(reprint from fine gardening.com)
Asters are the grande finale to the perennial garden, displaying vibrant fall colors in shades of pink, purple, blue, and white. They’re also one of the last great feeding opportunities for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. For gardeners, it’s a two-for-one deal: beautiful blooms and a
(reprint from fine gardening.com)
Asters are the grande finale to the perennial garden, displaying vibrant fall colors in shades of pink, purple, blue, and white. They’re also one of the last great feeding opportunities for bees, butterflies, and other pollinators. For gardeners, it’s a two-for-one deal: beautiful blooms and a flurry of attractive wildlife.
Although there are many varieties and classifications of asters—New England, New York, heath, calico, aromatic, smooth, and wood, all native to North America—the basic qualities to look for when choosing one are height, bloom color, and bloom time.
GCM member Jean S has a message for all of us: if you’re buying caladium, calla lilies, and other plants that grow from bulbs or rhizomes at the garden center each spring, stop. Do yourself a favor and grow them yourself.These plants are easy to grow on your own in a pot or in the ground and you’ll save a bundle of money.The proof
GCM member Jean S has a message for all of us: if you’re buying caladium, calla lilies, and other plants that grow from bulbs or rhizomes at the garden center each spring, stop. Do yourself a favor and grow them yourself.These plants are easy to grow on your own in a pot or in the ground and you’ll save a bundle of money.The proof is in the slide above that Jean provided, showing a plant from a garden center and one she grew from bulbs and rhizomes.
The calla lily on the left of the slide started from bulbs, that cost $5.42. The calla lily on the right you can buy from a local Big Box store for the painful price of $24.98 - roughly 450% more!
The caladium slide shows bulbs purchased from Walmart for $5.49, compared to a pre-grown caladium plant cost of $10.98.
As a bonus, you usua
The calla lily on the left of the slide started from bulbs, that cost $5.42. The calla lily on the right you can buy from a local Big Box store for the painful price of $24.98 - roughly 450% more!
The caladium slide shows bulbs purchased from Walmart for $5.49, compared to a pre-grown caladium plant cost of $10.98.
As a bonus, you usually can save the bulbs or rhizomes to replant next spring. For example, for caladiums, simply dig up the entire plants in fall before the first frost, let them sit in a cool dark place for two or three weeks to allow them to go dormant. Then, brush away any dirt on the bulbs and cut off the leaves and stems at the soil line. Apply a fungicide and store the bulbs in sand or sawdust to keep them from drying out. Next spring, you can plant them indoors early to get them started or directly outside after the last chance of frost has passed.