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How to Protect Outdoor Roses From Freezing

Roses are incredibly beautiful but quite vulnerable to winter temperatures and frost. Proper protection and planning will ensure your roses survive the winter and thrive throughout another blooming season. Here are some tips to help you protect your roses throughout winter.

Roses are one of the most beloved flowers in the world that make a beautiful addition to any garden. With so many cultivars available, most gardeners can find a rose that captivates them. However, like other perennials, roses require a period of dormancy during the winter to rest and generate resources for the next blooming season.

It is important that these lovely flowers receive protection during the winter, as unusually cold or extreme weather can damage rose plants. While some hardy varieties may not require special care during a typical winter, other varieties are naturally more vulnerable to frost damage.

It is impossible to change the weather, but there are some steps you can take to protect your outdoor roses from being damaged when temperatures drop. This article presents a few ideas on how to keep your roses protected throughout the winter.

How Does Freezing Weather Affect Roses?

Most people consider freezing to be the condition where the air temperature is at 32˚F (0˚C), and that is true. However, plants don’t become damaged immediately upon coming into contact with freezing air. In most cases, plants are considered at risk for freezing when temperatures remain at 28˚F (-2˚C) or lower for more than four hours.

Of course, there will be variations as several factors play into how a given plant will react to freezing conditions. The species, how mature it is, and other environmental considerations all affect how a plant reacts to cold weather.

Roses can withstand short periods of below-freezing temperatures, but prolonged cold is dangerous. Temperature fluctuations are especially harmful to roses, as their cells experience the stress of thawing and refreezing multiple times. In addition, strong winds or accumulated ice can cause physical damage sufficient to kill roses in some cases.

Signs of Cold and Frost Damage in Roses

It may not be evident during the winter that a rose has suffered from frost damage, but once the plant enters its active growth stage, the symptoms become apparent. A frost-damaged rose may have some or all of the following problems:

Giving roses ideal care throughout the growing season will help them stay strong enough to survive the winter unscathed. However, there are several other steps you can take to maximize your roses’ chances of survival during a cold winter.

How to Protect Outdoor Roses From Freezing

1. Choose Roses Suited to Your Location

The majority of rose cultivars available grow in USDA hardiness zones 7 to 10. Certain varieties of roses can grow in zones 3 or higher. If you live in a climate with prolonged low temperatures, be sure to only plant rose cultivars that can withstand harsh conditions. Check labels or consult with garden center staff to ensure the rose you purchase is suitable for your climate.

Also, remember that your garden has various microclimates based on light, heat, wind, and water conditions. If frost damage is a concern, be sure to plant roses away from depressions or wet areas that stay colder than the rest of the garden.

2. Cover Your Roses

Covering roses during the winter months has several benefits. It not only protects the plant from high winds and ice damage but also keeps the plant at a constant temperature during the winter months and avoids temperature fluctuations.

Preparing to Cover Your Roses

Plan to cover roses once the temperature is below freezing for several nights, or after a hard frost causes the plant to lose most of its leaves. Roses should be bare-stemmed, with no remaining leaves or blooms. Tall canes can be pruned, as well as any damaged or dead stems, before covering them. Bundle and tie the canes to minimize them being blown around by the wind.

Don’t be shy about pruning roses. The goal is to cut them back to about one-third of their current size. This is the best way to prepare plants to produce new growth once the weather starts to warm. Make cuts at an angle, just above a bud, to encourage new stems from each bud.

Choosing an Insulating Material

There are many options when choosing a material to cover and protect roses during the winter. While there are pros and cons to each, many gardeners prefer not to invest extra money to insulate roses, so they use whatever is readily available.

Some potential options include:

There are a couple of considerations to keep in mind when choosing insulating material. First, if you decide to use old blankets and sheets for this purpose, they must be kept dry. Wet bedding will make your plants even colder, so use them in conjunction with plastic.

The plastic covering should not be allowed to come into direct contact with roses because cold can affect plants through the plastic barrier. Instead, use a frame around the plant to prevent contact with the covering.

An ideal scenario is a wood or metal frame around the plant, wrapped in a layer of old blankets or other fabric, and then a layer of plastic around that to keep everything dry.

3. Mulch Around the Base

Mound at least a foot (0.3 m) of soil or compost around the base of the rose plants. This helps regulate the temperature around the roots and lower stalks. Be sure to remove the layer of mulch once the weather warms up in spring, to avoid high temperature and moisture levels around the root system.

4. Keep Roses Thoroughly Watered Before the First Frost

Usually, there will be enough rain to keep the soil moist in the late fall. However, in especially dry years it is important to water roses when you know a freeze is predicted. This is important because moist soil holds heat much better than dry soil.

Treatment

Frost-damaged portions of rose plants can’t recover their health, so any unhealthy pieces should be pruned once the weather starts to get warmer. Be sure not to cut back roses too early, as that can further injure the plant. All danger of freezing should have passed before you attempt any pruning.

It can take a frost-damaged rose plant several seasons to fully recover, so it is better to prevent the damage from happening in the first place. By taking precautions early, you can maximize your roses’ health and be rewarded with plenty of blooms.

A Beginner’s Guide to Bringing Plants Indoors in the Fall

Bringing plants indoors in the fall can help them survive a chilly winter. However, rushing this process will cause more harm than good. Here are some tips for moving plants indoors during fall.

The leaves are turning, and the temperature is dropping—fall is in the air. While cooler weather often means the end of the gardening season, you may not be ready to say goodbye to some of your favorite plants.

Bringing frost-sensitive varieties indoors can prolong their lifespan and let you enjoy them again outdoors when the weather warms in the spring. However, you don’t want to bring flowers into your house too soon. Bringing your plants indoors too early could stress them out and may do more harm than good. The process should be gradual and includes a bit of preparation.

In this article, you will learn about the best timing to bring plants indoors in the fall, as well as some tips to transition your plants successfully.

When to Bring Plants Inside

All frost-sensitive plants need to be protected from the elements before the temperature drops too low. Ideally, this should be before nighttime temperatures dip below 45°F (7°C). Most species will experience damage at temperatures under 40°F (4°C), so you want the transition period to be well underway by the time temperatures drop this low.

Don’t wait too long—frost exposure will damage plants more than rushing the moving process.

Ten Steps for Bringing Plants Indoors

The growing conditions in your home are nothing like the outdoors. Temperature, lighting, airflow, and humidity levels all differ significantly. Bringing a plant from one environment to another without a transition phase will cause unnecessary stress and may cause the plant to struggle.

Therefore, it’s important to let your plants gradually transition to their new winter environment. This transition takes some time and a bit of preparation. Below are some steps to help your plant successfully adapt to the indoors.

1. Prep Indoor Plant Space

Before bringing plants indoors, ensures you have a place set up to put them.

Look for stable shelves or tables that are protected from cold drafts and have exposure to plenty of natural light. Consider clumping multiple pots together for species that require high humidity. It’s also wise to protect these surfaces with extra trays so spilled dirt and water don’t damage them.

2. Clean Your Windows

Once you know where you will place your plants, it’s time to maximize their natural light exposure over the winter by cleaning your windows. Wash the windows inside and out to ensure as much light filters through them as possible.

Note: Supplement your space with artificial lighting if your windows do not provide enough natural light.

3. Look for Pest and Disease Problems

While deciding which plants to bring indoors, scrutinize them for signs of insect and disease damage. You don’t want to bring a compromised plant indoors, as the problem will flourish in the warmer conditions and spread to other plants in your home.

Prune off any problem areas immediately, and rinse off all leaves to wash off insects. A dose of insecticidal soap is a smart idea. Consider repotting affected plants in new potting soil to remove disease spores and insects burrowing out of sight.

4. Only Keep Healthy Plants

It pays to be picky when deciding which plants to move indoors for the winter. Choose only the healthiest varieties, as the transition to indoor conditions might not help a plant that’s already struggling.

5. Repot If Necessary

Your plants may need to be repotted before they move indoors. Look for signs of cramped growing conditions or leggy growth, and transplant affected plants into larger containers. Ensure each pot is cleaned with a diluted bleach solution and filled with fresh potting soil before replanting.

6. Take Cuttings (If Desired)

Fall is a smart time to propagate new plants by taking cuttings from your established one. Many annual flowers, including geraniums, begonia, and coleus, will root easily in water or rooting mix to become a winter houseplant that you can plant outdoors in the spring.

To make a cutting, choose a healthy shoot and trim off a three-inch section directly below a leaf node. Remove any leaves or buds below it. Place the cutting in a rooting medium like coarse sand or potting mix.

Keep the cutting in a place with bright, indirect light, and keep it well moistened. New roots should form within three weeks, at which point the cutting can be potted.

7. Gradually Introduce to the Indoors

Once plants are prepped for indoor life, you can begin to bring them into your home gradually. Start by bringing pots indoors in the evening and setting them outside again in the morning. It’s smart to decrease the plants’ light exposure over this same timeframe if they are going to spend the winter somewhere with less light.

Over a week, shorten the amount of time the plants spend outdoors until they make it inside full time.

8. Avoid Overwatering

One of the quickest ways to kill off an indoor plant is overwatering, especially one that’s used to being outdoors. Bringing a plant indoors for the winter often triggers it to go dormant, which reduces water needs even further.

Always test the soil before watering to ensure whether it’s really needed. Wait until the top half-inch (~1 cm) is dry between watering sessions and water succulents even less.

9. Provide a Boost of Fertilizer

You can help an outdoor plant resettle to indoor conditions with fertilizer. However, this isn’t necessary if you repotted the plant with potting soil that contains fertilizer already. Follow dosage instructions carefully, as overapplying can be more damaging than not using it at all.

10. Bring Them Back Outdoors When the Weather Warms

Once spring arrives, it’s time to bring your indoor plants back outside. You may want to replant any cuttings to revive a flower bed or place potted plants back around your balcony or patio.

Make sure you follow the same slow reintroduction process by bringing plants outdoors for short periods at first and gradually extending the time over several weeks. Again, protect sensitive plants whenever there is a risk of frost in the forecast.

Bringing plants indoors is an easy way to extend their lifespan and give your house gorgeous natural décor in the winter months. Follow these steps to ensure you don’t rush the process and keep each plant as healthy as possible throughout the transition time.

How to Make a Golden Bouquet for Thanksgiving Day

Gold is a brilliant color that exhibits the beauty of autumn. So what better way to celebrate Thanksgiving than by making a golden bouquet? Read this article to learn how to make the perfect golden flower arrangement for Thanksgiving Day.

Gold is a warm and comfortable color that truly exhibits the enchantment of autumn. It’s a great color to enjoy throughout the season but also adds brilliance to any Thanksgiving display. So what better way to decorate your Thanksgiving Day table than with a bouquet of your favorite golden flowers?

This article will share the best golden flowers and decorative items to use in your golden Thanksgiving bouquet, as well as some flower arrangement tips that will help perfect it.

Best Golden Flowers for a Thanksgiving Day Bouquet

The first step to creating a golden bouquet is picking the right blooms! Many flowers come in golden varieties, but the options below are the most popular flowers that people often use in their Thanksgiving Day bouquets:

Each of these flowers has an impressive appearance and will look great in nearly any display. However, you can further enrich your bouquet with the right choice of decorative items.

Decorative Items for Thanksgiving Day Bouquets

Creating an attractive Thanksgiving Day bouquet requires more than a carefully selected group of flowers. Decorative items that evoke the spirit of Thanksgiving will further enhance your bouquet. The following items will help make your gold bouquet a bit more festive:

Any of these items will bring a nice autumn charm to your floral arrangement. However, there is another essential element to a flower arrangement that has not yet been discussed. All bouquets need a perfect container to hold the arrangement together. Here are a few of the best container ideas that work well for Thanksgiving:

Now that you know what materials are needed for a golden bouquet, you’re ready to learn a few flower arrangement basics that will make your bouquet look better than ever before.

Arrangement Tips for Thanksgiving Day Bouquets

Even if you find the best flowers and décor for your Thanksgiving bouquet, they won’t be worth much if you don’t know how to arrange them. Below are a few flower arrangement tips to help you perfect your gold bouquet.

Start with a Layer of Foliage

It’s easy to focus solely on the flowers in any bouquet, but the foliage is just as important. A layer of attractive green leaves at the base of the bouquet will not only provide a suitable backdrop but also fill in any gaps or empty spaces between the flowers.

Choose Flowers that Make a Statement

Every bouquet has either one or a few flowers that are showcased as the primary feature of the arrangement. Select these flowers from the beginning and build your secondary plant selections around them. Large, bold flowers are best for making this kind of statement. Many of the flowers listed earlier are perfect for this role.

Take Time to Prepare Your Flowers

For a beginner, it can be tempting to stick your flowers in a vase right away. A better approach is to take your time in preparing these flowers. Clean each flower by removing any unwanted leaves or secondary blooms that detract from the flower’s appearance. These small steps will go a long way in making your bouquet look neat and elegant.

Focus on Flower Length

Your flowers will need to be cut before they are placed in your container. While this is a functional task, it also significantly impacts how your flowers will look in the end. Make sure to cut your flower properly so that they fit well in the container. You can also cut the flowers at different lengths to add some depth to the display.

Use a Foam Base

Sometimes it can be frustrating to get your flowers to stay in your desired arrangement. That is where a foam base can be extremely useful. Sinking the stems into floral foam will keep them in a distinct location, allowing you to be a bit more precise with your arrangement. Soak the floral foam with water initially so the flowers can continue to receive moisture while on display.

Don’t Neglect Texture

For those making a golden bouquet, color is a primary concern. But that does not mean that you should neglect other traits that will make your display look great. At times, texture can be as impressive as color. Try adding both flowers and leaves that will bring intriguing textures to the arrangement.

Conclusion

With the right flowers and decorative items, you can create a golden bouquet that will add wondrous brilliance to your home on Thanksgiving Day. By following the tips in this article, you can create an amazing display that your friends and family will talk about for years to come.

The 4 Best Birth Flowers for Sagittarius

Are you a Sagittarius interested in learning more about your birth flowers? If so, you’re in luck! This post explores four flowers that are a perfect match to the traits and personality of a Sagittarius.

Extroverted and energetic, there are few signs more adventurous than Sagittarius. As a fire sign, Sagittariuses are passionate and forthcoming with their thoughts and feelings. However, they are also quite steadfast, loyal to their loved ones and committed to their goals. If you were born between November 22nd and December 21st, that means you are a Sagittarius and probably exhibit many, if not all, of these traits.

There are many ways to embrace and express your zodiac sign, but one of the most visual ways is through floral arrangements. This article will introduce you to four Sagittarius birth flowers that are symbolic of the sign’s most prominent characteristics. Read on to learn about these flowers and how they can show off what it means to be a Sagittarius.

4 Sagittarius Birth Flowers and Their Meanings

Carnations for Steadfastness

When a true Sagittarius sets their mind to a task, there is nothing that can stand in their way. This sign is both loyal and resilient as they pursue their relationships and their life goals. For that reason, carnations are one of the most suitable flowers to represent a Sagittarius.

The bold reds and pinks that are so common for this flower are a perfect match for Sagittarius’s fiery nature. However, there is another quality about these flowers that make them even more symbolic of the nature of a Sagittarius.

Carnations are one of the longest-lasting cut flowers in nearly any flower display. Much like a Sagittarius who has a goal in mind, a carnation will not fade away quickly. Instead, both a carnation and a Sagittarius are apt to remain steadfast as they press on through life’s challenges.

These flowers are impressive enough that they can create impressive displays without the aid of other blooms. But like a Sagittarius, the vibrance of a carnation doesn’t necessarily detract from other valuable blooms. Instead, a carnation can serve as a perfect accent color to a larger flower arrangement while still remaining unique.

Chrysanthemums for Extroversion

Anyone who has spent time with a Sagittarius knows that they are the last person to fade into the background of a social gathering. On the contrary, the nature of a Sagittarius permits them to be friendly to all those they meet and gravitate towards gaining attention in social situations. If only there was a flower that could represent the intense extroversion of this sign. Thankfully, there is!

Chrysanthemums are an ideal birth flower for a Sagittarius for multiple reasons. The first reason relates to the appearance of these flowers. With large blooms full of astoundingly colorful petals, a chrysanthemum is not a flower that will go unnoticed. On the contrary, it is far more likely to stand out and make a strong impression, whether in the garden or a vase.

Many chrysanthemums also come in shades of orange and yellow that harken back to the fact that Sagittarius is one of the fire signs in the zodiac. Those colors are also indicative of how daring and outgoing a Sagittarius can be. What makes this flower even more appropriate for Sagittarius is that it is one of the most popular fall annuals around.

As the colder season approaches, setting out some potted chrysanthemums is a must for many gardeners. And if you are a Sagittarius, there is no reason why you shouldn’t use these flowers to show your individuality and personable spirit.

Crocus for Adventure

As mentioned before, one of the top traits of any Sagittarius is adventurousness. A Sagittarius will often be the first to explore new territory or venture into the unknown, while others remain too sheepish to do so. That sense of adventure is what allows Sagittarius to continually seek new experiences and get the most out of life.

Crocus flowers share that same pioneering spirit. In early spring, most plants are reluctant to put forth their blooms. It is almost as if they are fearful that a late winter wind might arrive to destroy those flowers before they reach their fullest potential. However, that reluctance is not the case for crocuses as they emerge from the recently frozen ground before nearly any other flowering plant species.

Their willingness to bloom while other plants are dormant is what makes an excellent birth flower for Sagittarius. Beyond that, crocuses are also highly attractive. While they may be small, they present a pleasing bell-shaped flower that points upward towards the sky. When they burst forth through the soil in late winter to early spring, a set of healthy crocuses will create a colorful carpet on the ground.

The early arrival of crocuses gives people hope and reassurance that winter is ending and warmer weather is on the way. In the same vein, a Sagittarius is likely to inspire those around them with their confidence and desire to set forth and find new and exciting experiences.

Liatris for Boldness

No one can claim that a Sagittarius is meek and mild. On the contrary, this fire sign is one of the boldest around. As such, a Sagittarius is someone who is unafraid to share their personality and their beliefs. At times, this can lead a Sagittarius to state what they deem to be the truth even if it offends others.

For better or worse, boldness is inextricably linked to a Sagittarius lifestyle. That is why Liatris is one of the best birth flowers for this sign. These flowers have a bold shape that stands above surrounding plants. With an elongated, spike-like shape, Liatris flowers do their best to catch your eye. The deep purple that covers these blooms is another testament to their ornate nature.

Appearances aside, there are other aspects of Liatris that make it a great companion to a Sagittarius’ personality. These plants are perennial bloomers that are resilient enough to survive even in poor conditions. Much like a Sagittarius, the boldness of a Liatris flower will not diminish simply because conditions are less than ideal.

Liatris flowers are also quite resistant to pests, just as a Sagittarius is not likely to let the opinions of others deter them from their pursuits. The fact that these flowers also enjoy the sunlight is further proof that they complement a fire sign like Sagittarius.

Veterans Day, Veterans Poppy

You may notice that people wear red poppies each year on Veterans Day. But why is that? In this article, you will learn the origins of Veterans Day as well as how the red poppy became a symbol of remembrance.

If you live in the United States, you might notice that people wear bright red poppies on Veterans Day. But how did these cheerful-looking red flowers become a symbol of the remembrance of sacrifices made in war? This article will explain the origins of Veterans Day and how red poppies became its symbol.

Veterans Day Origins

Veterans Day is a day that honors and remembers all soldiers who have died in previous wars. It is always on November 11th, which was the day that World War I ended in 1918.

At the time, World War I was the most devastating war in history. While it only lasted four years, the advancement of military technology made it one of the deadliest wars. An estimated 20 million lives were lost, including both soldiers and civilians.

Initially called Armistice Day, the first recorded observance of Veterans Day was on November 11, 1919. This was exactly a year after the initial armistice between Germany and the Entente was signed and a little over four months after the official end of the war on June 28, 1919, when the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

The United States switched over the name to Veterans Day after World War II while other countries opted to change the name of this holiday to Remembrance Day.

Today, many countries celebrate this holiday by having a two-minute silence at the eleventh hour. Many people wear red poppies on this day as well. So what is the connection between poppies and Veterans Day?

Poppy Symbolism

Before diving into the connection between poppies and Veterans Day, it’s important to note that poppies in general have had a connection to death and sacrifice for quite some time.

A good example of this can be found in Virgil’s epic tale, The Aeneid, where he uses poppies as a metaphor to describe fallen soldiers. Christianity also ties poppies to sacrifice with the red of the poppy symbolizing the blood of Christ and his sacrifice on the cross.

Red poppies in particular have had an association with conflict since the Napoleonic Wars where a writer noticed how the poppies grew over the graves of soldiers. So what was it about World War I that transformed the red poppy into an enduring symbol of remembrance?

The Poem That Started It All

It all started with a poem written by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae. After a particularly horrific battle on May 3, 1915, where many young soldiers lost their lives, including his friend, McCrae noticed something interesting. Poppies had quickly grown on the graves of those who had just died. The next day after the funeral, he composed the now-famous ‘In Flanders Fields’ poem.

Written from the point of view of the dead, the poem speaks on the soldiers’ sacrifices and commands the living to press on. At the time of its publication, it became the most popular poem of its era, being republished numerous times throughout the world.

Poppies in the United States and Europe

McCrae’s poem inspired many people from around the world, but it especially touched two women – Moina Michael and Madame Anna Guerin. Thanks to the poem, both women championed the use of poppies as the symbol for remembrance in the United States and beyond.

While Guerin is credited as the originator of the Veterans/Remembrance Poppy, Michael began campaigning for the poppy’s adoption back in 1918. Thanks to her work, the concept was not new to the United States and thus more readily accepted when Guerin broached the topic with the American Legion in 1920.

Initially, Guerin’s Poppy Days benefited the widows and orphans of the war-devastated areas of France. Her idea was to have all the World War I Allied nations adorn these poppies, made by the widows and orphans, as an emblem for remembrance. In this way, it would create some funds to help support the families of the fallen.

With the backing of the French government, Guerin traveled to the Allied countries and encouraged the various veteran organizations to adopt the poppy. She was successful and now poppies have become an international symbol of remembrance.

Conclusion

Poppies have long symbolized death, remembrance, and sacrifice. However, it was thanks to McCrae’s famous poem ‘In Flanders Fields’ and the tireless work of Madame Anna Guerin that the flower became such an internationally recognized symbol of Remembrance Day.

Today, the modern Veterans Day Poppy has been trademarked by veterans’ associations in many jurisdictions. When you purchase a poppy, the money goes towards providing financial, social, and emotional support to members and veterans of the armed forces.

How to Use Edible Flowers to Elevate Your Cooking

Edible flowers are easy to grow and can add abundant flair to dishes in your culinary repertoire.

The leaves and petals of edible flowers can add a touch of elegance and whimsy to a range of different foods. Whether they serve as a delightful garnish to a dish or contribute to its core flavor profile, the right flowers can raise a dish or cocktail to the next level. Best of all: Edible flowers are easy to grow — you may already have some in your garden. Here are some of the tastiest edible petals to know and grow.

Nasturtiums

These delicate blossoms impart a bold, peppery flavor when tossed with fresh salad greens, or arranged atop a carpaccio or fresh oysters. The bright flowers grow easily in a sunny spot, and they attract beneficial pollinators like bees and butterflies. Harvest flowers just before serving for the freshest presentation and flavor.

Try topping crostini with avocado mousse and bright orange nasturtiums for a surprising welcome to guests. The colorful blossoms add panache to frittatas, pizzas, and grilled vegetables. For a culinary-forward twist, use nasturtiums to flavor savory ice cream, or serve with English peas or cold summer soup. Fish tacos have never been cheerier than when garnished with bright orange nasturtium blossoms. Its flowers and leaves are edible, so experiment with arranging a vitamin-rich mixture.

Anise Hyssop

This linear purple, pink, or blue beauty has tones of mint and licorice, making it a perfect candidate for adding to desserts, vegetables, poultry, or lamb. Its leaves and flowers can be safely eaten. Anise hyssop attracts honeybees and butterflies, making it a welcome complement to your garden.

The plant may be dried hanging upside-down in a cool, dark place. Dried flowers can be steeped in tea, or infused into alcohol for a specialty cocktail that will have guests guessing the secret ingredient. Carefully remove the fresh tiny flowers from the stem, then toss onto cupcakes, panna cotta, or mascarpone gelato for a whimsical spark of flavor as well as fanciful decoration.

Zucchini Blossoms

While some flowers are tastiest fresh from the garden, others shine brightest when incorporated into cooking. Zucchini blossoms, or courgette, with their light orange color and tubular shape, offer versatility to your menu. If you wish to grow zucchini squash, leave female flowers with their new fruit undisturbed. Use male blossoms soon after harvesting to avoid tearing. Whether arranged in a radiating pattern atop frittata, or filled with herbed ricotta, then battered and fried, these beauties add garden-fresh flavor to your menu.

Pansies

These cheery annuals add a variety of colors and a mild minty flavor to mixed greens, desserts, or cheese platters. They are easy to grow, producing an abundance of blossoms. The classic pansy-topped fancy cake is always a crowd-pleaser, but creative chefs can branch out beyond the expected. Top green smoothies with pansies for added color and elegance. If you make your own pasta, try layering pansies between sheets — the fresh, floral pasta can be crafted into picture-perfect ravioli. Or line summer rolls with pansy blossoms, then roll with traditional savory ingredients. This makes a stunning display that your guests will rave about long after the party is over.

Borage Flowers

Also called starflower, these purply-blue beauties have long been used medicinally for their anti-inflammatory properties. Their vibrantly colored pointy petals can be frozen into ice cubes for a whimsical touch in lemonade or sparkling water.

They have a mild cucumber flavor and complement seafood salads, tossed baby lettuces, steamed vegetables, and even gin cocktails. This bright addition to your garden prefers full sun but will tolerate partial shade, summoning welcome pollinators.

Lavender

Culinary lavender is no newcomer in the kitchen. No wonder Van Gogh and Monet were inspired by the graceful beauty of lavender fields. They add sprays of color and movement to your garden, attracting honeybees and other pollinators. Although there are numerous varieties of lavender — some preferred for essential oils, soaps, and lotions — culinary lavender imparts a sophisticated floral flavor without bitterness. A homemade lavender simple syrup serves as the base for a floral martini with lemon juice and vodka.

If you are looking for a simple warm-weather dessert to serve, lavender sorbet with lemon poundcake, adorned with sprigs of the flower, will conjure images of Provence.

As with any edible garden, avoid chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Shake flowers gently to dislodge insects, then add blossoms to a bowl of cold water to wash. Air-dry on an absorbent towel. With minimal preparation, edible flowers are an easy way to add sophisticated flair to your entertaining.

How to Create a Plant-Friendly Microclimate Indoors

Not all growing spaces in your home are the same. Understanding microclimates will help you decide where plants will thrive and what spaces to modify for better indoor growing.

Indoor plants add plenty of benefits to your home. Not only do they bring beauty to your space, they can also boost your mood.

However, keeping indoor plants looking their best can be a challenge. You might move a favorite potted plant to a new corner of the house, only to find it’s starting to wilt. Why does this happen? The microclimates in your home affect plant health more than you might realize.

Here’s how to create plant-friendly microclimates inside your home or office.

What is a Microclimate?

A microclimate is a growing zone that has similar conditions throughout, no matter how small it is.

Each microclimate might be hotter, cooler, shadier, sunnier, or more or less humid than the regions around it. One corner of a room may have a different microclimate than another, depending on the doors, windows, and air vents.

We all experience microclimates in nature. They are the reason you might take a sweater on and off throughout a day of hiking, even if you don’t change how hard you’re working.

Indoor plants placed in the wrong microclimate for their growing needs will struggle to thrive. It’s essential to understand the factors that affect a microclimate so you can give each indoor plant the optimal conditions for healthy growth.

A change in microclimate can be as simple as moving a plant higher on a shelf, putting it closer to a window, or misting its leaves more regularly. Placing multiple plants together can also affect the microclimate by making the space more humid. But without knowing what parts of the environment are a problem, you might change the wrong variable and cause more harm than good.

Here’s what to know about the four primary factors that affect an indoor microclimate.

Four Key Variables Within a Microclimate

Every indoor microclimate is a combination of four factors: lighting, airflow, humidity, and temperature.

Lighting

All indoor plants need access to light, and the amount they get will affect their microclimate.

You can perform a “light test” to determine how much light your plants are really getting. On a sunny day, take a plain sheet of paper and place it where your plant goes. Hold your hand about 30 cm above the paper, so it casts a shadow on it.

If the shadow is clear and crisp, this spot gets bright light. If the shadow looks fuzzy but still recognizable as a hand, the area gets medium light. When the shadow is too fuzzy to define, the space is defined as low light. Perform this test around the house to identify different microclimates.

Sunlight intensity also varies by season, so you may want to repeat this test over the year to see how the results change.

For example, the sun sits lower in the sky in the winter, which means it can penetrate windows more deeply than the overhead summer sun. You may need to move light-sensitive plants in the winter to ensure they aren’t getting fried by the extra winter sun exposure.

Airflow

Air circulation is essential for healthy plants. Without it, leaves stay overly wet after watering, and you’re creating space for mold and fungal diseases to get established. An open window or ceiling fan keeps things moving and can prevent these problems.

Humidity

Regular watering matters, but the amount of moisture around a plant’s leaves makes a big difference in whether the microclimate will support its growth.

Some species, like the ferns found in the tropics, prefer to live in high humidity. Others, like cacti and succulents, want conditions as arid as possible.

Most homes are much drier than what a plant experiences outdoors. Bathrooms, basements, and occasionally laundry rooms tend to be exceptions.

You can monitor the humidity level of different rooms with a hygrometer. A low-tech alternative is to take a glass of water and set about five ice cubes within it. Leave it untouched in the room you’re testing for 10 minutes. Inspect the glass after the time has passed. If there’s lots of condensation on the outside, the room has high humidity, while no condensation means there’s low humidity.

When the moisture level needs to be tweaked for the whole room or floor of your house, a humidifier or dehumidifier should do the job. If you only want to make a minor change to your plant’s microclimate, you can make a humidity tray.

Take a large shallow saucer without drainage holes, and fill it with pea gravel. Pour in water to just below the gravel, and place your potted plant in the tray. As the water evaporates, it will raise the relative humidity around it.

Temperature

Thermostats can be deceiving, as they make you assume your whole house is one temperature. In reality, they are only accurate for the spot they test, and the rest of your house can vary by several degrees. Even the different shelves on one display unit can be varying temperatures, as hot air will rise to the ceiling, and cool air collects on the floor.

While plants can handle some temperature fluctuations, most will struggle if their temperature goes too high or low beyond their average.

A maximum/minimum thermometer can help you gauge the temperature range within a plant’s microclimate. Leave it next to your plant for 24 hours, and it will record the highest and lowest temps during that timeframe. This helps you determine if a heat-loving plant is getting a little too chilled at night or whether the direct sun from a south-facing window is roasting a pot beyond what the plant can handle.

Small changes, like pulling the blinds down to block the sun, can make a big difference in the ambient air temperature in a plant’s microclimate.

Pay Attention to Microclimates for Healthier Plants

Improving the microclimates in your home comes down to careful observation and a willingness to tweak details when necessary. Take the time to learn about the optimal growing conditions for your indoor plants, and you can make the right changes to ensure your home keeps them as healthy as possible.

13 Mistakes to Avoid With Indoor Plants

Taking care of indoor plants can feel intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. Here are thirteen mistakes to avoid with potted plants to ensure they stay healthy and vibrant all year long.

Bringing home new indoor plants is always cause for celebration. However, your happiness might turn to despair if your plant withers and dies soon after bringing it home.

Keeping indoor plants alive is a challenge for many growers. However, this doesn’t mean that your green thumb is lacking. There are many common mistakes that new plant parents make that end up killing their plants. Luckily, just a few simple changes to your care routine can help keep your potted plants alive. Here are thirteen common mistakes to avoid with indoor plants.

1. Overwatering

One of the quickest ways to kill an indoor plant is to overwater it. Many species, including cacti and succulents, prefer arid conditions and can go a month or longer without a drink. Others likely need less water than you think.

It’s best to research the water needs for every species you grow so you can provide personalized care. As a general rule, the thicker a plant’s leaves, the less water it needs because the plant stores up its own supply.

Also, keep in mind that plants need less water indoors than they would in the wild because they aren’t exposed to heat and wind, which increase evaporation.

2. Ignoring Lighting Requirements

While it’s easy to assume that more light is always better for indoor plants, bright, direct sunlight can fry many species. Some species, like cacti, thrive under direct sunlight, while others require fully shaded areas. Make sure to research your plants’ lighting requirements to find the perfect spot for them in your home.

For example, consider placing more sensitive plants near north-facing windows for less direct light exposure or softening south-facing windows with a semi-sheer curtain. Plants that love direct sunlight will thrive by south-facing windows.

3. Using the Wrong Soil

For indoor plants, not all soil is the same. Houseplants come from all over the world and therefore require soil that is found in their natural habitat. Some plants will be quite picky about soil type, so make sure to research your plants’ requirements before placing them in the wrong soil.

The best growing medium is typically potting soil because it has a better drainage capacity, which means that the plant roots aren’t sitting in water all day long. Likewise, make sure you choose pots with sufficient drainage holes to allow excess water to seep through.

4. Allowing Salt Buildup

Poor watering practices for potted plants can cause salt to build up on the soil’s surface. It usually shows up as a crust along the edges of the pot and can lead to plant problems like slower growth and browning leaf tips.

Avoid salt buildup by watering to the point that water seeps from the drainage holes, applying minimal fertilizer, and regularly switching out the potting soil.

5. Leaving Plants Dusty

In nature, plant leaves stay dust-free due to rain and regular breezes. But in your home, they need some extra help to keep clean. Not only does a layer of dust on houseplants make them less attractive, but it can block the leave’s ability to photosynthesize and slow down growth.

Avoid these issues by giving leaves a light mist with a spray bottle each week. If things look extra dusty, you can use a cotton swab for further cleaning.

6. Using Too Much Fertilizer

One common mistake for beginning gardeners is assuming indoor plants require lots of fertilizer. In reality, they only need a boost of nutrients if you’re using bad potting soil or the plant is struggling to grow.

If you do decide to apply fertilizer, read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully so that you don’t overapply it.

7. Not Understanding the Plant's Natural Habitat

Popular potted plants come from all over the globe and live in a wide range of natural environments. This means the ideal growing conditions for one species could vary significantly for the next.

For example, desert cacti and succulents need special potting soil that encourages drainage, while many plants in the Amazon do better with indirect light and high humidity.

Take the time to learn where a plant thrives naturally so you can replicate those conditions in your own home.

8. Placing Plants Near Chilly Drafts

Cold breezes from doorways and poorly insulated windows can kill sensitive indoor plants before you realize there’s a problem. Pay attention to the potential for any drafts when you place each plant, especially during the colder seasons.

9. Overcrowding Pots

Tempting as it may be to replicate the look for a blooming bouquet with your indoor plants, overcrowding species in one pot will compromise the health of all of them. Each individual plant needs space for its roots to spread out, and you want to ensure the leaves have plenty of air circulation to prevent mold and disease.

Research each variety’s spacing requirements to ensure you give them enough growing room to thrive.

10. Allowing Pests to Infest the Plants

Despite what you might think, indoor plants often deal with insect problems. Leave your plant in a forgotten corner, and you may soon find it covered in aphids, spider mites, or other tiny pests that cause long-term damage.

At the sight of these insects, spray down the plant leaves with warm water and mild insecticidal soap to deter them from staying.

11. Keeping Plants in the Same Pot For Too Long

One of the most common mistakes to avoid with indoor plants is keeping them in cute pots long after they’ve outgrown them. Confining a growing plant to a too-small space will restrict the roots and prevent it from taking in enough nutrients, leading to health problems in the long run.

You’ll need to upgrade to larger pots regularly so the roots have room to expand and the soil around them can hold more water.

12. Moving Them Too Much

In nature, plants spend their whole lives in one location. Many species aren’t designed to withstand getting jostled in pots too often, and the environmental changes from one part of your house to another can disrupt their balance and slow down growth. Keep potted plants in one spot as much as possible to ensure they experience stable conditions.

13. Giving Plants Too Much Care

Finally, many beginning plant owners err by over-nurturing their plants. Too much pampering can cause problems, as it makes you likely to overwater and add too much fertilizer. Many species thrive with minimal attention, so set up a schedule and only tend to your plant when you see something wrong.

Potted plants are an easy way to enhance your home’s décor, and keeping them alive is a rewarding hobby. Avoid these thirteen growing mistakes, and your indoor plants should give you joy for seasons to come.

How to Care For Hanging Plants Indoors

Plants in hanging baskets make a nice feature to any home. However, hanging plants require care that isn’t needed of plants found in your garden. Here’s a complete guide on how to care for hanging plants indoors.

Growing plants in hanging baskets indoors is a great way to add nice greenery and interest to your home. However, hanging plants require care that isn’t needed of plants found in your garden. Since they live indoors, their needs will differ from those of your outdoor plants.

With proper sun, water, and love, your hanging plants will thrive and beautify your home. Here’s a complete guide on how to care for hanging plants indoors.

Make Sure Your Plant Is Secured Correctly

Hanging baskets full of wet soil and large plants can get quite heavy. Therefore, you need to ensure that the hook you’re hanging it from is secure and can hold the weight of the plant.

Invest in hooks that can handle the weight and make sure to secure them properly. Always test the hook before trusting it with your plants to ensure it can hold the weight. The last thing you want is a plant that has fallen and shattered all over your floor.

Use A Lighter Potting Mix For Hanging Plants

Most commercially available potting mixes can be quite heavy, especially when they’re wet. You can make the mixture lighter by adding some perlite. Perlite keeps the soil loose, aerated, and well-draining, preventing water accumulation and ensuring the roots get plenty of oxygen. However, since it improves the drainage of the soil, you will need to water your plant more frequently.

Choose The Right Pot For Your Indoor Plants

When growing hanging plants indoors, it’s important to select the most suitable hanging pot. For example, peat or coir-lined hanging baskets are unsuitable because they’ll drip water all over your floor every time you water them. Furthermore, terracotta pots are generally too heavy, especially when you add the weight of the potting mix and the plant.

Therefore, choose attractive plastic hanging pots that have saucers or reservoirs attached to the base. The saucer will catch the excess water and prevent your plant from making a mess on the floor.

If you really love ceramic hanging planters, then make sure these don’t have drainage holes or use plugs to fill the holes. Then, place your plant inside the planter in its plastic pot. This way, the planter will catch the excess water that drains out of the plant. If you do this, check the planter regularly so that your plant is not constantly sitting in water.

Give Your Plants Sufficient Light

All plants need light so that they can photosynthesize and continue to grow. However, the variety of plants that you’re growing will determine how much light it needs. For example, plants with large, dark green, and glossy leaves will tolerate lower light conditions than those with lighter-colored leaves and produce flowers.

Many hanging plants do best when they’re hung near a window but protected from direct sunlight. Usually, south or east-facing windows are best for most indoor plants. However, you should research your plant species to ensure you are giving them their ideal light conditions.

Water Regularly

Plants grown in hanging baskets or planters tend to dry out quite quickly due to the increased airflow around the planter. Furthermore, the air near the ceiling of your home is usually warmer and drier than the air that is closer to the floor, which only further increases transpiration.

Therefore, these plants need to be watered more regularly than other plants grown in large pots on the floor. The best way to water your hanging plants is with a small watering can that has a long spout. You may also like to have a small step ladder handy so that you can reach your plants easily.

To check whether your plants need water, poke your finger into the soil up to the first knuckle. If the soil feels dry to the touch, it’s time to give your plant some water. An easier way to do this is to invest in a moisture meter. These meters have a long spike that you poke into the soil and will tell you how much moisture content the soil has.

It’s also a good idea to periodically take down your hanging plants and put them outside in the rain on a dull day. Rainwater is so much better for plants than standard tap water. If you do this, say every couple of months, your plants will really benefit and reward you with extra growth.

However, make sure to research your plants further to understand their water needs. For example, some plants need consistently moist soil, while others can go weeks without water.

Keep Your Hanging Plants Well Fed

All plants grown in pots need regular applications of fertilizer. This is because the plant roots will quickly deplete the nutrients in the potting mix as they grow. These nutrients are critical for a plant’s health and growth.

How much and how often you fertilize, once again, depends on the species of plants that you’re growing. The season is also a factor, as plants will need more regular feeding during the warmer months than in winter.

As a general rule, you should apply some liquid fertilizer every two to three weeks during warmer months. If your plants aren’t actively growing during the winter, you can reduce this to once every four to six weeks.

Alternatively, you can apply some slow-release fertilizer granules to the soil after you’ve watered the plant. Adding fertilizer to dry soil can easily burn the roots of your plants. In general, slow-release fertilizers only need to be replenished every six months or so.

Carry Out Regular Maintenance

All hanging plants need a little care on a regular basis. Once a month or so, take your plants down and inspect them for any problems. At this time, you also want to give them a little trim and remove any dead leaves or long, straggly growth.

For plants with large leaves, give these a wipe with a damp cloth to remove any dust that has accumulated on the leaves. This dust will clog up the pores in the leaves, called stomata, and prevent the plant from absorbing light and carbon dioxide from the air. This reduces the plant’s ability to photosynthesize and provide food for strong growth.

You can also place the plant under the shower for a few minutes to “wash” the leaves. Ensure that the excess water can easily drain out of the soil so that you don’t drown your plant. Leave the plant to drain fully before hanging it back up again.

Flower of the Week: Cyclamen

From winter to spring, you may find clusters of lovely “bunny ears,” which may smell lightly fragrant if you sniff closely enough. Those potted flowers, favored by many a teenage girl, are cyclamens. The 5 upstanding petals of a cyclamen flower look like cute bunny ears; thus the nickname. They are often put on coffee tables and desks for interior decoration, bringing a sense of liveliness and elegance into people’s lives.

Viewing Map

Cyclamen has been grown throughout history. If your curiosity is not satisfied by the potted ones indoors, you’d better go to their original country to appreciate their raw charm: Meteora, Greece.

Meteora is a true “city in the sky.” There are numerous monasteries tucked away on bouldery mountaintops and cliffs–ancient structures that date back to the 14th century and cling to the mountains as if floating on clouds. In this remote and sacred environment, you will forget any worldly cares.

Every spring, large fields of cyclamens blossom. As the breezes moves through the sea of flowers, you will feel as if you are in a Hayao Miyazaki fairyland, while the lovely “bunny ears” will also make you feel you’ve just fallen down the rabbit hole in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The sensational experience of blurred reality and fairytale is full of marvels and wonders.

A Witness to the Development of Human Civilization

Plants of the Cyclamen genus are sparsely distributed around the Mediterranean, with a small number of exceptions spreading as far as Somalia and Asia Minor. The unique geographic distribution proves that their common ancestors were once active in the Tertiary Period 6 million years ago, and have receded to their current habitats gradually over time.

Luckily, the cyclamen-inhabited shores of the Aegean Sea were also the cradle of civilization. This beautiful plant has been in mankind’s company since our burgeoning days.

Murals of the Minoan civilization on Crete have traces of cyclamens together with lilies, irises, and crocuses. Ancient archives from the Theophrastus of Ancient Greece to the Dioscurides of Ancient Rome all documented cyclamens in great detail. Such documentation provides invaluable information to today’s historians and botanists.

From Medicinal Value to Ornamental Value

Before the 16th Century, people thought the corm of cyclamen was helpful to induce labor, and regarded it as a medicinal plant. Because its starchy roots are a favorite food of boars, people also gave it a funny name, “sowbread.” But beware: its corm is somewhat toxic. Don’t consume it by mistake.

The horticulture of this plant did not start as early as we may have imagined. Cyclamen first showed up in Paris around 1620, but affirmative proof that the French began growing it as a garden plant did not appear until the 18th century. By the mid- to late-19th century, British horticulturists had begun selecting and cultivating varieties of cyclamen.

Through all these years of breeding and selection, horticulturists have cultured many varieties, such as double flowers, frilled petals, and rich or faint fragrances. There are plenty of colors, too, including noble and graceful red, elegant and refreshing white, lively and naughty pink, mysterious and quiet purple, etc. They are truly synonymous with cuteness!

Can I Grow Cyclamen Well?

Cyclamen requires certain things from its habitats and needs time invested in its care. Meet its preferred light, water, and soil requirements, and this little cutie will satisfy your desire for romance.

Cyclamen likes cool environments. Put potted plants somewhere with good ventilation and provide sufficient scattered light to it. Keep it away from direct, blazing sunlight. It likes fertile, moist, well-drained soil. It is afraid of dehydration but is also of waterlogging, so keep the soil just moist. In hot summers, cyclamens go into dormancy, and watering can be reduced then.

Size: 5-25 cm (2-10 in) tall

Hardiness: USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11, with varying hardiness of different varieties

Light: Half sun

Soil: Fertile, moist, well-drained

Blooming time: Spring or winter