The Joy of Gardening

[Lyte]

If you like color … if you like bulbs … all different kinds of bulbs... I can't recommend these guys enough. I ordered from them a couple of times when I lived in NY.

COLOR BLENDS <-- linky

Then sell bulbs in bulk … so they're pretty economical vs what you'd pay at the Home Depot or Lowes or wherever else... and they're of much better quality. They sell single colors or in some pretty spectacular color combinations. Even if you're in a part of the country that doesn't really get proper "winters" … such as California… they can provide you with insight on how to get bulbs to work in your area. Ohh... they offer a free catalog too!

[homoe]

Originally Posted by Lyte

If you like color … if you like bulbs … all different kinds of bulbs... I can't recommend these guys enough. I ordered from them a couple of times when I lived in NY.

COLOR BLENDS <-- linky

Then sell bulbs in bulk … so they're pretty economical vs what you'd pay at the Home Depot or Lowes or wherever else... and they're of much better quality. They sell single colors or in some pretty spectacular color combinations. Even if you're in a part of the country that doesn't really get proper "winters" … such as California… they can provide you with insight on how to get bulbs to work in your area. Ohh... they offer a free catalog too!

WOW, thanks! I have already spent WAY too much time on their site....

[homoe]

Lucky Bamboo

Did you get some "Lucky Bamboo" over the holidays? Although these pretty plants do look like it, they're not a bamboo of any kind. They're a tropical plant called Dracaena that breaks all the houseplant rules. Most plants need lots of light; but direct sun will kill Lucky Bamboo. The ambient light in the average room is all it needs.
And while most plants would rot if their roots sat in water all the time, Lucky Bamboo requires that amount of constant moisture. But it is finicky about the water itself. The chlorine and fluoride in city tap water will turn the leaves yellow at first and then eventually kill the plant. Use spring water or distilled or purified water instead. Think of the bad karma if you killed your Lucky Bamboo

[Lyte]

Great!! So glad you like them! I felt like I'd discovered a lil treasure when I found them.

Originally Posted by homoe

WOW, thanks! I have already spent WAY too much time on their site....

[homoe]

Preping for a new garden

Planning a new garden bed for next summer in an area where grass or weeds are currently growing? Make it easy on yourself by starting the project right now. First, place a thick layer of newspaper or cardboard over the area, then pile on alternating layers of organic material like compost, leaves, pine needles, untreated grass clippings, and straw. In the spring, the grass and weeds underneath the pile will be dead, and your new garden bed will be ready to plant!

[homoe]

Asrai Garden 1935 W North Ave, Chicago

Asrai Garden was founded by Elizabeth Cronin in 1999. It's a retail outpost known for stunning floral arrangements, luxurious fine jewelry, and magical curiosities. Besides floral they also carry hand-painted tarot cards and incense-bundles. Their new online shop highlights many of their offerings ......

https://www.asraigarden.com/#

[homoe]

This time of year may still be cold and gray, but there's a quick way to conjure some green indoors. Carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, parsnips, rutabagas, and celery root all sport edible greens when planted and set on a sunny windowsill. Just don't use potatoes-their sprouts are toxic....

[homoe]

Cloches are removable glass or plastic covers that protect plants from cold. Sometimes called bells or bell jars, most fit over individual plants, but some are large enough to cover a row. Like other covers, cloches should be placed over plants before the sun goes down and removed in the morning after the frost has thawed.

Glass cloches are highly ornamental. When you're not using them outside for frost protection, you can use them indoors over humidity-loving houseplants like violets. You can also use plastic cloches, which are generally less expensive than glass ones. But because they are lightweight, they must be staked into the ground to prevent them from blowing away in high winds.

Note: Since cloches used for cold protection are temporary measures, you may opt to create your own makeshift versions. Flower pots, Mason jars, baskets, and milk jugs with the bottoms removed can all be placed over plants to shield them from freeze and frost.