In agriculture, we often hear the terms value added, sustainability, organic, and gate to plate; some growers are becoming interested in ag-tourism. On a recent visit to the island of Maui, Hawaii, this winter I had the pleasure of touring O’o Farm in the upcountry region of this beautiful Hawaiian island and discovered an excellent
What Can We Learn From Hawaii?
Colour The Garden Green
St. Patrick’s Day is about the time that Manitoba gardeners are absorbed with looking through seed catalogues and beginning to plan what to include in the gardens this year. When you are choosing the flower varieties that you are going to grow, you might keep old St. Patrick in mind and grow some flowers that
Growing Perennials From Seed
As we begin to look forward to our outdoor gardens and what we are going to plant in them, we will no doubt be thinking about perennials. Most gardeners have perennial or mixed borders and during the last decade or so perennials have gained in popularity. This is no surprise as a vast number of
Find Houseplants A Challenge? Try This One
One of the easiest and most forgiving houseplants that I know is a member of the genus Sansevaria. Although the plant goes by a number of common names such as devil’s tongue, snake plant and tiger’s tail, its most popular name is mother-in-law’s tongue. Its botanical name is Sansevaria trifasciata. Like many plants which have
Caring For Miniature Roses
Did you get a pot of miniature roses for Valentine’s Day? Although a flowering potted plant is always appreciated, a miniature rose is one of the most difficult to care for and it is a very challenging task to keep such a plant flourishing beyond its first flush of bloom. Miniature roses are just like
Caring For Valentine’s Day Roses
No other flower evokes quite the same kind of romantic message. Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend this year which will be an advantage to those who want to celebrate the occasion in style. One of the most enduring symbols of this day of romance is the red rose; no other flower evokes quite the
Plectranthus — Perfect For Indoors
Most gardeners are familiar with a plant commonly called Swedish ivy. It is actually not an ivy at all, but a member of a plant family called Plectranthus. It is P. australis and has bright-green, round leaves with scalloped edges. It produces dainty white flowers when it gets enough direct sun and will sometimes even
Start Early To Create A Geranium Standard
During the long, cold months of winter it is a good thing that we gardeners have our indoor gardens to keep us occupied. There are gardening projects that can be undertaken that eventually will be of use in our outdoor gardens, but which can be worked on now while we have the time. One such
Revitalizing That Arrangement
When the exci tement of Christmas Day has come and gone, folks have gone back to everyday routine and the Christmas decorations have come down, the house can seem rather bleak. One item of Christmas décor that might be retained to add a bit of cheer to the indoors during our cold, dark January is
Last-Minute “Christmas Tree”
Perhaps you are downsizing, or you have moved into smaller accommodations, or you are spending much of the Christmas season elsewhere. If you had decided not to have a Christmas tree this year but are beginning to think the place looks a little bare, there is a simple solution. You can create a substitute Christmas
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
