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Tag: Gardening 101

  • Quick Takes with Margaret Roach: An Interview with the Garden Writer

    Quick Takes with Margaret Roach: An Interview with the Garden Writer

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    …water feature that stays accessible, with at least a portion of the surface unfrozen, even in winter. The power of water to support increased diversity is unmatched in the garden; from dragonflies to amphibians to birds and mammals, the water garden is where the action is. My two in-ground pools were one of the first things I created here, and thanks in large part to them 70ish species of birds visit regularly, for instance.

    Tool you can’t live without:

    Why over-effort by using a too-big pruner when for most jobs a smaller, lightweight one will do? ARS HP-300LDX stainless steel needle-nose fruit pruners, meant for working in vineyards and orchards, are my hand-saving go-to for most daily chores. I have a pair of lightweight, scaled-down aluminum loppers, too, for making bigger cuts.

    Go-to gardening outfit:

    My yoga gear from 20 years ago, rubber boots, and un-fancy gloves with nitrile-coated palms and fingers.

    Favorite nursery, plant shop, or seed company:

    Cannot name just one, but I am a longtime champion of farm-based, organic seed companies—people who grow some or all of the seed they sell, and are happy to tell you who grew the rest, and how. In this age of such terrifying consolidation of the seed industry into the hands of a few giant companies who regard and patent it as intellectual property, these often small “seedkeepers” in the organic movement are where I see hope.

    On your wishlist:

    Above: Amsonia tabernaemontana. Photograph by Kerry Woods via Flickr.

    After reading Mt. Cuba Center’s just-published Trial Garden research on all the different native bluestars, or Amsonia, I almost want them all. Beautiful flowers, and graceful foliage with great fall color—plus they are super-tough and long-lived.

    In their New Jersey garden, my friends Louis Bauer and Ken Druse use columnar trees really effectively—both conifers and deciduous ones such as European beech—and I’m trying to identify a couple of spots here for such distinctive exclamation points.

    Not-to-be-missed public garden/park/botanical garden:

    In just 10ish years, the historic estate called Untermyer Gardens Conservancy in Yonkers, NY, has risen from the ashes, thanks to a crew of artistic and energetic horticulturists. Breathtaking. Speaking of transforming historic estates, Stoneleigh in Villanova, PA, is being transformed with a natives-only mission—unusual in such a formal setting, and very exciting.

    The REAL reason you garden:

    In The Backyard Parables, Margaret writes about why gardening is about so much more than plants.
    Above: In The Backyard Parables, Margaret writes about why gardening is about so much more than plants.

    I always say that I garden because I cannot help myself. It’s not about outdoor decorating for me (though I do think the yard looks better for the efforts). More powerful, though, I experience the garden as part meditative space, part science lab. It’s a place where I slow down and where my curiosity is constantly aroused—and not just about plants, but birds, moths, lichen, you name it, and how all the pieces of the food chain and the ecosystem fit together.

    Thank you, Margaret! Follow her @awaytogarden.

    For other interviews in the series, see:

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  • How to Repot a Houseplant: Everything You Need to Know About Repotting

    How to Repot a Houseplant: Everything You Need to Know About Repotting

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    Do your plants need to be repotted? What are the signs they have outgrown their pots? How do you actually repot anyway? Will repotting hurt your plant? Repotting isn’t hard. Let’s get started. N.B.: Featured photograph by Justine Hand, from DIY: How to Care for Aloe Vera, the Plant of Immortality. What are the signs your […]

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  • Sustainable Seed Starting: 5 Favorite Eco-Conscious Methods

    Sustainable Seed Starting: 5 Favorite Eco-Conscious Methods

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    Buying plastic starter pots and trays certainly isn’t going to tip the world into a climate disaster, but when there are so many plastic-free options these days, you have every reason to choose sustainable over synthetic. Below, five Gardenista-approved, Earth-friendly options for starting seeds. (Note: If you already have plastic starter pots, go ahead and […]

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  • Ceanothus: A Guide to Growing California Lilacs

    Ceanothus: A Guide to Growing California Lilacs

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    California Lilac, Ceanothus

    Are you a devotee of multitasking plants—meaning, you choose plants based on whether they serve many purposes? If your answer is yes, then I have a plant for you: California lilac. Not only are ceanothus colorful, but they are extremely low-thirst, low-maintenance, and pollinator-friendly. And though they burst forth with amazingly fragrant spring blooms, California lilacs are not related to true lilacs (Syringa).

    Please keep reading to learn more about the other lilac:

    California lilac spotted on A Leisurely Stroll Through the SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.
    Above: California lilac spotted on A Leisurely Stroll Through the SF Botanical Garden in Golden Gate Park. Photograph by Michelle Slatalla.

    California lilac is a large genus of diverse, helpful, flowering trees, shrubs, and ground covers. Many are native to North America—with more than half a dozen native to Oregon, and many others only to California, which explains its common name. Adding to this diversity, some species are evergreen and other deciduous. You can generally tell them apart visually because the evergreen varieties have smaller (sometimes toothed), darker, and leathery leaves while the deciduous ones have softer, larger leaves. The flowers on both are most often fragrant, quite showy, and pollinator-attracting. Flower color ranges from white to pink to purplish-blue and electric blue. This explosion of blooms usually happens March into May. The other difference among them are their habit and ultimate heights. Some grow into spectacular trees 18 to 20 feet tall, while others creep along the ground and make great ground covers for erosion control and weed suppression.

    A Ceanothus in bloom. Photograph by Andy2boyz via Flickr.
    Above: A Ceanothus in bloom. Photograph by Andy2boyz via Flickr.

    While most gardeners believe that ceanothus suffer from a moderately short lifespan of 10 years or so, this is not totally accurate. These plants can live long lives—as long as you don’t kill them with kindness. Pamper these plants and you accelerate their demise. The culprits? Overly rich soil and too much water, soil amendment, or fertilizer. An interesting note is that the reason you don’t want to overfeed these plants is that some members of the genus are able to form a symbiotic relationship with soil fungi and microbes, creating nitrogen-fixing root nodules, meaning they make their own food. Plus, bad fungal diseases can arise from too much water and improper drainage.

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  • Why Are My Seedlings Not Coming Up? All About Damping Off

    Why Are My Seedlings Not Coming Up? All About Damping Off

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    You promised yourself you’d do better this year and start your seeds on time. You have the supplies, the seeds, a good location with a lot of light (or a grow light). You’ve checked the back of the seed packet and it’s the proper time to start. While there are many things that require attention when seed starting, one that can’t be overlooked is a disease called damping off.

    What is damping off?

    Above: Healthy seedlings. Photograph by John Merkl, from Gardening 101: How to Sprout a Seed.

    Damping off is a disease caused by fungi and molds and is a common problem for beginners, but even experienced gardeners have had to deal with it. Damping off attacks seed and seedlings, impeding germination, and if they do germinate, causing them to collapse and die. The disease thrives in cool and damp conditions.

    Where does damping off come from?

    The fungus can come from contaminated soil or plant debris. Do not reuse last year’s soil for seed starting. Do not use garden soil either. Both can harbor the pathogens. The infection can also be carried by insects such as fungus gnats or via a breeze. (See Fungus Gnats: How I Got Rid of Them Permanently (and Organically.) Contaminated tools, pots, hose ends that have laid on the floor, and even your dirty hands and gardening gloves, can spread damping off.

    What does damping off look like?

    Coffee seedlings with damping off in Kona, Hawaii. Photograph by Scott Nelson via Flickr.
    Above: Coffee seedlings with damping off in Kona, Hawaii. Photograph by Scott Nelson via Flickr.

    Damping off generally affects young seedlings that don’t yet have their true leaves, but it can also cause germination failure. So if your seeds are packaged for use in the current year, and you’ve met all of their needs, yet they don’t germinate, you can suspect damping off. Seedlings that succumb to damping off can look wilted or shriveled; mushy or soaked; mottled with brown or gray spots; or marked by fuzzy white growth. It can quickly spread through the entire tray.

    How can you prevent damping off?

    Erin Benzakein of Floret rests her cell flats on trays filled with water, as watering from below is preferable to watering from above when it comes to seeds. Photograph by Chris Benzakein, courtesy of Floret, from Your First Garden: What You Need to Know Before You Grow Plants from Seeds.
    Above: Erin Benzakein of Floret rests her cell flats on trays filled with water, as watering from below is preferable to watering from above when it comes to seeds. Photograph by Chris Benzakein, courtesy of Floret, from Your First Garden: What You Need to Know Before You Grow Plants from Seeds.

    • Start by cleaning and sterilizing your tools, pots, and gloves. For tools and pots, sterilize using a 10 percent bleach solution for 30 minutes. Store them in a clean location when not in use. For gloves, depending on the material, a hot wash and dry should do it.
    • Use sterilized potting soil and seal the package if you don’t use it all in one go.
    • Start seeds inside where it’s warm and dry. The air and soil temp should be in the 65°F to 70°F range. Colder temps promote fungal growth.
    • Don’t overwater: While the seedlings need water to grow, too much is a bad thing. Only water from below and use room temperature water. Anything colder can slow down plant growth and open the seedling to infection. Make sure your seed trays have good drainage.

    What do you do if your seedlings appear to have damping off?

    Isolate the tray and watch for symptoms in the others. If it turns out that damping off is present, dispose of the soil, sterilize everything, and start over. It happens to the best of us!

    See also:

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  • Garden from Scratch: How to Choose the Type of Plants You Need in Your Landscape

    Garden from Scratch: How to Choose the Type of Plants You Need in Your Landscape

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    You’d think choosing plants was easy enough—just find the ones you like, right? And for single specimens in a pot or a monoculture of, say. roses or hydrangeas, it is as simple as that.

    But what about designing a border where plants need to relate to each other in a well-thought-out design? And what if you have a large blank canvas to fill with a whole range of plants. This is when it can get a little more complicated. For the third post in my column on creating A Garden From Scratch, I tackle how to figure out the kind of plants you might want in your landscape. Before you get too excited, let me clarify that I’m not talking about choosing specific plants here; this is about the bigger, long-term picture of how to put plants together in a space and why.

    (To read my earlier stories in the Garden from Scratch series, go here, then here.)

    Photography by Clare Coulson.

    Above: Where to even begin? My cottage garden, photographed here in midsummer, is an ever-changing tableau of favorite plants and supporting acts that lurk in the background. It’s always good to remember when you start out that plants can be moved, replaced, or relocated and that the picture is never final or complete—there’s always something that can be tweaked or improved—and that is half the enjoyment of gardening.

    1. Get trees in first.

    Above: Early spring in my garden and there’s still not that much flowering, but the Amelanchier lamarckii tree provides starry white blossoms. By the time the spring bulbs really get going, the pretty bronze foliage of this tree will emerge providing an interesting contrast with the bright colors below. Additional structure here comes from the domed forms of Choisya ternata, hebes and Ilex crenata. In the distance, a lot of euphorbia.

    Planting design is about a series of layers, from the woody plants, including trees and climbers, to the shrubs, herbaceous perennials, biennials, and annuals. Most gardens will have a mix of all of these types of plants to create a succession of interest throughout the year, and a balance of structural plants that will provide a backdrop to herbaceous plants that will flower and die back.

    It’s logical to begin with the trees since they generally need the most time to mature. They are also arguably the most important thing to get right, being the least ephemeral. Incorporating some trees, or even a single specimen, can instantly ground a space, bringing strong structure, height, and impact—as well as, in many cases, year-round interest. For this same reason think very carefully before removing any mature trees or shrubs from an inherited space.

    It’s the one place perhaps where it’s worth spending some money to buy something really beautiful—a trio of Amelanchier or Prunus multi-stem or specimen trees, for example, may feel like a big investment, but it will have instant impact, as well as blossoms in spring, lush foliage through summer, and then great leaf color later in the year. In winter its form has its own allure. Tip: Buy young trees—they are far more economical and will usually settle in faster than mature specimens. Buying bareroot plants also helps to keep down costs.

    2. Invest in evergreens.

    Above: Controlled chaos. There are a lot of frothy plants in this border snapshot including Valerian officinalis, hesperis, roses, Allium sphaerocephalon, catmint, and hardy geraniums. But the structure from clipped boxwood, hebes, and other foliage helps to ground the space and provide moments of contrast.

    Another worthwhile investment: evergreen forms that will provide four-season structure. Boxwood would have ticked all the boxes, but now that these are under the dual threat of box blight and box caterpillar, few gardeners would take a risk with them. There are plenty of alternatives—yew, Ilex crenata, many pittosporums, rosemary, hebes, daphnes can all be grown into shapes that will provide permanent year-round forms and act as a foil to herbaceous plants. Deciduous plants like beech and hornbeam can also provide structure, too. (See Landscaping 101: Boxed in by Boxwood? 5 Shrubs to Try Instead.)

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  • How to Be More Sustainable in Your Gardening Habits: Top Tips

    How to Be More Sustainable in Your Gardening Habits: Top Tips

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    This is part of a series with Perfect Earth Project—Edwina von Gal’s nonprofit dedicated to toxic-free, nature-based gardening—on how you can be more sustainable in your landscapes at home.  

    According to a recent National Gardening Survey, a third of people are now choosing plants to support wildlife and a quarter of them are specifically seeking out native plants. That’s cause for celebration. But we can do more. Let’s bid adieu to outdated gardening norms and forge a green path to a healthy and sustainable future. Here are seven easy things we can all do: 

    1. Replace brights lights with mood lighting.

    Outdoor lights should warm-hued and point downward. Photograph via Royal Botania, from Hardscaping 101: Outdoor Wall Lights.
    Above: Outdoor lights should warm-hued and point downward. Photograph via Royal Botania, from Hardscaping 101: Outdoor Wall Lights.

    Set mood lighting . . . for insects and other nocturnal wildlife like fireflies, migrating birds, and moths, that is. These beloved creatures are all negatively impacted by bright artificial lights. Fireflies, in particular, are suffering great declines. According to Xerces’s guidebook Conserving the Jewels of the Night, artificial lights can “obscure natural bioluminescence,” which makes it hard to find mates and avoid predators. (Consider joining a community science project like Firefly Atlas to help protect them.) Instead of lighting up your yard like a sports arena all night long, opt for warm LED lights only (avoid short-waved blue lights) in areas when you need illumination for safety. Make sure bulbs point downward and install a motion sensor so they only go on when needed. Learn more at Dark Sky International.

    2. Replace spic and span with natural and wild.

    Edwina von Gal adds order to a looser planting style, packed with native varieties, in her home garden by plotting her design into graphic, geometric beds. Photograph by Melissa Ozawa.
    Above: Edwina von Gal adds order to a looser planting style, packed with native varieties, in her home garden by plotting her design into graphic, geometric beds. Photograph by Melissa Ozawa.

    Free your garden! Why be a fashion victim when you could be the queen of eco chic? Just because your neighbors have a manicured lawn and tightly clipped hedges, doesn’t mean you should. Nature doesn’t want to be controlled – nor should it be. As landscape designer and Perfect Earth Project’s founder Edwina von Gal says, “Get your garden out of shapewear!” Don’t keep up with the Joneses. Be the Joneses. Do something so fabulous in your yard, everyone wants to emulate you. Plant an abundant biodiverse yard.

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  • Why Are My Daffodils Coming Up Early? What to Do With the Early Bloomers

    Why Are My Daffodils Coming Up Early? What to Do With the Early Bloomers

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    Above: Early bloomers in February. Photograph by Abraxas3d via Flickr.

    Probably not. Daffodils are very hardy and tend not to be bothered by cold or snow. In most cases, daffodil noses that pop up early won’t be harmed. The flowers are still safe below ground. However, if you do have a cold snap, the leaves may get frost damage. If it snows after the flowers have bloomed, so long as it doesn’t get too cold for too long, the flowers will be fine. If you’re concerned, you can add mulch around the plant, or cover the flowers with a makeshift tent, such as a cardboard box. 

    How do you prevent early blooms in the future?

    Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ blooms about a month later than more common varieties. Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer, from Gardening 101: Pheasant Eye Narcissus.
    Above: Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ blooms about a month later than more common varieties. Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer, from Gardening 101: Pheasant Eye Narcissus.

    If you are concerned and want to try and slow things down for next year, you can do a few things:

    • Plant them deeper: Most bulbs come with a depth range, plant them at the deep end of the range. 
    • Choose a later-blooming variety: There are some varieties of daffodils that bloom later in the spring.
    • Add more mulch: Mulch helps keep the soil temperature stable and allows the plant not to be exposed to temp swings.

    See also:

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  • Hoya Heart Plant: Everything You Need to Know About Hoya Kerrii

    Hoya Heart Plant: Everything You Need to Know About Hoya Kerrii

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    Hoya Heart, Hoya kerrii

    Who needs red roses for Valentine’s Day when there’s this sweetheart of a succulent that packs oodles of charm in a tiny package? While it’s true that nothing beats the smell of fresh roses, this heart-shaped plant wins when it comes to gifts that last.

    Please keep reading to learn more about the hoya heart.

    Single-leaf hoya hearts are starting to rival red roses when it comes to Valentine’s Day presents. The Bouqs sells their Desert Love duo in pink pots for $54.
    Above: Single-leaf hoya hearts are starting to rival red roses when it comes to Valentine’s Day presents. The Bouqs sells their Desert Love duo in pink pots for $54.

    Leading up to Valentine’s Day, single-leafed hoyas fly out of nurseries, florist shops, and garden centers. And you can see why: It’s petite, it’s heart-shaped, and its petals don’t fall off. Its cuteness seems tailor-made for the holiday. Just be advised that it won’t grow into one massive heart, nor will it sprout multiple hearts. That’s because the single leaf is rooted as a leaf cutting, not as a stem cutting with nodes. Still, that single leaf planted in well-draining soil can live for years. If you prefer a hoya heart plant that will grow multiple leaves, make sure to buy a rooted version that has at least two leaves.

    Native to Southeast Asia, hoya heart is a tropical vining succulent with thick and waxy evergreen leaves. If conditions are right and you have a mature plant that’s a little root-bound (they like tight quarters), you will be gifted clusters of fragrant white blooms. But even without the flowers, the plant is attractive. I love houseplants that wind and weave, and especially when they trail down shelves, and some hoya heart stems might be as long as six feet or more.

    Since hoya hearts come from tropical areas, they do appreciate some warmth and humidity. Either mist them every so often or place them on a steamy bathroom shelf. Another option if your home has dry air is to place your potted hoya on a bed of pebbles filled with water to add ambient moisture.

    For bonus charm and uniqueness (and a bigger price tag), look for two unique varieties: Hoya kerrii ‘Variegata’ with yellow edges and Hoya kerrii ‘Splash’ with speckled leaves.

    Cheat Sheet

    The Variegated Hoya Heart is $62 at The Sill (currently out of stock).
    Above: The Variegated Hoya Heart is $62 at The Sill (currently out of stock).

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  • Best Garden Podcasts: What to Listen to for the Plant-Obsessed

    Best Garden Podcasts: What to Listen to for the Plant-Obsessed

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    Here at Gardenista, we love a good podcast, but niche-topic shows are often hard to find. With no designated categories for “home” or “design”—let alone “gardening”—on the major podcast platforms, it can be tricky to discover garden voices. So, we searched the streaming platforms and queried our community to find out what plant-obsessed podcasts we should be listening to. Below you’ll find eight garden podcasts that either the Gardenista team loves or are recommended by trusted friends and colleagues. But this is by no means a definitive list: As new shows launch (and we hope they will!) and as we discover others, we’ll plan to add them to our faves. Leave a comment below if we left out your favorite garden podcast.

    A Way to Garden

    Above: Margaret Roach was one of the judges in Gardenista’s Considered Design Awards in 2014. Photograph by Erica Berger.

    Perhaps the original garden podcast, Margaret Roach’s “A Way to Garden With Margaret Roach” is a 25-minute public-radio program that airs weekly on Connecticut’s Robin Hood Radio and as a podcast on all the major platforms. Each week Margaret hosts a garden expert to discuss a seasonally-relevant topic. Over the 14 years it has been on the air, the show has won three silver medals from the Garden Writers Association of America. 

    Cultivating Place

    Another public radio co-production (this one with North State Public radio), garden writer Jennifer Jewell’s “Cultivating Place” is less concerned with the daily activities of the garden, but rather “how and why we garden—what we mean when we garden.” Jennifer goes deep with her guests in every episode, and always leaves us with new ideas to consider. (For a review of her latest book, see Required Reading: ‘What We Sow’ by Jennifer Jewell.)

    The Garden Futurist

    Jewell recommends this podcast from the Pacific Horticulture Society about “innovative thinkers contributing to a climate-resilient future through the power of gardens.” Jewell says, “I like how hard this podcast leans, with heart, into the academic “hard” sciences.” The podcast focusses on how gardens and gardeners can bfoster climate resilience and become leaders in the effort to slow climate change.

    Growing Greener

    Above: The last time we rounded up our favorite podcasts was in 2017. Photograph by Mimi Giboin for Gardenista, from The Best Garden Podcasts of 2017.

    This show aims to show home gardeners how they can make their yards and gardens healthier and more sustainable. Produced in collaboration with the Berkshire Botanic Garden, the “Growing Greener” host Tom Christopher, a garden designer and writer, interviews gardening experts who are also leaders in working in harmony with nature.  

    The Native Plant Podcast

    Growing Greener’s Christopher confessed that he is not much of a podcast listener himself, but he does enjoy episodes of “The Native Plant Podcast,” a multi-host effort that publishes episodes sporadically. The hosts, who originally connected at the Cullowhee Native Plant Conference, liken themselves to a “garage band,” but Christopher says the relaxed, conversational tone is exactly what he likes about the show. The Native Plant Podvast had some of the leading native plant experts on the show, so there’s lots in the archive between new posts.

    Talking Gardens

    The podcast from Gardens Illustrated magazine asks its guests, “If you could create your dream garden from pieces of all of your favorite places, and if you could grow any plants in the world, what would you choose?” Despite the predictable format, garden designer Susan Nock told us that “it elicits super varying answers, and the host follows the guest’s lead and has really lovely conversations about their work and ideas.” Because this show is idea-based, it’s a fun listen for gardeners in different growing areas–not just the U.K. 

    Let’s Argue About Plants

    Another podcast from a magazine, “Let’s Argue About Plants” is hosted by editors Danielle Sherry and Carol Collins of Fine Gardening. Plant nerds, this one’s for you: Sherry and Collins talk exclusively about plants and host horticultural pros, who “offer their wisdom and opinions about what you might want to grow in your garden.”

    Inside Hilton’s Head

    Above: Hilton Carter with his beloved plants. Photograph taken from film by Toby Amies, from ‘Great Gardens’ on Nowness: Inside the Minds of the Most Influential Gardeners.

    A promising newcomer, this podcast is hosted by author and houseplant expert Hilton Carter and his colleague Mollie Lee. After dabbling in podcasts in 2020, Carter has leaned into the medium with this new, weekly show. In addition to the conversations between Carter and Lee, they plan to sprinkle in guest features with plant community personalities, designers, and creatives, in general. 

    See also:

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  • What to Prune in Late Winter: A Guide to What Plants Can Be Pruned in February

    What to Prune in Late Winter: A Guide to What Plants Can Be Pruned in February

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    February is a weird month—far enough away from the year-end holiday festivities for them to feel like a distant memory and yet, with the dreary days, also far from the exuberance of spring. On some level, this month can have all the excitement of a waiting room. So what can you do while waiting for warmer weather? You can carefully prune.

    February is a good time to prune because plants and their pests are dormant. Plus, naked branches allow you to see the structure of the tree or shrub. The reasons to prune are trimming for size and shape; removing damaged and diseased branches; and promoting new growth and blooms.

    Need more reasons? Pruning can help with overall plant health by opening up the canopy to let in more light and air, both within the tree and for the plants below. You can also prune to reclaim overgrown areas of your garden. Your arborist or tree service can help with this for larger trees. Safety first, especially when using chainsaws.

    What to Prune in February

    Above: Late winter is.a great time to prune crabapple trees. Photograph by Joseph Valentine, from Garden Visit: At Home at Juniper Hill Farm in New Hampshire.
    • Trees including ashes, walnuts, beeches, and lindens. When in doubt, ask your arborist. Don’t prune if the temperature will dip below 25°F, as it can damage the tree.
    • Certain fruit trees, like apples, peaches, and pears, also can be pruned, but require more specific knowledge. There are generally accepted principles for pruning fruit trees, and they focus on strength to bear the weight of the fruit, producing a good harvest, keeping pests away, and ease of harvesting.
    • Ornamental flowering trees, such as cherries and plums, need to be checked for black knot. February is the perfect time to prune it out, making sure to cut the affected limbs at least four to six inches from the growth and sterilizing the pruning shears in between cuts. Diseased plant matter should be thrown in the trash and not composted.
    Photograph via Niwaki, from DIY: Pruning Pine Trees in Winter.
    Above: Photograph via Niwaki, from DIY: Pruning Pine Trees in Winter.

    • Evergreens generally don’t need pruning, but you may want to do so for space and shape. Just don’t cut into the dead zone, the brown area near the center of the tree where the branches have no greener. Why? If you do, you’ll end up with a hole, as there won’t be any new growth from this area. If you have an arborvitae, yew, juniper, cypress, spruce, or hemlock that needs a trim, now’s the time to do it.
    • Some flowering shrubs and bushes that can be pruned in mid-winter are butterfly bush, clethra, rose of Sharon, rose, panicle hydrangea, and beautyberry, but make sure you do it before new growth appears. Some of them, like roses and butterfly bushes, can be pruned back hard. For the rest, check with your cooperative extension office.

    What Not to Prune in February

    • Maple trees should not be pruned due to the sap running. Maple syrup season starts at the end of February and runs through April. Check with your arborist for the best time to prune.
    • Shrubs and bushes that flower in the spring before the end of June should not be pruned unless you are okay with losing the flowers, since the buds are located on old wood. Pruning in mid-winter can remove the dormant buds and there will be no spring flowers. Examples are lilacs, magnolias, azalea, dogwoods, quinces, mock orange, and weigela. You can prune these two weeks after they bloom if needed. (Like with most of life, there are exceptions to every rule. Certain cultivars of hydrangeas, lilacs, and azaleas, to name a few, form blooms on both old and new wood and will still bloom if pruned.)

    See also:

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  • A Garden from Scratch: How to Create a Strong Foundation

    A Garden from Scratch: How to Create a Strong Foundation

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    In the first column of my series on creating a garden from scratch, I posed some starting points to think about before you make any radical changes to your space. In this second installment, I’m diving deeper and covering the key design decisions you need to consider for a strong foundation—both literal and metaphorical.

    Here are the six elements that go into a beautiful foundation for your garden.

    Photography by Clare Coulson.

    Above: My English garden in midsummer. When I arrived this area was a lavender walk with some climbing roses. The lavenders were tired and needed replacing so I decided to remove the whole border and start again, keeping only the climbing rose at the far end of the border. We widened the border to create depth and I planted two long copper beech hedges at the back of the border (buying very young bareroot plants to keep costs down. I then planted ornamental pear trees every two metres which introduces spring blossom and valuable upright structure and presence. Underneath is a succession of perennials and bulbs, mostly in blue and apricot; tulips and alliums are followed by hardy geraniums, nepeta, foxgloves, baptisa, penstemons, ornamental grasses, hydrangeas and salvias. Self-seeders are enthusiastically encouraged.

    1. A Limited Materials Palette

    Above: Putting in the hardscaping is the first job in most gardens. As it’s permanent, it’s also the most important to get right. I’ve used self-binding gravel for almost all the paths and terraces in my garden; it’s very easy to lay, essentially just spreading it out over a stable sub-base and then compressing it down. But the soft golden colour also blends beautifully into the garden so that it almost disappears. My one regret is having it close to buildings because tiny pieces of the gravel always migrate indoors.

    One of the biggest investments of time and money in a new garden is the hardscaping, so it pays to take the time to ensure that any paths, terraces, steps, and other paved or graveled areas are exactly where you want them, feel appropriate to your home and garden style, and will stand the test of time. When planning these areas, be generous, because over time plants will normally encroach into hardscaped areas and soften the edges.

    Hardscaping needs to feel in proportion to the house and garden—and look visually appropriate (e.g., a traditional brick path will always look right next to a period building with similar brickwork). To keep these spaces cohesive and harmonious, restrict your materials palette; using a wide variety of finishes can be jarring to the eye. Some materials, including gravel or self-binding gravels, can work with almost any style of architecture.

    Just as you would with paints for the interior of your home, get samples of the hardscaping materials you’re considering and live with them for a while. Or plan a field trip or two to see similar materials in a real garden setting. If you’re starting with a true blank canvas, you can mark out areas with a line marker (use hosepipe to create sinuous curved lines) so that you can walk through areas and make sure they feel right.

    Whichever surface material you choose, a solid, stable base—usually compressed crushed materials and sand—is key to ensure that the surface can cope with daily wear and weather. It’s possible to do most landscaping projects with basic DIY skills, but just like home projects a perfect finish by a professional is often hard to replicate.

    2. Good ‘Bones’

    Above: A clipped hedge, shaped shrubs, topiary and a specimen tree can all help to create the bones of a garden that have a permanent, year-round presence. When I bought my house, I had very little gardening experience but I knew that any green structure was potentially useful so I nurtured the hedges, many of which had been eaten down to stubs by horses. We allowed them to recover and grow before clipping many of them into cloud-pruned shapes. I added a few specimen trees including a multi-stem jacquemontii birch tree, pictured here. On the right hand side of this picture a self-seeded hawthorn was left to grow, providing a froth of white blossom in spring.



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  • NYBG’s Plant Studio: Online Classes for Beginner Gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden

    NYBG’s Plant Studio: Online Classes for Beginner Gardeners at the New York Botanical Garden

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    If you’re a gardener in the New York City area, you’ve likely toyed with the idea of taking a class at the New York Botanical Garden to stretch yourself in new directions—maybe even towards a new career. But if you’re anything like me, you never enrolled because while the garden is inspirational, it’s a big schlepp from where I live. Starting this winter, I and other distance-challenged gardeners may get our chance to study with NYBG after all. 

    NYBG’s Continuing Education program has just launched a new series of online classes that they are calling Plant Studio. Unlike their rigorous certificate program, these classes are “bite-sized” and offer a flexible schedule, with pre-recorded content dropped weekly via an online education portal.

    Photography courtesy of NYBG.

    Above: A classroom at the New York Botanical Garden.

    Up until 2020, the NYBG had never offered online courses because the institution placed emphasis on hands-on learning. “We have over 700 classes, workshops, and lectures a year, and about 60,000 students annually,” says Kay Chubbuck, NYBG’s Vice President for Education. “The Garden had been very focused on hands-on experiential education up until the pandemic, which makes sense for a program that offers garden design and floral design.” But when the pivot to online learning inspired many non-New Yorkers to sign up for classes, NYBG was compelled to take another look at its course offerings. “We found that there was an even broader audience of people not just in the New York Tri-State area, but even globally around the world.”

    One of the five Plant Studio classes offered is called “Orchid Design.”
    Above: One of the five Plant Studio classes offered is called “Orchid Design.”

    The Garden will continue to offer their in-person certificate and continuing education courses, as well as online courses that are taught live and synchronously via Zoom. What’s new are the five classes within Plant Studio. Chubbuck describes them as being targeted at the “plant curious” (versus the certificate classes for the “plant serious”). “They’re designed for people who like plants, may be curious about plants and always wanted to learn a little bit about landscape design or how to do a floral arrangement but didn’t have the time,” she notes. The classes are pre-recorded content and run two, four, or six weeks, but they are not fully self-paced—and that’s intentional, says Chubbuck. “These classes have start dates and end dates; the assignments have due dates. That kind of scaffolding sets people up for success. If there are no deadlines, it can be hard to really be motivated.”

    The Plant Studio classes are all online.
    Above: The Plant Studio classes are all online.

    The team at NYBG settled on their first five Plant Studio classes—Plant Science, Landscape Design History for Beginners, Orchid Design, Container Gardening, and Pruning Basics—after surveying existing and potential students. The six-week landscape design course, for example, is an easier and abbreviated version of one of the Garden’s most popular Continuing Education classes. These courses are also designed to be season-less and non-place specific. “We wanted courses that could reach as many people across different planting zones, different time zones as possible,” says Chubbuck. For example, a class like Container Gardening, you can do anywhere. There’s also a hands-on element to some, like the Pruning and Container Garden classes, for which students will complete their own projects at home.

    Some Plant Studio classes, like the one on “Pruning Basics,” require completion of at-home projects. 
    Above: Some Plant Studio classes, like the one on “Pruning Basics,” require completion of at-home projects. 

    Plant Studio also offers gardeners an opportunity to meet key figures in the garden, who don’t have time to teach a conventional class. For example, Marc Hachadourian, the Director of Glasshouse Horticulture & Senior Curator of Orchids at NYBG, co-teaches the orchid class. Registration for spring is open now, and Chudduck says we can expect another five classes to (hopefully!) be introduced before the end of the year. 

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  • Gotu Kola: How to Grow the Plant, Also Called Indian Pennywort

    Gotu Kola: How to Grow the Plant, Also Called Indian Pennywort

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    Gotu Kola, Centella asiastica

    Recently, I became the proud parent of a potted gotu kola. My friend from Sri Lanka grows this herb on her patio and had an extra container to share. If you know about the magical qualities of this humble, hard-to-find-fresh herb, then you might be a bit envious. If you are unfamiliar with this plant or only know it as an herbal supplement or as an ingredient in fancy facial creams, then you are in for a treat.

    Sow Exotic Nursery sells potted Gotu Kola, also known as Indian pennywort and Asiatic pennywort, for $19.95 each.
    Above: Sow Exotic Nursery sells potted Gotu Kola, also known as Indian pennywort and Asiatic pennywort, for $19.95 each.

    Let’s start with the good stuff. In many parts of Asia, gotu kola has been called “the fountain of life” and an “herb of longevity.” Legend says an ancient Chinese herbalist lived for 200 years because he ate gotu kola. This herb, packed with essential vitamins and minerals, has been used for thousand of years to treat numerous afflictions in India, China, and Indonesia. In Ayurveda, it is believed to improve mental clarity and support a long life. In India, a common saying is that elephants gain their good memory from snacking on wild gotu kola. My friend claims eating this herb is great for a healthy complexion; it can also be mashed up and combined with coconut oil and tumeric for a glowing face mask. Side note: before eating gotu kola, consult with your doctor if you are on medication, are pregnant, nursing, or allergic to it.

    What does it taste like? The flavor is mildly herbaceous like celery (it’s actual related to parsley), and the young leaves and stems can be added to curries, soups, salads, or smoothies. It can be eaten raw or cooked. A traditional Sri Lankan dish is gotu kola sambol, a salad made with the leaves, freshly grated coconut, green chili, onions, tomatoes, lime juice, and salt.

    Gotu kola leaves can be harvested for salads. Photograph by Dennis Sylvester Hurd via Flickr.
    Above: Gotu kola leaves can be harvested for salads. Photograph by Dennis Sylvester Hurd via Flickr.

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  • The New USDA Hardiness Zone Map 2023: What This Means for You

    The New USDA Hardiness Zone Map 2023: What This Means for You

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    Even if you’ve never seen a copy of the USDA hardiness map, you’ve likely comes across its zones mentioned on the backs of seed packets, on plant tags, and in plant guides on website like ours. More seasoned gardeners can use the information to help decide if a plant will thrive or survive in their garden, or if they should take a chance on a plant outside of their zone.

    This past November, the US Department of Agriculture issued its first map update in more than a decade. Here’s what it means for you.

    What is the USDA hardiness map anyway?

    USDA Hardiness Zone Map 2012

    The USDA hardiness map—the official name is Plant Hardiness Zone Map—helps gardeners determine which perennial plants can survive in their climate. It is based on the average annual minimum temperature in a given area (in other words, how low the temperature gets in your area on average).

    The USDA created the hardiness map in 1960 and it has been updated in 1990 and 2012. The map is divided into 13 hardiness zones which represent 10 degree increments, and then further split into half zones with ‘a’ and ‘b’ sections, which represent five degree increments. Zone 1 is the coldest zone, with an average annual minimum temperature of -60°F or below. Zone 13 is the warmest zone, with an average annual minimum temperature of 60°F or above.

    What changed in the updated map?

    To use the 2023 USDA Hardiness Zone Map, simply find your area on the map by entering your zip code. From there you will see what zone you’re in and can select perennial plants that should survive the winter in your area.
    Above: To use the 2023 USDA Hardiness Zone Map, simply find your area on the map by entering your zip code. From there you will see what zone you’re in and can select perennial plants that should survive the winter in your area.

    • About half the US—mainly in the Midwest and Northeast—has moved into the next warmer half zone.
    • Updated collected data over a longer period of time using 1991 to 2020 versus earlier maps.
    • Increased granular information for locations and now includes microclimates of cities, mountain ranges, and near bodies of water. This is due to over a 50 percent increase in temperature data sources, with 13,625 weather stations for 2023 versus 7,983 in 2012.
    • Includes a new “Tips for Growers’ section.

    Gardeners need to keep in mind that the map uses a single data point. It is the average lowest temperature in a given location over the last 30 years. The key word here is average. If you’re in zone 7b, it means your lowest average winter temperature is 5°F  to 10°F. It does not mean you won’t have one or more colder days that could kill certain plants.

    It also doesn’t take into consideration variables specific to your garden. This includes your soil composition, the amount of sunlight, and any microclimates produced by structures. An example would be a fig tree that can be susceptible to winter dieback: In a sheltered area, up against a cinder block garage, it may do just fine due to the stored heat energy from the sun that the cinder blocks release at night, keeping the aerial part of the plant from freezing.

    What are the real world applications of the updated map?

    Above: Most of Massachusetts now falls into zones 6 or 7, rather than zone 5B or 5A—making winters more hospitable to certain perennials. Photograph of Cape Cod garden by Justine Hand, from Secret Garden: At Home with Marnie on Cape Cod.

    You may be able to grow “new to you” flowers, fruits, vegetables, and other plants. Maybe. Especially if you’re on a border of two zones.

    The map is especially useful in helping you decide the right tree tree to plant. Due to the long lifespan of most trees, knowing the trend for your specific location can help you pick a tree that may thrive over one that may not. If your zone is shifting warmer and you love maple trees, the map can help you choose which one. Sugar maples do best in zones 4 through 8. Red maples do best in zones 3 through 9. If you’re in zone 7b in 2023, and you plant a sugar maple, a tree that can live over 300 years, it could find itself out of its comfort zone before it hits 100 years old. If you choose a red maple which can live on average between 80 and 100 years, but as long as 300 years, it could be happy until the end of its days.

    Check out our Lookbook for more images of Cape Cod gardens.

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  • How to Design a Garden: Tips for Laying Out Your Outdoor Space

    How to Design a Garden: Tips for Laying Out Your Outdoor Space

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    ‘But what shall I do with the garden?’ As an avid gardener with friends who have little or no experience in cultivating plants or designing a garden, this is a question I am often asked. Faced with a blank canvas, a limited budget, and next to no planting knowledge, many new garden owners find themselves unsure how to approach what could be their very first outdoor space. The answer, perhaps, is more simple than they think. Approach it just as you would approach a new home, with the same pragmatic starting points followed by largely subjective decisions.

    In this story, my first in a new series on creating a garden from scratch, I offer pointers on how to begin your garden journey.

    1. Assess the space.

    Above: In Daisy Garnett’s garden in south London, one of the key features are the original mellow brick walls, which the writer has fully utilized with abundant climbers and a lean-to pergola covered in Pierre de Ronsard roses. The furniture includes vintage finds along with a zinc-topped table from Petersham Nurseries. Photograph by Clare Coulson.

    Start with a clean slate. If the garden is overgrown, clear the surface mess to get an accurate picture of the size of the space, any paths or hardscaped areas as well as boundaries. Then make a scale drawing. What are the boundaries made from? Are there hedges that you can prune and shape? Or fences that are potential spaces for climbers? If you dislike a fence, it can probably be painted to create an easy and effective makeover.

    2. Wait and watch.

    The perennial borders at Kiftsgate Court Gardens are packed with a succession of roses and perennials. Photograph by Clare Coulson.
    Above: The perennial borders at Kiftsgate Court Gardens are packed with a succession of roses and perennials. Photograph by Clare Coulson.

    It’s all too easy to go charging in, loppers in hand, and remove plants, shrubs, or trees, especially if you are assessing the garden in a season when little seems to be in flower or leaf. Instead of being hasty and potentially making bad pruning decisions, spend time watching the garden, ideally for a year—it’s the best way to begin. This gives you time to really get a sense of how light moves through the garden in different seasons (it will dramatically change from summer to autumn or winter). And it also offers you a chance to see how shrubs and trees look in different seasons, too, as well as any herbaceous perennials and bulbs that may appear. Mature plants are very expensive to replace, so you want to be absolutely sure before you remove them from the landscape. Last, you’ll want to be on the lookout for any visiting wildlife, which will ultimately be a key element of your garden.

    3. Make a mood board.

    On my mood board, a courtyard garden created by Somerset-based antiques dealer Jack Laver Brister—a masterclass in putting together an abundance of shade-loving plants, beautiful reclaimed and antique pieces, and lush evergreens.
    Above: On my mood board, a courtyard garden created by Somerset-based antiques dealer Jack Laver Brister—a masterclass in putting together an abundance of shade-loving plants, beautiful reclaimed and antique pieces, and lush evergreens.

    Chances are, you will already have years of saved images on Instagram or Pinterest. (If you don’t, start saving—both are great methods to collect inspiration.) Putting these all onto a big board will allow you to figure out the landscape styles and plant types that you gravitate toward. Are your favorite gardens formal with lots of structure, or do they tend to be wild and naturalistic? Are your preferred plants blowsy and romantic, or do you lean towards the dynamic forms of ornamental grasses and new perennial planting? Look for the common themes, while also observing your own space and getting a feel for what could fit. If there are particular garden designers you admire, gather images of their projects, too; quickly, a certain palette and planting preferences will begin to emerge.

    4. Pinpoint borrowed views.

    Above: The otherworldly borrowed landscape in the south London garden of Will Fisher and Charlotte Freemantle of Jamb. Fisher added numerous antiques to the garden in a series of garden rooms but the icing on the cake is the exquisite spire of the local church. Photograph by Matthew Williams.

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  • New Year, New Garden: 7 Resolutions for 2024 – Gardenista

    New Year, New Garden: 7 Resolutions for 2024 – Gardenista

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    The best laid plans for the garden are usually made in the dead of winter, when short days give us long, cozy evenings to dream up a new project or pore over seed catalogues in anticipation of next summer’s borders. In a similar way, it’s a good time to make some resolutions and to implement changes to not only what you’ll plant but how you’ll maintain it all, too. Here then are some of my garden resolutions for 2024.

    1. Keep a garden notebook.

    Above: Making a note of key flowers to grow with floral designer Milli Proust’s cottage window. Photograph by Eva Nemeth, from Milli’s debut book From Seed to Bloom.

    How many times do you make a mental note and then very swiftly forget all about it? In the garden it’s all too easy to forget six months later, say, the exact position where you wanted to plant a swathe of spring bulbs, or the spot you were hoping to relocate a plant, or the name of the shrub you wanted to buy. A notebook is arguably the most underestimated tool for the gardener; making notes, lists, and sketches through the gardening year, both in your own garden and when visiting others, will keep plant names and plans all in one place.

    2. Ditch the impulsive plant shopping.

    Above: South Wood Farm in Devon, England, designed by Arne Maynard. Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer.

    In my garden there is always a table through the growing season of plants that have not yet found their spot—a collection of impulse purchases, bought during over-excited, under-planned visits to the plant nursery, that are then neglected there was never a set plan for them. As the season comes and goes, those plants stay on the table, an embarrassing reminder of my failure to properly plan. So this year I’m vowing to eradicate this habit and buy only the plants I already have a spot for.

    3. Make more space for messiness.

    The dovecote at Old-Lands in Wales. Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer.
    Above: The dovecote at Old-Lands in Wales. Photograph by Britt Willoughby Dyer.

    As my garden margins have become messier—with nettles, brambles, wildflowers and weeds—the insect and bird life has boomed. It doesn’t take much to create habitats for wildlife: Undisturbed corners, dead hedges, log piles, fallen wood, leaf mounds will all provide useful hiding places and habitats for the creatures that are fundamental to the health and life of your garden. By leaving a variety of weeds to grow, you will also boost biodiversity too.

    4. Boost the soil.

    Above: The rich planting at Kiftsgate Court Gardens. Photograph by Sabina Ruber, from Vanessa Berridge’s Three Generations of Women Gardeners.

    I can get a bit lazy in my approach to the annual mulch, but this past summer, while comparing my borders to pictures taken a few years ago, it became clear that it needed a significant boost come winter. I expect a lot from my garden, which features borders planted successionally so that there is something always in flower from late winter right through until November, and a rich mulch with organic matter will give it much needed nutrients for the growing season ahead. As I have very sandy, free draining soil in my garden, I prefer a rich mulch, either manure or Dalefoot’s Double Strength compost; both, of course, are peat-free.

    5. Invest in naturalizing bulbs.

    Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ is planted in swathes in the meadow at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent. Photograph by Clare Coulson.
    Above: Narcissus ‘Pheasant’s Eye’ is planted in swathes in the meadow at Sissinghurst Castle, Kent. Photograph by Clare Coulson.

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  • Composting in the Winter: Tips to Ensure Mature Compost in Spring

    Composting in the Winter: Tips to Ensure Mature Compost in Spring

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    It’s still important to keep your ratio of “greens” (moist materials, including kitchen scraps) and “browns” (dry materials, leaves, shredded paper and cardboard) during the winter months. Merkleson keeps a separate pile of leaves that he adds to his bin whenever he puts in kitchen scraps.

    5. Don’t turn it.

    When the temperatures drop, you should stop turning the pile because you’ll be contributing to heat loss. “Once the temperatures in the pile go below 40°F, there is not much microbial activity, so no need to turn,” adds Helen Atthowe, the author of The Ecological Farm. That said, if you hit a warm spell, go ahead and flip the pile to aerate, says Merkelson. Note: If you maintain a hot compost pile (most homeowners have a “cold” pile), the Growit Buildit! blog, in a tutorial about hot composting in winter, recommends continuing to turn your pile once a week.

    6. Cover up.

    Above: Photograph by Meg Stewart via Flickr.

    Covering the pile can also help retain heat. Merkleson says you can cover your pile with leaves, cardboard, or straw to keep it warmer longer, but avoid covering the active pile with a plastic tarp, so it can breathe and receive moisture. Atthow notes that there are felt-like compost covers you can buy that breathe better than plastic tarps, as well. If you’re fortunate enough to have a stash of mature compost, it’s fine to leave it outside to overwinter, but Merkleson recommends you do cover that with a tarp. If not, “rain, sleet, snow washes through the compost and leeches out the nutrients,” he cautions.

    7. Consider a backdoor bin.

    Photograph by Sue Thompson via Flickr.
    Above: Photograph by Sue Thompson via Flickr.

    “It’s not always necessary to go out in bad weather to keep composting,” says Merkelson, who personally doesn’t like to trek out to his pile in the worst winter weather. Instead, he throws food waste into an indoor Bokashi bin (an anaerobic method of composting). But Merkleson notes you don’t need a Bokashi bucket to avoid trips to your compost pile. Take advantage of the cold temperatures and place a food waste bucket outside, preferably next to the back door. “If it is freezing or close to freezing, you can just leave your food scraps in a sealed container for weeks or even months” until you’re ready to take them out to the pile, he says.

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  • Agave Tequilana: How to Grow Blue Weber Agave

    Agave Tequilana: How to Grow Blue Weber Agave

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    Blue Weber Agave, Agave tequilana

    A daring husband and wife team in Sonoma county—Laurie and Adam Goldberg, co-founders and owners of  Stargazer Spirits—is experimenting with large-scale agave farming by planting test blocks on approximately six acres of varying soil types, with blue Weber as one agave variety. They are deep in the learning stage, so I reached out to Laurie for advice and insights into growing blue Weber agave, a historically significant succulent.

    Please keep reading to learn more about this drinkable plant and this adventurous couple.

    Photography by Adam Goldberg, courtesy of Stargazer Spirits.

    A field of blue Weber agave growing bigger and stronger every year.
    Above: A field of blue Weber agave growing bigger and stronger every year.

    First, a little backstory about blue Weber agave: The Greek word that agave comes from is Agavos, which translates to illustrious; in Greek mythology, Agave was the goddess of desire. Blue Weber agave is native to Jalisco, Mexico, and was considered sacred by the Aztecs. The first alcoholic agave beverage was pulque (potentially dating back to 1000 B.C), made from the fermentation of the plant’s sap. When Spanish settlers entered the scene, they began experimenting with the distillation process, eventually using the pulque to make tequila and mezcal. Today, Jalisco remains the source of the best and the majority of tequila.

    The Goldbergs’ mission is to create top-notch agave spirits in California. (Side note: in order for a drink to be called tequila, it must be made from blue Weber agave in Jalisco or other limited municipalities in Mexico.) They are among the first to grow agave for spirits production outside of Mexico. “We have around 3,000 tequilana (including several heritage varieties) and approximately 6,000 plants total. We’d hoped that Agave tequilana would be a low-water, low-maintenance, set-it-and-forget-it plant for us, but in fact it requires more water than any of our other agaves (though still around 75 percent less than what grapes need on a per-acre basis),” shares Laurie. The Goldbergs continue running a number of soil amendment, mulching, and watering experiments. “The bottom line is that this agave is likely to thrive in warm areas in full sun without winter frost. It requires 70 to 80 gallons of water per plant in the summer months, though water requirements will depend on location and soils. Lastly, it likes loose, sandy soils in which its roots can spread out.”

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  • Winter Planting: What to Plant in Your Garden in December

    Winter Planting: What to Plant in Your Garden in December

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    December is an interesting month for most. It’s filled with fun things like parties and holidays, but the fun is inevitably accompanied by a whole lot of chores and stress. Wouldn’t it be great to get outside and do some stress-relieving gardening? Sigh.

    Good news: You can garden in December! What you can plant will vary with your location, but there’s still plenty that can be done.

    1. You can plant vegetables.

    Above: Garlic growing in snow. Photograph by Marie Viljoen, from Gardening 101: Garlic.

    Cold-hardy vegetables can be planted in beds where the winters aren’t too harsh and the soil is not frozen and still workable. They include root vegetables such as carrots and turnips. In the brassica family, you can plant cabbages, kale, and cauliflower. You can even plant garlic. Know that the low temperatures and limited sun will slow the growth rate. How much depends on your microclimate and if you have access to hoop houses or floating row covers, both of which provide protection. If your beds are out in the open, exposed to the elements, your vegetables will grow far slower than they would in a sheltered spot—such as up against the foundation of your home, protected from wind and in full sun. At night, the foundation releases the sun’s stored energy, keeping the bed from freezing.

    If you choose to winter sow using milk jugs, be sure to fill each with at least three inches of soil. Photograph by SK via Flickr.
    Above: If you choose to winter sow using milk jugs, be sure to fill each with at least three inches of soil. Photograph by SK via Flickr.

    If your soil is already frozen, you have two options. Grow your vegetables in a cold frame, or winter sow by using milk jugs (or other repurposed plastic containers) to create a miniature greenhouse for the seeds. You can sow nearly everything this way—and you end up getting larger seedlings when it’s time to transplant. (For more information on winter sowing using milk jugs, read this.)

    2. You can plant flowers.

    Above: Winter is the season for bare root planting. Photograph courtesy of David Austin Roses, from Dreaming of Roses? Now’s the Time to Plant Them Bare Root.

    You can plant many different flowers by way of winter sowing. This is particularly good for those plants needing cold stratification. These include natives such as echinacea, goldenrod, and milkweed, and more showy plants like artichokes and hollyhocks.

    But you’re not limited to seeds. You can plant bare-root roses, daylilies, and peonies. Did you forget about that box of daffodil bulbs in the mudroom? Plant them. So long as the soil is not frozen, you can plant. The same goes for tulips, snowdrops, and one of the main harbingers of spring, crocuses. If you see pansies in your local garden center, pick some up. They are remarkably hardy for a delicate looking flower and will bloom in the snow. Remember to protect the newly planted plants by mulching them. Mulch helps regulate soil temperature and reduces the amount of frost heaving.

    3. You can plant trees.

    Above: For best results, soil temperature should be 60°F or warmer when planting an evergreen tree. Photograph by Justine Hand, from DIY: Plant Your Christmas Tree in the Garden.

    There is a magic number for planting trees in the winter. If your soil temperature is 50°F or higher, you are good to plant deciduous trees. For evergreens, 60°F is the minimum. Below the minimums, you run the risk of the tree dying. Trees are a huge investment. It’s best to give them the greatest chance of survival with a simple meat thermometer for less than $10. (Just remember to clearly label it “for soil use only.”)

    With planting any plant, it’s important to match the right plant to the right place. In winter, the right plants are ones that are cold hardy, and the right place requires that you know what zone you’re in and if you have a microclimate you can take advantage of.

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