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       ​Care Of Gladiolus – How To Grow Gladiolus In Your Garden
Gladiolus plants grow wonderfully in the warm weather of summer. You can produce these flowers in sequence by planting some corms every few weeks or so. Learning how to take care of gladiolus will reward you with a huge array of colors and they also work out great for cut flowers. Let’s look at how to grow gladiolus.
 
How to Grow Gladiolus
Gladiolus corms look like oversized crocus corms. They have a brown fiber wrapper with a small flat bottom. Sometimes they already have pointy shoots showing at the top.
Follow these growing tips to help with care of gladiolus:
•Gladiolus prefer well-drained and even sandy soil. They also like sunny locations.
•You will want to plant the gladiolus deeper than usual because they have a tall sheaf of leaves. This will help anchor them against strong winds that might blow them over to the ground.
 
Gladiolus – How to Plant
With gladiolus, how to plant is just a few simple steps:
1.First dig a trench about 8 inches deep. Make it long enough that you can space your corms about half a foot apart. That spacing might seem a bit strange to you, so placing them in a semi-circle or oval will help. Make sure the space is large enough to handle about 10 corms for a nice display.
2.You will want to fertilize the corms with 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 fertilizer. Put the recommended amount in the bottom of the planting area, but be sure to mix the soil and fertilizer well so you don’t burn the corm. Add a layer of unfertilized soil before placing the corm into the trench.
3.You should start your planting of your gladiolus in mid-spring. From that point, make some new plantings every two weeks. They take 70-100 days to grow and flower so planting every couple of weeks gives you flowers right on through summer. If these flowers will be exposed to wind, you will definitely want to stake them.
4.Stop planting your gladiolus in summer, around mid-July.
5.Keep your gladiolus watered well during their growing period and make sure to mulch the soil around them to keep it moist.
 
Gladiolus are only completely hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones  8 to 11. In zones 6 to 7, they thrive if the bulbs are protected by a thick mulch throughout the winter.
 
Proper care of gladiolus requires the use of fertilizer. As they come up, you can fertilize the new gladioli batches when you see the flower spikes start to show. After you pick the flowers, you can fertilize again. When you fertilize, just add the granules next to the flower, and then scratch the soil with a cultivator to mix it a little.
 
How to Care for Gladiolus in the Winter
Rather than leaving the corms in the ground to winter, you can dig the corms up for storage  four to six weeks after you pick the flowers.
1.Dig the corm up and shake as much soil as you can off the corm. Trim back the leaves to within an inch of the corm itself.
2.Let the corm dry up for about a week. After that, you can brush off remaining soil.  You can pick off the little corms and use them to make other plants.
3.Store your gladiolus in a dry, dark, cool place in a mesh bag or old pantyhose to prevent moisture from aiding mildew to grow. Also protect them when you store them because mice love gladiola bulbs.
 
Gladiolus plants are a lovely addition to any garden. Knowing how to grow gladiolus and proper care of gladiolus will ensure that these delightful flowers will grow well in your garden.
Article printed from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

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     ​I don't know if you will like any of these ideas, because different than our normal landscaping but some food for thought. 
 
Take these tips to heart if you're serious about low-maintenance landscaping. Since watering and mowing the lawn consume a large chunk of yard care time, the biggest step you can take towards minimizing your workload is reducing your watering needs and cutting back on the amount of grass you must mow. Become "water-wise" and introduce plants that serve as alternatives to grass. There are many labor-saving solutions for weeds, pests, and pesky pets, too.
 
Xeriscaping Can Save Water, Effort, Money
 Autumn Joy sedum plant in bloom.
   Autumn Joy sedum is a good xeriscaping plant. David Beaulieu
 Those who have had to mow lawns all their lives are acutely aware of just how much work lawns are. But lawns can also be costly, as when you have to replace one that has succumbed to drought. Don't wait for drought to strike to reconsider the wisdom of having extensive, labor-intensive, thirsty lawns. Instead, take preemptive action by changing your landscape design. One water-wise alternative to lawns is xeriscaping, using plants such Sedum Autumn Joy.
 
Automatic Irrigation Systems
 You've probably thought about having the convenience of an automatic irrigation system in your front yard. Perhaps you've been torn between doing it yourself or having a professional installation. This FAQ could help you make up your mind and begin enjoying this handy aid to low-maintenance landscaping.
 
Clover as an Alternative to Grass
 Clover seed used to be included in the typical lawn seed mix, being appreciated as a ground cover with numerous attractive qualities. Clover lawns have many advantages over grass lawns, including:
 
■ Drought-tolerance
■ Cost-savings
■ Less impact on the environment
 
Clovers are also insect-resistant, compete well with weeds, and don't have to be mowed often, making these low-maintenance plants a superb substitute for grass.
 
Rock Gardens for Low-Maintenance Landscaping
 Rock gardens typically contain drought-tolerant plants that don't need much care. Moreover, the rocks, themselves offer a decor that never needs to be watered or tended to in any way whatsoever. Once you learn the basic principles behind building rock gardens and find out which plants work best in these environments, you can decide on the specimens that fit best into your design vision.
 
Deer-Resistant Ground Covers
 Using ground covers is a smart landscape solution that can reduce watering needs and mowing time. But when deer pests come to snack on ground cover plants, you need to refine your strategy. Some ground covers are more effective in deer control than others. Discover plants deer tend not to eat, saving you the time, energy, and money required to replace eaten plants. And these deer-resistant ground covers have many other fine qualities that give you plenty of reason to grow them.
 
Mulch: Unsung Hero
 Assuming you're not some kind of workaholic, sooner or later you'll come to recognize mulch as one of the unsung heroes of landscaping. It's highly portable, malleable and, for certain types of mulch, you can even make your own. If you have a problem area for which there seems to be no other solution, mulch is probably your answer, especially if you need a quick and easy solution. An application of mulch can reduce your watering needs significantly. Mulch also suppresses weeds, making yard care much easier.
 
Drought-Tolerant Perennials
 Culvers root plants in bloom, displaying clusters of flower spikes.
  The perceptive will detect a subplot in this listing of low-maintenance approaches: water conservation and, more broadly, managing water. Plants that require a lot of water will be one of your biggest challenges if you are trying to reduce the amount of care your landscaping needs. The solution is not to try growing water-guzzlers in areas of the yard in full sun. Instead, opt for drought-tolerant shrubs, perennials, etc.
 
Erosion control is also a water issue, albeit from a different perspective. Here, it is not saving water that is the challenge but, rather, coping with the destructive potential of water on sloping land. Runoff coming down a hill can have devastating effects, not only on your landscaping, but even on your home.
 
One way to fight erosion that also makes your yard more beautiful is to grow suitable plants on a slope that is at risk of eroding. Creeping junipers (Juniperus horizontalis) are commonly used for this purpose, but an intriguing option is rock cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis) because:
 
■ It spreads, making it capable of holding back a lot of soil.
■ It gives you more height (3 feet tall) than creeping juniper.
■ With its red berries and nice fall-foliage, it's prettier.
 
This low-maintenance landscaping tip falls partly into the category of prevention: By being proactive and taking measures before erosion occurs, you can save yourself a lot of maintenance later. But planting a hillside with such ground covers also saves you the work of having to mow grass there, a job that can be both difficult and potentially hazardous.
 
Moss as an Alternative to Grass
 Mosses are fuss-free plants that can be used as alternatives to lawn grass in shady spots, where most types of grass refuse to grow. Considering how often moss grows in lawn areas problematic for grass, it readily suggests itself as just such an alternative. Growing moss represents the path of least resistance in these problem areas.
 
Landscaping and Dogs: Not Exactly a Match Made in Heaven
Dogs can run your yard ragged. If your dogs are to be allowed to run about outside, you'll probably have to make adjustments to your landscaping. But the smartest adjustments you'll make are the ones that cause you the least labor in the long run. Among these are switching to a type of grass that holds up better under "paw traffic."
 
Less Work in Your Yard Means More Time for Enjoying It
You lead a full, busy life. Your yard should be a sanctuary where you recharge your batteries after a hard day at the office, not a time sink. But to achieve that goal, you have to make smart choices. Now that you know how you can reduce your landscape-maintenance responsibilities, you can have more time for yourself. With the resulting time savings, more time will be left over for using your yard as it is intended to be used: for your enjoyment.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/tips-for-low-maintenance-landscaping-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
 

image from gardenerspath.com

     ​Picking Brussels Sprouts: How To Harvest Brussels Sprouts
Harvesting Brussels sprouts provides a nutritious side dish on the table, and learning when to harvest Brussels sprouts can make your experience more flavorful. As with most vegetables, learning how to pick Brussels sprouts at the right time is a worthwhile endeavor.
 
When to Harvest Brussels Sprouts
Picking Brussels sprouts should begin when the sprouts are one inch in diameter. Harvesting Brussels sprouts is best done when maturity occurs in cooler weather. Lower sprouts will mature first, with upper sprouts maturing a day to a few days later. With most hybrid varieties it takes upwards of 85 days for the sprout to reach maturity.
The open pollinated variety, ‘Rubine’ can take 105 days or longer to maturity. Rubine is somewhat less productive than many hybrid varieties, but may be your choice if you wish to harvest Brussels sprouts that are not of hybrid types.
‘Long Island Improves’ is an open pollinated type  that produces in about 90 days, but is not a guaranteed performer.
 
How to Pick Brussels Sprouts
When picking Brussels sprouts from hybrid plants, begin checking for ripe vegetables after 80 days. Indications that the vegetable is ready include size of the Brussels sprout and firmness. Picking Brussels sprouts, no matter the variety, is best done during cool days, so plant the crop accordingly, about three months before you want to begin picking Brussels sprouts.
 
When the Brussels sprout begins to form near bottom leaves, removing these plant leaves will often aid in getting ready for harvesting Brussels sprouts. This is often done by those growing and picking Brussels sprouts commercially. If leaf removal is not done before harvesting Brussels sprouts, remove the leaves afterward so they will not take energy from maturing sprouts on the plant. Breaking off the Brussels sprout often breaks the leave off. Some growers remove the top of the plant to direct energy to the vegetable before picking Brussels sprouts.
 
When are Brussels Sprouts Ready to Pick?
Learning how to pick Brussels sprouts and when to harvest Brussels sprouts, no matter the variety, involves a few critical points. Picking is best done before the leaves of the sprout turn yellow and begin opening. Sprouts should be firm and about an inch in diameter for optimum flavor and nutrients. Pick spouts from the bottom of plants and check daily for more sprouts that are ready.
 
Article printed from Gardening Know How: https://www.gardeningknowhow.com
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

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image from infintiespider.com

        ​Good morning, so here in Northern Iowa we have had a couple of mornings of cold weather.  This morning it was 29 degrees, so the growing season is over with.  BUT looks like this week it will warm up and hopefully dry out for all of our farmers to get out in the fields to harvest their crop.  Have a safe FALL.
                                                                               
Next time you see an insect, spider, or other “creepy-crawly,” check out what it’s doing! It could let you know something about the upcoming weather. Check out our weather proverbs and folklore about insects and other creatures.
 
Insect Weather Folklore
Observe ants, bees, fireflies, and other insects, and you’ll see that they give us cues about upcoming weather, too! Here is folklore from the Almanac archives:
•If ants their walls do frequently build, rain will from the clouds be spilled.
•Ants are busy, gnats bite, crickets sing louder than usual, and flies gather in houses just before rain.
•When bees to distance wing their flight, days are warm and skies are bright; But when their flight ends near their home, stormy weather is sure to come.
•Fireflies in great numbers indicate fair weather.
•When hornets build their nests near the ground, expect a cold and early winter.
•When cicadas are heard, dry weather will follow, and frost will come in six weeks.
 
Crickets’ Chirps
The more quickly crickets chirp, the warmer the temperature.
This actually isn’t folklore! Crickets’ chirps are proven to be a measure of temperature. The equation for calculating the temperature (in Fahrenheit) from cricket chirps involves counting the number of chirps in 14 seconds, then adding 40. The resulting number is the approximate outside temperature. Read more about predicting weather with cricket chirps!
 
Spider Folklore
Observe spiders and their webs closely to gauge weather.
•When spiders’ webs in air do fly, the spell will soon be very dry.
•When spiderwebs are wet with dew that soon dries, expect a fine day.
•Spiderwebs floating at autumn sunset; bring a night frost, on this you may bet.
•Spiders move down from their webs before rain.
 
The Woolly Worms’ Bands
Certainly, many of you may have heard of the woolly bear caterpillar’s ability to forecast winter weather. These caterpillars have black and brown bands; according to folklore, more black than brown indicates a harsh, cold winter, while more brown than black points to a mild winter. Read more about woolly worms!
 
Reptiles & Amphibians
Observe reptiles and amphibians as weather predictors, too!
•The louder the frogs, the more the rain.
•Frogs singing in the evening indicates fair weather the next day.
•Hang up a snakeskin and it will bring rain.
 
taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/how-insects-predict-weather
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from glordanosgiftandgarden.com

      ​Gardening To Do List: October in the Garden  By Marie Iannotti
 
Gardening in October is entirely dependent on the weather. If there's an Indian Summer, there is no better time of year to be out in the garden. While gardeners in warm areas will have more to do than their northern counterparts, there are plenty of garden tasks to keep everyone busy in October.
 
General October Garden Chores 
■ Get your soil tested and add amendments as needed.
■ Amend your soil with a dressing of compost
■ Turn your compost pile.
■ Use your garden debris and leaves to start a new compost pile.
■ Plant trees and shrubs. Be sure to keep them well-watered, even through the winter (snow permitting).
■ Make sure all vacationing houseplants are brought back inside.
■ Continue planting garlic.
■ Plant cool-season annuals. Covering mums and asters on nights when a frost is expected, will lengthen their blooming.
■ Clear away dead foliage.
■ Dry and save seed.
■ Take cuttings of tender perennials.
■ Harvest and dry or freeze herbs for winter use.
■ Remove green tomatoes from the plants. Either ripen in a brown paper bag or lift the entire plant and hang upside down in a warm spot, to ripen.
■ Harvest winter squash once the vines die back, but definitely before a hard freeze.
■ Continue harvesting fall crops like beets, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, and leeks.
■ Clean and put away empty containers and garden ornaments.
■ Clean and sharpen gardening tools.
■ Continue winterizing your water garden
■ Clean bird feeders.
■ Think about a de-icer for the birdbath. If you're in an area that freezes and you don't have a de-icer, turn your birdbath over to keep it from cracking.
■ Enjoy the season. Show off your harvest with a fall display.
■ Then start thinking about putting your garden to bed.
 
California Garden Chores 
■ Prune Oleander in October, before the next season's flower buds have formed.
■ Plant cool-season annuals such as African daisy, foxglove, Iceland poppy, larkspur, lobelia, pansy, petunia, phlox, snapdragon, stock, sweet alyssum, sweet pea, and viola. Keep them well watered, especially if the temperature warms.
■ Feed and water roses, but don't prune now.
■ Plant warm climate bulbs, like those from South Africa (ixia, Ornithogalum, sparaxis, tritonia), for early blooms.
■ Pre-chill cool climate bulbs (daffodils, crocus, hyacinth, and tulips) before planting. You can also purchase already chilled bulbs.
■ Sow cool-season vegetables like beets, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, onions, parsnips, radishes, spinach, and turnips.
■ Feed azaleas, camellias, hydrangea and rhododendrons with a fertilizer for acid-loving plants.
 
Pacific NW Garden Chores 
■ Protect winter greens from this season's heavy rain and wind with row covers.
■ Take advantage of upcoming rains to re-seed bare patches in the lawn.
 
North Central Garden Chores 
■ After the first killing frost, dig your tender bulbs, let dry and package for storage.
■ Winterize your roses.
■ Divide and/or transplant peonies.
■ Plant spring-blooming bulbs this month.
■ Continue mowing, as long as the grass is growing. But set your mower to its highest level and let the grass go into winter with at least three inches of growth.
 
 Northeast Garden Chores 
■ Start raking. Shred or compost this fall gold.
■ Cut back and remove diseased perennial foliage.
■ Finish planting bulbs.
■ Keep transplants watered.
 
 Midwest Garden Chores 
■ Clean up and remove dying foliage.
■ Continue planting spring-blooming bulbs.
■ Harvest winter squash when the rind is too hard to poke a fingernail into.
 
 Southwest Garden Chores 
■ Plant strawberries now for spring harvesting.
■ Plant cool-weather herbs, like cilantro, dill, fennel, and parsley.
■ Seed quick-growing cool-season vegetable, like carrots, lettuce, radishes, and spinach. Set out transplants of broccoli and cabbage.
■ Dig and store tender summer-blooming bulbs and plant spring bloomers.
 Southeast Garden Chores 
■ Keep planting perennials.
■ Make sure plants receive enough water, especially transplants and winter and spring bloomers.
■ Plant a cover crop in the vegetable garden.
■ Harvest sweet potatoes before a frost.
 
 Hawaii Garden Chores 
■ Prune avocado, mango and plumeria trees.
 
 Indoor Plants Garden Chores 
■ House plants start to slow down as the days get shorter. Cut back on watering and feeding until next spring. Winter feeding will result in weak growth.
■ Plan for Christmas blooms on your poinsettia and Christmas cacti. Move both plants so that they are in temperatures between 50 and 60 degrees F. Make sure the Christmas cacti get at least 13 hours of complete darkness at night. Poinsettia will need about 15 hours in the dark. For most of us, this will mean covering the plants themselves. When uncovered, place in bright light. Provide them with water and a general-purpose fertilizer.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/gardening-to-do-list-october-in-the-garden-
Till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from theartofdoing stuff.com

      ​It might be too late for our area for your green tomatoes but here is some ideas to ripen them.  We are going to have cold, cold weather this weekend, but not the snow that our neighbors to the north are going to have.  Unfortunately North Dakota crops of beans and canola will be destroyed and not be harvested.  Our thoughts are with those farmers if that happens.  That is going to be hard to take. 
 
When temperatures begin to drop, tomatoes stop ripening, so it’s time to take action! We will show you how to ripen your green tomatoes both on and off the vine—and also when it’s your cue to remove those tomatoes from the vine.
 
There’s nothing better tasting than a vine-ripened tomato. Unripe green tomatoes can still be eaten, but the tomato reaches its natural peak when it’s left to reach a deep vibrant color on the plant. 
 
Ways to Ripen Tomatoes Outdoors
1.If you still have time to ripen tomatoes outdoors before frost, start by pinching out any tiny fruits and flowers so that your plants can now concentrate on the larger fruits that remain.
2.Gradually reduce the amount of water you give to the tomato plant in order to create consistently dry conditions which will encourage plants to ripen their remaining fruits.
 
Learn more about growing and harvesting tomatoes here.
When to Remove Tomatoes From the Vine
•Tomatoes stop ripening below 50 degrees F.  When daytime temperatures struggle to get higher, this is your cue to harvest all remaining tomatoes.
•Of course, they must be brought inside before frost hits. See your average fall frost dates.
•You should also harvest tomatoes if you spot signs of late blight on the stems. If the blight hasn’t gone into the fruits themselves, you should be able to salvage most of your tomatoes.
•As long as any green tomatoes show a first blush at the blossom end of the fruit, they should ripen off the stem. See tips on the best ways to ripen indoors.
 
4 Ways to Ripen Tomatoes Indoors
 
Daylight isn’t the most important requirement for ripening. In fact, tomatoes often start to ripen on the opposite side of the fruit to the sunny side. This is why placing tomatoes on a counter where it’s cooler slows down ripening.
 
What tomatoes do require for ripening is warmth. Tomatoes taste better when left to ripen on the vine so leave them as long as possible.
 
However, a factor that speeds up ripening is a gas called ethylene. Ethylene is actually naturally released by ripening fruits such as bananas, apples and tomatoes.  So, placing a ripe banana or apple in with some green tomatoes in an enclosed space helps to speed up the ripening process.
1.In a cardboard box:  Line the box with newspaper (or use fruit cardboard if it came from a grocery store) and place the green tomatoes on top in a single layer with a little space between each.  Cover with another single layer of newspaper and leave somewhere warm.  Check regularly.  Another variation of this method is to place the tomatoes in a wooden drawer although you would be lucky to find a spare drawer in my house!
2.In a paper bag: Put 5 to10 tomatoes in a paper bag with a ripening banana, apple or tomato and leave in a warm place.  Periodically open it up to check for any that show signs of mould or rotting.
3.Large glass jars or plastic bags: Another way to concentrate the effect of ethylene involves placing 2 to 4 large tomatoes in a jar or bag along with a ripening fruit and then sealing it.  However, the combination of moisture and warmth can encourage mould so it is usually best to put holes in the bag or regularly open and check the jar.
4.Hang up the whole plant: Useful at the end of the season when a frost is forecast, the whole tomato plant can be gently pulled up and then hung upside down in a garage or cellar where temperatures will remain above freezing.  This is said to produce better flavoured tomatoes than the other methods.
 
If you have dark green tomatoes that aren’t going to ripen off the vine, make green tomato chutney or salsa verde. Or try our favorite: Fried Green Tomatoes!
 
Did you know that some tomatoes are meant to be green?
taken from https://www.almanac.com/video/how-ripen-green-tomatoes
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net 

image from illustration@The Spruce 2019

     ​Growing Indoor Orchids
 
 By Jon VanZile  Jon VanZile is a Master Gardener and the author of "Houseplants for a Healthy Home."
 
To grow an orchid, you have to think like an orchid. The golden rule for orchid success is to duplicate the plant's natural conditions as closely as possible. In nature, most orchids are epiphytes, meaning they grow on other objects, clinging to rough bark or even stone. The showy orchids favored by most people are usually either phalaenopsis hybrids (so-called moth orchids) or dendrobium hybrids.
 
 Optimal Growing Conditions for Orchid Plants 
These plants thrive in strong light, but not direct late-afternoon sunlight (although dendrobiums can handle more sun). They also need high humidity and turbulent airflow around the roots. They need regular periods of drying alternated with heavy watering (or drenching rains). Orchids do best in temperatures above 50 degrees but below 85 degrees.
 
The closer you can come to creating these conditions in your growing area, the more success and better blooms you will have.
 
Most store-bought orchids come packaged in cheap plastic pots with the roots packed in soaked moss. Obviously, this violates two of the main rules of successful growth. There is no air flow around the roots, and the roots are never given a chance to completely dry out. Thus, the plant cannot breathe and root rot is inevitable.
 
Orchid roots are highly specialized organs designed to soak up water very quickly and breathe. They do not extract nutrients from the soil.​​
 
Repotting Orchids for Success 
The first step with any store-bought orchid is to enjoy the bloom. Don't attempt to re-pot a flowering plant.
 
After the bloom is done, go ahead and cut off the dead flower spike with sterile snippers and repot the plant. Orchids should be potted into specialized orchid pots in an orchid mixture. Orchid pots feature wide drainage slits so water will literally run through the pot. They are widely available. Orchid potting mixture is usually composed of several chunky ingredients, including pine bark, charcoal, and even styrofoam.
To re-pot your orchid, follow these steps:
 
01Remove it from the plastic pot and carefully remove as much of the moss as you can. Healthy roots should be white and firm, with a small green growing point.
02Cut away any shriveled, rotten or blackened roots.
03Set the plant into the pot and fill in around it with potting mixture. The plant should be firmly situated, but it will not be completely anchored. Eventually, new roots will grow through the potting mixture and attach to the pot itself, thus anchoring your plant.
 
Once it's re-potted, find a good spot. An east-facing window with a few hours of mild morning sun is perfect. To provide the necessary humidity and catch run-off water, put the plant into a wide, deep tray and fill the tray with gravel.
 
Tips for Indoor Orchid Care 
Caring for your orchid is pretty simple. During the summer months, water it weekly and heavily. Let the water drench the roots and fill up the pebble tray. It doesn't hurt every so often to put the plant in the kitchen sink and really soak it down. Don't worry, you won't kill it as long as it's allowed to dry out afterward.
 
During the growing season, feed it weekly with a weak solution of a powder or liquid fertilizer.
 
In the winter, keep your plant warm and cut the water back to once a month or so. Mist it every so often to make sure it stays hydrated. Don't fertilize it.
 
If you see signs of distress, such as yellowing leaves, wrinkled leaves, or no blooms, move the plant and keep tweaking your conditions. Once an orchid finds a happy spot and falls into a routine, the plant should regularly throw out new roots and leaves or canes and reward you yearly with a beautiful bloom.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/grow-orchids-indoors-
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from puddingstonepost.com

     How to Store Your Dahlias for Winter
Continue to celebrate the Year of the Dahlia with these easy tips from National Garden Bureau member American Meadows on how to dig and store your dahlias tubers.
 
Native to Mexico, dahlias won’t survive freezing temperatures that many North American gardens experience. Digging and storing dahlias for the winter is extremely easy and simple if you follow these tips.
 
When to Dig Up Your Dahlias…
Dig Your Dahlia Tubers in the Fall after a hard freeze - Digging and Storing your Dahlias for winter - National Garden Bureau
 
If you live in an area where the ground freezes, you’ll want to dig your dahlia tubers up before there’s a hard frost. A good indication of when to dig your tubers up is when the plant starts to turn brown and die back.
 
What’s the Difference between a frost and a freeze?
•A frost (ice crystals forming on surfaces) generally happens when the air temperature is between 36-32 degrees F.
•A freeze happens when air temperature dips below 32 degrees F. A hard freeze is usually between 28-25 degrees F, and a killing freeze is 24 degrees F and below.
 
Frost Date Chart
If you live in an area where your ground doesn’t freeze – such as parts of California and Florida – lucky you, your dahlias can be grown as perennials and you don’t need to worry about digging and storing them for the winter!
 
Digging the tubers up is extremely easy:
1.Cut foliage back, so that only a couple of inches remain above ground.
2.Take your preferred digging shovel and dig around the tubers, being careful not to accidentally sever the roots. Many gardeners use a pitchfork to prevent this from happening.
3.Once you’ve dug the tuber up, shake the dirt off and set aside.
4.Repeat until you’ve dug all of your tubers up.After you’ve dug all of the tubers up, gently wash the dirt off in a tub of water, or with a garden hose. Make sure not to puncture the skin of your tubers, as this could cause them to rot over the winter months in storage.
 
Examining And Trimming Dahlia Tubers
After you’ve rinsed the tubers off, it’s time to examine each clump to make sure that there are no rotten parts. If there are, cut these bits off.
 
If the tubers have several eyes, you can divide them at this step in the process as well. Use a sharp knife to divide tubers, making sure each piece has at least one eye.
The eyes of dahlias are the set of cells that produce the next season’s plants and blooms. They almost look like pimples! If you can’t identify them in the fall, wait until the spring to divide your tubers as they may be more visible by then.
 
Drying Tubers Before Storing For Winter
If possible, dry your dahlia tubers for several weeks before putting them away in storage for the winter. This helps to cure them and to prevent rot during storage.
 
Choose a location – either indoors or out – that won’t dip below freezing, has good air circulation, and indirect sunlight. After your tubers have dried, cut back the rest of the dahlia stem with pruners or a sharp knife.
 
Storing Tubers
The key to successfully storing dahlia tubers for the winter is making sure they stay dry, have good air circulation and are in a cool, dark spot.
 
You can store the tubers in a variety of containers – milk crates, plastic bins, paper bags, and cardboard boxes all do the trick. Just make sure there is space left between each tuber and there is some air circulation.
 
Place the tubers in a cool, dark space that won’t freeze. For many, this could be an unheated basement, attic, closet or utility room.
 
Re-Planting Dahlias In Spring
 Once spring arrives, ground temperatures have warmed and there is no more chance of frost in your area, you can bring your beloved tubers out of storage and re-plant them in your garden to enjoy again!
 
“This post is provided as an educational/inspirational service of the National Garden Bureau and our members. Please credit and link to National Garden Bureau and author member if applicable when using all or parts of this article.”
taken from https://ngb.org/2019/09/27/how-to-store-dahlias-for-winter/
till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net

image from wikiHow.com

image from guide-to-houseplants.com

     ​       Many houseplants come from jungle regions where the tree canopy constantly filters the light. However, some plants, especially those native to South Africa and Australia, need ample sunshine to thrive. You can transform a bright room with a pretty planter and one of these houseplants that crave the sun's rays.
Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis)
Add to your first aid arsenal with a low maintenance aloe vera plant. The sap provides ready relief for minor cuts and burns, and plants are easy to propagate by repotting the pups. Plant your aloe vera in a heavy terra cotta pot that will both support the top-heavy growth, and encourage air circulation. You can also mound soil around the stem to provide support for flopping plants.
■ Light: Full sun to partial shade
■ Water: Keep evenly moist; do not overwater; provide good drainage
 
Jade Plant (Crassula argentea)
 With its sturdy stems and interesting, fleshy leaves, jade plants have endured as a popular houseplant for those with sunny windowsills or bright conservatories. Jade plants need at least four hours of sunlight each day, so a south-facing window is ideal. Although the Crassula argentea is a succulent, and therefore drought-tolerant, it is not a cactus. Keep your jade plant moist by watering it when the soil surface is dry to prevent shedding leaves. Jade plants can live for decades and continue to grow slowly over time, so keep your plant in a suitably heavy pot to prevent it from toppling over.
■ Light:  Full sun
■ Water: Water regularly; provide good drainage
 
Sago Palm (Cycas revoluta)
 The sago palm is a slow-growing cycad that fits into modern decorating schemes well. It produces no flowers and rarely sheds its leaves, making it a tidy choice for the bright bedroom or living room. Got curious cats or nibbling toddlers? This plant is very poisonous and should not be around pets of kids that might give it even a cursory taste.
■ Light:  Bright indirect light
■ Water: Allow the plant to dry out between waterings.
 
Euphorbia Trigona
Euphorbia trigona is an unusual looking plant that often elicits strong feelings of affection or dislike. Although not a cactus, this succulent does grow sharp spines that can make repotting a challenge. The African milk bush is strictly a tropical plant, and if you give it a summer vacation outdoors be sure to bring it back in before temperatures drop below 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
■ Light:  Bright indirect light
■ Water: Allow the plant to dry out between waterings.
 
Snake Plant (Sansevieria trifasciata)
 Mother in Law Tongue Plants
This popular "impossible-to-kill" houseplant is carried in most garden centers as an ideal specimen for those new to houseplants, or those too busy to provide much care to their plants. Sansevieria trifasciata does great in bright light, but it will grow in shady conditions as well. If you are lucky, your snake plant might even reward you with a flush of fragrant white flowers.
■ Light: Full sun to low light
■ Water: Let the soil dry between waterings.
 
Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus)
 The same plant the Egyptians used to build boats and make paper also happens to be an interesting houseplant specimen for sunny spots. The key to growing a happy papyrus plant is to give it constant moisture. Papyrus grows as a pond margin plant, so it is accustomed to having wet feet. Place your container in a dish of water and change it weekly to prevent it from becoming stagnant.
■ Light:  Full sun
■ Water: Provide constant water; wet roots are best.
 
Croton (Codiaeum variegatum)
 The croton is proof that foliage can be every bit as lovely and vibrant as flowers are. Do not overwater your croton plants; only water when the soil surface feels dry. Croton plants need warm temperatures to thrive and may experience dieback if temperatures fall below 60 degrees Fahrenheit.
 
■ Light:  Dappled light
■ Water: Keep moist; mist between waterings.
 Ponytail Palm (Beaucarnea recurvata)
The swollen trunk and frizzy foliage of the ponytail palm make it a fun accent plant for the sunny kitchen or family room. Care for your ponytail palm as you would a succulent plant. Give it coarse soil amended with sand and water weekly. The ponytail palm grows slowly and will only need repotting once every year or two.
■ Light:  Full to partial sun
■ Water: Water sparingly, especially in winter.
 
Hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)
 No houseplant brings larger flowers indoors than the tropical hibiscus. A site with strong light is essential to achieving blooms when growing the hibiscus indoors. Pinch your plants monthly to keep them compact and branching and feed them regularly with a potassium-rich houseplant fertilizer. To keep your hibiscus healthy, provide regular moisture but make sure you do not leave the soil soggy.
■ Light: Full sun
■ Water: Water regularly but provide good drainage.
■ Color varieties: Red, pink, orange, yellow, and white
 
Areca Palm (Dypsis lutescens)
The areca palm is a grand specimen for entryways or living areas with vaulted ceilings. The plants can grow about 6 to 8 feet tall indoors and have a spread of several feet. Areca palms need little other than a sunny space and occasional watering. Make sure no water is left standing in the dish under the pot.
■ Light: Full sun
■ Water: Water occasionally and provide good drainage.
 
Jasmine (Jasmine)
Gardeners covet jasmine vines for their highly fragrant flowers that appear in late winter. White jasmine blooms are simple but plentiful, and a few cut stems make any flower arrangement special. Some varieties also bloom in pink. Jasmine plants like bright but not direct sunlight. They need humid conditions, and a summer vacation outdoors will increase their longevity and performance.
■ Light: Bright indirect sun to full sun
■ Water: Water regularly; keep moist; mist regularly
■ Color varieties: White and pink
 
String of Pearls (Senecio rowleyanus)
 Senecio rowleyanus plants are a fun conversation piece tumbling over the edge of a container or hanging basket. The succulents like bright indirect light, sandy soil, and infrequent watering. Cuttings are easy to root, so you can share some of this whimsical plant with your friends.
■ Light: Bright indirect sun
■ Water: Water occasionally
Tip
Bright rooms and south-facing windows seem like a boon to houseplants at first glance, but in reality, many houseplants can experience leaf scorch from too much sunlight. Be sure you know how much sunlight is right for each of your houseplants.
taken from https://www.thespruce.com/best-houseplants-for-sun-
till next time, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net