A cold frame can extend the growing season, either in spring or autumn. A cold frame is a sturdy, open-bottomed box with a glass or plastic lid that lets sunshine in but keeps the cold out. Sunlight trapped in the closed box heats the air and soil inside allowing plants to thrive. In spring, cool-weather […] More
A cold frame is a bottomless box with a clear or translucent top. It is set on the ground or over a planting bed to capture solar energy and heat the air, soil, and plants inside. A cold frame can extend the growing season by one to several months. A cold frame can keep plants […] More
A cold frame—a low, bottomless box with a clear glass or plastic top, that is set on the ground or over a sunken bed—can extend the growing season by 1 to 3 months. Use a cold frame to extend the growing season from fall into early winter and late winter into spring and protect plants […] More
Cold winter gardens have their challenges. Cold winters will prevent some plants from growing, but it will allow others to thrive. Selecting the right plants is key to gardening success where winters are cold. Protecting plants from the cold must be in the gardening equation should you decide to grow plants not native to your […] More
Adonis–commonly called pheasant’s eye–is a genus of perennial and annual brightly colored flowers. Perennial Adonis species bear bright yellow flowers; annual species bear scarlet red flowers. Adonis blooms in late winter and early spring and then goes dormant in the summer. Adonis flowers are similar to daisies and anemones; their bowl-shaped flowers are composed of […] More
Cosmos is an old-fashioned favorite that bears clouds of daisylike flowers on long stems above feathery foliage. Cosmos can be started from seed indoors and transplanted into the garden two or three weeks after the last frost in spring. It will bloom from late spring into autumn. Mass cosmos in large bands or groups in […] More
English daisy — Bellis perennis—is an easy-to-grow, short-lived perennial commonly grown as a biennial or annual. It bears colorful small daisylike flowers atop rosettes of bright green leaves. English daisies are members of the Asteraceae family. Plants grow in tufts or with branching stems. The solitary daisy-like heads have yellow disks and white, pink, or […] More
Gaillardias are short-lived perennials and annuals grown for their long-lasting brightly colored daisy-like flowers that appear from summer into early fall. Gaillardias bear single and double flowers in shades of red, red-orange, maroon, and yellow. There are about 30 species of Gaillardias. They are native to central and western North America. Most Gaillardias grown in […] More
Violas and pansies are early spring to mid-summer bloomers. Pansies can grow to 8 inches (20cm) tall and have 2- to 3-inch (5-7.6cm) wide flowers. Violas are similar to pansies but smaller. Petal colors of both can be solid in shades of blue, purple, yellow, orange, and red as well as bi-color and tri-color blossoms. […] More
Callicarpa — commonly called beautyberry — is a graceful shrub with arching branches. Callicarpa bears small lilac or pink flowers in summer that are followed by tight clusters of small, round violet or purple fruits that remain on the plant for several weeks after leaves fall in autumn and winter. As the common name suggest, […] More
Starting plants from seed is easy. You can start vegetables, herbs, and flowers from seed. Seed starting requires a bit of time and space. The effort will be rewarding. Many more varieties of vegetables and flowers–both annuals and perennials– are available in seed than are young seedlings or starts offered at garden centers or nurseries. […] More
Seeds sprout through a process called germination. Different vegetables have different germination requirements. It’s important to know the germination requirements of the seeds you are planting to ensure success. Germination–depending upon the type of seed–requires just the right conditions for growth–usually an abundant supply of water, an adequate supply of oxygen, and the proper temperature. […] More
Stephen Albert