FOLIAGE PLANTS ARE MORE THAN JUST DECORATIVE HOME ACCENTS Have you ever considered going indoors to “get a breath of fresh air?” It’s not as crazy as it sounds, considering the level of air pollution we experience daily from automobile engines, factories, asphalt fumes, and pesticide use. A few well-placed house plants can make your…
It’s that time of year again. New 2020 dated seeds have arrived and I’m so ready for spring (actually I was ready for spring in October). 3 Great Seed Companies At the Great Big Greenhouse, we carry seeds from three companies: Botanical Interests because of their dedication to quality, great selection of regular and organic…
ARE YOU FEELING LUCKY AS WE BEGIN THE NEW YEAR? Technically, lucky bamboo is not a bamboo at all, but cane cuttings of Dracaena sanderiana. Dracaena sanderiana is sometimes referred to as the Ribbon Plant: loose rosette of narrow white-striped leaves on white-striped trunks. It has been an Asian symbol of good fortune and prosperity…
January 21st is Squirrel Appreciation Day. So here are some interesting facts about these cute (and sometimes annoying) little critters. A squirrel’s front teeth never stop growing. This is true of many rodents. As a matter of fact, the word “rodent” comes from the Latin word “rodere” which means to gnaw. A group of squirrels…
A QUICK ANSWER IS: IT DEPENDS I feel bad for those of you who like the cold and snow. Our long-range forecast is for our winter temperatures to remain above normal, on average, with the coldest periods to be in mid – and late January and early and late February. At the same time, our…
This time of year, I watch the birds. I also feed them. Most of the birds that winter in Virginia are seed eaters. Some seeds are better than others, however. Seeds and nuts with a higher fat content are best for winter feeding—black oil sunflower seeds and peanuts, for example. What to Offer Your Feathered Friends and What to…
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL YOU GARDENERS “Well, the weather outside is frightful” – No, wait, this is not the case in 2020. Here we are in early January and we are having some nice weather and temperatures that allow us to get outside into our gardens and enjoy ourselves with our beloved plants. I…
How many New Year’s resolutions do we actually keep? You go to the gym in January and there’s always a waiting line for the first available treadmill. By March, not only is there no line, but there are several vacant treadmills waiting. My Three 2020 Garden Resolutions I’m better at keeping the ones I make…
HERE IS A LITTLE SNAPSHOT ON SOME OF THE POPULAR GARDENING TRENDS First, Happy New Year to all. Typically, January is a month where there is not too much activity outside and, naturally so, with the cold, dreary days. But, now is a good time to think about what you want to do come spring….
Saturday, December 21st, was the Winter Solstice—the shortest day of the year; the first official day of Winter; Yule. The days, which have been getting shorter and shorter each day since the Summer Solstice, now will be getting longer by a minute or two each day. Many cultures around the world have celebrated the Winter…
