Here are some quick tips for protecting your less-hardy plants from cold damage.
Your houseplants will be forever grateful (and you will be too, by default) if you follow these simple guidelines that will prepare them to happily snuggle in for fall and winter. Here is a checklist of things to do (or to stop doing) to ensure the health and happiness of your houseplants in fall and winter.
With cheerful red bracts and delicate yellow flowers framed against velvety green leaves, colorful poinsettias are an indisputable symbol of Christmas. In fact, poinsettias are the most commercially important potted plant in the world because of their endearing association with the December holiday season. But how did this warm-weather shrub native to western Mexico become so closely associated with Christmas?
Dahlias die back each year as autumn advances, but, with the proper care, the tuberous root system can live on to produce a stunning display year after year. The advice in this post is based on many years of growing dahlias in a low-lying area of Seattle with relatively moderate winter temperatures and excellent drainage.
This post is a collaboration between Swansons Nursery and Dunn Lumber’s Dunn DIY blog. We created this guide with everything you’ve ever wanted to know about Christmas trees, plus a handy infographic! So, when it comes time to pick out your tree, you’ll know exactly which one is best for you and your home.
We are so lucky in the Pacific Northwest to be able to grow veggies nearly year-round (with a little help from season-extending materials) but the fact is that many vegetable gardeners don’t take advantage of the opportunities that exist in mid-to-late summer to plant vegetables for fall and even extra-early spring harvests. This guide will help you get started.
Sure, you can buy garlic, but for the best flavor - and an incredible sense of satisfaction - nothing beats growing it yourself. Unlike most vegetables, garlic is planted in the fall but not harvested until the following summer, making it a very long-season crop that’s worth the wait. In fact, it can be very encouraging to plant something new in late fall when all around you, most plants are fading in anticipation of winter.
With the advent of September and autumn, the cooler nights are a time to give yourself a brief respite after the summer and refresh your vegetable garden with a cover crop. Cover crops, also called green manure, are very beneficial to the "tilth" (structure, or physical suitability for planting) of your soil. Sown in the fall, usually late September, cover crops will enhance soil over the winter. They attract pollinating insects, break up heavy soil, add organic material and decrease the number of weeds.
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