Unusual House Plants
Often times when we think of house plants, we neglect to think of the many outdoor plants that might make enjoyable and unusual house plants, if given the right conditions. Or if we cannot duplicate the right conditions, many will at least last for several weeks or longer and then taken back outdoors. But during this interval, we have been able to enjoy them indoors. Read More Read More
House Plant Ideas for Winter
While there are always many things we can be doing in our garden during the winter months, it is also a time to give some thought to different house plant ideas. Here in the Pacific Northwest, I have been doing quite a bit of transplanting in my outdoor garden, and as I am probably like many gardeners, I have plants in the wrong places. Short plants are behind tall plants and vice versa. Read More Read More
Colorful Crotons For Indoors Now and Outside Later
Crotons will brighten a shady patio as well as any interior room. Eye-catching Crotons easily chase away wintertime blues because the warm colors of their variegated leaves intensifies in cooler temperatures and bright sunlight. During winter months keep Crotons out of drafts and fluctuating temperatures to avoid leaf drop, hold back on fertilizer until spring, and remember to only use tepid water. You can begin moving your Crotons outdoors for vacation... Read More
Lucky or Curly Bamboo
In my January Black Gold Featured Article, House Plant Ideas for Winter, I mentioned the houseplant Lucky Bamboo or Curly Bamboo (Dracaena sanderana), and that this is an excellent plant to use to encourage children to get involved with some of the wonders of gardening. Not only is the twisted stem a novelty but once the stems are placed in water, they quickly begin to form roots. I have found that children are often fascinated with this because... Read More
Spa Treatment for Your Houseplants
January is the perfect time to wash away dust that may have accumulated on the leaves of your houseplants by giving them a gentle hosing with tepid water in your tub or shower. This refreshing bath is especially beneficial to smooth-leafed houseplants, but not recommended for succulents or hairy-leafed plants such as African Violets. Read More
Air Plants
One of the easiest house plants to take care of is the Tillandsia or often referred to as ‘air plants’. These will grow with no soil and as long as they are given light (not direct sun) and a weekly spray of water, will live for many years. Try placing them in a vase, as in the photo. There are many varieties of air plants to choose from and some will have much larger leaves than the group shown in the photo. Read More
Quintessential Camellias
Camellias are indispensable broadleaf evergreens in Southeastern landscapes. Varying in height from 3-foot rounded dwarfs to towering pyramidal trees, their irresistible wintertime blooms are a pleasure to enjoy in situ or indoors in arrangements. A traditional method of displaying cut Camellia flowers is to float the blooms in shallow bowls. Simply remember to refresh the water regularly and keep your arrangement out of direct sunlight in order... Read More
Germinating Seeds or Propagating Cuttings?
Black Gold® Seedling Mix is the perfect medium for germinating seeds and propagating cuttings. The mix is designed to promote better root development in young plants. We start with a careful blend of Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss (which has been double-screened to remove larger particles and sticks); fine perlite and vermiculite to give seedlings and cuttings the aeration and moisture retention they need to develop a good root system. A wetting agent... Read More
Enrich Your Garden Soil
When you garden, you are gardening with a desired end result in mind, whether it is a bountiful vegetable garden, a bloom-laden bed of roses, a floriferous flowering bed of spring or summer bulbs or a thick rich lawn. All of these results might not be possible unless you invest into your garden with quality garden soil amendments and fertilizers. Garden soil amendments are designed to improve the physical properties of your soil. Quality amendments... Read More
Freshness Counts!
Everything is better fresh, whether it is a doughnut at the store, cut flowers for your dinner table or the potting soil for your patio container. After potting soils or amendments are manufactured they become a living entity. The fertilizers and wetting agent start to react in their moist organic media environment. As part of our commitment to quality we put a date of manufacture on all Black Gold® potting soils, amendments and peat moss.... Read More
Why Buy A Premium Potting Soil?
As each of us begins a gardening project, we all have the end result in mind: a bountiful vegetable garden, an overflowing flower covered basket or perhaps a thick and rich new lawn! At Sun Gro, we believe that the key to these and many other gardening successes is directly related to the quality of product that we, as a manufacturer, put in a bag. We hope the following chart will illustrate the advantages of Black Gold® made by Sun Gro Horticulture,... Read More
Perfect Potting Soil for House Plants
Do your houseplants need to be repotted? If so, Black Gold® offers a wide variety of product choices. We have four specialty mixes to choose from in addition to three standard all-purpose mixes. Black Gold® African Violet Mix – Finicky African violets thrive in this blend of Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, compost, pumice, earthworm castings and screened forest humus. The pH has been balanced to create the optimal rich and porous medium for growing... Read More
