Overwintering herbs

 

Choose a sunny, south-facing window to overwinter your herbs so they get the most light in winter.

There's nothing like the taste of fresh herbs in cooking. However, in most parts of the country, fall means the herb harvest is coming to an end. If you live in a mild winter area, you can enjoy harvesting perennial herbs that naturally overwinter outdoors, such as rosemary, lavender, oregano, and thyme, as you need them all winter long. However, in most parts of the country, perennial and biennial herbs either lose their leaves in winter or just aren't hardy enough to survive at all.
You certainly can dry and freeze herb leaves for winter use, but if you crave the taste of fresh herbs in winter, bring some of these perennial herb plants indoors. Whether they were growing outdoors in the garden or in pots, you can extend the fresh herb picking season by months by bringing the plants in when frost threatens. This technique works best for perennial and biennial herbs, such as chives, mint, oregano, thyme, parsley, and rosemary. Annual herbs, such as basil, tend to tire after a few weeks indoors. Annual herbs are best started from seed indoors under grow lights and grown as new plants for a winter harvest.
Here are the steps to bringing your perennial herb garden indoors.

Who says overwintering herbs can't be displayed in an attractive fashion?

Rosemary can be overwintered indoors if given plenty of humidity and light.

1. Select the healthiest herb plants in the garden. Don't necessarily select the largest plants. The digging and transplanting process will destroy many roots. Small to medium-sized plants will survive better.
2. Check plants for any signs of insect activity and spray accordingly with an organic product, such as insecticidal soap, before moving them indoors.
3. Water plants well and dig up herb plants in the garden on a cool, cloudy day. Place them in an appropriately-sized pot.
4. Place these newly transplanted herb plants in a shady spot to adjust to the transplanting for 1 to 2 weeks. Keep them protected from winds and cold temperatures.
5. Move container herbs that have been growing in full sun outdoors all summer into the shade at the same time. The lower indoor light conditions will be a shock to most plants, so acclimate them to the indoor environment by growing them in the shade outdoors for a few weeks.
6. Before a frost, bring all the herb plants indoors and place them in a sunny, south-facing window.
7. Check for any insects that have hitched a ride indoors on your plants.
8. Water sparingly and don't fertilize.
9. Most herbs will grow slowly, or not at all, indoors in winter. Harvest what you need, but leave some leaves for the plant to survive. You'll see your plants rebound come late winter when the stronger light levels and longer days return. The exception is parsley. This biennial herb will survive the winter only to send up a flower stalk in spring and then die. Pick all the parsley you want and compost the plant when you're done.
10. Rosemary has special needs to survive. It likes cool temperatures (50- to 60-degree F), high humidity, and barely moist soil in winter. Keep the humidity high by misting often, and place the pot on a pebble tray filled with water. Water the pot just enough to keep the soil from drying out.
11. Come spring, once all danger of frost has passed, move your perennial herb plants back outside. Repot them into pots with fresh potting soil, or transplant them into the garden. They will bounce back and start putting on new growth in no time.

Fun Pumpkin Facts

pumpkins carved by Aaron and Sofia Zych

Total U.S. pumpkin production was valued at around $140 million equaling 1.1 billion lbs

496 million pounds of pumpkins were produced in Illinois.

The top pumpkin production states are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.

Around 90 to 95% of the processed pumpkins in the United States are grown in Illinois.

Pumpkins originated in Central America.

In early colonial times, pumpkins were used as an ingredient for the crust of pies, not the filling.

The largest pumpkin ever grown weighed 1,140 pounds.

The name pumpkin originated from "pepon" - the Greek word for "large melon."

Pumpkins are 90 percent water.

Pumpkins are a fruit.

Colonists sliced off pumpkin tops; removed seeds and filled the insides with milk, spices and honey. This was baked in hot ashes and is the origin of pumpkin pie.

Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.

How to chase the winter blues out of your garden

It is all too often the case that landscape and garden designers, out of a zealousness for flowers, overlook the beauty that can be carried through winter by selecting certain shrubs and perennials with long lasting pizazz.

Here are some of my favorites.

Colored-twig dogwoods (Cornus sericea) are also a fantastic choice for winter color. When they lose their leaves, they reveal bright red, yellow, or orange stems that show off well against a backdrop of dormant grasses or evergreen shrubs. And the display's not limited to outdoors, either, since the cut stems last a long time in a vase or a holiday wreath. Colored-twig dogwoods grow in full sun to part shade and reach about 4-10' tall and wide, depending on the variety.

Ornamental grasses are a great additions to a winter garden, and not only the evergreen varieties. Many grasses go dormant gracefully, leaving a fluffy mass of brown strands that look surprisingly at home among winter annuals and other color. Evergreen grasses include sedges like Carex 'Toffee Twist', variegated sweet flag (Acorus gramineus 'Variegata'), and silver spear (Astelia chathamica 'Silver Spear'), while fountain grass (Pennisetum) and dwarf varieties of maiden grass (Miscanthus) make a great show in dormancy.

Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster apiculata and 'Hessii') is a must if you have walls or walkways it can crawl upon.  The berries over the winter months add a little holiday spirit.

I find that homeowners are reluctant when we want to leave Annabelle Hydrangea up over the winter, but it looks so much better than an empty bed.  And the older the species, the more blooms and stalks, the better the winter show.

Top 10 Plants You Can't Kill

As gardeners, we're constantly faced with challenges: plants that won't bloom, flowers that die from a late frost, droughts that wipe out entire beds.

Gardening definitely has its fair share of difficulties, so every once in a while it's nice to have plants that require little maintenance. Even better-grow plants you can't kill!
Sure, spraying these all-stars with weed killer would probably lead to their demise. But for the most part, these are hardy, maintenance-free picks that work well in any North American backyard.

So are you ready to turn your black thumb into a green thumb? Get planting with these top picks.

Coneflower

(Echinacea, Zones 3 to 9)
Coneflowers have become a garden staple for their easygoing nature. Growing 2 to 5 feet high and 2 feet wide, they are the perfect companion plant in just about any garden. They require well-drained soil but will thrive in full sun as well as partial shade. Known for attracting birds, bees and butterflies, coneflowers also make lovely cut blooms.

Why I love it: The coneflower is the low-maintenance star of nature-friendly gardens. It comes in many colors, and it's easy to find one you will love.

Colors: purple, pink, crimson, white, yellow, orange and even green.

Cosmos

(Cosmos bipinnatus)
If big, beautiful flowers are one of your top requirements, cosmos is perfect for you. Though it's an annual, it often reseeds on its own. Blooming summer to frost and growing up to 6 feet high, this backyard favorite deserves a regular spot in your sunny garden.

Why I love it: It's easy to grow from seed. So for a couple of bucks, you'll have a gorgeous show in a single season.

Daylily

(Hemerocallis, Zones 3 to 10)
An excellent choice for a classic garden, daylilies can tolerate flooding, drought and salt and are often used for erosion control on steep hillsides. The pretty blooms come in every shade except blue and pure white; their distinctive trumpets may be triangular, circular, double, spidery or star-shaped. Daylilies grow 10 inches to 4 feet high and 1-1/2 to 4 feet wide and do best in full sun to partial shade.

Why I love it: Some cultivars attract hummingbirds and butterflies. A plant that is best divided every three to five years, the daylily is perfect to share with friends.

Hens and Chicks

(Sempervivum tectorum, Zones 3 to 8)
The only way to kill this succulent is by being too kind with overwatering. This perennial is perfect for rock gardens. It grows 3 to 6 inches tall and up to 20 inches wide and blooms in summer. For best results, plant in well-drained soil that gets full sun to light shade.

Why I love it: This low grower also works wonders in containers. Since it doesn't have a deep root system, you can plant it somewhere fun.

Yarrow

(Achillea, Zones 3 to 9)
These easy-care, long-lasting flowers come into their own once summer is on its way. They grow 6 inches to 4 feet tall and 18 to 24 inches wide, in yellow, white, red and pink. Well-suited to most growing conditions, yarrows provide a long season of bloom. They're a good cutting flower, too. Avoid seedy varieties that may require a bit of weeding to keep contained.

Why I love it: This plant is heat- and drought-tolerant and can survive on benign neglect.

Hosta

(Hosta, Zones 3 to 8)
Easy-to-grow hosta is a must for shade gardens. The beautiful foliage comes in a wealth of colors, textures, sizes and shapes, growing 4 inches to 3 feet high and 6 inches to 6 feet wide. In summer, hosta blooms in purple, white or lavender. Divide in spring or late summer to early fall. Hostas like moist ground, but be careful not to overwater.

Why I love it: The ultimate low-care shade plant, hosta comes in endless varieties and colors. It also can be easily divided-perfect for the budget-minded.

Sedum

(Sedum species, Zones 3 to 10)
Take a close look and you'll see this plant's star-shaped blooms, similar to a pentas. With yellow, orange, red, pink or white flowers, it grows from 2 inches up to 2 feet high and wide. You can grow some species as ground cover, while others make good border plants.

Why I love it: Hello, butterflies! If you want flying flowers in your yard, this plant is a slam dunk.

Zinnia

(Zinnia)
With new heat-, drought- and disease-resistant plants on the market, there's never been a better time to grow zinnias. This annual grows up to 3 feet high, with blooms that last until the first frost. For the newest varieties from seed, check your local nursery or favorite garden catalog.

Why I love it: You'll save tons of money growing these from seed. Start seeds indoors, or sow outdoors about 1/4 inch deep after the threat of frost has passed.

Petunia

(Petunia x hybrida)
Petunias have been around for decades, but the newer varieties have advanced in leaps and bounds. Days of deadheading and disease-prone plants are long gone. Nowadays, these beauties flourish in both full sun and partial shade without a lot of extra work. And you can find them in almost every color imaginable.

Why I love it: Even if you forget to water for a few days-it happens to everyone-these plants keep going.

Yucca

(Yucca filamentosa, Zones 4 to 11)
There's a good reason so many Southern gardeners use this as a backyard centerpiece. It's about as drought-tolerant as they come-and on top of that, it boasts beautiful white flowers amid its spiky leaves.

Why I love it: Both flowers and foliage come with this beauty. For a unique variety, look for the variegata cultivar. Its blue-green leaves with white edges are stunning.

Hydrangeas - the proper care

Those that know me well know that Hydrangea is really my favorite plant and flower.  I find nothing as elegant and understated.  I prefer the classic varieties and stay away from macrophyllas, because they just look fake to me.

Hydrangeas seem to be a plant where you just kind of let it go, but that is far from the truth.  My husband spends hours layer pruning our paniculatas so they push spring growth to his desired shape.  Pruning is a science as well as an art.  As is gardening really.

I had an interesting conversation with a master gardener yesterday who was asking my opinions on a plant I was installing at her friends house.  It was a gro-low sumac.  For me, a "landscaper," something I use all the time when I want a big pillow of greenery.  But to her, something less known.  It reminded me that although someone might be an expert, we are always still learning.  We are experts at what we are most comfortable with, what we prefer and what we are exposed to most often.

So I thought why not put out some tips for caring for my favorite plants.  To some it might be old information, a refresher and to some it may be completely new.  But at least I'm going to try to use this fantastic technology to continue to educate as often as I can.

Pruning hydrangeas
To know when to prune your hydrangea....here's a handy guide:

Hydrangea macrophylla (Blushing Bride, Endless Summer, Light-O-Day): Prune in late summer, as soon as the flowers fade, but never after September. Remove weaker stems from the base of the plant, being careful to retain several stems of old wood, which will produce buds for next year's flowers.

Hydrangea arborescens Grandiflora (Annabelle, Bella Anna, Incrediball): Cut to the ground in late winter or early spring.

Hydrangea paniculata Grandiflora (Tardive, Limelight, Pink Diamond, Unique): Simply remove spent flowers and thin or cut back last year's growth in late winter or early spring.

Hydrangea quercifolia (oakleaf hydrangea): Remove dead wood at the base of the plant in early spring.

Hydrangea anomala petiolaris (climbing hydrangea): Unruly vines can be shortened in summer. Otherwise, pruning is seldom necessary.