… Deeply Rooted “The more high-tech we become, the more nature we need.”—Richard Louv, journalist and author of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder “Preschool educators have long known that animals, plants, water, and other aspects of the natural world delight children and draw them in as learners.”—Natural Start Alliance A growing body of research tells us that …
Type: Page
… Native to Central and South American, Brassavola orchids are named after the Venetian nobleman and physician, Antonio Musa Brassavola. They have long, thin, tubular leaves that can reach up to a foot in length and sometimes appear unrolled or flattened. The tubular leaves are designed to reduce water loss, …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… wide. The banding is inherited from the Odontoglossum parents, while the bright yellow color and multiple flowers are characteristic of the Oncidium side of the family. It likes cool, bright conditions with weekly fertilizing and a temperature range of 50 degrees F. at night and 80 degrees F. during the day. If container grown, a 12-inch or larger clay pot (for …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… temperatures in summer have warmed up, move the plants to a full sun location on the patio and water daily supplementing the water with dilute soluble fertilizer weekly. The plants should … ideally given early in the day. When temperatures begin to cool in fall bring plants indoors and place under full sun spectrum grow lights on a timer set for approximately 12 hours in a … of the flower, which consists of three petals surrounded by three sepals -- often in dramatic and contrasting colors and in a variety of shapes and sizes. Although some orchids are native to …
Type: Garden Guide Plant
… the mail, when garden centers start to fill with tempting flowers, when juices start to flow and gardeners' ambitions are highest, drudging in the dirt is not the way most of us want to … your soil — ideally neutral, or about 7 — and which nutrients it holds. The Plant Information Service can help you find a soil test lab. Soil in Your Pots What about potting soil? Drainage is … in the ground. To save headaches, spend the money to get a reputable potting mix that is weed-free. However, it's not critical for potting mixes to be used for mature plants, Pollak says. You …
Type: Plant Info
… Gardeners need not despair, however. Winter has its own charms—it’s a time to embrace and reflect on the changing seasons. Unlike in the summer, there’s a quiet austerity in gardens, woodlands, and prairies at this time of year. Winter reveals itself in the subtle colors and shapes of bare trees and shrubs. There are the soft textures and tawny hues of dried grasses, brilliant …
Type: Plant Info
… need to be in place for spectacular hues to emerge: abundant summer moisture, sunny fall days, and cool but not freezing nighttime temperatures. Brilliant yellows and golds grab our attention, but let's go deeper in tone, to the often-overlooked drama of … for a sensational trio. Works in containers, too (and the birds love it). Tucked into bare spots in fall flower beds, edible 'Red Choi' is a cool-season vegetable that's both pretty …
Type: Plant Info
… in, a gardener’s thoughts generally turn to removal—raking leaves, cutting back perennials, and pulling out the last of the vegetables. But fall is the season for addition as well as subtraction. In fact, for smart gardeners, fall is the best time of the year to add to and improve your soil. In the May 2015 edition of Smart Gardener , we talked about soil in … one—documented in China and India as much as 2,500 years ago. Instead of allowing a bed to go bare—exposing the soil to wind, running water, and ambitious weeds—cover crops are sown when the …
Type: Plant Info
… Holiday plants and flowers make great gifts for everyone on your shopping lists. They are perfect gifts for family members, the host and hostess of the holiday parties you attend, and of course, are beautiful for decorating your … Mist the plant regularly, or rinse the plants in a sink to keep the foliage clean and free of spider mites. As new growth emerges, train the new growth to the desired form. Take the …
Type: Blog
… month? They may be taking part in No Mow May—a movement that began in Great Britain in 2019 and has spread to North America and beyond. The goal is to leave the “weeds”—clover, dandelions, … sounds contrary to the way most homeowners view their lawns—crisp, clean, deep green, and weed-free (think of meticulously manicured golf course turf)—well, it is. If you can live with taller … end of the month, pollinators will buzz to the buffet. But, if your lawn is spotlessly weed-free and treated with chemicals, “No Mow May” is, well, pointless. Weeds By definition a weed is …
Type: Blog
