Dealing with Gnats and Mites Indoors

by Tamara Galbraith During the winter months, when more plants are indoors, gardeners need to be on the lookout for a couple of tough pests that, once settled in, can be hard to control. Fungus gnats, the near-microscopic flying insects that feed and breed within damp organic matter in potting soil, can actually be a problem any time of year. These tiny flying pests can spread pathogens, chew on roots and be a general...

Cyclamen Great Winter Color

There is little more beautiful than a display of cyclamen. They are among the best winter-blooming plants. You can use them in pots on tables, by the front door–and they’re great for atriums. A few notes on growing cyclamen: General: • Try to keep water away from the crown area (they can get crown rot). • Keep your plants well fed; feed every couple of weeks while they are in full leaf. • Pull out the stems...

Feeding the Squirrels is Fun!

We can choose to co-exist with the wildlife around us, enjoying their antics and quirky personalities, or we can run around in circles attempting to rid our properties of them. The latter is an exercise in futility in the case of squirrels; they preceded us, and they’ve learned how to best us at every turn. The squirrel is an aerialist extraordinaire, its large tail makes it the most recognized mammal on Earth. While...

Tillandsias: Lovely and Exotic

The rare and unusual tillandsias are true air plants; they do not grow in soil but gather nutrients from the air through their leaves. A genus in the bromeliad family of plants, they are not only striking in nature, they are extremely hardy plants. Many species are xerophytic, which means they grow almost without water, as well as epiphytic, which means they do not need soil to thrive. They withstand temperatures ranging...