thrip, mealybugs and scale on houseplant leaves

Battling Common Houseplant Pests: A Guide to Identification and Control

Houseplants bring a touch of nature indoors, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of our living spaces. However, with the beauty they bring, houseplants can also attract unwanted guests—pests. Common houseplant pests can range from tiny insects to fungi and can wreak havoc on your indoor greenery if left unchecked. In this guide, we’ll explore some of the most prevalent pests that affect houseplants and discuss effective methods to get rid of them. Regular inspection and prompt action are essential to maintaining …

Keeping a Garden Journal

A garden journal serves as a valuable tool for documenting your horticultural adventures, learning from successes and challenges, and creating a legacy of your green haven.

male sharpening garden pruners

Winter To-do list

Anyone who thinks that gardening begins in the spring and ends in the fall is missing the best part of the whole year; for gardening begins in January with a dream – Josephine Neuse

How to Cover Plants for Frost Protection

QUESTION: What is the best cover to use to protect outdoor plants from the cold air — fabric or plastic? Threat of frost usually occurs overnight when the temperature drops low enough to freeze the moisture on plant leaves and buds. To protect plants from frost, you will need to cover them to keep the moisture from freezing. While an unexpected frost can leave many gardeners scrambling to find anything to cover their tender plants; it is important to use the …

Fall is a GREAT time to plant

So, why is fall the best time to plant trees and shrubs? Not as much watering is needed Young plants need plenty of water. It is best to give good, long soakings rather than frequent, light watering. A typical rule of thumb is to provide at least 1 inch of irrigation per week. Summertime planting requires close attention to moisture levels and much of it can evaporate with the heat of the day. Autumn’s cooler temperatures and shorter days may …

Fall is a Great Time to Plant and Pick Fast-Growing Veggies and Herbs

While the season transitions, take in all it has to offer — football games, pumpkin spice lattes, cozy sweaters, and best of all, fresh-picked produce. Picking fresh produce in the fall always feels like such a treat. Even though leaves are starting to change, your veggie garden still has plenty of time left to produce delicious tomatoes, peppers, greens and more. Help your organic garden produce more than ever this fall with these four tips from The Espoma Organic Company: Ready, …

CBD for Pets helps with Halloween Stress

CBD for Pets Helps with Halloween Stress Posted by TWINE CBD on Oct 18th 2021 Halloween is an exciting time for kids and families everywhere. Nonetheless, the hustle and bustle of everyone’s favorite October holiday can be a little stressful for your dog or cat. Between the loud noises, lights, strangers, and everything else that goes on during Halloween, your pets may have a hard time keeping their cool. Luckily, there is an easy and effective way to keep them …

Advantages of Fall Planting

Additional Color for Your Gardens and Great Root Growth We are often asked “What are the advantages of planting perennials and shrubs in the fall?” Fall is a great time to plant perennials and shrubs due to cooler temperatures which put less stress on the plant and enable root systems to grow faster and larger. When we plant in the spring, all plants, perennials, annuals, shrubs, etc. are pushed to get a healthy mass of roots established so they can …

Are Garden Mums Annual or Perennial?

No doubt about it! Mums are the divas of the autumn garden. Mums can quickly and easily add beautiful fall colors to your home. Because of their tight, mounding habit and stunning bloom colors, garden mums are perfect for mass plantings. Although technically considered perennials, the garden mums that brighten up our landscapes in the fall are commonly treated as annuals. Because of the way they are bred, the likelihood of them surviving the winter and blooming within your desired …

It’s Time to Plant Pansies and Violas!

Want beautiful color that will survive the cool temperatures of late-fall and early-spring? Look no further than the tough, cold-tolerant, and colorful pansy. Available in many beautiful shades of white, blue, yellow, purple, red-solid blooms and blooms with “blotches” of contrasting color in the center, pansies and violas will brighten any fall through spring landscape. Our pansies are all fresh and especially healthy as they are grown locally at our own growing division right here in Kalamazoo, MI. Pansies are …