Author: Doug Hackbarth

One of the easiest-to-grow, blooming bulb plants is the South American Amaryllis. This bulb thrives on normal household temperatures of around 70 degrees and will bloom in only 6 to 8 weeks after it is planted. . . Read More

It was just last week we were worried about frost and now we are back into the upper 70’s and 80’s. Now is the time to start planning your strategy for bringing your houseplants inside for the winter. . . Read More

This is the time of year when caterpillars make their appearance in some of your flowers and vegetable plants, especially cabbage types that include cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower. Many blooming annuals and perennials also come down with a bad case . . . Read More

Surprise Lily, Magic Lily, Resurrection Lily or Naked Lady, whatever you call it, it is the lily that you see in bloom at this time of summer with all stems and no foliage. . . Read More

With the recent lack of rain and extreme drought conditions, it might be necessary to take a look at what you can do to make gardening an easier chore for next year. . . Read More

Daylilies (Hemerocallis) are perennial clumps with leaves, a crown, flowers and roots. They originate from China, Japan and Korea and currently there are more than 60,000 registered cultivars, many with fragrant flowers. . . Read More

Out back, behind the fence, we grow perennial yarrow plants for use as cut-flowers in floral arrangements. One year in late May or early June I noticed a foamy substance on my plants and it looked as though someone had spit on the foliage. . . Read More

This is your final chance to prevent those nasty bacteria spores from splashing up onto the lower leaves of your tomatoes, roses, melons and squash plants, spores that cause spotting and ugly devastation to the lower foliage that then rises all the . . . Read More

It is important to know that most all plants, including those that like full sun are still happier with afternoon shade. Last summer, with the extreme heat was a great example of what can go wrong with nature. . . Read More

Moss in your yard or on the patio bricks, or even on your rooftops happens because of a number of reasons. Excessive shade (especially on the north side of your roof), poor drainage, lack of fertilizer, acid soil pH and soil compaction. . . Read More

The next time the weather feels good and it puts you in the mood to do something relating to spring, think about your lawn. Remember those weeds you had last year…they are coming back! . . Read More

It is agreed that buying certified seed potatoes is best to help avoid any potato diseases or viruses that could be present in regular store-bought potatoes. These viral problems can get established in your garden soil and cause problems to re-occur . . . Read More

We recently removed the thermo-blankets from our perennials that were in storage for the winter season and discovered that the roses still showed plenty of life. They also showed signs of death as well. . . Read More

I have gotten a tremendous amount of phone calls this past week with all kinds of questions concerning tomato seeds and plants. Unfortunately, it is way too early to be planting tomato seeds. . . Read More

I always tell people not to prune or make cutbacks on basically anything until after Thanksgiving. Well, after Thanksgiving means now…any time the temperatures get cold and remain cold is considered after Thanksgiving. . . Read More

During the short, gloomy days of winter, one wonders if anything could possibly grow and yet, look good enough to actually want it in your home.Well, the good news is that there are plenty of plants that tolerate these questionable conditions. . . . Read More

It seems wrong to talk of Hibiscus during the month of January but the most asked questions right now revolve around the care of these blooming beauties that are being held for the next spring season. . . Read More

I was lucky in that a friend and fellow plant salesman had several Christmas cactus (Zygo-cactus) plants left over last year after the Christmas season ended. He does not have a greenhouse so he sold them all to me at a bargain price and I re-potted . . . Read More

The poinsettia is the most widely tested consumer plant on the market today, proving the myth about the popular holiday plant to be false:  The Poinsettia History and Legend Poinsettia Care Tips Toxicity Myth Provided by: Society of American Florists, . . . Read More

If your peony plants did a poor job of blooming this year, it may be time to dig them up and divide them. Start by cutting off the foliage near ground level then dig them carefully out of the ground. . . Read More

Now that the cold weather has set in and your flowers and vegetables have been “nipped” by the freezing temperatures, it is time to do the year-end clean up. Out in the garden, I like to get out my hedge clippers and start chopping away at the . . . Read More

Caladiums are grown from tubers and are propagated by dividing larger tubers into smaller clumps. It is important to dig out the center “eye” in order to push the growth of all of the other “eyes” for a fuller, but shorter caladium. . . Read More

It was just last week we were talking about the temperatures being too hot, up in the 90’s, and now it is time to start planning your strategy for bringing your houseplants inside for the winter. . . Read More