I am not a great fan of all the bedding plants, potted individually, which are now sold to gardeners during the spring. The time seems to have passed when we simply bought bedding plants by the dozen-pack or even grew many of them from seed ourselves. I have seen people buying individually potted marigolds, zinnias
Many Varieties And Colours To Accent The Garden
The Promise Of Spring
One of the very first signs that spring is coming is the appearance of soft, fuzzy pussy willows on willow bushes in the ditches along the highways and byways. These delightful “blooms” are a welcome sight to those who are eagerly looking forward to spring and many of us “older folk” can remember doing artwork
Give Cannas A Head Start
In the past I used to grow cannas and I was often disappointed in the fall when frost arrived in early September – or in some years when we lived in Birtle, Manitoba in late August – and froze the cannas just as they were coming into bloom. It was so disheartening to have grown
Be On The Lookout For Snow Mould
As the snow melts, particularly because many areas of the Prairies have had so much snow this winter, gardeners will have to be on the lookout for snow mould. This fungal disease can attack lawns during the period when the snow is melting and cause significant damage to the turf. Gardeners should be observant as
Wire Vine Does Well Inside Or Out
Some plants perform double duty by being adaptable enough to be used in the outdoor garden during the summer but when brought indoors for the winter serve as attractive houseplants in the interior landscape. I bought a plant last spring called big leaf wire vine (Muehlenbeckia complexa). There is a “little leaf” variety as well.
Schefflera Makes A Good Floor Plant
The schefflera plant, Schefflera arboricola, is often called the umbrella plant, and for good reason. The five to seven leaflets of which each long-stalked leaf is composed are elongated ovals and light olive green in colour. The leaves, with their long stalks, do indeed resemble umbrellas or parasols. A schefflera plant will produce several sturdy
Try An Anthurium Instead
What flowers to get a special someone for Valentine’s Day? Red roses? An orchid? Although I really like fresh cut flowers – during the summer months there are usually cut flowers of some kind from our garden in a vase on the kitchen table – in the off season I don’t buy cut flowers very
Success With Streptocarpella
Many gardeners overwinter plants from their outdoor gardens with the hope of using them outdoors again the following summer. Most of us have boxes of bulbs and tubers tucked away in cool, dark spots for the winter, pots of bulbs kept dormant, as well as several parent plants we attempt to keep alive on windowsills
A Bit Of Hawaii In Manitoba
One of my favourite houseplants is the hibiscus; it is a large plant – a shrub actually – and in its natural tropical environment the hibiscus can reach heights of several metres. We saw lots of beautiful hibiscus in Maui last winter while on a holiday there and it is the state flower of Hawaii.
Add Interest With A Prayer Plant
Brighten up the dark days of winter with a plant that can add colour and interest to the indoor landscape. Because of the low light levels at this time of year, it is difficult to get flowering houseplants to put forth bloom so we have to rely on foliage plants to provide that colour and
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
