Category Archives: Houseplants

What’s new in gardening?

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Last week I attended the 50th Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show at the Baltimore Convention Center, the absolute best place to get a full-on view of what’s new in the green industry. The 30,000-foot exhibit space is jammed with plant breeders and growers; tool, equipment and apparel purveyors; resellers of outdoor furniture, pots, and statuary in every shape, size, and color; companies who formulate and sell soil amendments, mulches, and fertilizers; and much more. Here are a few of the cool things I saw:

‘HGC Jacob’ hellebore—IMG_3497If you’re looking to add some winter blooms to the garden, hellebores fit the bill, and this one blooms early: November and all through winter. I like the way its bright white flowers are held upright above the foliage so you can really see them in the garden. Dark leathery leaves remain attractive all through summer too. But this hellebore wasn’t the only new kid on the block. There were more new perennnials (and some terrific older ones) than you could shake a stick at.

Succulents and air plants—The succulent and air plant craze continues, and that’s ok by me. New shapes, sizes, and colors continue to hit the market. After all, there’s always room for one more on the windowsill, right?IMG_3499

Downy mildew-resistant impaimg_3541.jpgtiens—Shade gardeners have been subbing coleus, begonias, and caladiums ever since downy mildew flattened impatiens about eight years ago. While those substitutes are perfectly fine plants, we’ve missed our impatiens. Plant breeders came to the rescue and are now offering us a slew of mildew-resistant varieties, including this deep-red number called ‘Beacon.’

Blight-resistant boIMG_3535xwood—Speaking of devastating diseases, boxwood blight has been a doozy. It’s especially tough because boxwood has been a reliable and long-lived structural element in gardens for centuries. Once again, plant breeders have stepped up and introduced blight-resistant varieties like NewGen Independence® and NewGen Freedom,® which are set to hit the market this year.

 

Insect-resistant hemlock—Our majestic stands of hemlock trees have been brought to the brink by a nasty introduced pest, the wooly adelgid. Up to this point, chemical intervention has been the only effective way to save hemlocks in the landscape and in the wild. Thankfully, the scientists at the U.S. National Arboretum are getting ready to introduce an adelgid-resistant hemlock called ‘Traveler.’ A cross with Chinese hemlock, this variety has a slightly more weeping habit than our native hemlock, but to the average gardener, it looks pretty darn similar. You may not see this variety in the nurseries for a couple more years, so until then keep checking and treating your hemlocks.

IMG_3536Witchhazels and a tree-form winterberry holly—The best thing about MANTS is talking to the people you meet or reconnect with. Tim Brotzman is a wizard when it comes to tree propagation and I enjoyed visiting his booth and talking to him and his wife Sonia. Some of his 125 varieties of witchhazels were on display in full bloom, as was an interesting tree form of winterberry holly (usually this is a thicket of a shrub). Tim’s nursery in Lake County, OH is wholesale only, but you will find many of his creations at your local garden center.

IMG_3560The bougainvillea whisperer—After failing spectacularly with bougainvillea last summer, I was gobsmacked by the colorful display at the Topiary Creations booth. Claude was kind enough to give me a detailed rundown on how to care for them and, most importantly, how to get them to re-bloom. My good friend Mrs. Know-It-All captured his tutorial on video, and you can find it (and other videos from the show) at this link (be sure to scroll down): https://www.facebook.com/Mrs-Know-It-All-135749349792882/.

Vole King—No, this isn’t the ruler of those rotten little rodents that eat your bulbs, turf, and hosta roots. This is an innovative company that makes products to foil those pesky critters. Featured at their booth were stainless steel mesh ‘bags’ of various sizes in which you can plant perennials, shrubs, and even trees to put the ‘closed’ sign on your subterranean all-you-can-eat buffet. If you are plagued by these voracious vegetarians, head on over to voleking.com and pick up a few bags or even a roll of the mesh for your garden.

MANTS 50_Horizontal50th Anniversary panel discussion—I can’t close without highlighting the fact that this was the 50th anniversary of MANTS! We garden writers were treated to a special panel discussion by veterans of the show who shared how it has changed in those 50 years, what hasn’t, and their outlook for the future of the green industry.

  • How the show has changed (aside from getting bigger): More women in the industry; more colorful perennials and flowering trees and shrubs; the introduction of branding and marketing of plants; evidence of climate change (one panelist likened Baltimore to “frozen tundra” during MANTS, but now the days are usually above freezing).
  • What hasn’t changed: The common denominators remain the advancement of plants, gardening, horticulture, and people.
  • Panelists’ outlook for the future: The green industry has a critical role to play in climate change by offering trees, shrubs, and other plants that can be used for carbon sequestration. Labor will continue to be a challenge as long as restrictions on H-1B workers remain and young people do not see the benefits of a career in the industry. There are many new opportunities such as cannabis and hemp production, bioremediation, and new plant development to combat introduced pests and diseases.

 

Take that, winter!

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When this clivia flower cluster opened a couple weeks ago, it was like a sucker punch to winter. The orange-tipped buds emerged from deep within the emerald-green leaves, pointing upward like little round-nosed rockets, then opened as a chorus to expose their soft yIMG_2004ellow throats and delicate pistils.  Each flower stretched its petals wider until they formed one glorious globe of sherbet orange and yellow against thick strappy foliage. The show has gone on now for several weeks, delighting me no end.

My friend gave me the plant as a division several years ago, and it’s become one of my favorite houseplants, doubtless for those winter-blah-chasing flowers, but also because of its undemanding demeanor and dramatic fountain of dark foliage.

These South African natives need light to grow well, but do not tolerate direct sunlight. They actively grow in the spring and summer months, then enter a resting phase for about three months in late fall, then bloom in winter. Here’s how to give your clivia the conditions it needs to thrive and bloom.

Place the plant in a bright north-facing window, or an eastern or western window, provided the light is filtered by trees or curtains. Clivias do well summered outdoors in a shady but bright location. I move mine to the front porch after the weather has warmed and settled, and it stays there until fall night temperatures dip into the 40s.

Clivias don’t need much water. In the spring and summer, when they are growing, water only when the soil dries out, and fertilize regularly. In the fall, when they enter their resting phase, stop watering. Continue withholding water through winter, unless the plant wilts, in which case you can give it a small amount.

Clivias like to be crowded in the pot, and it can take a couple years for a plant to mature enough to flower. Then, to set flower buds, they need a chilling period of about 50 degrees for three months during the resting phase, which begins in late fall. At that point (and before a frost) I move my clivia to a north-facing sunroom that I keep between 40 and 50 degrees for the first half of winter. Come January, I move the clivia to a north-facing window in my warmer dining room and wait for the show to begin. Within a month, a flower stalk emerges from the center of the foliage, and for the next month I’m treated to a long-lasting winter show that makes the remaining days of winter a little more bearable.

 

Plant a succulent container

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I’ve been playing around with decorative containers planted with succulents lately. Succulents are fun because they are easy to care for, plus they look really cool. They’re pretty fool-proof if you think you have a brown thumb. Here’s what you need to know to make your own:

Materials you will need:

  • A shallow container that has a drainage hole. You can buy one or use your creativity to come up with something clever. For example, you can use an old colander or sieve, or drill some holes in an old cake pan or vintage wooden box. Visit the thrift store or hit garage sales and see what you can find.
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I planted these succulents in a piece of an old log I found in the woods. Use your imagination while scouting for trays for your succulents!

  • Dampened sandy potting mix. You can buy bagged cactus mix or mix your own using two parts potting soil to 1 part regular sand from the home improvement store. Dampen it before using.
  • Piece of window screen large enough to fit over the hole in the container, so the soil doesn’t run out.
  • Plants. Most garden centers carry a selection of succulents in a variety of shapes, colors and patterns to choose from. If you want to place your container outdoors, make sure the plants are hardy for your area or you’ll need to bring them in for the winter. A few plants go a long way, plus they will continue to grow in the container, so you don’t need too many. It’s a good idea to plant in odd numbers—3 generally suit a small container, and 5 or 7 may fit a large container.
  • Ornaments such as stones, driftwood, marbles, etc.
  • Top dressing of gravel, pebbles, sand, or moss.

Here’s how to put your container together:

  • Use your creativity! Think about a style to enhance your décor. Succulent trays can be little vignettes that transport you to a different time and place. They can be inspired by an Asian vibe, the desert, a lake or a river, or you can go with a contemporary feel. Check Pinterest for loads of ideas.
  • Place the piece of screen in the bottom of the container.
  • Fill it about half full of soil, then smooth it out with a spoon or other small utensil. You can sculpt the soil if you want to include hills and valleys.
  • Remove each plant from its pot, shake off the soil, and trim any roots that seem excessively long. Scoop a hole in the soil, add the plant, then gently backfill the soil. Repeat until you have planted all the succulents you want to include.
  • Smooth and sculpt the soil. You may need to add or remove some.
  • Dress the soil surface with gravel, pebbles, sand, or moss for a finished look.
  • Clean any debris from the plants and edges of the container with a small, soft paintbrush.

Aftercare:

  • Place the tray in a sunny spot or somewhere that has bright light.
  • You don’t need to water your succulent tray very often, maybe once a month.

 

Don’t kill that orchid!

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You can enjoy beautiful, long-blooming orchids in your home thanks to modern propagation methods that allow orchids to be

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This orchid bloomed for months in my bedroom. What a joy!

inexpensively mass produced. Most of the ones you’ll find in big box and other retail outlets are the moth or Phalenopsis orchids, and they are super easy to grow at home. Moth orchids are terrific because they bloom a long time—usually months and months. And the flowers are so exotic and beautiful! If you have one or are considering buying one, here are some tips to keep it blooming:

  • Before leaving the store, make sure your orchid is loosely but completely covered with a plastic or paper sleeve if temperatures are below 50 degrees. Go directly home—it’s not a good idea to leave your orchid in the car while you run more errands since they don’t love the cold.
  • Once home, remove all the wrapping and tags. Place the orchid in a bright window. Eastern exposure is ideal. Southern and western windows work too, so long as the plant is protected from strong afternoon sun by a sheer curtain or blind.
  • Moth orchids make good housemates because they like the same indoor temperatures we do—mid 60s to low 70s. If you keep your house on the cool side, find a warm spot for your new friend.
  • When it comes to watering, don’t drown your orchid with kindness—this is probably the biggest mistake when it comes to keeping orchids. In the wild, orchids live on tree branches and rocky outcrops, with their roots exposed to air. Water your orchid when the pot feels light when you pick it up. This can be hard to gauge but you’ll get the feel for it. Generally every 7-14 days is sufficient. Water by dunking the pot containing the plant and bark into a larger pot of water, just up to the rim, and leave it til it stops bubbling, generally 5 minutes or so. If your orchid is planted pot-in-pot (the plant and bark in an inner pot, with a decorative outer pot that has no drainage hole), you can use the outer pot as the “dunking pot.” Once bubbling stops, lift the pot out of the water and let it drain. Empty the dunking pot before putting your orchid back in it. Alternatively, place the pot in the shower, and run it for several minutes using tepid water. If your orchid is planted pot-in-pot, remove the outer decorative pot so the plant can drain.
  • An orchid’s beautiful blooms require energy, so they benefit from some food. Feed your orchid in the late spring and summer, when it’s not flowering. The easiest way to feed is with orchid sticks that you shove into the bark mix. You can also use liquid orchid food mixed to half strength every time you water.

Enjoy your orchid!

Cool succulents

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Fun and funky, strange and weird… succulents are all that, plus easy to grow. They are everywhere these days too, just hit your local garden center, nursery, or big box store. Succulents are offered in a whole range of shapes and sizes and in plain nursery pots or decorative containers to fit any décor.

Here are some I love growing:

  • I bought a Trail of Tears (top left) as an itty bitty thing. I transplanted it from a plastic nursery pot to a terra cotta pot. I mixed some sand into the potting mix (about 2/3rds potting soil and 1/3 sand) and hung it in a western-facing window. Once in a while I tuck the longest strands into the soil, where they root, because my cat plays with them when they get too long.
  • My jade plant (bottom image) is a clone of one my mother acquired in the 1950s, ro-oted from a leaf. It spends summers outdoors on the porch, where it is shaded yet gets bright light, and overwinters indoors in a sunny south-facing window.
  • The charming aloe (top right) is from a cutting I received many years ago from my Aunt Eliza. It blooms almost nonstop with small yellow nodding flowers on a long stalk. I have divided it many, many times and love sharing it with friends.
  • I love paddle kalanchoes. The one pictured at the top of this page has red edges on the leaves and was a gift from one of my garden design clients. The great thing about gifts of plants is that they remind you of the person who gave it to you!

Succulents are so easy to grow. Just plant yours in sandy soil if it didn’t come that way (see rough proportions above) and put it in a bright window—south- or west-facing is best. Go easy on watering—once a week at most but probably more like once or twice a month.

Feel free to ask a question if you have a succulent or want to grow one. I’ll cover how to re-pot and divide succulents in a future blog post. Have fun with your succulent!