Would you like to have a brilliant, dependable flower this winter and next spring in contrast to your usual house plants? Spring Colors of Plants You can have generous spreads of color —yellow, blue, pink, and red—if you plan now to force bulbs such as tulips and daffodils. They’re easier than you think and very … Read more
Thirty years ago, when my garden began, the first perennial planted was a clump of Lemon Lilies, Hemerocallis flava, taken from my grandmother’s childhood home. Some, planted near a pool, delighted me with their fragrance and light lemon color so effective with the various iris, Oriental poppies, lavender, and purple Hesperis or Sweet Rocket. My … Read more
Indoor gardeners who have filled every window with pots of African violets are now extending their interest to trailing plants belonging to the same gesneriad family. Five close relatives of this popular house plant can be grown successfully under the same conditions as African Violets and with an even greater decorative effect. Pendant stems of … Read more
So wide is the variety of seeds and bulbs that can be planted this season that even – the most experienced home gardener is apt to be confused when deciding what to plant. Planting Schedules and Seed Catalogs As we study planting schedules and seed catalogs, we tend to try to grow everything under the … Read more
Night-blooming cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum), a commonly grown houseplant in many parts of this country, comes to us from Mexico and Central America. Unlike the cereus species which grow in our southwest, this particular kind, also known as broad-leaf epiphyllum, grows on trees in its native habitat. The American kinds, which may grow to great heights, … Read more
Eight years have passed since we first found out that anyone can grow orchids. It was my wife’s birthday, and I wanted to get her something special, so I stopped at a florist shop in my hometown, Hialeah, Florida, which displayed a big sign: ORCHIDS. The florist was making corsages of what I later learned … Read more
This Mexican plant, Beloperone guttata, is easy to grow in a sunny window or greenhouse. Its common name comes from the long shrimp-like bracts of red-brown, which overlap like shingles. The actual flowers, white spotted with purple, go almost unnoticed—you can barely see them protruding from the ends of the bracts in the picture above. … Read more
Now that you find outdoor gardening cool and uncomfortable, you can doubly appreciate your own backyard greenhouse. It’s a good place to take refuge on windy days, and even rain does not put an end to your gardening pleasure. For A Cool Winter Greenhouse’s Spring Bloom For the cool (45° to 50° degrees Fahrenheit night) … Read more
Now here are two practical methods developed for leaf propagating by home gardeners. Cover a water-filled glass tumbler with wax paper with a rubber band. Pierce the paper in three places. Insert the leaf stems in these holes deeply enough for the stems to reach into the water. Set the glass in a fully light … Read more
If you’re like many people, you may not have a green thumb. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the beauty of plants in your home! One plant that is easy to take care of and has many personalities is the dracaena reflexa. This plant is a tropical favorite and does well in warm climates. … Read more