Donkey Tail
Photo by Rich Baer With the various growth characteristics, foliage colors and textures of sedums, it is always interesting to see how people use them. Sedum morganianum, often called ‘Donkey Tail’ is a sedum that has long trailing stems. In the Pacific Northwest, it would need to be brought indoors as a house plant in the winter but can easily be grown outdoors during the summer months. Donkey Tail needs fast-draining soil and with the addition... Read More
Introducing Follow Our Experts
Follow Our Experts is a new section on our website consisting of quick tips and recommendations made by our expert garden writers to jumpstart your growing knowledge. You can find the four most recent expert posts on the Black Gold Home Page and search a growing archive of handy gardening tips right here on our Follow Our Experts page, which can also be found under Resources on the menu above. Check back often to see the latest and greatest gardening... Read More
Succulents Squared
Succulent Square. Photo by Brian Jacob There are many fun things to do with succulents and a recent trend is to use them as pockets in a wall or planted in a wooden ‘picture’ frame and used either vertical or horizontal. In this particular photo, the wooden frame of succulents is part of a fence and notice the variety of colors and leaf shapes that have been used. This same succulent square could be used as a centerpiece on an outdoor table. Read More
Re-Hydrating Potted Plants
Watering potted plants is easy, but getting the whole root ball wet is hard. When you let the root ball dry out it shrinks away from the inner walls of the pot. If you pour on water, it goes straight down this gap and out the drain hole. The best way to rehydrate a plant in peat based potting soils wets the entire root ball, encouraging roots to travel into the center. You can do it on the kitchen counter by filling a shallow container with a few... 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
Odd Poppy Seed Heads
Gardening should be fun and I love visiting a garden and seeing the unexpected. I especially like it when it makes be smile. These might be considered as odd looking poppy seed heads, and they certainly are. The owner of this garden painted them purple to compliment some purple flowers in the background. I have seen people stop and ponder these seeds heads and then ask the owner what variety they are! Read More
Abutilons as House Plants
Surprise your guests with an Abutilon in bloom as a house plant. As long as these Abutilons have a good light source, they perform well indoors and then can be planted outside in the spring. This particular Abutilon is called ‘Red Tiger’ and the flowers look like fine cut glass. It is an outstanding plant in a pot, either in a house or on a deck, and when people visit my garden and see this in bloom, they are amazed at the colors and pattern. Read More
Spiky, Snaky, Sensational Snake Plants
Snake plants look fabulous outdoors, too, but only during the heat of summer. Sansevieria (aka Snake Plants or Mother-in-law’s tongue) are architecturally dramatic houseplants. Native from environs as extreme as the nutrient-competitive jungle floor to arid deserts, this plant definitely doesn’t need pampering. Sansevieria thrive indoors in bright to low light, with minimal watering, so be sure to grow them in a porous potting soil, such as Black... Read More
Create a Seasonal Green Roof
This isn’t a true green roof but it offers a whole new way to plant succulents for your summer garden. You can turn the roof of any garden shed into a new place to grow succulents. Simply apply a edging on top of the fascia, then spread a layer of thick plastic sheeting on top of the roofing material. Poke small drain holes where you want it to drain. On top of this spread shallow layer (4″ min.) of Black Gold Cactus Mix Potting Soil... Read More
Schefflera delavayi
Many of us are familiar with the houseplant Schefflera as it is fairly common and easy to grow. Several years ago I was given Schefflera delavayi and was told it was an outdoor plant that would grow in my Pacific Northwest garden. I was skeptical but planted it outside. Now, after several very cold winters, my plant is thriving with no winter damage, shiny green leaves, and growth to about six feet. It gets morning sun but is protected from hot... Read More
Growing Herbs On Your Winter Windowsill
Growing herbs on your winter windowsill during these colder months begins with repotting the plants you purchased from your local garden center or even the supermarket. At this time of the year your potted herbs will come to you in a 2 or 3 inch pot, great for starting seedlings but too small for growing and harvesting portions of the plant for cooking or salads. Read More 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
Harvest Mosses for Container Plants
Cool, damp winter temperatures bring mosses out in all their glory. This amazing spore bearing plant often grows on rocks, in shaded tree dells, the north side of a house, and anywhere else it’s wet enough. This moss is perfect for using in glass terrarium containers and as a surface covering for bonsai specimens. To harvest free mosses for container plants from your yard, gently lift it off the surface with your fingers so that it comes up... 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
Hydrangea ‘Shooting Star’
I think a plant makes an especially nice winter gift for the gardener if it is blooming and so can be enjoyed indoors and then later planted in the garden. Hydrangeas from a garden center (not a florist) are usually good choices. One of my favorites is Hydrangea ‘Shooting Star’. It blooms for a long period indoors and once spring has arrived, can be planted in the garden as a permanent plant. Read More
Amaryllis After Care
If you have any gorgeous, red amaryllis left over from the holidays, treat it well and it will reward you with blooms again next year. After the current flower fades, cut the stem off at the base but leave any newly forming leaves to remain. The foliage carries on photosynthesis to store energy in the bulb before it goes dormant. Move the potted bulb to new sunny location and keep it adequately watered until the leaves die back naturally. Then remove... Read More
The Visitors: Garden Art
Garden art comes in many shapes, sizes and forms and often can reflect to something about the gardener. I love visiting gardens and seeing creative garden art that has been found, bought, or made. This past year one of the most original pieces I saw was a group of colored mannequin heads mounted on posts. In this garden, they looked as though they belonged and the owner titled them “The Visitors”. Make a resolution for 2012 to collect something... Read More
Saint Fiacre – Patron Saint of Gardening
The world of gardening is full of legends and one of my favorites is that of Saint Fiacre, the Irish Patron Saint of Gardening. Here he is in my garden among the fall color of a hydrangea. He has a prominent place and welcomes visitors. With our cool and wet weather, he has developed moss on his face which adds more character. This holiday season, I send you good wishes and happy gardening in 2012! Read More
Organic Solution for Spindly Palms
If your palm is not growing vigorously, it may require fertilizer. Just like your lawn, palm trees love nitrogen and certain trace elements. These are all present in Black Gold Palm, Cactus & Tropical fertilizer. Because it’s organic, the nutrients take time to become available to your palm. Fortunately, once available they remain so far longer than synthetic plant food. For those in Florida and other warm climates, help poor-doers indoors... Read More
Teaming With Microbes
With organic gardening, it’s all about soil microbes. What we do to enrich our soils with organic matter and humus helps to feed this population of invisible organisms. Their presence enhances fertility to help plants grow healthier with a stronger root and immune system. To truly understand how important this microbe-plant relationship is to your food garden, read Jeff Lowenfels’ outstanding book: Teaming with Microbes (Timber Press).... Read More
A Gift Idea for the Gardener In Your Life
If you have a garden friend on your list that is needing a gift, think about Hydrangea ‘Limelight’. Here in the Pacific Northwest, this particular garden gift idea has proven to be an easy to grow and spectacular blooming plant and your garden friend will thank you next summer. In my garden, I mix Black Gold Soil Conditioner into the soil when planting. Read More
Bulbs Accent Off Season Food Gardens
We rarely blend bulbs with food plants, but they make a great pick-me-up for off season gardens. I found this lovely garden in Germany, where they’d laid out a traditional four square design, but when not planted, this geometry doesn’t show. These smart gardeners elected to plant small bulbs in line to emphasize the design with foliage and flowers before it warms enough to plant the early spring crops. Don’t forget to plant them... Read More
Rose Pruning for Fall
Fall is the time for rose pruning. Trim your roses to about waist high (3 ft). I like to take off the old leaves if they are still on the plant. Prune out any dead or diseased canes. Wait until mid February for the severe pruning of cutting canes to about 18 inches. Read More
Fine Tune Ferns for Formaldehyde Phytoremediation
Formaldehyde is a problem in some newer homes. The emerging science of phytoremediation uses plants to filter toxins from air and soil. Studies revealed that ferns are a natural for absorbing formaldehyde from the air inside your home. As they transpire, the formaldehyde is taken into the plant with carbon dioxide, then only oxygen is released to filter air naturally. So if you haven’t repotted that old fern, or if you’re on a budget,... Read More
Keeping Christmas Trees Fresh
If you are planning on getting a cut Christmas tree, before bringing it indoors, make a fresh cut about one inch from the butt. Immediately submerge in fresh water. No need to add a preservative, just don’t let the reservoir in the tree stand run out of water. Christmas trees will ‘drink’ heavily for first few days. Read More
Plant Shoes for Low Cost Holiday Gifts
You can plant succulents in any container that holds soil and drains well. Those little shoes the kids grew out of make charming low cost holiday gifts for friends and family. Simply punch a few holes in the sole with a hammer and large nail. Then fill with Black Gold Cactus Mix and plant with lots of very small, inexpensive succulent seedlings. This idea is great for ladies’ high heels too. This makes for a fun, green family project that recycles... Read More
Weeping Larch
~by Mike Darcy In my own garden, I have very few conifers, but I recently added a weeping larch (Larix deciduas ‘Pendula’). A deciduous conifer with a beautiful weeping form, soft needles, and wonderful fall color. This is a specimen tree – good for even a small garden. Plant it where you can see it all year. Read More
Fall Color of Coral Bark Maple
~by Mike Darcy The fall leaf color this year is truly outstanding. A good example is Acer palmatum ‘Sango Kaku’ (Coral Bark Maple) which is a four season plant. Coral colored branches in winter, bright green leaves in summer which turn to golden yellow and make a striking contrast against the red bark. A good tree for a small garden; plant Coral Bark Maple where you can see it in winter. Read More
Leafy Holly for Holiday Clipping
~by Maureen Gilmer After the leaves fall, hollies stand out all over your neighborhood with their bright red fruit. The holly is a locally proven species making it the best choice for planting in your garden too. Hollies prefer well drained acidic soil, so amend your planting soil with Black Gold Peat Moss Plus. If you already have hollies growing in your landscape, use Black Gold Azalea, Camellia and Rhododendron fertilizer because it’s formulated... Read More
Ginkgo Biloba ‘Majestic Butterflies’
~by Mike Darcy Often when we think of a Ginkgo tree, we think of a very large, street-type tree that is not appropriate for many of today’s smaller gardens. Recently some new types have been developed that are very slow growing and even referred to as ‘dwarf’. A favorite of mine is Ginkgo biloba ‘Majestic Butterflies’, with beautiful variegated foliage; an excellent choice for a container. Read More
Budget Gardeners Buy Indian Corn
~by Maureen Gilmer Indian corn now in the supermarket isn’t just a Thanksgiving decoration. It’s viable seed ready to plant in your garden next year. Select colors and sizes of small popcorn, strawberry flint corn and the big boldly colored ears for decorations. When the holidays are over, simply pry the kernels off the cob and store in a cool dry place. Come planting time, fortify the soil with nitrogen rich Black Gold Blood Meal. This... Read More
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’
Salvia ‘Wendy’s Wish’ This year I was introduced to a salvia called ‘Wendy’s Wish’. I have it in a container and in a location with full sun. It began blooming in June and it is still in flower now in early November. Discovered in the Australian garden of salvia enthusiast Wendy Smith, the flowers are deep rose fuchsia and have proven to be a hummingbird magnet. Read More
Bulbs Do Better With Phosphorus at Planting
Phosphorus has long been added when planting bulbs to encourage faster rooting before winter sets in. This nutrient is found in bone meal, a long lasting organic source. When planting, add one tablespoon of Black Gold Bone Meal to the bottom of the planting hole and mix it in with some loose soil. If planting small bulbs like crocus, use just a half tablespoon. Set the bulb down gently into the soft bottom of the hole and cover it up. Read More
Divide Perennials For Free Plants
October is a fine time to dig and divide clumps of perennials that are so old they fail to bloom like they should. Lift the plant with a fork, wash it off to see the stem and root structure, then divide perennials at the natural points with a sharp knife. Soften the soil at the new planting locations with Black Gold Soil Conditioner to make it easier for the divisions to strike new roots for bountiful displays come spring. Read More
Top Off Your Outdoor-Indoor Potted Plants
If your tender potted plants have been outdoors all summer, watering them with the hose often results in overflow and lost of soil. Now is a great time to add Black Gold Earthworm Castings as a top dressing to improve bioactivity in the pot and cover newly exposed roots. Be sure to leave enough space between soil and pot rim to be able to fill it with a generous amount of water. Read More
Super Organic Leaf Mold
Fall leaves are an important source of organic matter that decomposes into soft, rich leaf mold. To harvest, create a corral using woven wire to contain the leaves. Fill with a foot deep layer of leaves, wet it, then pack down tightly. Sprinkle Black Gold All Purpose Fertilizer on top and dump in any left over potting soil from this year. Repeat layering over and over as leaves fall, adding more fertilizer to speed decomposition and increase your... Read More
Tips & Recipes
Black Gold® “Ivory Towers” Container GardenBlack Gold® ”Spring Zinger” Container GardenBlack Gold® ”Purple Parfait” Container GardenBlack Gold® Fresh Edible and Easy Tiered Herb PlanterBlack Gold® Living WreathBlack Gold® Spring Bulb Planter Read More
Education
FOR KIDS! Download our Kids Activity Sheet. Your kids can learn more about gardening and have lots of fun doing it! YOUTUBECheck out Sun Gro Horticulture’s new presence on YouTube.com. Watch videos on organic gardening, learn water saving tips and much more! Read More
FAQ
What is the CSPMA? Founded in 1988 to promote the benefits of peat moss to horticulturists and home gardeners throughout North America, the Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association is comprised of 18 peat moss producers and marketers representing 95 percent of Canada’s total production. What is OMRI? The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a national nonprofit organization that determines which input products are allowed for use in organic... Read More
Links
AAS - All-America Selections The mission of AAS is to promote new garden seed varieties with superior garden performance judged in impartial trials in North America. Our purpose is three-fold: to test new, unsold cultivars, to inform gardeners about the AAS Winners, and to earn gardeners’ trust in the AAS WinnersCSPMA - Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss Association The CSPMA logo ensures that the peat you buy is from... Read More
