The magical process of cold hardening enables plants to withstand extreme freezing temperatures in the winter. In an unhardened plant, tissue death occurs when the water inside the plant cells freezes and forms crystals that rupture the cell walls. Many factors weigh in to determine whether a plant will handle winter conditions. Find out which plants are most at risk from cold damage, and learn how to recognize cold injury in different types of plants.
Preparing your landscape for winter began with proper planting and continued with year-round support. Healthy plants are better equipped to fend off the stresses of winter. But there are specific tasks that can be critical to improve survival and keep your landscape in good shape. Efforts we make at this time may not seem as enjoyable as gardening at other times of the year, but they do ensure a rewarding spring. Here are 12 essential activities for a successful winter.
Although it can seem like a quiet downtime for gardening, protecting your plants from winter injury can be critical to the longevity of your landscape. Sometimes even a small act that reduces cold or wind can mean the difference between the death or survival of a plant. Follow these strategies to fend off an impending frost or freeze event.
Finding suitable plants that can thrive in a shady garden can seem like a discouraging task. The choices are actually more abundant than you might think. But what if you are looking for an exceptional plant that’s not so commonly seen, with unique qualities?
In just about any environment, shrubs are indispensable for an attractive and comfortable home landscape. A landscape without shrubs is a little like a home without walls.
A hot topic in conservation these days is Connectivity - how to alleviate the habitat fragmentation that threatens the livelihood of wildlife. Gardeners can become part of the solution by ensuring that migrating pollinators have food sources along their way.
What defines a "tough" perennial? A list of Home Nursery perennials that are considered "tough."
In 2015, the state of Illinois began a program to raise awareness of the decline of their native oak woodlands and put their oaks on the path to health and regrowth. It is an admirable effort that would be beneficial to many areas of the country.
Celebrating its 100-year anniversary, family-owned and operated, Home Nursery, Inc., announced it is once again expanding its physical footprint with the purchase of a new greenhouse growing facility in Tennessee...
Nearing its 100-year anniversary, family-owned and operated, Home Nursery, Inc., today announced it is expanding its 385-acre nursery in Albers, Ill. with the purchase of a new turnkey growing facility in Tennessee.
Boxwoods are incredibly popular in the landscape, but could the recent appearance of boxwood blight threaten their place in our gardens? Only time will tell how devastating boxwood blight will be to the boxwood population. Until then it might be good to consider these 5 great boxwood alternatives that are not susceptible to the fungal pathogen that causes boxwood blight.
Did you know that rainwater runoff contributes to 70% of water pollution? Plants are here to help! A simple installation of a rain garden can remove up to 90% of pollutants from rainwater runoff, not to mention the beauty & biodiversity they provide to the landscape. With rain gardens, everybody wins!
Aptly named maidenhair tree for its ridged and fan shaped leaves, the ginkgo tree is tolerant of almost any growing conditions. It is a slow grower, but it can reach heights of 50 to 80 feet at maturity. In a good year, ginkgo trees have a beautiful golden-yellow fall color. This is an incredibly low maintenance tree as it does not have any major disease or pest problems and can tolerate almost any soil type.
This blog post briefly explains how to make a live holiday wreath and list the best evergreens for live holiday wreaths. It analyzes each plant material’s pros and cons, gives ideas for additional decorations, and hopefully inspires your own creativity to make a unique and beautiful holiday wreath. For more information, please visit the Missouri Botanical Gardens website.
This year we are celebrating our 95-year anniversary!
Green Velvet and Winter Gem Boxwoods are two of the most popular smaller sized evergreens sold in our area. They have many similarities.
Ornamental grasses can be used for a variety of reasons, but one reason people may overlook is using them as a living screen. Many people think of using evergreens as living screens, which they do work well for, but several grasses can be a great alternative and take up less room too.
Upright conifers have many uses, from hedges and screens to specimen plants. Upright Juniper and Arborvitae can both be used for the same purposes. Are they actually the same genus? Which should you plant? Let’s compare them.
