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gardeningknowhow.com Interesting title for gardening "How to Kill Your Plants."
We garden because we love to work around plants. Most plants need a little fussing to grow lush and healthy and bloom the way we want them to bloom. Gardeners go out of their way not to be too tough on their plants. However, it is possible to work your plants to death, by overdoing the very things we think they rely on us to deliver. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing and here are 3 examples. 1. Too Much Water The normal reaction to a wilting plant is to give it some water, but ironically, wilting is also a symptom of overwatering. So if you’ve been watering your plants frequently and deeply or if you’ve gotten a lot of rain lately, think twice before you reach for the hose. Room to Grow As you look for a new home, take the long view toward your future. Check out our guide to help ensure your future home makes sense for you at every life stage— with tips on hiring professionals and updating your insurance coverage. More houseplants die from being over watered than from too little water, and outdoor plants are not spared that fate. If you think your plants are well watered and they still wilt and maybe start turning yellow or pale green, check the roots of a couple of plants. Roots need air, which is why we’re told to allow the soil to dry out between waterings. If the soil is always wet, no air can get in. That doesn't mean you want to leave them dry for a prolonged period, but you do not want the plant roots always sitting in wet soil, or they will rot. Healthy roots should look firm and smell clean. Most will be some shade of creamy white. Rotting roots will be dark and mushy, will an unpleasant odor. If the roots are too badly rotted, the plant may never recover, but most will rally, once you allow the soil to drain. In the meantime, it’s very important that you resist the urge to pamper the plant, while it’s ailing. Do not try to correct things with more fertilizer or pruning. Leave it alone. If you can, give it some shade for a week or two. Then let it rest and regroup on its own. 2. Too Much Fertilizer The adage that if a little is good a lot must be better is rarely the case and fertilizing plants is no exception. There are some plants known as heavy feeders, but no plant needs to be feed every time you water. Excessive fertilizer effects plants in a couple of ways. If you are using synthetic fertilizer, the salts can build up in the soil and burn the roots. This is especially true of potted plants. Make sure you water all your plants well enough to disperse the water and food and allow water to drain out of the drainage holes in your containers, to avoid salt built up. Too much fertilizer, especially food high in nitrogen (the first number on the package), can promote a lot of tender, leafy growth. That may sound like a good idea, but being forced into unnatural growth can stress a plant. Stressed plants, like stressed people, are more susceptible to disease. Also, stressed plants are very attractive to insect pests. They love tender, succulent growth. Don’t forget, most plants need a period of dormancy. Winter takes care of that for us outdoors, but indoor plants need to rest during the offseason. Don’t feed them until you start to see signs of new growth in the spring and cut back a little on watering. 3. Too Much Mulch Mulch does many wonderful things in the garden, but once again, it can be too much of a good thing. Two - 4 inches of mulch will keep the soil cool, conserve moisture and help suppress weeds. More than that and you’re asking for trouble. Too much mulch can prevent water and air from getting to the soil. Water tends to drain off before it reaches the soil surface, let alone the plant roots and as I mentioned above, roots need air, too. A heavy layer of mulch blocks air flow and can also compact the soil. Mounding mulch too close to a plant’s stem or a tree’s trunk is another common mistake. This is a common practice of public landscapers. It even has a name - mulch volcanos. Besides leading to the two problems listed above, mulch volcanos offer safe harbor to insects, and they hold moisture next to the stem or trunk, with can lead to rotting or fungal diseases. Always keep mulch an inch or more away from the actual plant. Death by mulch is usually a slower process than overwatering, but if you think you’re doing everything else right and your plants still aren’t happy, check your mulch depth. Rake it out and make sure water can sink through and get where it needs to go. Every plant is different. Every garden is different. The best way to care for your plants is to keep a close eye on them and catch problems early. Luckily that means walking or working in your garden regularly, something we already do. taken from https://www.thespruce.com/how-to-kill-your-plants- till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse, Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net
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cranberrybush viburnum image from gobotany.nativeplanttrust org Popular Plants for Winter Landscapes
By David Beaulieu David Beaulieu is a garden writer with nearly 20 years experience What makes a plant popular for winter landscapes in the snowy regions of the globe? Are conifers the sole contestants? Which landscaping plants are automatically disqualified? Which shrubs are best for attracting wild birds? Answering such questions should help generate landscaping ideas for dealing with that Scrooge of the seasons, horticulturally speaking: winter. Our goal is to turn a drab yard into a winter scene worth painting—for that matter, worth looking at while you're snow shoveling. While evergreen shrubs (including shrubs with golden foliage) and conifer trees undeniably add visual interest to winter landscapes, so do many other plants, such as red osier dogwoods. About the only plants that are disqualified right at the outset are those that lack any appreciable height: no matter how pretty a plant may be, it will add no visual interest to the winter landscape if it lies buried all winter, dwarfed by a blanket of snow. Based on this premise, let's explore ideas to enhance the winter landscape. And let's keep in mind that many landscaping enthusiasts are also bird watchers; so that a plant's ability to attract wild birds will be a consideration. Characteristics to Look For A winning plant for winter landscapes will have one or more of the following characteristics: Unexpected Pairings Surprise and delight your guests with three courses created around the soft, sweet, sensuous, rich, and unexpectedly versatile flavor of the season—vanilla. ■ Contains colorful berries that attract birds for bird watching ■ Readily catches snow in its branches ■ Exhibits a delicate structure ■ Is clad in a bark that is colorful or that has an unusual texture ■ Bears evergreen foliage ■ Has an interesting branching pattern Popular Plants for Visual Interest in Winter Let's look at some popular plants exhibiting these characteristics. Conifers take a back seat; their value to winter landscapes goes without saying, so we're limiting their representation to two entries here. The following is a list of popular plants for adding visual interest in winter. Christmas Holly Shrubs Evergreen holly is popular due to its striking, year-round foliage and bright berries that attract many bird species. Sprigs of cut holly have long been used in winter holiday decorations. Many evergreen hollies are not hardy enough for far Northern climes, but two of the hardier varieties are: ■ China holly (Ilex meserveae): This is a rounded holly, 8' high by 8' wide, and it is also drought tolerant. ■ Compact inkberry holly (Ilex glabra 'Compacta'): This plant has dark green foliage that resembles that of boxwood shrubs. Its berry is black, not the usual red that we associate with hollies. It reaches a height of 4' to 8'; its width is a bit less than that. You can also grow the similar Ilex glabra 'Densa'. Red Osier Dogwood Red osier dogwood (Cornus sericea 'Allemans') is another extremely hardy plant (zones 3 to 8). The May flowering of red osier dogwoods yields white blooms that are followed by white fruit. But red osier dogwood makes this list because of its bark, which ranges in color from red to burgundy. Reaching a height of 6' to 10', the spread of red osier dogwoods is 5' to 10'. A patch of fiery red osier dogwood against a backdrop of pristine snow makes for an unforgettable winter scene. Plume Grass When planning the winter landscape, don't forget to include at least one tall perennial grass. An ornamental grass with a stately, thin shaft and fluffy coiffure exhibits such a delicate structure that it will doubtless lend a touch of charm to any winter landscape, however, barren otherwise. Plume grass (Erianthus ravennae), which can grow to be as tall as 11 feet (by about 4 feet wide), is hardy as far north as zone 4 (for those of you in hotter climates, it is listed for as high as zone 9). Bayberry Bayberry (Myrica pensylvanica) is a shrub with a spreading habit (4' to 6' X 4' to 6'), grown in zones 2 to 8. It's glossy, aromatic foliage complements its waxy, gray fruit. In fact, these unusual berries are widely used to scent candles—if you can get to the berries before the birds do, that is. It is also a drought-tolerant shrub. The birds may like bayberry, but the deer don't, as it's one of the deer-resistant plants. Cranberrybush Viburnum Compact American cranberrybush viburnum (Viburnum trilobum 'Compactum') yields masses of red berries that serve as a source of food for birds on the winter landscape. A rounded shrub, it bears white flowers in May and June that are followed by red fruit. As a bonus, the shrub offers foliage ranging from red to purple in fall. American cranberrybush viburnum is hardy to zone 2. It grows 4' to 5' high, with a spread of 3' to 4'. Winterberry Holly Winterberry holly (Ilex verticillata) is a deciduous holly bush indigenous to wetlands in the eastern half of Canada and the U.S. As stated above, usefulness for attracting wild birds in winter is one of the criteria considered for this list, and the fruit of winterberry will certainly attract birds to your property. Far from being a drawback, its deciduous nature is actually a benefit for the winter landscape. Why would you want leaves to be in the way when you have such gorgeous berries to behold? A dioecious shrub (as are bayberry and evergreen holly), to ensure fruit production it is best to plant several shrubs together, to increase your chances of finding a male plant to accompany the females. Birch Trees Three varieties of birch trees lend considerable interest to the winter landscape, two of them (the second and third entries below) because of their bark. ■ Young's weeping birch (Betula pendula 'Youngii') ■ Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) ■ Yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis) Yew Shrubs Yews are renowned for being plants in our Christmas traditions. These conifers bear evergreen needles and bright red berries. But keep children away from both the foliage and the berries of these poisonous plants; the seeds and needles are quite toxic. Canadian Hemlocks Are you surprised to see eastern hemlock trees (Tsuga canadenesis) included in a list of landscaping plants? You may think of them first and foremost as tall trees (60' or more) that you encounter out in the woods. But plant developers have bred cultivars that are more shrub-like, which are well-suited for use in hedges, etc. Shear them to keep them at the desired height. Whether used in hedges or as specimens, these evergreen conifers will help give your winter landscape some much-needed visual interest. Viking Black Chokeberry Like winterberry holly, Viking black chokeberry (Aronia melanocarpa 'Viking') tolerates poorly-drained soils. Like American cranberrybush viburnum and barberry, this shrub provides foliage that ranges from red to purple in fall, making it a two-season standout. Viking black chokeberry is hardy to zone 3. As with all the berries mentioned in this article, chokeberry berries serve as emergency food for wild birds. They're not the birds' first choice—they are astringent or otherwise unpalatable, which is why they stick around so long—but when the birds get desperate, these plants are their salvation. Its white flowers in May yield to purplish-black berry clusters. It grows to a height of 3' to 5', with a spread of 3' to 5'. Plants to Avoid The final two shrubs didn't make the top 10 above. We mention them simply because they used to be popular for providing winter scenes in the yard: Japanese barberry shrubs and winged euonymus shrubs. Both, however, are invasive plants, so seek alternative components for your winter scenes where possible. Japanese Barberry Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is a rounded shrub with thorns, hardy to zone 3. It ranges between 4' and 6' both in height and spread. Its leaves put on a color show in autumn, changing to orange, then to reddish-purple. Small yellow flowers in spring are succeeded by oval, red berries. These fruits last well into winter, thus serving not only as components for winter scenes but also as a source of food for wild birds. As an alternative, try cotoneaster plants. Winged Euonymus Shrubs Winged euonymus (Euonymus alatus), also called "burning bush" (height 10' to15', spread 10' to 15'), is grown in zones 4 to 8. For the purposes of winter scenes, the common name, "winged euonymus" is apropos. Indeed, the Latin, alatus, does translate to "winged." But in addition, it is the "wing" or corky flap of bark running along the edges of its stems that is responsible for this plant's popularity for winter scenes. Because of this corky protrusion, winged euonymus catches and holds snow more readily than most plants, affording glimpses of sparkling winter scenes. taken from https://www.thespruce.com/popular-plants-ideas-for-winter-landscapes- till next time this is Becky Litterer Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from pinterset How to Make Suet for Birds Try These Homemade Suet Recipes!By Catherine Boeckmann
Suet is the perfect bird food for the winter months, when birds’ food sources start to dwindle. Here’s how to make suet for your backyard birds! Suet is especially loved by nuthatches, and most insect-eating birds. What is Suet?Suet is essentially a solidified mix of fats, which birds eat to stay warm. Particularly in winter, suet is a valuable bird food.
Melt the fat in a saucepan until completely liquid. Next, remove from heat and let sit for several minutes. Stir in the remaining ingredients and cook for a few minutes. Pour into small containers (tuna fish cans are good), and refrigerate until they start to harden and then store them in the freezer until ready for use. Mixture can also be stuffed into 1-inch holes drilled in small logs to hang from trees. The recipe can be made all year long as long as you accumulate fat. Fasten containers securely to trees or feeders. When Should Suet Be Put Outdoors?Homemade suet should be used only in very cold weather so that it does not melt and become rancid. If you live in a warm climate, we do not recommend using homemade suet because it will spoil too quickly. In this case, it is safer to purchase commercial suet cakes (which are treated and won’t spoil). RELATED: Bird Food Recipe: Fine-Feathered Entree It’s also a good idea to hold off until at least December, as suet (and other bird food) can attract https://www.almanac.com/content/homemade-bird-food-recipe-suet till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net What do you know about wild turkeys? Very informative about these favorite food for Thanksgiving.11/21/2019 image from audubon.org Some interesting facts about the wild turkey. Hope you find it informative.
The American Wild Turkey has become an iconic symbol of Thanksgiving. Perhaps a brief history about our native bird is in order. Brief History of Wild Turkeys
Wild Turkey FactsThe Wild Turkey is a different creature than its factory-farmed cousin found in grocery stores. Domestic turkeys are big business today. RELATED: Turkey Trivia
https://www.almanac.com/news/home-health/birds/wild-turkey-history-all-american- Till next week, this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Moss is not always considered a weed, but don't tell that to those who have tried to deal with it. Here's a recipe for getting rid of moss in a lawn with dish soap. It's safer than chemical pesticides and only a fraction of the cost. It sounds odd but it works and is used by turf professionals everywhere.
All About Moss Moss is a thick mat of tiny green leaves and threadlike stems growing on your lawn, bare soil, wood, rocks or any other surface where moist, shady conditions are present. Moss has very shallow roots and gets most of its food from the water washing over it. It is a primitive plant that reproduces by spores. During the Cambrian period, about 540 million years ago, some early plants evolved from earlier algae that could live on land, outside of the water. These plants were like modern moss. All of the animals were still living in the water, so on land, there was only moss and mushrooms. Eradicating Moss Moss does not kill grass, but it is an indicator of poor conditions that need to be addressed for a lawn to be healthy and moss-free. Moss does not grow well when there are high levels of iron in the soil. To get rid of the moss you can spread lawn moss killer, which usually contains some form of iron sulphate (ferrous sulphate or ferrous ammonium sulphate). You can add lime to the soil with a spreader to make the soil less acidic, which favors grass and is less favorable to moss. You can also rake out the moss and physically remove it from the lawn. Or, the moss can be eradicated using a simple solution of water and dish soap. The problem is that none of these options work long term. Unless you fix the real underlying problems that are preventing the grass from growing well, the moss will soon return to the lawn. Dish Soap as an Effective Moss Killer Mix 2 ounces of dish soap into 1 gallon of water in a garden hand sprayer. Most growers prefer Ultra Dawn liquid dish soap. Spray the mixture on the patches of moss. Holding the spray nozzle a couple of inches from the target, drench the moss with the solution. The patches of moss will turn orange/brown in 24 hours and eventually dry-up while the surrounding grass takes over. To treat large areas, spray the mixture with a garden sprayer until there is a runoff. Use 4 ounces of dish soap per 2 gallons of water for every 1,000 square feet of lawn. Apply when the grass is moist and it is not going to rain within 24 hours of application. Rake up the dead moss once it turns orange/brown. If more moss appears, repeat the treatment until it temporarily stops returning. taken from https://www.thespruce.com/dish-soap-as-moss-killer- till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from pexels Does Weather Folklore Still Hold True? By Catherine Boeckmann
Ready for do-it-yourself weather predicting? Long before meteorologists had sophisticated technology to help them predict the weather, people made forecasts based on their observations of the sky, animals, and nature. Many of the traditional sayings they used, called proverbs, are surprisingly accurate. Try out some old-fashioned forecasting—that still works today! Weather Sayings and Meanings “The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.” If you spot wispy, thin clouds up where jet airplanes fly, expect a spell of pleasant weather. Keep an eye, however, on the smaller puff clouds (cumulus), especially if it’s in the morning or early afternoon. If the rounded tops of these clouds, which have flat bases, grow higher than the one cloud’s width, then there’s a chance of a thunderstorm forming. “Clear Moon, frost soon.” When the night sky is clear, Earth’s surface cools rapidly—there is no cloud cover to keep the heat in. If the night is clear enough to see the Moon and the temperature drops enough, frost will form. Expect a chilly morning! “When clouds appear like towers, the Earth is refreshed by frequent showers.” When you spy large, white clouds that look like cauliflower or castles in the sky, there is probably lots of dynamic weather going on inside. Innocent clouds look like billowy cotton, not towers. If the clouds start to swell and take on a gray tint, they’re probably turning into thunderstorms. Watch out! “Rainbow in the morning gives you fair warning.” A rainbow in the morning indicates that a shower is in your near future. “Ring around the moon? Rain real soon.” A ring around the moon usually indicates an advancing warm front, which means precipitation. Under those conditions, high, thin clouds get lower and thicker as they pass over the moon. Ice crystals are reflected by the moon’s light, causing a halo to appear. “Rain foretold, long last. Short notice, soon will pass.” If you find yourself toting an umbrella around for days “just in case,” rain will stick around for several hours when it finally comes. The gray overcast dominating the horizon means a large area is affected. Conversely, if you get caught in a surprise shower, it’s likely to be short-lived. “Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” A reddish sunset means that the air is dusty and dry. Since weather in North American latitudes usually moves from west to east, a red sky at sunset means dry weather—good for sailing—is moving east. Conversely, a reddish sunrise means that dry air from the west has already passed over us on their way easy, clearing the way for a storm to move in. Observe the sky and see if these weather proverbs work for you. taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/weather-sayings-and-their-meanings till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty, Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from jonesgarden.com Garden sage is easy to grow—and a wonderful culinary herb that flavors meat and bean dishes (including that Thanksgiving stuffing). See how to plant, grow, and harvest sage.
Sage is a hardy perennial with pretty, grayish green leaves that like as good in a perennial border as they do in a vegetable garden. It grows spikes of spring flowers in different colors, including purple, blue, white, and pink. Not all sage varieties are culinary; the most popular kitchen sage is called Salvia officinalis. Planting How to Plant Sage •Plant sage in full sun. •Sage should be planted in well-draining soil; it won’t tolerate sitting in wet soil. •The easiest and best way to start sage is from a small plant. Set the plants 2 feet apart. •You can also sow seeds up to two weeks before the last frost date. (See local frost dates.) Plant the seeds/cuttings in well-drained soil 1 to 2 weeks before the last spring frost. •For best growth, the soil should be between 60º and 70ºF. •Plants should grow to be between 12 and 30 inches in height. •In the garden, plant near rosemary, cabbage, and carrots, but keep sage away from cucumbers. Care How to Grow Sage •Be sure to water the young plants regularly until they are fully grown so that they don’t dry out. They’ll need a consistent moisture supply until they start growing quickly. •Prune the heavier, woody stems every spring. •It’s best to replace the plants every few years so they remain productive. Pests/Diseases •Rust •Powdery mildew •Stem rot •Fungal leaf spots •Whiteflies •Aphids •Spider mites Harvest/Storage How to Harvest Sage •Pinch off leaves or snip off small sprigs from the plant. •During the first year, harvest lightly to ensure that the plant grows fully. •After the first year, be sure to leave a few stalks so that the plant can rejuvenate in the future. •If fully established, one plant can be harvested up to three times in one season. •Stop harvesting in the fall so the plant can prepare for winter. How to Store Sage •Sage’s flavor is best when fresh, but it can be stored frozen or dried. •To dry, hang sprigs in a shady, well-ventilated area and allow them to air dry, waiting until the leaves crumble easily to store in tightly lidded jars. •Sage keeps its flavor better if stored in the freezer. Freeze leaves or stalks on a tray, then move the leaves into a zippered bag or container. Some cooks blend the leaves with oil, pack the ground mixture into ice cube trays to freeze, and then transfer the cubes to a container. Wit & Wisdom •Anyone who has sage planted in their garden is reputed to do well in business.( So I guess I better plant some sage.) taken from https://www.almanac.com/plant/sage till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from eastcoastropicals.com Houseplants advice: I having this problem with low light even with plant lights...so see if the plants make the winter. HOW about you? Having any trouble with light for your houseplants?
Less water, less light, and less care. If you’re like most people, you have little time to fuss with plants yet you love the character and style that houseplants bring to indoor settings. Perhaps you don’t have that perfect sunny window? Not a worry. Plants with foliage color or those that flower in low light are the most carefree way to get a lush effect. Low-Light Favorites Numerous common houseplants are easy to care for and can be exotically colorful; in fact, some foliage can often be dazzling. Take dieffenbachia, which produces abundant leaves in variegated patterns of cream, yellow, or white. Its upright habit makes it ideal for any setting, from kitchen to bath to corner office or office corner. Whitespeckled leaf, whitestemmed ‘Star White’ dieffenbachia is one of numerous cultivars, each equally attractive, not to mention deceptive: Did you know that this eye-catcher is related to skunk cabbage, goes by the common name dumbcane, and has a defense system that can cause stinging and burning? Handle with care: Avoid touching eyes after touching the plant and keep pets and small children away. Ferns are another favorite for low-light settings, and none so much perhaps as the Boston fern. Its discovery was a happy accident: The plant came to the attention of Fred C. Becker, a florist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, when, in 1894, a nurseryman in Philadelphia shipped 200 fern plants to Becker. (Victorians loved ferns!) He noticed that one fern was distinctly different from the rest. He began to propagate it, and soon thereafter, botanists identified it and proposed the name. Light needs aside, the Boston fern can be fussy in winter. In northern climes, it survives best in a room that’s kept cool (50° to 55°F) and has a south-facing window. Water only occasionally until you see new fronds appear (sometime in February), then increase water. Flowering Houseplants for Low Light Love plants that bloom? Flowering plants such as spathiphyllum and anthurium have been bred to produce flowers nearly all year long. Spathiphyllum, aka peace plant or peace lily, is native to rain forests. Is it any wonder, then, that it thrives in warmth, humidity, and low light? Filtered light and fluorescents are fine; direct sun should be avoided. (Yellow leaves are a sign of tooharsh light.) Keep soil moist, not wet, and the environment between 68° and 85°F. You will be doubly rewarded for your care: NASA found peace lily to be one of the top 10 natural air cleaners. Look for anthuriums with flower colors beyond the usual red. Purple, lavender, pink, and hot-orange blooms cover plants 10 months out of the year. Because of their multiheading characteristic, there can be dozens of flowers on the plant at a time. Eye-Catching Houseplants for Low Light Another desirable trait—thicker leaves— allows plants to better endure the low humidity in most homes. Alocasias, with their big-veined, heart- or arrow-shape leaves, and crotons, with their eye-catching, firehued foliage, thrive in environments that maintain a temperature between 60° and 65°F and a humidity of 25 to 50 percent. Crotons like more light, which brings out their rich colors, but do not put them in direct sun. (However, if the leaves become dull—or worse, fall off—move it to a brighter spot.) Water sparingly; these plants also can go without water for long periods. ‘Red Gold’ aglaonemas are tough plants, with thick, leathery leaves tolerant of low humidity and vividly splattered with hundreds of red, yellow, and gold spots. ‘Red Gold’ requires little light and will thrive in a north window. Calatheas do well in east or west windows with about 50 percent humidity. Spray them daily or place pots on a tray of pebbles and water. Look for ‘Dottie’ calathea. Its round, shiny leaves are a blend of purple and black, but it’s the vibrant burgundy zigzag lines on each leaf that set this plant apart from all others. ‘Brasil’ philodendron, aka heart leaf, sports lemon and lime–color stripes on every green, heart-shape leaf. The vining plants make excellent hanging baskets. ‘Autumn’ and ‘Prince of Orange’ have burnt- and brightorange leaves. These philodendrons are self-heading, meaning that there are multiple growth leaders, and their leaves are thick and broad to tolerate low humidity. Other colorful philodendrons in the same class include ‘Moonlight’, a brilliant yellow, and ‘Black Cardinal’, which has deep-burgundy leaves that are almost black. The spider plant, a mainstay of low-light situations, has a colorful cousin, the ‘Flash Fire’ mandarin plant. Discovered in Indonesia, it’s not what you might think: This variety does not produce offsets or runners like spider plants do. Instead, the plant grows upright in a whorl of oblong leaves. The main stem and leaf ribs are brilliant orange. ‘Flash Fire’ is happy in an east or west window. Finally, give a cheer for rex begonias: They beautify indoor windows with their stunning mixes of colored leaves. Some are bred to tolerate lower humidity and are even more spectacular in color. Favorite rex begonia varieties to look for are ‘Fireworks’, a plum and silver combination, and ‘River Nile’, noteworthy for wavy, spiral leaves that are 6 inches across and colored chartreuse with ruby markings. In winter, it produces pink flowers to help you make it to spring. taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/best-indoor-plants-low-light till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net sweet potato image from NCSweetpotatoes.com  yams image from sattvamjiblogspot.com Wow I just looked and you haven't heard from me for 2 days. I am sorry. I have been working on bookwork, and really working on cleaning up our upstairs for visitors over Thanksgiving. With my new knees and not in any pain, I feel so much like working on things I haven't worked on for a long time. In fact I could work till 7 last night and haven't felt like doing that for a while. So here is what I found out about yams and sweet potatoes. I always thought they were the same, but they are not. I love doing this blog for what I learn.
Are sweet potatoes the same as yams? No… and yes. Here’s the scoop. Are Sweet Potatoes Yams? Literally and botanically speaking, the two are not related. What are yams? •Yams are big tuberous roots that are a monocot (a plant having one embryonic seed leaf) and belong to the genus Dioscorea. •Yams are related to grasses and lilies, growing in tropical and subtropical countries that provide eight to ten months of warm weather to mature. •Yams can grow two to three feet long and some can weigh as much as 80 pounds. •According to horticulturist U. P. Hedrick, the word yam means “to eat” in the dialect of Guinea. What are sweet potatoes? •Sweet potatoes are a dicot (a plant having two embryonic seed leaves) and are from the Convolvulacea or morning glory family. •In the United States today it is possible to find true yams in some urban Hispanic markets. However, most yams in the U.S. are actually sweet potatoes, and have a relatively moist texture and orange-colored flesh. Compared to sweet potatoes, yams are starchier and drier, whereas sweet potatoes are typically sweeter. The Great Yam Scam: Types of Sweet Potatoes Both the yam and the sweet potato DO grow underground and have yellowish-orange flesh, but there the similarity ends. Yet the two became entwined in this country by household vernacular in part through the work of a publicity campaign. Earlier this century, sweet potato promoters attached the word yam to the deep orange, moist-fleshed varieties of sweet potatoes and left the words sweet potato to the smaller, yellowish, and drier-fleshed varieties. The two types of sweet potato are interchangeable in cooking, but bring different tastes, textures, and colors to your plate. Centennial and Puerto Rico are two popular moist-fleshed (formerly called yam) varieties; Nemagold, New Jersey Orange, and Nugget have the lighter and drier (sweet potato) flesh. Today it is common to find either or both words used in supermarkets, although sweet potato promoters wish we would all stop saying yam. The North Carolina SweetPotato Commission currently urges the world to spell “sweetpotato” as one word. But it’s an uphill battle. If your Mama called them yams, for certain you will, too. Taken from https://www.almanac.com/content/are-sweet-potatoes-yams till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net image from blogspot.com I noticed I had a couple of comments yesterday about they couldn't get their amaryllis to rebloom. See if this helps.
Reblooming Amaryllis Flowers – Care To Get An Amaryllis To Bloom Again Very few flowers can match the majestic presence of the amaryllis in bloom. The trick, however, is how to make an amaryllis flower rebloom. While many people discard the plant after its initial bloom, with a little know how and the right care, you can enjoy a reblooming amaryllis year after year. Let’s look at how to make an amaryllis flower rebloom. Reblooming Amaryllis Flowers How do I get an amaryllis flower to rebloom? Amaryllis plants in nature live in a habitat that alternates between nine months of moist wet weather, and a three-month dry season. The trick to make an amaryllis flower rebloom is to mimic the natural cycles of its habitat. When the last flower fades, take care and cut the stalk near the top of the bulb. Make sure you leave the foliage on the bulb and try not to damage them while cutting the flower stalks. Care to Get an Amaryllis to Bloom Again Once the flowers are gone, the amaryllis goes into a growth phase, where it begins to store energy for next year’s bloom. While it can be difficult to give the plant enough sunlight in the winter months, move it to the sunniest location you can, or get a good plant light. Give the plant plenty of water and fertilizer during this time. Ensuring that there is enough sunlight, water, and fertilizer during this period is key to make an amaryllis flower rebloom. As soon as the last frost of the year is finished, move the plant outside to a sunny location and water daily. Although some of the leaves may die in this transition, don’t worry, new ones will regrow. Since, most people want to make their amaryllis bloom during the holidays, typically you should bring the plant back indoors by the middle of August. Once you bring the plant inside, put it in a cool location (50-60 F. or 10-16 C.) and stop watering the amaryllis. Once the leaves die, move it to a dark spot for its rest period. If you like, you can remove the bulb from the soil before you store it for it’s resting period. Watch your bulb, and when you see the tip of the new flower stalk, it’s time to prepare for the reblooming amaryllis. Move the bulb to a warmer location for three weeks. This encourages the leaves and stalk to develop simultaneously. Repot the bulb in fresh soil (but not too deep) and place it in a sunny location. This process can be repeated every year and, if done correctly, you can make an amaryllis flower rebloom again and again! taken from https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/bulbs/amaryllis-hippeastrum/amaryllis-bloom-again.htm till next time this is Becky Litterer, Becky's Greenhouse Dougherty Iowa beckmall@netins.net |
AuthorHi! My name is Becky and I am a Master Gardener. I own Becky's Greenhouse in Dougherty, Iowa. Archives
September 2023
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