Ignore Susan next door staring at your mismatched gardening outfit while you assault your shrubs. Your February garden may look like a slow-motion documentary about beige, but your favorite blossoms are busy beneath the surface as winter loosens its grip. They can’t wait to bounce back. And Susan doesn’t know that. Surprise her. Flowers That…
Your calendar may disagree, but in the garden world, February feels like the Monday of months. And while most plants nap, your perennials demand their first breakfast the moment winter loosens its grip, before you even find your gloves. Feed them. If you wait until spring, you’re handing them a cold cup of decaf when…
The groundhog sneaked a peek, saw his shadow (or didn’t), yet your hydrangeas are still communing with the underworld. But hey, lazy gardeners aren’t born. They’re made in February. So, why not knock out these seven tasks now? Do not retreat. Front-load the effort so you can spend July supervising from a lawn chair with…
Your Schlumbergera needs a careful diet as much as my extended family. And while I do not expect my cousins to suddenly flower (a disappointment I have learned to manage), I do have high expectations for my Christmas Cactus. My trick is in dialing in the perfect micro-snack every month. Get the feeding right, and…
Accept the truth. Your Christmas Cactus looks up to Meryl Streep. Both are highly talented and both have very specific requirements before they deliver a show. Your cactus’s potential for glory is 80% placement, and the other 20% is you not touching it. Besides, it’s not the only one that cares about its (indoor) zip code, so…
The Christmas Cactus is a lovely little houseguest. It shows up for the holidays, throws out some festive colors, and has only a few straightforward demands. Unlike your in-laws. Regarding pests, this cactus usually requires the same amount of attention as that dust bunny under the sofa. Almost none. Yet, microscopic party crashers can arrive…