardy against frost.
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It can be harvested as a microgreen, baby leaf, cut-and-come-again type, or you can wait for the heads to mature. Oh, and did we mention that it’s more disease resistant than most other lettuces?
There’s a lot to love.
Like other lettuce varieties, it’s easy to grow and quick to mature, so you’ll be chowing down on the crisp, sweet leaves in no time flat.
Want to learn more about these fantastic vegetables? I totally get it. They’re wonderful!
Here’s everything you can expect to learn about in this guide, coming right up:
For a time, Batavian lettuce was far and away the most popular type in the US.
It’s time these nutritional powerhouses made a comeback. But before we fill the ground with summer crisps, let’s chat a bit about where they came from.
Cultivation and History
Batavian (or Batavia) lettuce is a semi-heading type that is somewhere in between iceberg and romaine in terms of texture and flavor.
It’s also known as summer crisp or French lettuce. While it’s sometimes a total mystery where plants get their names, the common names “Batavian” and “French” reveal where this plant was initially bred.
Lactuca plant species originated in the Mediterranean region, where they were originally considered a weed, and spread across the planet from there.
The first evidence of cultivation goes way back to ancient Egypt, 6,000 years ago.
Fast forward, and summer crisp types come from the areas of Europe currently known as northern France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
This type emerged sometime in the 1600s. Today, there are both European and American Batavians.
There are six types of L. sativa plants: butterhead, crisphead, Latin, leaf, romaine, and stem lettuces.
Batavian is a crisphead type, and when we say it’s semi-heading, that’s just a loose term for how tight the heads are.
Some lettuces grow tightly packed, almost like cabbage. Others are totally loose, like arugula. Crispheads are somewhere in between the two.
In the early 1900s, American Batavian cultivars were in vogue, with ‘Hanson’ and ‘New York’ being two of the most popular cultivars in the world. The perennially popular iceberg emerged from Batavians in 1894, bred by W. Atlee Burpee & Co.
There are two ways to propagate this plant: buy starts or sow seeds. Lettuce is easy to grow from seed, but the main reason you might opt to buy seedlings is to save time.
From Seed
Start your seeds directly in the ground outdoors after the last predicted frost date.
If you don’t usually see about 50 to 80 days of weather under 70°F in the spring, you can start the seeds a little before the last frost date and they will be fine.
These germinate best in soil temperatures around 40°F, but a brief frost won’t hurt them.
You can also start seeds in the fall, about 50 to 80 days before the first predicted frost date.
Before you plant, loosen up your soil down about six inches and work in some well-rotted compost if you need to improve drainage or water retention.
Then poke holes about a quarter-inch deep into the soil spaced six to 12 inches apart, using your finger or a pencil. Place a seed in each hole.
If you’d rather, you can also broadcast the seeds over the soil and lightly press them down. You’ll need to be sure to thin the seedlings out once they start popping up in a week or two.
Sprinkle water onto the soil so you don’t disturb the seeds, and keep the soil moist as you wait for them to germinate.
From Seedlings
Batavian lettuce is extremely popular and you can always find at least one or two cultivars at nurseries in the spring.
To plant starts, prepare the soil by loosening it up down to six inches and working in some compost, if necessary, to improve drainage and water retention.
Dig a hole the same size as the growing container and gently remove the seedling from its pot.
Place it in the hole and firm the soil up around it, taking care to keep the plant at the same depth it was in the growing container.
Seedlings should be planted six to 12 inches apart, depending on their predicted mature size.
Water the soil well.
How to Grow
Since these plants were bred in some of the decidedly cooler and wetter regions of Europe, that gives us a good guide to what kind of conditions these vegetables need.
Anyone can grow these plants, but you’ll need to adapt depending on the type of climate you live in.
You need at least seven weeks for the heads to mature, so as long as you have about 50 to 80 days under about 70°F, you can grow these plants.
Some cultivars are more heat tolerant and won’t bolt until temperatures start reaching the mid-80s.
On the other end of the scale, these plants can tolerate a brief heavy frost and temperatures in the 20s, which is why they’re popular as a winter crop in temperate regions.
They also make a nice winter crop in warm regions.
Batavian lettuce does best in well-draining, loose, rich soil that retains water well. It needs to have a slightly acidic pH of around 6.0 to 6.5.
Plant your lettuce in a spot that receives full sun. Less ideally, you can also grow it in partial sun.
Keep the soil moist as these plants grow. Because they have shallow roots, you should add water as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry to the touch.
There’s no need to fertilize or pinch the leaves, but be sure to keep weeds well away. Those uninvited plants will steal nutrients from your crops and they can harbor pests and diseases.
You don’t want them sharing diseases and pests with your Batavian plants.
Growing Tips
Plant in full sun or partial shade.
Keep the soil consistently moist.
Keep weeds out of the garden.
Cultivars to Select
There are dozens of cultivars out there and new ones coming to the market all the time.
You can’t go wrong experimenting with a new one since there’s so little money, work, and time involved. But if you want a sure thing, these options are tried and true.
Burgundy Delight
I mean, there’s nothing wrong with the slightly crinkled leaves on somewhat loose heads, with their vibrant crunch and sweet flavor.
But ‘Burgundy Delight’ delights for other reasons. The dark reddish-purple leaves are beautiful whether you slap them on a sandwich or toss them in a salad.
You can have vibrant, flavorful heads in under 70 days by heading to Burpee to purchase a pack of about 500 seeds.
Great Lakes
‘Great Lakes’ was a collaborative effort between the United States Department of Agriculture and the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station.
It was introduced in 1941 and is considered the first “modern” iceberg type.
But despite that, it’s still usually classified as a Batavian, with a large, somewhat dense head and deliciously crisp leaves.
It resists tip burn, won’t easily bolt in the heat or cold, and produces reliably even when the weather doesn’t cooperate.
For half a century, it was the most popular commercially grown cultivar of any lettuce, peaking at 95 percent of the market. It was only knocked off its pedestal when pre-packaged loose leaves took over in the mid-70s.
All that aside, this is a fantastic cultivar and totally deserving of a comeback, though you shouldn’t feel too bad for it. ‘Great Lakes’ is still quite popular with home growers.
If you want to be a part of history by growing this fantastically tasty cultivar with its perfectly crinkly leaves, run to True Leaf Market for a gram, quarter ounce, ounce, four-ounce, one-pound, or five-pound package of seeds.
Plant them and expect your harvest in about 75 days.
Ice Queen
‘Ice Queen,’ or ‘Reine des Glaces,’ is a royally marvelous French heirloom that is regularly lauded as one of the best Batavia lettuces.
It has green, frilled leaves on the outside and crisp, slightly bitter leaves at the center.
‘Muir’ is so heat tolerant that it almost seems it might not truly be a variety of lettuce. Is it actually a variety of Malabar spinach in disguise? But it’s not!
It has semi-dense heads with extremely wavy leaves that are perfect for capturing oily salad dressing.
It also resists diseases like downy mildew and lettuce mosaic virus, and it’s extremely quick to mature at 50 days.
Nevada
‘Nevada’ has the killer combination of a velvety texture with a refreshing crunch packed into a uniform, loose head.
It’s also less likely to bolt or experience tip burn than most other lettuces, plus it’s resistant to common diseases like downy mildew and lettuce mosaic virus.
This open-pollinated cultivar is ready to harvest after about six weeks and stores for a good long while.
It’s obvious why this one is so popular. If you’d like to bring it to your garden, True Leaf Market carries gram, quarter-ounce, ounce, and four-ounce packets of seed.
Managing Pests and Disease
While any Lactuca species can technically contract the same diseases, Batavian types are generally resistant to most issues.
Some cultivars resist the oh-so-common downy mildew, while others are susceptible.
If you want to avoid downy mildew, pick one of the many resistant cultivars. For the rest of the potentially nasty diseases, read our guide to learn how to identify and get rid of them.
When it comes to pests, herbivores like deer and rabbits, and invertebrates like aphids and slugs are common issues. We have a full guide to walk you through these problems.
Harvesting
I love harvesting Batavian lettuce. Clipping the heads is so satisfying. Once they’ve reached their mature size, use a knife or clippers to cut through the base of the plant right above the soil level.
Randall believes that due to the size of the trees we cut down and top-worked, we should start getting fruit next year.
That’s much faster than if we went out and bought potted pear trees and planted them in the yard – and it really doesn’t take long to graft. Six trees in one Saturday, at a leisurely pace, while filming – no big deal!
If we were being more deliberate and less artistic about it, we could have easily done 20 or more trees.
Stay tuned to see how this all works out. I am really excited.
There are a few chosen constants in life—necessary domestic objects that become our anchors, or even beacons, to hold us fast or to draw us forward within the unpredictable currents of personal or public events. These objects are different for everyone, of course. For me, they are books (always), and, in late winter, a weekly sheaf of tulips, bought from a local deli, their buds pointedly closed, their leaves squeaking with freshness. They are simple, reliable, and gratifyingly long-lasting. Their form and silhouette evolving voluptuously as days pass, a pleasure in its own right. Catching a glimpse of the flowers in the room where you work, sleep, or cook is a small but potent reminder that beauty exists.
Here’s how to choose, and to keep, tulips fresh. And: Did you know that tulips are edible?
Above: Tulips outside Food Train, a corner store in Park Slope, Brooklyn.
Affordable city tulips’ immediate origins are humble: In New York it is the quintessential corner store, purveying fresh produce, groceries, sandwiches, life essentials, and, often, cut flowers. In January or February tulips appear, flown in from Holland or trucked under-or-over the Hudson River from where they grow in covered tunnels in New Jersey. In buckets on the sidewalk, they stay fresh in the cold air and thin winter light.
Above: A deli’s double tulips, three days after purchase, atop Ethiopia, by Yohanis Gebreyesus.
Constants being constants, and rituals requiring repetition, my chosen tulip vase is (almost) always the same—one I found in a junk shop in Adams Morgan, Washington, DC, when I was a new immigrant to the US. Catching a glimpse of it, filled with flowers, tells me my own story, quickly.
But these lovely flowers work in any vessel.
Above: Hot colors in South African Woodstock glass. The Philosophy of Curry, by Sejal Sukhadwala. The Orphan Masters Son, by Adam Johnson.Above: Warm windowsill tulips in beach-combed cobalt glass.
Whether the tulips are long-stemmed or chopped short, jam jars, old bottles, and thrift store finds work perfectly.
Above: Flowers and books go together. (Tomorrow’s Gardens, by Stephen Orr.)
How to choose tulips: Counterintuitively, tulips that show the least color will last the longest. They will also be tightly closed. Back home, in their vase, they will develop whatever their saturated color is destined to be, and their blooms will also continue to grow larger, opening slowly in the light and warmth of the room you choose to place them. Tulips bought in tight bud and given ample water should last at least a week, or longer, if you follow some extra pointers.
Above: Tulips with leaves, and lemons. The New Book of Middle Eastern Food, by Claudia Roden.
My name is Lee and I reside in Ilion, New York, which is right in the center of the state in the Mohawk Valley. I have been in my home for 43 years now, having made the move with my family when I was 24.
I have created an escape in my backyard for all to enjoy and decompress. Over the years, many people have found it to do just that for them, relieving them of the daily stresses and worries that we all experience.
A brilliant spire of red lilies (Lilium hybrid, Zones 4–9) brings the drama in summer.
It’s hard to beat daylilies (Hemerocallis hybrids, Zones 4–10) for combining big, bright flowers with an easygoing disposition.
Black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckiahirta, Zones 3–7) bring a long display of glowing flowers in the summer.
A sculpture lies between black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckiafulgida, Zones 3–9) and tall lilies (Lilium hybrids, Zones 4–9).
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.
Gutters are a core part of any home and are something that we often don’t realize that they need to be protected. While gutters themselves are usually very sturdy, they can still wear out or get clogged over time, and repairing those issues on a regular basis can become an annoying (and sometimes expensive) venture.
Gutter guards aim to fix that in a very direct way – but what are they, and why do they matter?
What Are Gutter Guards and Why Should You Care?
A gutter guard is essentially a mesh (or similar-to-mesh) sleeve that fits around your gutter. It protects your gutters from direct debris damage. In a sense, they’re meant to filter out anything that could potentially build up debris in the gutter and clog it, as well as stop birds from potentially building nests within the gutters themselves.
While there are various kinds of gutter guards (such as sheets that cover the entire gutter or pieces that fit over only the downspout), all of them serve the same basic function. This makes them a great protective measure for gutter systems, allowing them to prevent debris from clogging up the system and potentially causing long-term gutter damage.
Why Should You Consider Gutter Guards?
If your gutters are showing signs of wear and tear, they could also be clogged, which can lead to expensive water damage repairs. Since your gutters are used as a water drain, this tends to cause problems when the water overflows since it will be draining down onto your house’s wall (or, potentially, the roof).
Not only can this lead to damage to the gutter system that may require direct repairs, but it can also create situations where the blocked gutters are causing damage to your home itself, too. This, naturally, becomes more of a problem the longer you leave your gutters unchecked and unrepaired.
The most direct and effective way to deal with this is through gutters guards, which will protect your gutters from damage and blockages. Considering how simple but important gutters are, good gutter guards can make a massive difference.
How Do Gutter Guards Work?
While there are various different ways to install a gutter guard, the most common involves you using a gutter guard with a downspout sleeve (or downspout adapter sleeve). This is essentially an extension of the gutter guard’s frame, which attaches to the downspout of the gutter system. This is simple and effective but only protects the downspout.
Some gutter systems may use a full sheet of mesh that covers the entire gutter. This protects the downspouts and the rest of the gutter pipes, which can be useful for avoiding overflows or damage to those areas as well. The one you choose is mostly down to the amount of protection you want for your home gutter systems.
Remember that gutter guard additions are entirely for protection. While they don’t boost your gutters’ abilities to drain water, they do make sure that the gutters can go for far longer without needing to be unblocked or repaired.
Orange-scented thyme and chocolate mint are close runners-up, but citrus basil is my favorite dual-flavor herb to grow in the garden.
The standards for what makes an herb qualify as citrus basil are relatively relaxed, but the category generally includes different types with sweet-tart, citrus-flavored leaves and citrus-scented blooms.
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Cooks the world over favor this garden-grown herb for grilling, Mediterranean and Asian dishes, fish, citrus sorbets, and myriad other tasty treats.
I like to use leaves from my favorite, lemon basil, to add zip to a Caprese salad or to garnish frozen lemonade concoctions, with or without added spirits.
If you’ll follow along, I’d like to tell you some more about these special members of the mint family, and share some growing tips and cooking ideas.
Here’s what to expect:
What Is Citrus Basil?
Identifying citrus basils is simultaneously simple and complicated.
Let’s begin with an overview. In the broadest terms, all of these plants are members of the Ocimum genus, and they belong to the mint family, Lamiaceae.
Though not all species belonging to this family are edible, I’ll take it as a decent hint that this herb will be tasty since the mint family also includes culinary delights such as rosemary, sage, thyme, and spearmint.
All basils are annuals that can be grown as perennials in Zones 9 to 11.
But most gardeners will agree it’s best to grow these herbs as annuals, since the leaves taste far better when the plants are young and before they have flowered.
They grow quickly, reaching full maturity in 40 to 70 days, depending on the variety.
You can also grow them as microgreens that are ready for harvest in 14 to 21 days, and you can begin harvesting leaves when a plant has at least four sets of true leaves.
Each of the herbs commonly referred to with the “citrus basil” moniker has a touch of lemon or lime flavor that may range from subtle to predominant.
The flavor of the leaves and the aroma of the blooms are critical qualifications we gardeners and home cooks may use to identify these plants!
Several different plants are included here, and there are conflicting opinions regarding which taxonomic classification applies to a couple of these.
The lemon types are typically considered hybrids of sweet (O. basilicum) and American basil (O. americanum).
Some use the name O. x citriodorum while others, such as the experts at theMissouri Botanical Garden, quarrel with that classification, calling it “an unresolved name of questionable validity.”
Synonyms for O. x citriodorum include O. × africanum and O. citriodorum.
And some lemon cultivars are often referred to as varieties of O. basilicum species, notably ‘Mrs. Burns’ Lemon.’
Lime or hoary basil is usually classified as O. americanum or O. americanum var. americanum, but you may see plant tags with O. x citriodorum or O. basilicum for these herbs as well!
Their flavor tends to be less intense than the lemon varieties, and the plants are a bit smaller, usually topping out at about a foot tall.
There is also one citrusy type with just a hint of lemon taste and aroma amidst the flavors of vanilla and other spices.
That one, ‘Blue Spice,’ is sometimes considered an O. basilicum cultivar, but may also be labeled as O. americanum basilicum, as it is a hybrid cross of O. basilicum and O. americanum.
If you’re finding it tough to distinguish the Latin names, I encourage you to focus instead on the pure joy growing citrus basil can provide, instead of its botanical name.
Each of these plants will grow in containers, attract pollinators, and feature in many types of cuisine. They all contain lots of essential oil, which makes them a nice additive to potpourri.
Just being able to crush a leaf or flower in your fingers to release the scent is a summer delight.
With those alluring goals in mind, let’s hit the high points of how to grow and care for these herbs.
Propagation
Citrus basil is cultivated much like other varieties.
Height and maturity rates may differ from those of other varieties, but the growing requirements for lemon and lime varieties are similar to those of other sweet and Thai types.
You can readily start these herbs from seed or by rooting cuttings. You may want to start the seeds indoors to get a jump on the season.
I recommend using biodegradable seed-starting cells for sowing seeds indoors, since this plant dislikes having its roots disturbed and can suffer transplant shock.
Biodegradable 1.5-inch pots made from recycled paper are one environmentally friendly option.
They’ll hold young seedlings until they’re a couple of inches tall, and then the bottoms detach so you can plant the rest of the pot directly into a container or garden without disturbing the roots.
Plant in full sun for bushy plants with plenty of leaves to harvest. They can get by with part shade, but your plants will become straggly and they won’t produce as much edible foliage.
Some herbs can tolerate poor soil, or they may thrive in sandy loam.
But citrus basils are like their O. basilicum relatives, thriving in moist, well-draining soil amended with plenty of composted organic matter.
They also appreciate a soil pH between 6.0 and 7.5, which you can check with a soil test.
Basils thrive in moist but not wet conditions. They do not like wet feet, so don’t plant them anywhere water collects, and always provide proper drainage for plants grown in containers.
After the plants have reached a couple of inches tall, apply a two- to four-inch layer of mulch around the root zone to retain moisture.
Also, be sure to monitor their water intake throughout the summer, supplementing rainfall as needed.
Check how much precipitation your garden receives each week with a rain gauge, and aim to provide about an inch to your plants.
They can do without supplemental fertilizer if you start with nutrient-rich loam, but the plants will grow even more vigorously if you apply a balanced fertilizer once a month throughout the growing season.
One good option is Jobe’s Organics granular fertilizer for herbs, available in four-pound bags via Amazon.
If you do opt to grow this tangy herb indoors or in the home garden, look at our sweet basil growing guide for step-by-step instructions that take you from sowing or transplanting through harvest and preserving.
Growing Tips
Choose a full sun to part shade location.
Ensure that soil is organically-rich and well-draining.
Provide plants with an inch of water per week, in the absence of rain.
Where to Buy
Citrus basils aren’t particularly common. If you can find transplants at a local nursery, seeds are available to you, or if a friend has a mature plant you can take cuttings from to propagate at home, go for it!
When shopping for seeds or live plants, expect most citrus selections to simply be called “lemon” or “lime” basil.
An O. basilicum lemon variety known for its pronounced flavor and aroma that grows just eight 16 inches tall and spreads 20 inches wide is available from Botanical Interests in packets of 240 organic seeds.
Of course, I can’t imagine why you wouldn’t want to cook with your harvest!
Recipes and Cooking Ideas
The sprightly, tangy flavor boosts dishes both sweet and savory, and the leaves or sprigs also make an attractive, tasty garnish.
They have a more intense flavor than your typical homegrown sweet basil, so you may need to adjust the amount you use in Caprese salads, pesto, calzone fillings, and the like, so they won’t be overpowering.
I usually use about a third of the amount I would if I were cooking or garnishing with a sweet variety.
When the recipe also includes lemon or lime juice or zest, I will increase the amount of citrus basil I use and cut back on the citrus called for in the recipe.
I like to throw just a handful of citrus basil into a pesto recipe in place of an equal portion of sweet leaves from another variety like ‘Prospera,’ for example, and then eliminate a little of the lemon juice I’d usually add.
Photo by Raquel Smith.
If you don’t already have a favorite recipe, consider swapping a cup of the lemon or lime variety for half of the sweet basil called for in this vegan pesto recipe from our sister site, Foodal.
These tangy herbs can also replace a portion of the basil and a bit of the lemon juice or zest in recipes like this one for orzo pasta salad, also from Foodal.
Photo by Meghan Yager.
A chiffonade of fresh leaves is a natural choice in dreamy honey basil creamsicles as well. If you’re looking for a sweet treat, find the recipe now on Foodal.
You can also use fresh-picked blossoms to garnish lemon sorbet and Mediterranean lemon soups, or as a flavor boost in any number of stir-fries or salads.
Do a taste test often the first time you cook with this flavorful herb so the citrusy tang is to your liking without overwhelming the flavor of the other ingredients.
Lemon or lime basil is also tasty in Thai-inspired dishes like curries, or it may be used in place of the cilantro in this shrimp pad Thai recipe from Foodal.
Aphids, Japanese beetles, slugs, snails; damping off, fusarium wilt
Species:
Africanun, americanum, basilicum, x citriodorum
A Plant with No-Squeeze Citrus Basil Flavor
In addition to their value as culinary herbs, citrus basils scent the summer air, attract pollinators, and they can even make appealing indoor plants in winter.
Do you have a favorite variety or a fresh idea for enjoying citrus basil? Be sure to share your experience or questions in the comments section below.
Peperomia caperata (pep-er-ROH-mee-uh kap-er-AY-tuh) is a perennial tropical member of the Piperaceae (pepper) family of plants hailing from Central and South America, including Brazil.
The epiphytic plants’ origins are somewhat in question, though. Its seeds are sticky and have been known to travel thousands of miles on animal fur or birds’ feet.
Pin
You may hear this plant commonly referred to as:
Rippled Peperomia
Emerald Ripple
Radiator Plant
Peperomia
Pink Lady
Baby rubber plant
Pink Lady’s botanical genus name is a combination of the Greek words “peperi” (pepper) and “homoios” (resembling). It looks quite a bit like one of its close relatives, Piper nigrum, which is a true black pepper.
The specific epithet, “caperata” is derived from the Latin “caperatus” (wrinkled) and is a reference to the plants’ leaf texture.
Pink Lady Peperomia Care
Size and Growth
Rippled Peperomia is a compact plant with a mound-forming growth habit and typically attains a height of about 8″ inches tall and a spread of about 7″ to 8″ inches.
Emerald Ripple is most prized for its pretty, heart-shaped, corrugated pink or green leaves. The leaves typically start deep green with deeper shading in the corrugations.
They gradually display splashes of cream and pink. Attractive reddish stems then support the heart-shaped leaves.
Flowering and Fragrance
Emerald Ripple blooms throughout the summer months. The blooms are not at all showy and consist of tiny whitish-green blooms held above the plant on reddish stalks (mouse tails) that are two or three inches long.
Although the flowers cannot rightly be called pretty, they are interesting, and there tend to be a lot of them. If you don’t like the looks of them, just pinch them off.
Peperomia Pink Lady Light and Temperature
Radiator Plant does well in a warm setting with abundant bright, indirect light. The plant can tolerate low light; however, foliage coloration is more dramatic with more light.
Placement in or near an east or north-facing window works well to receive ample bright light. If your only exposure is a west or south-facing window, be sure to place the plant a foot or two away from the window and shield it against direct sunlight.
Protect your Pink Lady from harsh, hot, direct sunlight, which will burn the plant’s succulent leaves and cause dry, brown spots.
Radiator plants can also be placed in a very low-light setting (e.g., a bathroom) if you supplement with fluorescent lighting to help bring out your plants’ colors, especially during winter months. In fact, Pink Lady can thrive with fluorescent light alone, making it a good office plant.
Indoors, protect your Peperomia against hot or cold drafts. These plants like consistent indoor temperatures ranging from 61° to 81° degrees Fahrenheit.
In cool climates, during the spring and summer, your plant may enjoy spending time in a sheltered outdoor setting, such as a covered porch or patio.
In a tropical setting (USDA hardiness zones 10-12), Peperomia caperata can live outdoors year-round.
Watering and Feeding
Peperomia are epiphytes. In their native settings, they anchor themselves to trees and thrive on generous rainfall followed by periods of dryness. They are succulent, so they store moisture in their stems and leaves.
As epiphytes, Peperomia also gleans moisture from the air, so they appreciate a humidity level of 40% or 50% percent.
When watering, try to replicate their natural water-gathering tendencies. Provide generous watering when the potting medium is mostly dry, keeping the soil moist. Allow the substrate to become nearly dry before you water it again.
You can either pour water through the substrate to thoroughly soak it or allow the plant’s container to sit in water for about fifteen minutes to get a good drink.
Set a timer to remind yourself to remove the plant from its bath. It will not tolerate being left in standing water for extended periods of time.
Generally speaking, you will probably need to water about once a week, but check the potting medium for dryness every day or two.
There are several different suggested methods of fertilizing Pink Lady.
Some indoor gardeners like to provide a balanced liquid houseplant fertilizer every month. Still, others prefer to provide a slow-release fertilizer once in the early spring and again in mid-summer.
There are also plant keepers who think that Peperomia should be repotted annually and that fresh potting medium should provide the plant’s nourishment.
Consider your own plant care preferences, and observe your plants’ performance to determine which of these methods will work best for you.
Soil and Transplanting
Like all Peperomia, Pink Lady needs well-draining soil or potting medium with organic matter.
Remember that this plant hates soggy soil, which can also lead to root rot and other fungal infections, so ensure a container that discards any excess water.
Some examples of signs to look out for include yellowing of leaves or stunted growth.
A mixture consisting of equal amounts of good quality commercial potting soil, coco coir, peat moss, and vermiculite or perlite should provide the right level of nourishment along with the excellent drainage these plants require.
Repot your Radiator Plant once a year in the early spring. When you do, you can either go up by one pot size to provide your plant with just a little extra room to grow or divide the plant into two or smaller containers if you wish.
Grooming and Maintenance
Pink lady peperomia is a low-maintenance plant, but you may trim your plant occasionally to help it maintain an attractive, compact shape. Remove dead or damaged leaves using a very sharp, sterilized cutting implement.
Keep humidity levels high, and mist your plant every few days.
Moreover, you can also wipe the peperomia leaves with a damp cloth if they get dusty.
How To Propagate Pink Lady Peperomia
You can propagate Pink Lady by division when you repot. It is also very easy to grow new plants from stem cuttings.
To do this, you would simply prune off a healthy cutting from the mother plant with at least one leaf node and several leaves.
Plant the cutting right into the prepared soil. Water thoroughly and then cover the cutting lightly with a plastic bag to help retain moisture.
Place the pot with cutting into an area that receives bright, indirect sunlight and stays consistently warm. Right next to the parent plant would probably be fine.
Check the soil daily for moisture. You’ll want to keep it slightly moist until you begin to see new growth (within a month or so). When this happens, transition to soak and dry watering, remove the plastic and treat your cutting as the established plant it has become.
If you wish, you can start cuttings in water. This is a good option when you have a lot of potentially viable cuttings after pruning.
Just place your cuttings in clean water. Change the water every day or two, and watch for roots.
When your cuttings have rooted a couple of inches long, you can transplant them into a moist, well-draining potting mix and care for them as you would mature plants.
Pink Lady Peperomia Main Pests Or Diseases
Rippled Peperomia can be subject to infestation by white flies, spider mites, fungus gnats, scales, or mealy bugs. This is especially likely if plants are weakened by poor care or inappropriate settings.
Using insecticidal soap or neem oil is some of the easiest treatments to eliminate these insects.
Most problems with Peperomia are caused by overwatering. An overwatered plant can easily develop root and stem rot and powdery mildew.
Avoid overwatering or overcrowding your plant. Strive to strike a balance between good air circulation and proper humidity levels. Keep temperatures warm and consistent, and provide ample light (but not too much!)
Some indoor gardeners worry about yellowing leaves on Peperomia. A few yellow lower leaves do not cause concern. Leaves can just get old and die. When this happens, simply remove them from the healthy plants.
Lots of yellowing, curling, or falling leaves may indicate too much or too little water and a lack of nutrients. Check your care techniques and adjust them accordingly.
Is the plant considered toxic or poisonous to people, kids, and pets?
Peperomia plants are entirely non-toxic!
Is the plant considered invasive?
This rather fussy plant is not invasive.
Suggested Pink Lady Peperomia Uses
These compact, cheery tropical plants are ideal office desktop plants. They like consistent climate control, and they thrive in fluorescent lighting.
Moreover, Pink lady peperomia is also a perfect indoor plant for beginners, as it’s low maintenance.
These beautiful plants also make a nice addition to any moderately sunny window. They are an excellent choice above the kitchen sink or in the bathroom, where humidity levels are likely to be a bit higher than in the rest of the house.
Pink Lady is a pretty addition to your porch or patio in cool climates with their bright pink leaves. Consider using this colorful Peperomia as a shady place ground cover in a tropical setting.
But guess what – there are hundreds of species and even more cultivars and hybrids.
We couldn’t possibly cover all 400-plus species here, and honestly, many of them don’t make suitable additions to the average home or landscape.
Instead, we’ll talk about the different groups that most types of aloe can be categorized into, based upon their characteristics, growing habits, and expected size and form at maturity.
You’ll also note some occasional overlap between these.
Let’s get started – here’s what lies ahead:
What Are the Different Types of Aloe?
Basic Aloe Variations
Rather than choose the most popular version of these succulents available in every garden center, shake things up in your indoor container garden, or your outdoor garden if local growing conditions permit.
Well-known characteristics of the most popular species have led to a common misconception that all of these succulents are compact, houseplant-worthy specimens, but this is not so.
Some species can grow to be quite large, reaching great heights or sprawling across broad spaces in tree or shrub form.
Since flowering isn’t typical indoors, many gardeners are also unfamiliar with aloe’s ability to produce clusters of brightly colored flowers on conical or cylinder-shaped racemes.
It can take a few years for plants to mature and for blooming to begin, but if you’re in a location where outdoor planting is a possibility, you will want to consider the type of blooms you can expect to grace your landscape.
Most appear in shades of red, orange, or yellow, while some cultivars and hybrids feature flowers in pink, coral, or white tones instead.
And, unlike the green varieties that are often so easy to find in garden centers, foliage color and shade can vary from one type to the next as well.
Along with the solid or speckled green versions, you can find species and cultivars with red, purple, yellow, or blue tones.
It’s also important to note that some reclassification has occurred among the genus in recent years, resulting in some popular varieties known commonly as aloes being moved into other genera.
We’ll cover some of those changes up ahead.
Let’s break these categories down and take a look at some basic ways to sort them when identifying these plants.
Cold-Hardy Types
Almost all aloes have similar features in that they produce fleshy, succulent leaves with toothed margins.
Many are only suited for outdoor growing in hot, arid climates and a large number of species are endemic to desert regions of the African continent.
Aloe, agave, prickly pear, and many other varieties of widely known succulents and cacti often prefer dry heat.
However, there are quite a few options for planting outdoors in cooler zones, such as those where seasonal low temperatures fall between about 20 and 50°F.
These types are hardy in cooler regions like those of their native environments, such as cool mountain peaks where more ambient moisture is common.
The thicker foliage of the short-leaved aloe, A. brevifolia, for example, is tolerant of chilly temperatures.
Its visually captivating rosette form and compact size make this species a lovely addition to a rock garden or succulent mass planting in regions where winter temperatures remain fairly mild.
Note, however, that this species tends to send out pups in close proximity, creating a dense clump of plants.
A. striata, or the coral aloe, is also considered a cold-hardy type, but it could be included among the compact and colorful types we’ll cover below as well.
This makes it a great choice if you’re looking for a small, container-appropriate size, tolerance for chilly temperatures, little to no marginal teeth, and bright color all rolled into one.
Compact Types
The compact specimens may be a little more familiar to houseplant lovers and amateur home gardeners, but it’s important to note that a compact growth habit doesn’t necessarily mean these varieties will always need a small amount of space.
Even though each individual plant may be small once mature, these tend to spread as they send out runners and pups.
Young specimens can be deceptive and they may quickly prove they need more room than originally anticipated.
One such specimen, A. distans, or the jewel aloe, is so prolific a sprawler that it can be considered a ground cover when planted en masse.
Each plant reaches only about three to six inches tall at full height, but these can fill in space quickly.
Another low-growing type, A. polyphylla, or the spiral aloe, maxes out at a foot tall and two feet in diameter. This type forms a spectacular, tightly clustered, blue-green rosette.
If you’re a fan of striking geometric forms in nature, sometimes referred to as “sacred geometry,” this is one specimen to consider.
‘Minnie Belle,’ bred by Ed Hummel and named after his wife, remains compact in size as well.
This variety, with its chunky, triangular leaves and spiky texture, grows to 15 inches or less at maturity.
Color Variations
While color changes in these succulents can be an indication of stress and poor health, some more unusual colors are simply a part of their everyday coloration.
Tones of purple, red, and blue sometimes appear in normal, healthy specimens while others have been bred specifically to enhance these tones.
Red or purple tones are apparent in several species and cultivars. A. cameronii, or the starfish aloe, displays a bright to deep red tone coupled with a distinctive growth pattern.
Its leaves tend to weep or curl, giving the appearance of a mired starfish on a rocky beach.
The hybrid ‘Crosby’s Prolific’ produces short, upright leaves that have a deep green tone, but when exposed to bright sunlight for an extended period of time, they change to a deep, luscious rose tone.
Sunset (A. dorotheae), rubble or mitre (A. perfoliata),and crawling octopus (A. vanbalenii) aloe can all make striking, unexpected additions to the landscape or to containers placed in a sunny location indoors.
Note, however, that too much shade or low light can result in green leaves instead.
Their bright red and orange coloration draws the eye while their somewhat strange form makes these species true conversation pieces.
As part of a xeriscape, mixed with other colorful specimens or grouped with duller colors, they’ll add easy-care interest.
‘Christmas Carol’ can also take on a red tone throughout its fleshy leaves, complementing its typically red-toothed margins.
‘Purple Haze’ has been bred for dusky purple coloration, so even though it remains compact at just 12 inches or so at maturity, it’ll catch the eye in a container on a sunny windowsill.
Hybrids ‘Walmsley’s Blue’ and ‘Blue Elf’ have both been bred blue coloring. Both also produce orange blooms that contrast strikingly with their gray-blue foliage.
The yellow, gold, or orange tones exhibited by A. nobilis, the gold-toothed aloe, make a striking addition to the home as a potted plant.
Variegated gold-toothed aloe (A. nobilis var. variegata) has thick leaves and a compact habit, reaching only about one foot in height at maturity.
It displays the same gold to orange tones as its forebear, but with the addition of pale yellow to cream stripes along its leaves.
Rambling or Shrub-Like Types
Remember those larger specimens that I mentioned before? Some have a shrub-like habit, such as A. arborescens, also known as the torch, krantz, or candelabra aloe.
This popular succulent of many nicknames is a structurally striking wonder frequently incorporated into xeriscapes and sandy rock gardens, and beloved for its lovely bright orange blooms.
It’s also cold hardy down to about 20°F, so it can be planted outdoors in regions where winter temperatures don’t plummet very far below freezing.
Torch aloe tends to form a mass of plants, each sending up a clustered raceme at the same time – hence the reference to a candelabra.
One of my personal favorites is Kumara plicatilis, formerly A. plicatilis. Also known as fan aloe, its flat, fan-like leaves are produced atop smooth, gray, branched trunks.
Its leaves are blue-green, layered, and 12 inches in length, curving upright to form the signature, stunning jade fans. These beauties reach about six feet in height at maturity, in ideal conditions.
Perhaps one of the quirkiest and most unique species available is the climbing variety formerly known as A. ciliaris, recently reclassified as Aloiampelos ciliaris.
This odd fellow produces new growth in a vertical pattern on semi-woody stems.
It remains compact as a young specimen, often resembling a spotless version of A. barbadensis, making it suitable for container growing.
But over time as it matures, you might be competing with rambling, explosive growth.
In ideal conditions, this species can achieve more than 10 feet in height indoors or a whopping 30 feet outdoors!
Tree Types
Though lesser known, some species can grow to giant proportions, such as the tree types – yes, tree aloe is a thing.
Species like A. africana, which reaches heights of up to 10 feet, and A. excelsa, aka Zimbabwe aloe, which can tower over the garden at a huge 18 feet at maturity, are difficult to impossible to include in many settings because of their size.
Some tree types can be a bit deceiving when they’re young.
Species such as A. marlothii, or mountain aloe, may appear compact in their juvenile stages, but as they grow, they form a trunk-like stem that lifts the leafy crowns 10 to 15 feet high.
As leaves die, they remain attached to the stem, creating a distinctive skirt.
Tree types hail primarily from southern and eastern Africa but some, like A. castellorum, are endemic to regions within the Arabian peninsula.
As such, a lot of them prefer the arid conditions that you might expect, although there are also species that tolerate cooler temperatures with more moisture.
Most tree types form a single central column or trunk which sometimes branches as the specimen matures.
Atop each trunk or branch, spiky leaves burst forth in the typical rosette pattern. The result is something you might expect to see a Dr. Seuss character pop out of unexpectedly.
Gasteria and Haworthia Hybrids
Because of the amazing results that can be achieved by crossing aloes with members of other related succulent genera, such as Gasteria and Haworthia, it’s common to find hybrids on the market with a combination of these as parent species.
Hybrid aloes bred with Gasteria species are often described using the portmanteau Gasteraloe.
Members of the Gasteria genus tend to have thick, short leaves, while Haworthia hybrids display interesting patterns such as speckles and stripes, and have flatter leaves.
Both are well suited to indoor growing as they are tolerant of low light conditions, and tend to remain more compact in size than aloe.
Gasteraloe hybrids exhibit new features such as novel leaf textures, shapes, and sizes, or different colors and patterns than what are normally available in straight species plants from any of these groups.
Some hybrids display pale-colored blooms. Unlike the orange, red, and yellow you generally see among aloe plants, you might expect pink or white instead.
The ‘Twilight Zone’ hybrid is a popular example, a cross of A. haworthioides and G. carinata.
‘Doran Black’ is another hybrid cultivar common in cultivation that displays features that might make it tough to identify its aloe parentage.
Breeders throughout the United States have been crossing plants from these genera for decades, and there are quite a few offerings in cultivation available for purchase.
An Astounding Assortment of Aloe Abounds
Alright, be honest – how badly have I contributed to your plant hoarding habit?
There are so many wonderful, attractive, and unique types to grow at home, especially for those in appropriate Zones with space outdoors!
What type of aloe are you growing? Tell us about it in the comments section below! We’d also love to answer any questions that you may have.
Among the many wonderful indoor plants that have become a staple of almost every home and indoor garden is the humble snake plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
This plant has many common names, including Saint George’s sword, mother-in-law’s tongue, viper’s bowstring hemp, and the alternate scientific name of Dracaena trifasciata.
Repotting Snake Plants: How to Replant a Snake Plant
Repotting is a simple process and an essential part of caring for any container plant, but it can be scary if you’ve never done it before.
However, if done right, the symptoms of transplant shock will be minimal, and you’ll end up with a happier, healthier snake plant afterward.
Why You Should Repot Your Snake Plant
Mother Nature does a lot of things for plants that we have to replicate manually.
Thanks to erosion, weather, and decomposing matter, the soil in natural settings are being constantly cleaned and renewed.
Unfortunately, potted plants lack all of these benefits, especially in poor soil conditions.
Over time, the soil quality also deteriorates and becomes drained of nutrients while suffering a buildup of mineral salts which can become toxic for your plant.
Even worse, the soil can become compacted, making it difficult for your plant to access nutrients, and the roots may become rootbound.
The repotting process will allow you to remedy all these issues, ensuring your plant can live a long and happy life. This also promotes healthy growth and prevents any diseases from occurring and spreading.
When Should You Repot?
Many factors will determine how often you need to repot your snake plants. The telltale signs includes:
Plant size
Type of snake plant
Container size
Soil type
Root temperature
Light exposure
Generally, snake plants don’t need repotting very often. In fact, you will usually only need to repot it every 3 years. The best time to repot a snake plant is in the late winter or springtime before the plant begins to grow actively.
This will give the plant time to adjust to its new pot and soil before it has to start putting out new leaves.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, the biggest being if you suspect there is root rot or the soil is moldy or infected with fungus.
A second time you may wish to repot is if the plant was severely overwatered or over-fertilized, both of which could lead to serious root issues if not dealt with.
Another instance is if the plant has become rootbound, often identified by roots appearing on the soil surface or out of the drainage holes.
Finally, if you see a lot of dense foliage, it means there are too many snake plants sharing one space, and you will need to thin them out.
Step 1: Preparing Your Snake Plant
Before taking a trip, you have to be sure you’re ready to go, and your snake plant has its own little checklist before you can make the trip from one pot to another.
Here are the simple steps you must follow to ensure a successful snake plant repotting.
Check your plant for any signs of infestation or disease and treat these first. Healthy roots should be light orange. If they are black, gray, or dark brown, it indicates infection.
This can be addressed during transplanting if you suspect the plant with root rot caused by excess water.
You will also want to do any necessary pruning and give your plant as little water as possible.
It’s also important to have excellent soil with proper drainage for snake plants to ensure good growth.
Making the soil slightly damp will make it easier to remove old soil. In addition, you need well-draining soil or indoor potting mix when repotting.
Step 2: Removing the Plant
Pick a good spot to do your repotting. Some like to use a sink or tub, so cleaning up afterward is easy.
Another option is to lay down an old sheet, tarp, or large piece of plastic to catch all the dirt.
Tip the snake plant pot onto its side and give the bottom a few taps to knock the soil loose, then slide the entire plant out.
Gently brush away as much of the soil as possible.
You may also wish to rinse the roots under running water to remove the old soil.
Step 3: Inspection
Now that the roots are clean, you can examine them for signs of rot.
Gently tease any bound roots apart and check for any brown or black roots.
These are unhealthy colors for roots, as is a rotting smell or mushy spots.
If you don’t see any of these signs, you can go ahead and divide or repot, but if they’re present, you’ll want to treat your plant first.
Using a sharp, sterile knife or garden knife, gently remove all brown, black, or mushy roots.
Once all of the visibly rotten roots are removed, dip the root ball into a solution of 1 part bleach to 10 parts water for 20 minutes to kill any remaining rot.
Allow the plant’s roots to air dry for 1 to 2 days.
Moreover, you can also use isopropyl alcohol to disinfect any microbial growth.
Step 5: Dividing (if Needed)
If your snake plant is overcrowded (or you simply want more), you can now divide your plant or take leaf cuttings.
Make sure any tangled roots have been teased apart, and choose the pups you wish to separate from the parent plant.
Divide the fleshy rhizome from the central part of the plant so that each of your snake plant pups has its own bit of rhizome and healthy roots.
Step 6: Repotting Process
Pick a container that is the same size or one size larger (if your plant was rootbound but you chose not to divide). However, you can go up one pot size if you won’t divide the snake plant clump.
You can use either a fresh succulent potting mix, organic potting soil, or a soilless potting mix. Adding a layer of worm compost on top of your soil is also important.
Fill the pot partway and add a little mound in the middle.
Sit the plant on top of this mound and slowly begin adding a layer of soil, teasing the snake plant roots apart as you go so they’re spread out.
The surface level should match the level that was in the previous container.
Add a little water to dampen the soil for snake plants to help the medium settle so your plant can get a little drink.
In addition, you can add additional nutrients to support the health of the indoor plant.
Aftercare
Ensure your sansevieria plant is somewhere with bright, indirect light, as it prefers low light conditions. Also, avoid giving it fertilizer for about a month because it can cause leaf burn.
This will give the sansevieria plant time to recover.
Don’t panic if the plant acts a little depressed initially or shows other signs of stress.
Transplant shock is perfectly normal for plants, and your snake plant will perk up again after a few weeks.
Once it begins perking up again, you can resume your normal snake plant care routine.
The hibiscus is one of the many popular flowering shrubs in modern gardens (Hibiscus spp.).
Sometimes referred to as hardy hibiscus, tropical hibiscus, rose of Sharon, or rose mallow, this rather large genus is well known for its beautiful blooms, which are edible and can be candied or made into tea.
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But as wonderful and hardy as this genus is, many growers have problems successfully getting their plants to flower.
Bud drop is a common concern, but thankfully it’s easy to prevent once you know the causes and how to fix them.
Why Are My Hibiscus Buds Dropping or Falling Off?
Three are several potential reasons your plant’s buds are failing to bloom.
Here is everything you need to know about why your hibiscus may lose its flower buds.
Where Does Hibiscus Comes From?
One of the most important things people tend to forget about plants is their origin.
We constantly take plants out of their natural environmental conditions and try to grow them in conditions they might not be well adapted to.
Hibiscus is a tropical plant that can be grown outdoors in USDA hardiness zones 5 to 11, but the further north you go, the more difficult it can be for your hibiscus to enjoy a full growing season.
In fact, sudden or drastic environmental changes can make up for the bulk of reasons why your hibiscus is having trouble at bloom time.
These changes aren’t always apparent, and a lot of it has to come down to the plant’s history of life in mostly tropical and subtropical regions.
Some species dislike cold weather, some hate wet weather, and others come from temperate regions and dislike intense heat.
Knowing where your hibiscus species or cultivar comes from can go a long way in ensuring it will get the growing conditions it needs most to thrive.
Common Causes of Hibiscus Bud Drop
As mentioned, environmental issues make up the bulk of problems connected with bud drop.
But let’s get into some more detail about these conditions and what might cause them.
Infections or Infestations
While infections and infestations sound very different, the two often go hand-in-hand.
For example, the honeydew produced by an aphid infestation will attract powdery mildew spores, and root rot attracts fungus gnats.
Some diseases, such as root rot or viral infections, can result in bud drop and many other symptoms.
Likewise, a severe infestation can make a plant sick and result in flower bud drop, even if that pest doesn’t target the buds directly.
One example of infestation that affects hibiscus is the gall midge. Its larvae typically feed inside the flower bud, causing it to drop. Other examples of insect pests that cause hibiscus blooms to drop off include thrips.
Low Humidity
This is an issue that can hit some hibiscus plants harder than others.
More tropical species can require a much higher humidity level, often 60 to 70% percent.
Poor humidity can dry out your plants faster and is known to result in bud drop and other major health issues.
Malnutrition
Not everyone can thrive on the same diet, but different plants require different diets.
Phosphorus is one of the big kickers because most plants need more of this for healthy blooms.
However, hibiscus doesn’t need much phosphorus, and using bloom boosters, or other high-phosphorus fertilizers can result in bud drop.
You will also want to ensure your plant gets enough calcium and potassium but moderate the amount of nitrogen.
An imbalance in any of these four nutrients can result in bud drop and other nutritional symptoms.
Poor Lighting
Photosynthesis sounds amazing on paper, but it’s actually quite inefficient.
If your plant isn’t getting the right amount of light, the process won’t work right, and your plant will redirect all of its resources to its foliage in an attempt to correct the problem.
This means that buds and blooms will be cut off from their basic needs, and the plant will discard them as a survival instinct.
Poor Watering Techniques
Plants are a lot like people when it comes to drinking: sometimes, they feel a little more thirsty than they do at other times.
When you don’t give your tropical hibiscus enough water, the plant will dehydrate and need to allocate resources to keep itself alive.
This means it will prioritize its foliage, and the more demanding buds will dry up and fall off.
Likewise, too much water because of heavy rainfall or overwatering can cause yellow leaves, bud drop due to a resource shortage.
In this case, the excess water leaches nutrients from the soil and interferes with a plant’s ability to absorb the remaining nutrients.
Even worse, the moisture could lead to root rot, which makes it even harder for the plant to obtain water and nutrients.
As with dehydration, the plant will allocate resources towards staying alive, resulting in the buds failing when there’s insufficient watering.
Sudden Environmental Changes
This most commonly happens during transplant shock but can also happen if some environmental factor suddenly changes.
Placing a hibiscus plant too close to an air conditioner, vent, or other draft sources can shock its system and cause it to lose buds.
Outdoors, sudden heat waves, or extreme temperature changes can produce similar effects.
While there are some variations, most hibiscus plants need a temperature range of 65 to 95° degrees Fahrenheit to thrive.
Anything above or below that can stress your plant or even damage it.
Preventing Bud Drop
ALWAYS Do Your Homework
The single best way to avoid problems such as bud drop is to do some research on your plants.
Every species of hibiscus has its own specific care needs, and cultivars may vary in what they need from their parent plant.
By identifying your plant and looking up the exact care instructions, you can avoid a huge range of potential pitfalls, from bud drop to pest and disease issues.
Check Your Lighting
Keep an eye on how much light your hibiscus is getting, especially during the winter. Hibiscus plants need a lot of sunlight to bloom. They will thrive best when grown in full sun to partial shade.
You may also wish to take an indoor hibiscus outside for the summer, although you must first harden it off.
Doing so will allow your hibiscus plant to have excellent growth and flower production.
Disease and Pest Control
It’s important to deal with any signs of insect infestation or infection quickly and decisively.
The faster you eliminate these problems, the less likely your plant’s buds and colorful blooms will suffer. You can use organic insecticides or fungicides once a week to address the problem. A liquid systemic insecticide will also work well in killing the larvae of the insect pests.
Taking proper care of your hibiscus plants will greatly reduce the risk of them becoming ill or attracting common pests, but there is always a small risk.
Consider using preventatives such as a neem soil soak to help your hibiscus plants deal with these problems as soon as they try to attack your plants.
Healthy Plant Diets
The exact NPK your hibiscus will need depends on the species or cultivar. Remember, they are heavy feeders, so you have to ensure you’re feeding them enough to prevent nutritional deficiencies.
However, a general rule is to give your plant a fertilizer with high potassium, moderate nitrogen, and low phosphorus. More on choosing the right hibiscus fertilizer.
One example of an NPK that can be used for certain hibiscus species is 17-4-24.
You may also need to supplement your hibiscus with calcium. This can easily be done using agricultural lime (AgLime) or eggshell tea.
Humidity Control
Be sure to check how much humidity your particular hibiscus plant will need.
You can check the humidity using a hygrometer (not to be confused with a hydrometer).
Likewise, smartwatches and many digital clocks can display the current humidity of your room.
If the humidity is too low, consider giving your hibiscus a pebble tray or its own personal humidifier.
Just be careful not to make it too humid, or a fungal infection might attack your hibiscus flower.
Practice Proper Watering Techniques
You should never water your plants based on a calendar, as there will be times they need more or less water.
You can test the amount of moisture in the soil by three methods: digitally, using the finger trick, or using a popsicle stick.
The finger technique takes advantage of the fact that the average adult index finger is approximately 1” inch long between each knuckle and the tip to the first knuckle.
This means your finger is a built-in 3” inch ruler. Simply stick it straight down in the soil to the desired depth, and if you feel dampness, it’s not time to water yet.
The exact depth you will need to check varies from one species to another, but most plants will need to be watered when the soil has dried to a depth of about 1″ to 2” inches.
The popsicle stick method works the same way as the finger method.
Make markings on the stick in ½” inch intervals to serve as a ruler.
Stick the popsicle stick straight down in the soil to the desired depth and allow it to sit for 20 minutes.
When you pull the stick back out, it will be darker where moisture is present.
Once you know it’s time to water your plants, you can use either the soak-and-dry method or the bottom-up method for great results every time.
For soak and dry, pour the water close to ground level nice and slow so the soil absorbs it instantly.
Work your way around the plant, going slowly and evenly until the ground begins to have trouble keeping up or you see moisture coming from the drainage holes.
For the bottom-up method, sit your potted plant in a shallow water tray and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes, adding water to the tray as needed.
The plant will be fully watered when the soil surface feels slightly damp. Remember to ensure evenly moist soil to prevent more hibiscus bud drops.
Preventing Sudden Environmental Shifts
It’s always best to give your hibiscus a little shelter from the west and north, so major weather changes are less likely to affect it.
Trees and other sources of shelter will help buffer against winds and other weather elements.
If you are expecting a sudden cold front or heat wave, consider bringing your hibiscus inside if you can.
Likewise, if you plan to take your hibiscus outside in warm weather, harden it off first.
This involves bringing it outside in a somewhat sheltered spot for an hour or two, then a little longer the next day, and so on, until the plant has had a chance to adjust to the changes.
Finally, always keep your indoor hibiscus plants away from sources of sudden drafts or temperature shifts, such as vents, air conditioners, or doors that are frequently opened and closed.
Final Notes
There are a lot of things that can lead to your hibiscus plant dropping of blooms, but don’t be intimidated.
Almost all of these causes can be avoided simply by properly caring for your hibiscus plant and doing any necessary research to ensure you know what your particular hibiscus plant needs.
Proper watering, feeding, pest control, and repotting a potted specimen regularly can reduce the risk of bud drop to practical nil, and your plant will thank you for it.
Studies have shown time and time again that having houseplants can help fight depression, and many also remove toxins from the air.
But having houseplants can get pretty expensive, and, let’s face it; the economy hasn’t been that great in the 21st century. This has led more and more indoor plant enthusiasts to consider reusing their old potting soil.
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Even a quality economy brand such as Miracle-Gro can get quite expensive when you consider replacing every houseplant’s soil every 2 to 3 years.
But we’ve often warned against reusing soil, so what happens when you find you have no other choice?
Should You Reuse Potting Soil?
Reusing your old potting soil isn’t ideal, but it’s not impossible.
Let’s go over when soil may be salvageable and how to recycle it safely.
Why You Shouldn’t Reuse Potting Soil
Four very important reasons we try to discourage reusing old soil.
The primary reason is that the soil is drained of its nutrients over time.
This is often solved in your garden soil by using a compost pile, planting nutrient-enriching crops such as peanuts, or allowing the land to fallow. However, using some of these methods on potting soil can be more difficult.
The second reason is an obvious one: the risk of pests or diseases. There’s always a risk that fungal spores, bacteria, or pest eggs have invaded the soil, especially in your container garden.
Considering these contaminants can sometimes survive for months or even years in the soil, the risk is quite high.
The third reason is a lot harder to spot but no less important. As you fertilize your plants (and especially if you’re using unfiltered tap water), various mineral salts get trapped in the soil.
These mineral salts will eventually become toxic to your plants. While you can flush the soil to remove them artificially, this also leaches nutrients from the soil.
Reusing the potting mix can cause these salts to continue building until they affect your plant’s health.
Finally, there’s the matter of soil compaction. When you first open a bag of potting mix, it will feel light and fluffy because it’s full of tiny air pockets.
Unfortunately, these air pockets collapse over time, causing the soil to compact.
In nature, worms and other little critters help restore these air pockets, but you don’t have that luxury with potted plants.
As a result, your plants will slowly lose an important source of oxygen and have more trouble absorbing nutrients.
Simply breaking up the potting soil before reusing it won’t restore that initial fluffiness, making your plants work harder to sustain themselves. So it’s better to use fresh potting mix, as it performs better.
Reasons You Might Choose to Reuse Potting Soil
So now that we’ve looked at the potential problems let’s think about why you might want to reuse that old soil.
The most obvious reason is budget. As we mentioned earlier, good potting soil isn’t cheap, even for economy brands.
The average potted plant will need to have its soil replaced every 2 to 3 years, with a handful of plants needing it every 4 years or as often as annually, depending on how fast they grow and how heavily they feed.
Even worse, you can’t just buy any old cheap brand because many skip the sterilization process to reduce costs.
Thus, you can either throw away this soil after one use and waste all that money, or you can find a way to recycle it and recoup some of those losses.
Another factor is also related to cost but has to do with amendments. Chances are, you’ve amended your potting soil with an aggregate, such as coarse sand, perlite, or vermiculite.
This adds to the amount of money wasted when you discard the soil, especially since these aggregates don’t lose their functionality over time.
The third reason is simply a matter of convenience. Going to a garden center for a single bag of soil can be annoying, and there’s a good chance you’ll end up spending more money on additional items to justify the trip.
And when you order online, there’s no guarantee the soil will arrive in good condition, not to mention having to either pay extra for overnight delivery or wait several days for it to arrive.
Moreover, you can reuse potting soil to fill the holes when cleaning up container plants. It also helps pasteurize and get rid of potential threats, including pathogens, weed seeds, and bug eggs.
Tips On Reusing Old Soil
So let’s say you’ve decided you want to try reusing the old soil for plants.
You can’t just toss the old soil in a new container and call it a day.
Instead, there are several important steps you’ll need to follow to recycle the used potting soil before it is ready for more healthy plants.
Step 1: Inspecting Soil for Reusability
So let’s take a moment to look at ways to tell if your soil can be recycled.
Inspecting the soil and keeping at least a mental record of the soil’s history is important.
Ask yourself the following questions:
Does the soil show signs of fungal infection (such as green or white discoloration of the soil surface)?
Does the soil smell rotten?
Has the plant suffered from insect infestation or disease issues?
If the plant has battled the disease, was it bacterial, fungal, or viral in nature?
How old is the potting soil?
If you answered yes to the first three, you would need to sterilize the potting mix if you want to reuse it, although this process can be less than pleasant.
For the fourth question, if the disease is viral, you will need to discard the soil.
If the disease is bacterial in nature, you may or may not be able to salvage the soil, so be sure to check up on whether the bacteria can be easily destroyed.
Moreover, if you got your potting soil from a dead plant, removing its roots from the potting soil and container is important.
Finally, the more you reuse potting soil, the less you’ll be able to restore it, so you should try to avoid recycling the soil for container use more than 2 to 3 times (although you can still recycle it to add to your garden bed after this).
Step 2: (Optional) Flushing the Soil
This simple step isn’t necessary but can make a difference over time.
Before you flush the soil. Make sure to let the potting soil dry out. Next, place the soil in a sterile container that has drainage holes.
Next, sit the container in your tub or shower and water it slowly so you see moisture seeping out of the holes.
Pause for a few hours until the water stops seeping, then pour more water on top of the soil (you don’t have to go as slowly this time).
Continue doing this a few times (a common practice is to use approximately 4 times the amount of water the container can hold in total) to ensure all mineral salts are flushed out.
Step 3: Sterilizing Old Potting Soil
This is an important part of recycling your potting soil, although many people choose to skip it and take their chances.
Their reasoning is that sterilization will also kill beneficial microbes or use organic materials such as worm castings.
However, we’ll be addressing this very issue later on.
Of course, sterilizing isn’t always fun, and it can get a bit smelly, but it’s a step you should try not to avoid.
There are two main methods of sterilizing your soil: baking and solarizing.
Baking
This method is popular because it’s fast, but it can make your house smell like baked dirt for a while.
Set your oven to between 180 and 200° degrees Fahrenheit.
Spread the potting soil out on a baking sheet and cover it with foil.
Bake it for 30 minutes (you may wish to use a meat thermometer to ensure the soil temperature has reached 180 and 200° degrees Fahrenheit before removing it).
Avoid going over 200° degrees Fahrenheit, as this can cause the soil to begin releasing toxic gasses.
Once the soil is up to temp, sit it somewhere so it can cool off completely,
Note that you can also use a microwave in a pinch.
Place the soil in a microwavable container with a vented lid and nuke it for 90 seconds for every 2 pounds of soil.
Remove the bowl and cover the vent holes with tape, then let it sit covered until it has completely cooled.
Solarization
This is much slower than baking, but the smell will at least be outside.
Place the soil in 5-gallon buckets, black plastic bags, or a lidded plastic container, and seal them tightly.
Sit the container in a warm, sunny spot where they’ll catch the midday heat.
Allow the container to bake in the sun for 4 to 6 weeks to cook out bacteria or microorganisms.
NOTE: This method is best done during the summer when the baking process will be most efficient.
Step 4: Restoring the Old Soil
You will need to do three key things to the soil before it can be reused: refresh, amend, and fertilize.
Refreshing
Take your sterile soil and break it up as much as possible, then run it through a fine sifter.
This will separate all of the old aggregate materials as well as any broken roots or other debris.
It will also help to restore some of that original fluffiness found in fresh soil.
If you so choose, you can pick through the larger debris to recycle some of the aggregate material.
Amending
There are two types of soil amendment you will need to add to the soil for reuse
The first is an organic material, which can be organic compost, peat moss, orchid bark, or similar amendments.
The organic material should account for ⅓ of the final soil composition for most plants.
Unless you’re using compost, a good potting soil mix would include mostly orchid bark or coconut coir with a little bit of charcoal and either peat (for more acidity) or sphagnum (for more neutrality) moss.
Meanwhile, you’ll also want 1/3 of your soil mix to be an aggregate.
Aggregates improve drainage, help reduce soil compaction, and can include coarse sand, fine gravel, perlite, or vermiculite.
Fertilizing
Finally, unless you amend using organic compost, you’ll need to give the soil an initial fertilization to help restore lost nutrients.
Ideally, you should perform a soil test to find the soil pH and nutrient levels, then fertilize accordingly to make the soil quality appropriate for the plant you intend to give it to.
However, in a pinch, you can use a balanced houseplant fertilizer, slow release fertilizer, or some worm castings to help bring back the nutrient content. Other popular alternatives include liquid fertilizer or organic fertilizer.
Step 5: Reusing Your Old Soil
Finally, your recycled potting soil is ready for use.
After adding the soil to a sterile container, keep an eye on the plant for any signs of nutrient deficiency and further amend the soil as needed.
You should achieve a healthy balance for the plant within a month or two after reusing the clean potting soil.
Final Notes
Reusing old potting soil isn’t ideal, but it can be done with a little time and dedication.
However, each time you reuse the soil, it will become increasingly less viable. Reused old potting soil is known to become more acidic over time, so it’s best to grow acid-loving plants to raise the pH.
Regardless, this means you will want to discard the recycled soil after 2 to 3 reuses or recycle it into the garden compost pile where nature will use it.
Soil amendment is crucial to enhance your garden soil and ensure your plants get the right nutrients.
Greensand is an organic fertilizer which improves the mineral and nutrient content, as well as the overall plant health. It also prevents the occurrence of disease and pests.
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This fertilizer is composed of the mineral glauconite and includes a sufficient amount of potash.
However, you can mix greensand into your soil along with other additives to get a complete and balanced nutrient mix.
Greensand is created in anoxic marine environments like New Jersey’s late-Cretaceous deposits in the United States.
It is OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) listed for organic matter production and uses, making it an ideal choice for organic gardening.
What is Greensand?
Greensand is a type of sand that naturally occurring iron potassium silicate, which is harvested from ocean floors to use as a soil conditioner because the moisture is better than the regular sand.
It is made with phosphoric acid, iron oxide, marine potash, lime, magnesia, silica, and other trace minerals. It gets its green color due to its high amount of mineral content.
It helps in loosening the heavy soils and enhancing drainage while improving the quantity of potassium and other micro-nutrients.
It is widely used as an amendment for organic soil, however, application rates depend on the soil conditions.
The slow release of phosphate and potash doesn’t burn any plants, and its minerals improve the moisture retention of the soil.
Since it is loaded with glauconite, it is one of the top certified organic sources of potassium.
Why Is Glauconite Greensand Used?
While Greensand is a fertilizer, it doesn’t provide nutrients to the plants directly, like other lawn fertilizers.
It works by enhancing the soil structure and improving the nutrients and water retention of the soil.
As a result, you don’t have to fertilize and water the plants too often.
Greensand accumulates minerals when it is formed as marine sediment, which makes it an excellent source of potassium.
The slow release of minerals prevents root burn, which is generally caused by other stronger fertilizers.
Benefits of Greensand
Green Sand is also an ideal plant food used by numerous gardeners to improve the quality of clay and sandy soils.
For clay soil, it loosens the hard soil, enables more efficient water drainage, and encourages oxygen circulation. Compost will also loosen heavy clay soil and improve its drainage and texture.
For sandy soil, it reduces the frequency of water drainage and increases the retention of nutrients and moisture.
Best of all, Greensand is safe for the entire garden. It isn’t toxic to humans and pets, and you’re able to use it without the need to wear gloves.
This fertilizer doesn’t disrupt or harm the beneficial microorganisms in the garden soil, making it bio-available for any garden.
How to Use Greensand?
Greensand is not water-soluble and breaks up in the soil.
You must apply it directly to the soil without mixing it with water.
It should be applied during the spring season, either as an all-purpose fertilizer or as a soil amendment.
The quantity of Greensand depends on how and where you want to use it.
Moreover, it is also dependent on the way each manufacturer made it.
Some include sand in the Greensand mixture, which might affect the overall product’s strength.
Moreover, the existing quality of the soil should also be considered before determining the amount of Greensand fertilizer to use.
Typically, the Greensand is used in the following way:
Trees and plants – Add two cups of greensand to the soil around the trees and plants
Houseplants and Container gardens – add two tablespoons for each gallon of potting soil you use
Bushes – combine 1/3 cup for each bush when fertilizing or planting
Lawns – combine 16 pounds of Greensand for every 1,000 square feet
Vegetable and flower gardens – add 30 pounds for each 1,000 square feet
Broadcast application – use around 50 to 100 pounds of Greensand for every 1,000 square feet of soil
After the soil amendment with Greensand in the first year, you should reduce the frequency.
It is better to use 1 to 2 pounds for every 100 square feet if the soil still requires amendment.
This means the addition of greensand to your single-use soil is a complete waste of time and money.
Greensand is also used for plants sensitive to strong fertilizers as it is gentle and doesn’t cause any damage to those plants.
Over-application of Greensand isn’t a cause of concern as it is not hot enough to result in any burns.
You may also use it for potted plants, but it is only beneficial to enhance the condition of the soil.
Its slow-release nature won’t be rapid enough to improve the potassium in the potted plants.
You should include vermiculite, perlite, or coconut coir for potted plants for better results.
EACH YEAR, the powers that be in the horticulture industry declare what the trends are, what color is in, and what design styles we’re all meant to adhere to—and what plant is hot, or not. Dr. Jared Barnes and I beg to differ, and have decided to do some trend declarations of our own, from big, bold perennials (like Baptisia, silhouetted in the morning light, above) to why you should learn to propagate and share some plants. More in a moment. But first, these messages.
Jared is an associate professor of horticulture at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, and the creator of the “Planted” blog and e-newsletter, and the monthly “Plantastic Podcast.” He’s been gardening since about age 5, and I was glad to chat with him, to do some forecasting together.
Read along as you listen to the February 27, 2023 edition of my public-radio show and podcast using the player below. You can subscribe to all future editions on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
naming our own garden trends, with jared barnes
Margaret Roach: Hello, Jared. We have so many friends in common, and plants in common [laughter].
Jared Barnes: Yes, definitely. And I also want to say thank you so much for all that you put into the world to make the world more plantastic.
Margaret: Well, ditto.
Jared: So, I appreciate it.
Margaret: I’ve been subscribing to your e-newsletter, which I enjoy very much, and reading more and more of your blog, so it’s mutual. A little background, you just tell us quickly: You teach horticulture. Where do you garden? Do you have a garden, a home garden?
Jared: Sure. I live in East Texas. I am a professor at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. We’re a nice school. We’ve got about 12,000 students. And of those, we have a lot of students that are interested in plants. I also oversee our horticulture program, and our student botanic garden, the Plantery, where we attract and bring in passionate, talented students, to help us celebrate plants with the community. It’s definitely fun.
I live about 20 minutes outside of town, and my wife and I have a 2-1/2 acre homestead called Ephemera Farm, where we celebrate the small moments of life that make life worth living. We’ve got beautiful wildflowers that bloom in the spring, the stalwarts of summer, and then of course fall interest that leads into winter interest as well too. We’ve lived there about five, six years now. It’s definitely been fun to start from scratch, bare soil, and build a garden from that.
Margaret: Nothing lasts. And holding on too tight, pretending it will, is not going to get you anywhere [laughter].
In the intro, I promised we’d announced Jared and Margaret’s 2023 garden trends [laughter]. The heck with the industry’s list. Not really; there’s plenty of good ones on the industry list. It’s just that I have other things I want to shout out to people, and I know you do too. But maybe we should start by predicting that you can’t predict the weather anymore [laughter]. Last week, between Saturday and Saturday I was minus 14 and plus 54. And I think you Texans have had some disturbing cold snaps yourself, yes?
Jared: We have. Two years ago at our house… In fact it’s been, it’s basically now two year anniversary because it was Valentine’s Day weekend. We got down to negative 6 degrees Fahrenheit. And at our house in East Texas, we live a little outside of the town. Here in town it was only negative 3. But the thing to take away from that is that we’re normally zone 8b, and we were 6a for at least eight hours. We were below zero for at least eight hours because I checked before I went to bed at midnight, and it was already below zero.
And then back before Christmas, we were 9 degrees Fahrenheit. I definitely see that as we go forward in the future, we’re going to have to start thinking about plants that are more resilient. For us here in East Texas, we’ve got a lot of broadleaf evergreens that have now had two rough winters out of three years. And last winter we had a very dry spell, so a lot of our spring ephemerals took a long time to emerge. I thought it was going to be forever until bloodroot emerged. Trying to find plants that are more resilient in landscapes is definitely something we’re going to have to look more into.
Margaret: A trend I know that we both want to see come true, because I’ve read again, your blog and newsletter and so forth, is big perennials. Tell me about some of your big perennials. What’s a big perennial?
Jared: Well, a big perennial is a plant that achieves some mass throughout some point in the growing season. This could be early on, and for me, I do try to strive to have some of those in my garden, like Baptisia alba [above]. Some of the baptisias, we have actually baptisias here in Texas that get 6, 7 feet tall easily.
In April, when the garden is just getting up and getting going, having that early mass is really good. But the other thing, too, is that with these big perennials, I think especially with more interest in naturalistic design and doing this design plant communities, we need these primary plants, these anchors in the landscape, to make sure that we have interest, and things that we can kind of hold throughout the season, so that way people have multiseason interest on some of these species. So that’s one of the reasons I love Baptisia so much is that, you get those early spring flowers, you then have this stemmy mass of plant tissue that lasts on into the fall. For us in East Texas, baptisias tend to start going dormant actually in early September. They start to fade away then. But then you’re left with these beautiful pods that are left behind for winter interest.
And the other thing, too, that I love about these is that I don’t think a lot of people appreciate this about Baptisia and the wild indigos, but they have this tumbleweed action, where when we get those stiff December winds that start coming through, Baptisia will start breaking off at the base, and kind of tumble.
Margaret: Oh, how funny [laughter].
Jared: I know. It’s a brilliant seed dispersal mechanism. So it’s a great way to spread your seeds around, just tumble along and just every time you hit the ground, knock a few out.
Margaret: Cool. I started with big perennials maybe 35 years ago, was what I was most attracted to. With big foliage like for us Astilboides[above], and its relative, Rodgersia. And I have a late bloomer, you were just talking about a big bold thing that happens early, which is wonderful. But Lespedeza thunbergii, the bush clover, and that could just get to be this massive, almost looks like a shrub, but it’s herbaceous. It can be purple or white flowers, and the insects really love it and so forth.
The native goat’s beard that we have, and I don’t know how far south it goes, Aruncus dioicus, or however you say it. Boy, that gets to be also like a shrub. And we have a native spikenard, Aralia racemosa, that also it takes on shrub stature, and flowers and fruits and so forth, big insect attractor, a native. It takes on shrub stature even though it’s herbaceous and dies to the ground in the winter here.
So yeah, those are some great ones. And then there’s one from the Pacific Northwest and Northern California. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it, Darmera peltata.
Jared: I’ve heard of it.
Margaret: Oh my goodness. These umbrellas on these giant stems, almost like, well over thigh, maybe hip high, and these big green umbrellas on top, and just really fun. So yeah, lots of good, big… I love, that’s my thing, is big perennials. Definitely.
Jared: Awesome. And then another one that I love here is Rudbeckia maxima. Giant cone flower. And so for us in East Texas is actually a four-season plant, because for us, it never truly goes dormant in the wintertime, even if it gets knocked back pretty hard. So you have that beautiful glaucous green-blue foliage throughout most of the wintertime to enjoy. [Above, the bold foliage of R. maxima in a bed at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.]
Margaret: No, I don’t, Jared [laughter].
Jared: Well, at least we do. At least we do. So I grew up in Tennessee, and even for my parents, it would die back to the ground every year and reemerge in the spring. But for us, a lot of times when we do our January mow backs and cutbacks, we’ll already got foliage up, and we’ll just cut it to the ground and it pops back up. But I was amazed how thick it gets in the ditches here. There’s ditches out by where I live, and literally it’s just solid Rudbeckia maxima for probably a hundred feet. So yes.
Margaret: We have the big Joe-Pye weeds late in the season as well. And we have a Vernonia, an ironweed, which even is called New York ironweed, Vernonia noveboracensis. And that gets to be whoa, like way tall. Yeah. Fun bloomer. So lots of those prairie-ish plants, prairie plants that are statuesque, too.
So big plants, we want to say to people, “Put them into your landscape because they give a different visual impact.” They break it up, don’t they?
Jared: Yeah, they do. They definitely provide some oomph in your landscape. So if you have big perennials, some things to think about are, a lot of times people like to locate them more towards the back of beds, or the back of plantings, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t put one up front for impact. so it’s almost like a random planting.
And the other thing too is that, some of them do respond to early season cutback, where you go in and just cut the foliage down, maybe do that Chelsea Chop. And then that can help to prevent some floppage later on in the growing season.
Margaret: Yeah. So here, the reason it’s called Chelsea Chop is because it is usually done in the UK around the time of the Chelsea Flower Show in May.
Jared: Exactly.
Margaret: So it’s like when things are partway up, you cut them back maybe by a half or a third. And it works great for things like a lot of the aster relatives and even Sedum, the big tall sedums, and lots of other things. So, you get a little later the bloom begins, but a little bushier, and a little less tall of a height. Yeah?
Jared: Yes. And then the other thing too that we deal with here in the Deep South is that because we do have such a long growing season and things can get so dry, we tend to start having plants that show what they call “the nekkid knees” [laughter], where it’s like, it’s kind of knee height and lower, waist height and lower, you have basically open stem tissue, and it is a lot of times crinkly, almost dead foliage. And so sometimes a nice cutback in May stunts that plant back-
Margaret: I see.
Jared: … and makes it fuller and bushier, so that way it can grow better and then look more cleaner, later on in the growing season.
Margaret: So we could talk about big plants for a long time, but let’s just move on. When we emailed and communicated the other day, you were predicting a few other hot trends of 2023 [laughter]. What else do you have on your list?
Jared: Well, one of the things that on the list was carnivorous plants. Because I don’t know if this has ever been on a trends list, but they are hot, because one of the things I love about working with students is that you can always see what people gravitate toward, and what they’re very interested in.
And so some of the more tropical pitcher plants like Nepenthes, but then of course we can’t forget our natives as well, too. And so, one of the things we’re working on here is trying to get more diversity of some of our native species, like Sarracenia alata, which is one of our native pitcher plants, Sarracenia rosea, getting seed of these, and then actually teaching students how to germinate them, and then grow them on. Because if you’ve got carnivorous plants, they sell hotcakes, as the plethora of people on Instagram can share and talk about.
Margaret: Yes, it’s definitely a collector’s thing. It’s like this… And even as a “houseplant,” even as an offshoot of the houseplant craze, there are people who are… like that great nursery, California Carnivores, that’s been in business forever, out on the West Coast. And they sell them not just for planting out in the landscape. But they’re great for making, if you have a wet area of your garden, like a boggy kind of area, or really wonderful for those types of spots in the garden as well, or for creating that type of a spot, a little poolish kind of boggy spot. [Above, Sarracenia ‘Dixie Lace’.]
Jared: And I’ve actually seen people too, just dig out a hole in their landscape, paint a kiddie pool black, and then set that down into the soil, and then actually fill that with a peat moss/sand mix and then just plant the carnivorous plants directly into that. So you just got to keep it moist. But there’s a lot of really creative ways about how people can integrate those into their landscapes, especially the native ones.
Margaret: So that’s like a faux bog.
Jared: Yeah, exactly.
Margaret:[Laughter.] A trompe l’oeil bog made out of kiddie pool. That’s a good idea.
Jared: Yeah, yeah. It’s a faux bog. Yeah.
Margaret: Yeah. There’s such important parts of certain native habitats, and yet their territory in the world has been abused and lost and so forth. Seeing them in nature is pretty amazing.
Jared: Yeah, and that’s part of the wonder of plants is I feel like all gardeners need to play a role in trying to conserve, and rescue, and be part of. And that doesn’t mean go out and dig plants up in the wild, but whenever you find them available in the trade, definitely making a little pocket area of our gardens, for some of these more extreme specialists, that need more specific types of conditions to grow in.
Margaret: Yeah. So what else is on your list?
Jared: Well, another one that I have on the list is, I think that this could be the year of cover crops.
Margaret: Oh, really [laughter]?
Jared: Because, I think we need to teach people that, you need to be thinking about keeping the ground covered. And this is one of the principles of naturalistic design, but it’s also, I think, one of the principles that needs to be in vegetable gardens. And Mother Nature hates bare soil. She does. And so, if we are taking advantage of cover crops to go in there and plant in our gardens where we’ve got open spots, then I think that we’re more aching to help capture carbon, provide habitat for pollinators and early beneficials, fix problems in the soil, maybe fix nitrogen. There’s evidence that some of the mustard plants can also have high levels of sulfur, that can help deal with pathogens in the soil.
Margaret: Yes, they can. Yes.
Jared: And the other thing too is that, I learned about cover crops from reading Eliot Coleman’s book, “The New Organic Grower.”
Margaret: Me, too.
Jared: So this is an idea I’ve have for a long time. But I think we’d also cover the soil, too, in our gardens where we have things like bluebonnets. In Texas, we have bluebonnets that seed themselves around, and there’s other native wildflowers out there that are these ruderals like Aquilegia, the columbines, and Gaillardia. A lot of people think Gaillardia is a perennial, but really it’s more of this short-lived perennial, a little bit longer-lived annual. And so having these plants that are kind of self-sowing themselves in around our beds… cardinal flower, Lobelia. That’s another great one as well, too, for wet spots.
So having these plants that if there’s disturbance or the soil is disturbed in some way, that we can come in and bring into the landscape or the garden, to cover that soil, you’re also helping to prevent your weed issues.
Margaret: Yeah. I’m much older than you are, and I’m leaning more now toward… I was always a cover crop, green manure, type of person, and that’s how I did my vegetable beds every year and so forth, and turned it in. And I’m leaning now toward more no-dig, where I’m topdressing with compost without disturbing the soil in the fall, and putting the beds to sleep that way and so forth. But they’re very established and the soil’s very good. And that constant topdressing with the compost also works itself in almost passively in a way. Yeah. So, but that’s interesting. So cover crops, because I’ve used a lot of them over the years [laughter].
Jared: Yes. Definitely on that. But there’s also winter cover crops that just winter kill. So cowpeas is a great ones.
Margaret: They are great.
Jared: It’s a little bit stemmy, but winter kill. And then like you said, you can put compost on top, and then don’t dig again.
Margaret: Right, right. Exactly. O.K., so cover crops, carnivorous plants, big perennials. I think you like fragrance. Like my friend, Ken Druse, I think you’re a lover of fragrance.
Jared: I very much am. And I was recently speaking in Atlanta, and I forgot how a lot of these fragrant plants are at the Atlanta Botanic Garden. They have Lonicera fragrantissima [above], and they have Edgeworthia chrysantha there. And I’ve got some of these plants in my landscape, but they’re just small plants. But. I did grad school at N.C. State, and visited frequently the J.C. Raulston Arboretum. And that’s one of the things that I loved in the wintertime is when everything is dead and dormant, or just emerging, you have all these winter fragrant plants that come out in the landscape, like Prunus mume, the flowering apricot, and others.
I know it has some tenderness up your way, but Chimonanthus praecox, wintersweet, those flowers are just so intense. But even later on in the growing season, sweet peas, I finally figured out how to grow sweet peas in East Texas.
Margaret: Amazing.
Jared: You just got to start them in November, and then they overwinter. So it works beautifully. And then there are other plants that are fragrant as well, too, later on in the year.
Margaret: I have that Lonicera fragrantissima. I have a very large plant of it. And actually our mutual friend, Bob Hyland, when he had a nursery not far from me, he gave me that plant. And mine is, oh gosh, it’s probably 10 feet tall, and it’s outside my front gate-
Jared: Oh, excellent.
Margaret: … in the late winter. If you park your car in my driveway, you’ll smell it [laughter]. Or if you go to open or close the gate, you’ll smell it.
So, in the name of time, I want to just make sure we have a little time for some talk about foodscaping, because I know that’s something that… I really don’t know that much about it exactly. How to go about it, but I know you steward this food garden there at the university called Sprout [above], and other things. So, that’s one of your things that you’d like more of us to know about in 2023 and beyond, yes?
Jared: Most definitely, yes. Because I think growing our own food, there is something about raising your own food that makes you feel alive. It makes you feel connected to the world around you, because even when things are going terrible… And this is something fascinating: I actually found an article years ago that showed that pretty much every downturn in society from depressions, to wars, you typically see a gardening increase after that.
And so, that’s one of the things that we see is that there’s something about growing your own food. So like you alluded to, we have the Sprout Garden here at the university. When I came, our enrollment numbers were down, and my boss was saying, “I want you to basically figure out how we can try to increase enrollment.” And so I knew how important growing food was for students. And so, we overhauled part of the area here around the ag building, that eventually became the Plantery, our student botanic garden. But we overhauled it, and turned it into an edible garden, where we teach students how to grow plants, small scale.
We typically do it more… We teach them small scale, because you can scale that up to any size. We teach it on a small 6,000-square-foot garden. But they could scale that up to do what Conor Crickmore does at Neversink Farm. Or they could go take that knowledge and apply it to rooftop garden, like Brooklyn Grange.
So I think we’ve got to figure out how to grow plants in small areas, not using plastic, and plasticulture, if you want to go the route of using the landscape fabric to keep things down. Now, ours is a little bit more of a production garden, but what you’re talking about foodscaping is of course integrating plants into the landscape that then have some edible component to them.
And I will tell you, too, whenever I go out and give talks, this is a common question people have is, “How can I integrate more edibles?” And so, I think we can come at it a couple different ways. One is to look at some of these plants that are edible, that have ornamental characteristics. One of my favorite ornamentals to use in the landscape are blueberries.
Margaret: Me, too. That’s so funny. Me, too.
Jared: Yeah. And I love them because they have the beautiful flowers in the spring. They’re small, but they’re still beautiful and can be enjoyed. They’re native. And then of course they produce the beautiful blueberries afterwards that you can then pick, or the birds can try to pick them first. And then in the fall, here at least, in East Texas, and I’ve seen up too in the mountains of North Carolina, oh my goodness, blueberries turn this just crimson red.
Margaret: Here, too. The red color is unrivaled by any other plant, I think. It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable. [Above, fall foliage on lowbush blueberry.]
Jared: And we even have red stems on them that last throughout the wintertime, too. So finding woodies that we can integrate that have… So again, going back to some of these other episodes that you’ve done, on uncommon fruits with Lee Reich; I believe you did with that one. And so looking for those woodies.
But then for the edibles, we can also think of things… One of the tricks I learned from my friend, Brie Arthur, who wrote the book on foodscaping is, you can take shrubs, and use them as trellises for tomatoes, or pea vines, things like that, so that you’re basically integrating, finding those small patches.
So again, it goes back to this concept: Mother Nature hates bare soil, and how can we figure out ways? One of the things, too, that we did whenever I started here at the university is, we did a Swiss chard trial. And I think people thought I was a little bit crazy, but the reason we did it is because Swiss chard is beautiful. It’s ornamental, it’s edible-
Margaret: It is.
Jared: … it survives the winter [in Texas], and so why not research which ones grow best? And now I think that that is definitely coming full circle because when millennials and young people go into garden centers, they are asking the question, “Show me plants that do a little bit of everything.” So when we’re looking at foodscaping, that’s our goal is to find the little pockets and holes, and also start small. It can seem a little bit overwhelming to suddenly try to overhaul your whole landscape to make it edible, but start small, make some small impacts on things, and tuck in more rosemary and chives.
And the other thing, too, is that a lot of times we have ornamental beds around our house already, and we’re around that area close in proximity to the house. So that way, it’s not a big issue if you need to run out for some thyme, or some herbs-
Margaret: Yeah. I promised at the beginning, one of the things we both want to put forth is that people think about propagating and sharing plants, is there some advice you want to give us quickly about that ethic?
Jared: I would love to. I would love to. So I argue that we are incredible propagators of plants, but one of the things that we need to do better about is figure out how to propagate more gardeners. And so, a couple of the principles that I teach people is: 1, you have to sow wonder. So when a seed goes to germinate, it takes in water, it imbibes water. And just like us, pretty much every gardener out there has had some experience of wonder in their life where they’ve experienced something that connected them to the natural world.
And so we’ve got to be making sure that we share stories about plants, because cultural information is important, but it’s actually the stories that connect people to plants.
We’ve also got to make sure that we’re helping amateur gardeners take root. And so we’ve got to make sure that we’re connecting the value of plants and that we’re not leading them astray. That’s one of the things that I focus on, too, is making sure that the information we’re sharing is truthful and accurate, because you see way too many information that’s out there.
For example, one of the things I teach my students is that some people say like, “Well, there’s male bell peppers, and there’s female bell peppers.” No. Because, bell peppers contain seed, and that seed comes from female placental tissue. So we’ve got to make sure we’re accurate.
And the last thing I want to say too is just that we’ve got to figure out ways to graft interest together. So that means connecting plants with art, connecting plants with music, with food, with beauty, with health.
And the other thing, too, that we’ve got to do is that we’ve got to have fun with plants. I think that too often, gardeners make plants boring, and they do it because they plant meatballs, or they just kind of throw some stuff in to fill a landscape. But we’ve got to remember that we share this planet with incredible organisms that transform the world, and we’ve got to celebrate them more.
Margaret: Well, Jared Barnes, a good place to finish, and I hope we’re going to talk again soon. I know I learn a lot from each of your newsletters and so forth, and your blog, and the podcast. And thank you for making time today. Thanks for sharing all these ideas. I’ll talk to you again soon.
Jared: Yes, Margaret, it was a true joy. I really appreciate you inviting me on. And until next time, keep growing.
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MY WEEKLY public-radio show, rated a “top-5 garden podcast” by “The Guardian” newspaper in the UK, began its 13th year in March 2022. It’s produced at Robin Hood Radio, the smallest NPR station in the nation. Listen locally in the Hudson Valley (NY)-Berkshires (MA)-Litchfield Hills (CT) Mondays at 8:30 AM Eastern, rerun at 8:30 Saturdays. Or play the February 27, 2023 show using the player near the top of this transcript. You can subscribe to all future editions on iTunes/Apple Podcasts or Spotify or Stitcher (and browse my archive of podcasts here).
Graptopetalum Amethystinum is an unusual flower and succulent plant species that look like moon rocks with a powdery coating.
Graptopetalum amethystinum – Lavender Pebbles belongs to the genus Graptopetalum in the Crassulaceae family, and it is native to west-central Mexico and the United States. It is related to Echeveria.
PinGraptopetalum amethystinum with lovely shades of lavender pink and green leaves with a powdery coating.
The Amethystinum Graptopetalum has lovely shades of lavender pink and green leaves with a powdery coating that can be seen in any succulent garden.
The fleshy leaves of this plant are plump and it has rounded leaves, just like the Pachyphytum Oviferum plant (moonstones), but in lovely shades of lavender, pink, and green in color.
The common names for Graptopetalum Amethystinum [Grap-toh-PET-al-um, Am-eth-ee-STEE-num] include in the garden:
Lavender Pebbles
Jewel Leaf Plant
Wine Coolers
Jewel Leaf Plant
Wedding Almond
Synonym: Echeveria amethystina
Graptopetalum Amethystinum Plant Care
Size & Growth
The Graptopetalum Amethystinum is known for its chubby leaves with round tips instead of the usual pointy ones seen in most succulents.
The shades of rose and lavender are strongest among the new rounded leaves, while the older leaves become greenish.
Rubbing off its powdery coating makes the shades more vivid. Be careful, though, because the leaves of this spoon or egg-shaped rosette are easily knocked off.
The stems will easily break, particularly when the rosette becomes droopy as long as the plant will spill over the pot.
Trim regularly and re-root this plant.
Flowering and Fragrance
The genus Graptopetalum produces a beautiful, star-shaped flower.
They bloom in spring with hexagonal flowers in a beautiful color and it produced in large quantities during the spring season.
The color is more vivid and the larger plant is more beautiful and compact under the environment of long light time and certain temperature differences.
Light & Temperature
Lavender Pebbles (G. Amethystinum) prefer the full sun, which enhances their strong, full growth.
It also tolerates partial sun. Placing the plant in full and direct sunlight produces a bold and intense coloration of the leaves compared to being placed in partial shade.
During harsh summers, bright light but partial shade is recommended. Keep in mind that this plant starts turning soft and light yellow when it receives too much sun.
Although this occurrence is rare, moving the plant to a spot with less light is best.
Similar to Echeveria plants, these plants are known to be tender succulents.
They perform best in warmer climates and are not cold hardy like some Sedums and Sempervivums.
Nonetheless, these are still rather tough plants, and most of the genus may survive temperatures down to 20° degrees Fahrenheit (-7° C). The USDA hardiness zones of this plant are 9a – 11.
You can maintain the humidity of your Graptopetalum amethystinum by misting it with a spray bottle three times a week or using a humidifier.
The ideal humidity levels for Lavender Pebbles are about 40% during the summer and 30-40% in winter.
Watering and Feeding
These succulent plants have thicker and healthy leaves that can store water internally, which means they can survive without excess water for a longer duration.
However, this plant needs moisture to grow optimally, so it requires a little watering but don’t sit in wet soil too long.
Check the soil if there is excess moisture, and check the water if it feels dry. Let the soil absorb the water and recheck the moisture level after a few hours.
Water more frequently during the summer months, cutting the water drastically in the winter. Overwatering will lead to root rot.
You can drain the existing pot and wait for it to dry, or repot it in new, dry soil.
Make sure you only give this cactus succulent enough water until there is barely any excess moisture on top of the surface -otherwise, it may rot and die.
Feed with a liquid succulent fertilizer throughout its growing period, during the late summer and early spring seasons. Provide minimal water during the winter months.
Soil & Transplanting
For healthy plants, provide Amethystinum with a moist, fresh potting mix for optimal growth, and place it in an area with plenty of sunlight.
These succulent plants are often planted in succulent gardens and used in wedding floral and special arrangements.
The Wedding Almond looks beautiful in a hanging planter as it tends to spill around the edges, trailing along the ground.
This plant’s silvery, pale leaves look striking when growing in a moonlight garden, as they reflect the light of the moon during the nighttime. The sight is truly stunning!
Quiet needn’t be boring. Remodelista editors shared examples of muted design this week—and each is effortlessly stunning. Plus: Kitchen of the Week: A Creative Couple’s Ikea Hack in Black and White, Tiled Pantry Included Object of Desire: A Wooden Tray Made from Fallen Trees 10 Easy Pieces: Modern Deck-Mounted Bath Faucets Steal This Look: An […]
Squirrels might be fascinating to watch run around your garden, but they can quickly become a nuisance if you notice your vegetables vanishing and your outdoor space becoming a mess. So, what should a gardener do? Simply choose to live beside these furry friends?
Fortunately, no! There are several methods for keeping these creatures out of your garden. Read on to discover everything there is to know about squirrels, including 9 ways to keep squirrels out of your garden.
Squirrels Are Natural Foragers
Squirrels like a variety of garden plants, including flowers, vegetables, and fresh fruits. They have been known to be so tenacious that they will pick apples from trees, tomatoes from vines, and even geraniums from window boxes.
Squirrels Stock Up For Winter
Although squirrels can be a problem in gardens all year, their peak season is in late summer and early fall. Gardeners may grow especially impatient with these critters during this time. What begins as sporadic stealing rapidly transforms into foraging as squirrels attempt to save up for the upcoming winter.
Squirrels sleep during the winter but do not completely hibernate. As a result, the food supplies in their underground pantries become critical to their winter survival.
Squirrels Are Pesky Ransackers
Gray squirrels, in particular, have been observed to have hoarding behaviors in order to live. They ransack their surroundings and conceal it across their territory for safekeeping and later retrieval.
These squirrels collect a variety of common garden items, such as insects, mushrooms, berries, fruit, bark, nuts, pinecones, acorns, and sunflower seeds. It wouldn’t surprise me if these squirrels stole some flower bulbs or bird eggs as well.
Moreover, squirrels do not simply dig up your garden for the purpose of survival. These pests will sometimes destroy your flowerbeds for their own pleasure.
Squirrels Migrate Indoors
Not only do you have to worry about the plants in your yard, but if you have squirrels in the vicinity, you must also be aware of their need for shelter during the colder months. When squirrels prepare to rest for the winter, they may seek out warmer environments in the autumn. If you have squirrels in your yard, it’s natural to think they’ll want to get into your house to survive the winter.
You may discourage squirrels from looking for food in your home by keeping any branches that fall near your roof trimmed at all times. You should also install a mesh barrier across your chimney to prevent any sneaky rodents from entering your home through that exterior entry point. Seal up any other entry points around your home, just like you would with rodents.
If a squirrel gets down your chimney or into your attic, you’ll want to make sure it can get out. For obvious reasons, you do not want the squirrel to perish inside your home. If you believe the squirrel is trapped, you should give it with an escape path, which could include hanging a rope down your chimney.
If everything else fails, you may always contact your local animal control for assistance with your squirrel problem. If you have a squirrel in your home for a few weeks, you’ll quickly realize that you don’t just have an issue with one squirrel, but with its entire family. Coping with a larger squirrel infestation can be tough and expensive.
Signs Of Squirrels In Your Garden
You may have just observed some new activity in your garden that you are unsure of. These are some signs that you might have squirrels visiting you during the day.
Partially Eaten Flowers
Squirrels aren’t simply after seeds, fruits, and vegetables in your garden. They also like flowers and other vegetation. Daisy blooms are a popular choice among the squirrel population, but it’s not uncommon to discover other flowers partially chewed throughout your garden if you have a squirrel problem. A squirrel is most likely to blame if you notice blossoms with half of the petals and much of the center missing.
Container Digging
If you notice that your flower, herb, or vegetable containers are constantly being dug into, you most certainly have a squirrel problem. Squirrels will bury items across your yard space in an attempt to hide their merchandise. They will sometimes totally uproot young vegetable pots in order to find a safe area for their food store.
Nibbled Seedheads
Squirrels love flattened and ripened seed heads. Squirrels will frequently nibble from the outside in. This is particularly true of sunflowers.
Missing Plants
It’s not uncommon to come upon the remains of small seedlings strewn across your soil. Squirrels may even steal your newly planted bulbs or tree buds in some cases. The same is true for the leaves of your prized perennials.
Bite Marks
Missing fruits and vegetables are a telltale sign that a squirrel is reaping the benefits of your hard work in the garden, but they won’t always take the entire thing. Sometimes you’ll find a single bite mark in fruits or vegetables that have been left behind in your garden beds. Tomatoes, eggplants, cucumbers, squash, and beans are popular garden treats for squirrels.
Shallow Digging
If you notice golf-ball-sized or smaller holes in your planting beds, squirrels are most likely digging in your garden. Squirrels are drawn to newly planted seedbeds even more since they enjoy digging out the seeds for food. If you notice anything other than your own planting hole, it’s most certainly the work of a squirrel.
Identifying Squirrels
If you’ve seen the signs in your yard, you’ll probably start looking more closely to see what critters are to blame. You’ll want to be sure you know how to tell a squirrel apart from other small rodents.
The common gray squirrel is the most common squirrel found in yards around the country. Despite its name, squirrels come in a variety of colors, including gray, light brown, tan, dark brown, and even black. The underside of the squirrel is usually a lighter hue.
The body of a common gray squirrel is 8 to 11 inches long, with a long puffy tail extending an extra 8 to 10 inches. These animals can weigh between 16 and 24 ounces.
Now that you know how to recognize these pesky critters, it’s time to work on keeping squirrels out of your garden.
1. Removing Things
One of the first steps toward keeping squirrels out of your garden is to get rid of the things that attract them in the first place. Squirrels will be drawn to your garden by a combination of sight and smell, such as seeds, dropped nuts and fruit, and bulb debris. Clear up these items as soon as possible, and keep your birdfeeders as tidy as possible.
Additional items, such as trash cans that will hold all of the materials you are cleaning up in your yard, should always have lids that fit snugly. You don’t want to have to chase squirrels out of your trash cans.
2. Repelling Them
There are a few tactics and homemade recipes you may use to keep squirrels out of your garden. Numerous recipes call for hot peppers (such as cayenne pepper or chili peppers), apple cider vinegar, peppermint oil, coffee grounds, or a mix of these components.
If you use this strategy to keep squirrels out of your yard, make sure you always reapply after rain. Additionally, avoid spraying any plants that you want to eat. Cayenne pepper or apple cider vinegar can give you a nasty surprise.
3. Distracting Them With Sunflower Seeds
Another strategy for keeping squirrels out of your garden is to set up decoy food stations. Put up a variety of things that squirrels eat on a daily basis in isolated regions away from any of your planting beds. Feed corn, safflower seeds, peanuts, and basic bird seed are all popular treats.
Some gardeners will even go so far as to plant a small vegetable garden with extra tomatoes near this place especially to provide food for the squirrels. In any case, you should include a water supply in this area as well, so they don’t have to go across your garden to find one of their own. Be aware that this may attract other critters, so carefully consider your options.
4. Scaring Them
Owning a pet not only provides entertainment for you, but it can also stop squirrels from creating a home in your yard. If you don’t have a dog, you should think about getting one. The curiosity of most dogs and cats for the little critters will likely be enough to scare them away and prevent any squirrel damage.
If you don’t have a pet, you can buy predator urine (such as tiger or wolf urine) to spread in your garden soil. While purchasing predator pee may appear unusual, it can considerably help with your squirrel problem. Smaller animals, such as deer, rabbits, squirrels, and other rodents, are scared off by the stench of larger natural predators.
Some scare techniques for protecting your plant bulbs include installing motion-activated sprinklers, hanging old CDs, and placing pinwheels to discourage digging.
5. Excluding Them With Chicken Wire
You can always try installing a cage or cover to keep squirrels out of specific plant beds. Summer weight row coverings, chicken wire, plastic netting, and hardware cloth are all choices for exclusion.
You can even make cages out of chicken wire (or other wire mesh) and cover them with plastic bird netting to protect specific plants.
6. Protecting Your Garden
Individually wrapping fruits and vegetables can also assist to protect your crop. Garden items, particularly eggplants and tomatoes, can be safeguarded by placing small pieces of bird netting around the mature fruits. You don’t have to worry about the green, unripe fruits and vegetables because squirrels tend to ignore them.
7. Covering Soil
If you want to keep squirrels from digging in your seedbeds, cover your soil with mulch. This strategy also works well with newly planted seedlings and bulbs, giving them a better chance of survival.
8. Making Your Garden Less Appealing
Additional deterrents include learning about the many natural predators in your area and what you can do to lure them to your yard. Many gardeners use aluminum foil to lure larger birds to their yards, such as owls or hawks. Possessing predators will naturally deter squirrels from making themselves at home in your garden.
Oh, and one more thing. We never encourage catching squirrels or putting them in danger.
9. Keeping Them Off Your Bird Feeder
Squirrels’ favorite food also happens to be what birds enjoy eating. As a result, keeping squirrels away from your bird feeders might be tough. You’d be shocked at the various acrobatic maneuvers these little animals can perform in order to get in to your bird feeder.
Conclusion
In conclusion, there are several ways to keep squirrels out of your garden without harming them. By installing a physical barrier, using repellents, planting squirrel-resistant plants, providing an alternative food source, and using motion-activated sprinklers, you can protect your garden and enjoy watching these furry critters from a safe distance.
Hydroponic systems feed plants with liquid fertilizers on soil-free growing media. The majority of commercial fertilizers contain simply the key plant nutrients nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. Because micronutrients and minerals like zinc and iron are abundant in most soil types, they are not added. Each of the essential nutrients for plant growth must be added to the hydroponics liquid fertilizer in the absence of soil.
Because specialized fertilizers can be costly, home gardeners will occasionally make their own liquid fertilizers. They are untrustworthy for large-scale food production, but they can work effectively for small numbers of plants where constant growth is not required.
Is It Possible To Make Your Own Liquid Fertilizer?
The nutrient solutions, boosters, and deficient formulations are simple to produce. Novice growers may be perplexed as to how somebody like them can perform something so basic without damaging their plants.
The fundamental reason for this is that plants can be picky about which nutrients they receive and which they do not. They don’t mind where they come from.
Plants don’t care whether your liquid fertilizers are organic or synthetic. They simply want the correct nutrients in the proper proportions.
As plants develop on soil, they can absorb whatever they want, but with hydroponic systems, the grower must ensure that all of these nutrients are available in the right amounts.
For each plant to thrive, macronutrients and micronutrients are required. Yet, the proportions of nutrients necessary vary greatly depending on the crops you will be cultivating. Because these DIY formulations vary so much, creating one batch of one type can result in a significantly different proportion than making another.
You can make a liquid fertilizer solution from nutrient salts, which is easier because you can adjust the weight of the salts you add. If you do use these, you must keep them fresh and dry, as moisture absorbed will affect their weight.
Another thing to keep in mind is that when combining commercial formulae, you’ll need measuring spoons, a good set of scales, and rubber gloves. The crystalline compounds can either burn or cause another type of skin reaction. Finally, the nutrients you purchase will almost always include additional pH buffers. Because you’re making your own, you’ll need a digital pH pen as well as pH UP and pH DOWN solutions.
While testing your pH levels, you can see that your EC levels may be out of sync, hence an EC meter may also be required.
What Liquid Fertilizer Is Best For Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a way of growing plants without the use of soil in a nutrient-rich water solution. This style of gardening is gaining popularity since it has several advantages over traditional gardening approaches. One benefit of hydroponics is that you can manage the nutrients that your plants receive, resulting in healthier and more robust development.
There are numerous forms of liquid fertilizer that can be used in hydroponics, but they are not all made equal. In general, you should select a fertilizer that is high in nitrogen while being low on phosphate and potassium. Nitrogen is required for leafy green development, whereas too much phosphorus and potassium can cause root rot or stunted growth.
Fish emulsion is a common type of liquid fertilizer for hydroponics. This product is generated from decomposing fish carcasses and is high in nitrogen and other vital nutrients. Another alternative is seaweed extract, which includes a lot of nitrogen as well as trace minerals that are good for plants.
Whichever fertilizer you use, make sure to carefully follow the manufacturer’s directions to avoid over-fertilizing your plants and causing damage.
Can I Use Normal Liquid Fertilizer For Hydroponics?
Hydroponics is a way of growing plants in water that does not require soil. The term “hydroponics” is derived from the Greek terms “hydro” (water) and “ponos” (labor). Dr. William F. Gericke of the University of California, Davis developed hydroponics in the 1930s.
He grew tomatoes with a system of tubes and pumps that circulated nutrient-rich water to the plants’ roots. Hydroponic systems can now range from as simple as a pot filled with gravel and a jar of nutrient solution to as complex as a multi-tiered rack system with automated drip irrigation. All hydroponic systems, regardless of size or complexity, have one thing in common: they rely on liquid fertilizer for nutrients.
So Can You Use Normal Liquid Fertilizer For Hydroponics?
The answer is yes, but there are some considerations. To begin with, not all fertilizers are made equal.
Some have more nutrients than others, so choose one that is specifically developed for hydroponics or has been diluted to an acceptable strength. Second, even if you’re using the same fertilizer, the amount you use may need to be adjusted based on the sort of plants you’re growing and their stage of development. Too much fertilizer can burn roots and limit plant growth, so follow instructions carefully.
Liquid fertilizer, when used correctly, may be an effective way to supply nutrients to your plants and help them thrive in a hydroponic system. Just remember to do your homework first and start with minimal doses until you get a sense of how much your plants require!
Hydroponic Fertilizer Homemade
Making your own hydroponic fertilizer is a great way to get the most out of your hydroponic plants. You may save money and achieve greater results by making your own hydroponic fertilizer. Homemade hydroponic fertilizer can be created with simple items that you most likely already have on hand.
Here Are Some Recipes For Making Your Own Hydroponic Fertilizer:
1) Compost Tea: One of the most effective ways to fertilize your plants. Just mix some compost with water and soak it for 24 hours.
Once a week, strain the tea and apply it to your plants.
2) Fish Emulsion: A common organic fertilizer that can be used in hydroponics is fish emulsion. Just combine 1 part fish emulsion with 5 parts water and apply it once a week to your plants.
3) Eggshells: Eggshells are high in calcium, which is necessary for plant growth. Just ground up eggshells into a powder and sprinkle it about your plants once a week to use as fertilizer.
4) Banana Peels: Banana peels are high in potassium, a vital nutrient for plant growth.
Just bury banana peels around the base of your plants or cut them up and add them to your compost pile to use as fertilizer.
How To Use Hydroponic Liquid Fertilizer
While using a hydroponic system, it is important to use the proper type of fertilizer. Liquid fertilizer is one viable alternative.
This fertilizer is simple to apply and can be quite successful at supplying nutrients to your plants. This video will show you how to utilize liquid fertilizer in a hydroponic system. The first step is to mix the fertilizer with water according to the label guidelines.
This combination must then be added to your reservoir. It is important not to use too much fertilizer, as this can hurt your plants. Begin with a little amount and gradually increase it as needed.
After adding the fertilizer, run your pump for about 15 minutes to allow the combination to disperse evenly throughout your system. After that, you can turn off your pump and allow your plants to absorb the nutrients from the solution. It is critical to monitor the liquid fertilizer level in your reservoir and top it off as needed.
Depending on how well your plants are doing, you may need to adjust the strength of the solution.
What Is The Best Fertilizer For Hydroponics
Hydroponics is a way of growing plants without the use of soil in a water-based solution. The finest hydroponic fertilizer is one that contains all of the nutrients that plants require to grow and thrive. There are numerous sorts of fertilizers on the market, so it’s important to choose one that’s specifically intended for hydroponic systems.
General Hydroponics Flora Series is one of the most popular hydroponic fertilizers. It comes in three parts: a grow formula, a micro formula, and a bloom formula. This fertilizer is intended to give plants everything they require to grow strong and healthy.
FoxFarm Grow Huge Hydro Liquid Concentrate Fertilizer is another popular option. This fertilizer is also intended for hydroponic systems and provides all of the nutrients required for plants to grow. When selecting a fertilizer for your hydroponic system, it is critical to carefully study the labels and select one that is specifically intended for hydro systems.
This will ensure that your plants receive the nutrients they require to grow.
Alternative Nutrient Solution For Hydroponics
If you want to grow plants without soil, hydroponics is a great alternative. While there are numerous ways to set up a hydroponic system, one of the most crucial components is the fertilizer solution. The typical method for making a nutrient solution for hydroponics is to combine various chemicals that contain the nutrients required for plant growth.
This, however, can be costly and time-consuming. An all-natural nutrient solution is an alternative choice. There are several approaches to this, but one popular one is to use fish excrement as fertilizer.
Fish waste is high in nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, all of which are necessary nutrients for plants. It also contains additional micronutrients that can help plants develop. Furthermore, it is a sustainable method of recycling fish waste that might otherwise wind up in landfills or rivers.
To make fish waste fertilizer, put up a basic aeration system that pumps air into a container filled with water and fish feces. The fish waste will be dissolved into small particles, which can then be used as fertilizer. You can either apply the fish fertilizer to your plants directly or mix it into your hydroponic reservoir.
If you add it to your reservoir, make sure the water is well-aerated so that your plants’ roots do not become suffocated.
20-20-20 Fertilizer For Hydroponics
Fertilizers are an important part of the hydroponic gardening equation, as any hydroponic gardener knows. While there are other sorts and formulae available, one of the most popular is 20-20-20 fertilizer. 20-20-20 fertilizer is a balanced formula that contains equal percentages nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, as the name implies.
As a result, it is an excellent all-purpose fertilizer that can be used on a wide range of plants. One of the most significant advantages of using 20-20-20 fertilizer is its ease of availability and purchase. It’s available at most garden centers and internet shops.
And because it’s so popular, it’s typically quite cheap. Another advantage of utilizing 20-20-20 fertilizer is that it is extremely simple to apply. Just mix it with water according to the package directions and apply it to the roots of your plants.
Of course, like with any fertilizer, there are some potential drawbacks to utilizing 20-20-20. One disadvantage is that while it is such a balanced recipe, if you overdo it or apply too much, you risk scorching the roots of your plants. So make sure you thoroughly follow the instructions!
Types Of Liquid Fertilizer
Compost Tea
Compost tea is a great way to use up all of the compost we’re making from kitchen scraps and household waste. It’s a method of extracting much of the nutritional value of compost and converting it into a ready-to-use spray. This is an excellent choice for individuals who do not have enough compost to cover the entire area. Vermicompost fertilizer is also effective.
It starts with finished compost, which is very old compost that has totally decomposed into exquisite richness. Pathogens will not be a concern as a result of this. To create the tea, fill a five-gallon bucket one-third of the way with compost and the rest of the way with water (harvested rainwater is best.) This needs to steep for three days and be stirred at least once a day. The compost can then be filtered and the mixture diluted (10:1, water for tea) before being sprayed on all plants. It’s ideal for watering seedlings.
Green Tea
Old grass clippings and weeds, believe it or not, make excellent fertilizer. Fresh or green clippings are high in nitrogen and phosphorus, two mineral components included in the well-known NPK blends of common fertilizers (the other being potassium, which can come from organic banana peels.) Comfrey produces an excellent green tea for plants.
Before adding the water, we’ll need to fill that five-gallon bucket two-thirds of the way with fresh grass clippings and possibly some organic banana peels. Then soak it again for 3 days, stirring as often as possible. Filter the solids from the tea and mix it with equal parts water to use in the garden, especially on green crops.
Fish Pond Water
For those who have them, fish ponds provide an excellent source of nitrogen-rich water for the garden. When fertilizers are used with the usual cleaning cycle, both plants and animals benefit greatly. Additionally, the homeowner or gardener will be able to multitask more effectively.
In this scenario, it is critical to ensure that the water has not been treated, and it is also critical to keep an eye out for small fish and other aquatic life, as they may not like being earthbound. Then, use the same amount of water as before. The water in the tank or pond has already diluted the fish manure.
Seaweed Soup
Seaweed is a well-known terrestrial garden addition since it contains all of the valuable minerals found in the sea, as well as a plethora of trace elements that help to keep our food nutrient-dense. Whilst seaweed is frequently used as excellent mulch in gardens, it may also be used to produce liquid tea, sometimes known as seaweed soup.
Seaweed can be purchased from garden centers, but it must be picked appropriately, i.e. in moderation from mid-beach locations where it has washed ashore far enough to dry out but not far enough to get infested with bugs. Before filling our five-gallon bucket with seaweed, rinse it to remove some of the salt. This time, the seaweed must soak for at least a couple of weeks before being strained and utilized as mulch.
Conclusion
A variety of recipes can be used to create liquid fertilizer for hydroponics. The most typical formula is to combine one part water and one part manure, followed by one tablespoon of molasses per gallon of fluid. Other components, such as kelp meal or fish emulsion, can be added to this basic mix to make a more comprehensive fertilizer.
Just mix this fertilizer with water in a 1:1 ratio and apply it to the roots of your plants every two weeks.
Down the path from the parking court to the steps through the conifer shade garden—which is dominated by a large Juniperus chinensis ‘Hetzii Columnaris’ (Zones 4–9)—there is a Picea abies ‘Gold Drift’ (Zones 2–7) next to the fence in front of the showy ‘Bobo’ hydrangea.
This photo was taken on September 13 and looks down the central path in the garden, with the ‘Bobo’ hydrangea in the front and my beloved Heuchera villosa ‘Autumn Bride’ (Zones 3–8), the newish ‘Lemony Lace’ elderberry (Sambucus nigra ‘Lemony Lace’, Zones 5–7), and the persistent black-eyed Susans (Rudbeckia fulgida, Zones 3–8) leaning out into the path. The slightly unusual Spodiopogon sibiricus (Zones 5–9) in the middle left of the photo is one of my favorites; it had been there for a decade and died back to almost nothing in the winter of 2021 with no rhyme or reason. The gangly tree in the back is a staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina, Zones 3–8) that volunteered in 2007 and that I have nurtured and pruned ever since. I love it, and so do the birds, which I can watch from my upstairs bedroom window.
Facing the house through the ‘Lemony Lace’, once again there is the show-off ‘Bobo’, as well as a ‘Pink Diamond’ tree-form hydrangea (Hydrangea paniculata ‘Pink Diamond) next to the steps and a Pieris ‘Brouwers’s Beauty’ (Zones 5–8) next to it. I love ‘Brouwers’s Beauty’ but gave up on them in my designs because they rarely do well. The tree on the left is a variegated Norway maple (Acer platanoides, Zones 3–7) that I prune to keep it at a reasonable size.
On my porch is an Abutilon (Zones 8–11 or as an annual or a houseplant) in a container. Another red maple is showing off in the distance.
Down the lilting gravel path parallel to the porch, my prize Picea pungens ‘Procumbens’ (Zones 2–8) on the left was maimed by the deer a few years ago. That surprised me because they “aren’t supposed” to eat blue spruce.
This photo is packed with color, including the kousa dogwood (Cornus kousa, Zones 5–8) fruit, Persicaria amplexicaulis ‘Firetail’ (Zones 4–9) blooms, Physostegia virginiana (Zones 3–9) blooms, the Harry Lauders walking stick (Corylus avellana ‘Red Dragon’, Zones 4–8) foliage, inflorescence of the maiden grass (Miscanthus sinensis, Zones 4–9), and the variegated boxwood (Buxus sp., Zones 5–9).
This photo, taken on September 2, is also jam-packed: Imperata cylindric (not invasive in my Zone 4/5 garden), Ligularia dentata (Zones 3–8), a variegated sweet flag (Acorus calamus ‘Variegatus’, Zones 4–10) that is actually in the little pond, the ‘Lemony Lace’, a ‘Little Devil’ ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Little Devil’, Zones 2–8), with the ‘Wine and Roses’ weigela (Weigela ‘Wine and Roses’, Zones 4–8) right behind.
I love portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora, Zones 2–11) and how it shines in this close-up with the ‘Autumn Bride’ coral bells, ‘Blue Carpet’ juniper (Juniperus squamata ‘Blue Carpet’, Zones 4–7), Bowles’ golden sedge (Carex elata ‘Aurea’, Zones 5–9) in the pond, the pickerel weed (Pontederia cordata, Zones 3–10), etc.
This photo shows off the morning light and what a simple fence and gravel path can do to set off a vignette. I love the flowers of the Persicaria aplexicaulis ‘Firetail’, obedient plant (Physostegia virginiana), and my favorite new mountain mint (Pycnanthemum pilosum, Zones 4–8).
naming our own garden trends, with jared barnes
Margaret: I read a recent post you’d did in your blog about 
Jared: Well, a big perennial is a plant that achieves some mass throughout some point in the growing season. This could be early on, and for me, I do try to strive to have some of those in my garden, like Baptisia alba [above]. Some of 
Jared: Awesome. And then another one that I love here is Rudbeckia maxima. Giant cone flower. And so for us in East Texas is actually a four-season plant, because for us, it never truly goes dormant in the wintertime, even if it gets knocked back pretty hard. So you have that beautiful glaucous green-blue foliage throughout most of the wintertime to enjoy. [Above, the bold foliage of R. maxima in a bed at Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Austin.]
Margaret: Yes, it’s definitely a collector’s thing. It’s like this… And even as a “houseplant,” even as an offshoot of the houseplant craze, there are people who are… like that great nursery, 
Margaret: … in the late winter. If you park your car in my driveway, you’ll smell it [laughter]. Or if you go to open or close the gate, you’ll smell it.
Margaret: Here, too. The red color is unrivaled by any other plant, I think. It’s unbelievable. Unbelievable. [Above, fall foliage on lowbush blueberry.]
Margaret: [Laughter.] Right, exactly. [Above, ‘Rhubarb’ chard.]
