Evergreen needles don’t last forever, and some trees lose their needles every single year! If you have conifers in your landscape, I hope this information may save you from unnecessary alarm. Dr. Rosie Lerner, the retired consumer horticulture specialist at Purdue University, wrote about this phenomenon. “Evergreens provide green color all year long, but that […]

Seeds are one of the most interesting parts of the plant world because packed into what is sometimes just the size of a dust speck is the potential for an entire plant. They are abundant this time of year on many of our garden and landscape plants – in fruits, faded flowers, or pods.  There

Holiday cacti are short-day plants, meaning they will begin blooming as nights get longer and days get shorter. To initiate blooming, plants need to have at least 12 hours of continuous darkness for 5-6 weeks. Flower buds will not be set if the darkness is interrupted for too long (2+ hours). Once the flower buds

The cool days of autumn are a great time to get outside and do some garden cleanup. By getting rid of leftover plant debris in flower beds and the vegetable garden, you can reduce the risk of some common problems next year. Several disease-causing bacteria and fungi over winter on plant debris and can cause

Home gardeners have a vast variety of seeds to choose from when planning next year’s garden. Understanding seed terminology is important when deciding what to buy. It is easy to get confused with terms like heirloom, hybrid, non-GMO, and open-pollinated. Select the below link for a great explanation of types of seeds, from the University

Every autumn, gardeners gaze at some of their beautiful annuals and wish there was some way to save them. Then, every spring, they wish they didn’t have to spend money on the same plants they just discarded the previous fall. Some annuals can be over-wintered to make a Phoenix-like recovery the next season.          Some caveats

Although the outdoor garden may be getting ready for its long winter nap, you can continue to harvest the fresh flavor of herbs by growing a windowsill garden. Many herbs, including dill, parsley, thyme, chives, oregano, and mint, are adaptable to growing indoors in a sunny window. While some of these herbs may grow to

Fall is not only a time for pumpkins and mums, but it also time to plant those spring blooming flower bulbs for a much appreciated splash of color in the spring. The ideal time to plant bulbs, especially daffodils, are September to October as they need time for root growth ahead of winter freezes. These

Whether you’re looking to expand your planting of iris or just need to rejuvenate an older planting, late summer through early fall is a good time to lift and divide iris. Dividing every three to five years will help rejuvenate the planting, and encourage more blossoms for the subsequent years. Most iris plants spread by

Every homeowner wants the nicest and best-looking lawn and to have their neighbors be green with envy. Living in the Midwest for the most part means that we have cool-season grasses to care for and nurture. In our yards, turfgrass is the basis of a beautiful landscape. Keeping our lawns looking their best year-round is