Understanding Tender Perennials
Karen Some of our most useful plants in the summer garden are tender perennials. Many of them provide abundant color for a long period of time but unfortunately they die when…
What is the Difference Between an Annual, Perennial, or Biennial?
admin When spring comes and the urge to buy seeds and plants envelops the gardener, one of the first things to consider is the life cycle of the plant involved; is…
What is a Bulb?
When spring arrives bulbs like tulips and narcissus come up and bloom everywhere. As summer approaches you watch for bulbs like gladiolas and lilies. And in autumn you might see…
Botanical Latin: Species Names
All plants have Latin names consisting of a genus name and a species name. The species name is the second of the two names, is usually not capitalized and describes…
How to Evaluate Shade
Four types of shade are described and plants that grow well in each are suggested.
A Case for Using Botanical Names
Three good reasons are given for using botanical names rather than common names.
Frost Free Days
The other temperature related item of great importance to growing plants is the growing season, the number of days between the last frost in the spring and the first frost…
American Horticultural Society Plant Heat Zones
All of us who garden in the southern part of the country have probably noticed that high temperatures can be as much of a problem as low temperatures especially in…
USDA Plant Hardiness Zones
Do you go blank when you see the brightly colored map of the United States broken into 11 zones? You are not alone but why not make friends with that…
Soil fertility and texture: how and why to test your soil for garden success
Soil is one of the most important factors influencing the success of your garden. Both the texture and fertility of the soil make a critical difference to the growth and…