Video: Planting Roses with Garden Answer
Laura from @Garden Answer plants some new roses in her backyard with the help of some Espoma products! Follow along and learn some tips to ensure your roses are in tip-top shape!
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Video: Planting 2022 Recipes with Garden Answer
Follow along as Laura from @Garden Answer plants the Proven Winners 2022 Recipes of the Year using tried-and-true Espoma products!
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Video: Planting New Clematis with Garden Answer!
Have you seen the Sparky series of clematis? Follow along as Laura from Garden Answer shows off their beautiful colors and how she integrates them into her garden!
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5 Orchids That Will Brighten Your Space
Orchids are a bright and stunning addition to any home, and plant parents love how easy it is to take care of them! They bloom for about four months out of the year. But if you’re a seasoned gardener, you know that love, patience, and our organic fertilizers can go a long way during this time. Add some indirect sunlight, a little bit of water, and you’re good to go! Plus, there are so many varieties that you’re sure to find one that matches your garden’s aesthetic. Read on to learn about 5 of our favorites.
1. Pansy Orchid
This flat-faced flower is one of the most popular orchids because of its bright colors and designs. They bloom early in the spring and, in some varieties, will bloom again in the fall — so don’t give up if you see your Orchid resting! To keep your pansy orchid happy and healthy, be sure to keep it in a relatively humid area of your home. In a good season, this orchid can produce up to 10 flowers with each of them growing 4 inches across!
2. Moth Orchid
This is another popular orchid that’s revered for its beauty. In fact, moth orchid blooms have been compared to fluttering butterflies! They come in many different colors and textures, but we especially love the brightness an all white moth orchid brings to indoor gardens. They like to live in bright, indirect sunlight, so a spot near a window with a sheer curtain would make a great home for them.
3. Sharry Baby Orchid
Unlike typical orchids, a sharry baby’s flowering stalk can reach lengths up to four feet — so this flower takes dedication! Fertilizing regularly is a great way to encourage this growth. They tend to thrive when kept in a moderately humid area and given filtered light.
4. Cattleya Orchid
Cattleya orchids thrive off of a barky base, so be sure to incorporate a soil like our Organic Orchid Mix, as it can wilt in regular potting soil. This orchid has a long history in America, and is seen by many as a vintage orchid. It sets itself apart from others in that it prefers a bit more light. Keep this flower happy on a sunny windowsill but in comfortable room temperature (65-75 degrees).
5. Lady’s Slipper Orchid
Gardeners love lady’s slippers because they come in so many different varieties and colors, making beautiful arrangements! These plants are small enough to place anywhere in the home to make a decorative statement, like a bathroom sink. Plus, lady slipper’s orchids enjoy low light with lots of humidity.
Have you decided which type of orchid to add to your indoor garden yet? With so many different types and colors, you can mix and match as many as you’d like! Just be sure to familiarize yourself with their water, light, and temperature preferences as many of them vary.
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4 Tips for Getting the Most Out of Your Poinsettias
‘Tis the season of poinsettias! These jolly red plants are a classic holiday gift and household decoration all across the country during the winter months. Unfortunately, for many people, the leaves quickly turn lackluster and the plant dies soon afterward. But you can avoid this outcome with proper care and maintenance! Here are 4 ways yours can thrive this holiday season, as told by Garden Answer.
1. Get a healthy start
Did you know poinsettias are actually tropical plants? These festive spurges have somehow become a staple during the colder months, but they very much still appreciate their native climate! That means you should try to avoid the ones that are placed near the entrance of your local grocery store, since the draft from outside and the dry heat from inside are already harming the plants’ health. If you find them elsewhere, be sure to check that the foliage has solid colors and is not showing any green as this could mean they’re finished flowering for the season.
2. Give them a loving home
Since poinsettias appreciate that tropical climate, be sure to place them somewhere with lots of light that’s away from cold glass. As mentioned before, keep them away from any drafts — warm or cold. Be sure to check their soil moisture regularly as heated homes often lack moisture in the air. You can water them when the top layer of soil feels dry. As a finishing touch, feel free to mist them regularly and use Espoma Bloom! to give them a boost.
3. Stay safe this holiday season
A widely believed myth is that poinsettias are incredibly toxic to pets and humans. But the truth is that you would have to ingest an exorbitant amount of it for it to actually be dangerous! You should still err on the side of caution since the white sap that’s produced when the stems break can be a skin irritant, and it’s best to set them somewhere pets and kids can’t reach as with all houseplants.
4. Start anew next year
No matter how devoted you are to your beloved poinsettias, you should still think of them as annual plants that need to be replaced each year. It can be very difficult to get them to bloom again a year later and it involves much stricter care than the tips listed above.
Now that you have all the necessary knowledge, go find the biggest and brightest poinsettias you can locally buy — and rest assured that they’ll last much longer than last year’s!
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Best Indoor and Outdoor Plants for Halloween Decor
Halloween is on our heels and we can’t wait! The spooky season is a great time to go all out decorating your home, and here at Espoma, we believe in adding so much more to your decor than just pumpkins. Get in the holiday spirit by throwing these plants into the mix!
1. Red Spider Lily
Red in color with spider-like flowers, this plant is perfect for your spooky yard! One of the best parts of it is that it’s virtually pest and disease-free. It’s great for late summer and early fall and needs well-draining soil to grow.
2. Bat Flower
This flower personifies the spookiness of Halloween perfectly and will make your house one to look out for! While the flower barely resembles a bat, the black color makes it look like it belongs to the Addams family. Keep this flower indoors to match your outside decor — and make sure to keep it in indirect sunlight or partial shade.
3. Indian Pipe/Ghost Plant
This plant grows white instead of green because it has no chlorophyll and is a parasite that takes from nearby trees. (Anyone else spooked just from that description?) From afar it looks like melting candles or finger bones sticking out from the ground — it doesn’t get scarier than that! As if it knows where it belongs, the plant prefers dark, damp places to grow, so make sure you plant it accordingly. Even though it doesn’t require sunlight, it’s best to plant it outside. But don’t forget to give nearby plants lots of nutrients so the ghost plant can take from them without depleting their food!
4. Corpse Flower
The corpse flower can take years or even decades before it blooms for the first time. This flower earned its name from the odorous smell it emits that has been compared to body odor or sweaty socks. This smell is meant to attract insects to spread the flower’s pollen to start new blooms. If the smell doesn’t scare you, maybe the size will. The corpse flower can grow to a height of 8 feet!
5. Devil’s Claw
This plant grows out curved with pointed ends, making it look like the devil’s claw, hence the name. You might think it’s another poisonous plant that you have to stay away from, but on the contrary, this plant is a popular medicine for back pain arthritis.
Mixing and matching these plants with your other Halloween decorations is sure to make your house look like the most haunted on the block. Which ones made it onto your shopping list? Don’t forget, as many of these plants are quite uncommon, they may require some extra upkeep. So be sure to take care of them accordingly!
Dig Canna, Dahlia and Caladium
Some of our favorite summer show-stoppers like Cannas, Dahlias and Caladiums, need to be dug up in the fall for overwintering. It isn’t a difficult job and you’ll be rewarded with larger and larger plants every year. You’ll also get more of them. That’s how these plants spread. Besides, it feels good to be outside on a crisp fall day wearing that faded out sweatshirt you love. Let someone else rake the leaves while you divide and conquer.
Canna
Cannas are amazing planted in the ground. And, rising three to five feet tall, they can really elevate large container combinations. Their rhizomes are modified roots that store the plant’s energy for the next year. The rhizomes of a happy canna can easily double in size after one growing season. Just imagine how showy they’ll be next year.
Digging
In late fall, when the stems and leaves have died back or been killed by the first hard frost, is the perfect time to lift them. Make sure to do it before the ground freezes. First, cut stems back to two inches. Then, use your shovel to cut a circle at least two feet in diameter around the plant’s rhizomes, and gently lift the clump. Using your hands, shake off all the excess soil. If the soil is sticking to the rhizomes, rinse them with the hose until they’re fairly clean.
Drying and Storing
Pick a spot in your garage, basement or someplace dark with good ventilation. It should be at least 70 degrees F. Spread them out on several layers of newspaper. Let them dry for at least a week, it helps to discourage mold. Now they are ready to store. Use paper grocery bags or crates, something that allows airflow to put them in. Look for a cool (but not freezing) dark place to store them like a basement or a garage. Check them now and again to make sure none are shriveled or mushy, discard those as soon as possible.
Planting
Plant the following spring after the threat of frost has passed and the soil has begun to warm. Always add Espoma’s organic Bulb-tone when planting to give them the specialized nutrients they’ll need to flourish.
Dahlias
Dahlias come in hundreds of shapes, heights, sizes and colors. Besides being superstars in the garden they make excellent cut flowers. Some flowers are dinner plate sized and many reach four to five feet in height. They enjoy full fun in moderate climates. Prepare to be wowed!
Lifting
After the first frost, cut the dahlias back to four inches and dig the clumps just like you would have for cannas. The tubers are breakable so, go slow and gently shake off extra soil. No need to rinse them. Let the clumps air dry for several days in a dark place with good ventilation.
Storing
You can pack dahlia tubers several ways. Planting them in large nursery pots with damp soil is one way. Storing them in cardboard boxes, filled partially with damp potting soil, peat moss or vermiculite will also work. It’s also possible to store several clumps in large black plastic bags. Gather the top of the bags loosely so there is still some air circulation. Store in a cool dark place that does not freeze. A frozen tuber is a dead tuber. Check on them now and then, go easy on the water since you don’t want them to be too moist. If they are dry, you can mist them or add some damp organic potting mix.
Planting
In the spring, divide the clump into several with some of last year’s stem. Plant outdoors after the threat of frost has passed and add Bio-tone Starter Plus to help them get a good start.
Caladium
Caladiums are popular for their large foliage in shades of white, red and pink, often in wild mosaic patterns. They like shade to part sun, making them perfect for displaying in less than sunny spots in the garden. There are now a few varieties that are sun tolerant. It will say so on the plant tag. While they do thrive in sun, regular, perhaps even daily watering will be needed.
Lifting
When temperatures begin to fall below 60 degrees F, dig up tubers and leave stems attached. You don’t need to remove all of the soil just yet. Leave them to dry in a cool, dark space for two to three weeks.
Storing
After the tubers have cured, brush off the remaining soil and cut back the withered stems. Store them in a cool dark space. Packing them in sawdust or sand will help keep them from drying out too much.
Planting
You can plant them outside after the threat of frost has passed and the ground has warmed up. They can also be started early indoors. Just pot them up on a good quality potting soil like Espoma’s organic potting mix and give them some Bulb-tone to give them the best possible start.
Here are links to some of our other blogs we hope you will enjoy.
Get Easy Blooms with Spring Planted Bulbs
5 Reasons to Start a Cutting Garden
Winter is Coming – Frost Preparedness
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Tulip Time
It’s still summer — time for picnics, backyard barbeques and going to the beach. Kids get to stay up late to chase fireflies and make s’mores. While these sunny days conjure images of suntan lotion, lemonade, this is the best time of year to plan for a colorful spring.
Order Early and Save
When the afternoon sun hits its zenith, grab your bulb catalogs or iPad and head for the air conditioning. Choosing now could save you money. You’ll also have the opportunity to get the best and newest varieties before they run out. You’ll thank yourself next spring.
The Easiest Way to Plant
Ask your local garden center when they expect to have the bulbs you’re looking to plant and then mark it on your calendar. Planting bulbs is easy, especially if you have an auger for your cordless drill. When spring hits, the first flowering bulbs will brighten your spirits immeasurably. No plane tickets to Holland required.
Is Your Style Contemporary or Traditional?
Flowerbulbs.com is a great website for all things related to growing bulbs. They don’t sell bulbs, you’ll want to go to your local garden center for those, the site is all about inspiration. They have information about deer resistant bulbs, fun combination recipes and great information on every kind of bulb. When you do plant this fall, don’t forget to grab a bag of Espoma’s organic Bulb-tone to make sure they are off to the best start.
Lasagna Planting
‘Lasagna Planting’ is a special way to plant spring flowering bulbs in large pots, in layers. The bulbs that flower the latest, like tulips are planted near the bottom of the pot. The bulbs that will flower first, like crocus are planted near the top. By planting several varieties, you’ll have flowers blooming for several months. Bulbs need good drainage and a quality potting soil like Espoma’s organic Potting Mix.
We hope you will enjoy this video and blog with more information on spring flowering bulbs.
Plant Fall Bulbs with Garden Answer
Your Fall Planted Bulb Questions Answered
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Grow Them, Cut Them, Smell Them, Share Them
Gardening has many rewards and one of the best might be picking your own bouquet from the garden. Starting with the earliest spring flowering bulbs and extending to late fall mums and asters, having fresh flowers in the house is a wonderful luxury. Plus, it’s a joy to share and bring flowers to friends and family.
If you have room for a cutting garden —create one! It doesn’t need to be big or fancy to be effective. Just remember to feed the plants to get the best flower power. Try Espoma’s organic Flower-tone or liquid Bloom! fertilizer to give plants the nutrients they need.
Creating a beautiful floral arrangement can be fun and stress-relieving. Here are some tips to get you started.
Select a Vase
Select a vase, mason jar, vintage watering can or whatever fun object suits your mood. Make sure it’s clean, dirty containers can contaminate plants with bacteria. Think about the colors and the height of the flower stems when making your choice.
Clean the Stems
Remove leaves that will be below the water’s surface to help keep water clean and clear. If you’re working with roses, cut off the thorns to avoid getting pricked. Many people choose to remove the stamens of lilies because the pollen can stain skin and clothing. In any case, give the stems a fresh cut at a 45-degree angle and place them in water right away.
Choose a Style
Monochromatic arrangements use different flowers that have the same color. Choose varying shapes and textures to keep it interesting. Try using complementary or contrasting colors. Google a color wheel for inspiration. Using just one kind of flower in a vase gives a pop of color with a clean look. The more flowers you use in this design style the more dramatic the arrangement will be. Use odd numbers of flowers for a natural look.
Height and Width
The height of your arrangement should be about one and a half times as tall as your vase for a classic design. Taller flowers are used in the center while smaller flowers and fillers like green foliage should be used around them to create a width that’s pleasing to you.
No Rules
The hottest trend right now is perhaps the easiest of all arrangement styles — it’s called a field bouquet. The rules pretty much all go out the window here. These are bouquets that have a variety of colors, and forms. They needn’t match per se. The design is free form. Sit down, take your time and keep turning the vase so you are seeing all sides of it. They aren’t necessarily symmetrical, they’re loose and playful. Let your creative self shine. When there are no rules, it can’t be wrong!
Here are a few of our blog posts we think you’ll might be interested in.
Nature Never Goes out of Style – Transition into a Fall Cutting Garden
7 Flowers for a Sun-Kissed July Bouquet
Best Wildflowers for Your Wedding Bouquet
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