All about taking it inside, especially through the long, cold days of winter. Getting my gardening fix year-round.
Unbelievable! My stevia plant is flowering! I brought my large stevia plant indoors about a month ago. We have had a very cold, wet Fall in Toronto which does not bode well with the delicate nature of stevia. I have learned over the years that stevia is easy-to-grow but particular. Hailing from a warm Latin …
I did a bit of houseplant repotting yesterday afternoon, a chore that is sadly neglected at this time of year in favour of outdoor gardening tasks. But I have a shaky reputation to uphold and had reached the point where I no longer wanted people to come by for a visit should they happen to …
My 12 year old cat Voltron is a determined plant nibbler – in fact most cats have a natural curiosity about their surroundings and tend to enjoy a little taste of fresh greenery now and again. Unfortunately many common houseplants are toxic so it is worth familiarizing yourself with both your plants and your cat’s …
There has been a lot of plant-related excitment brewing around here lately. The first copies of my book arrived from the publisher last week!! A site for the book can be found over here, including a news page where I will update on events or goings on related to the book. The first entry includes …
Wow. It’s been so long since I last posted. I have been sitting on this for a while wondering where to start so I think I’ll just start with yesterday. I bought a new plant! Whenever I pass by “Poppies“, my favourite local floral shop I can’t resist peering in the window to see what’s …
We popped into the C.N.E last night for a bit of picture-taking and happened upon the Toronto Gesneriad Society table displaying the largest selection of the craziest African violets I have ever seen! Some of the names were just a little bit naughty, and some of the plants over-the-top Vegas Show Girl shimmery, giving me …
Your parents probably tried to instill the virtues of sharing when you were in your formative years. The reasoning is that it’s a nice way to treat your peers and it teaches you to be unselfish and thoughtful. When it comes to gardening, sharing plants through propagation isn’t just a friendly gesture but is actually …
This fall, while strolling through my neighbourhood, I caught out of the corner of my eye two cactus plants sitting next to the garbage bins of a large high rise. Not being one to shy away from free, discarded stuff, I casually veered off path to check it out. What I discovered were two, fairly …
Dorm Plants: Beyond Their Beauty or Pleasing Appearance Guest post by Beate Schwirtlich Science confirms what we already know. Plants make people feel better. They benefit us in a way any student who has ever looked up from a book at cold cinder block dorm walls at 3:30 in the morning will appreciate. One researcher …
It used to be lush, vibrant red and in full bloom. It arrived wrapped in a lovely foil wrapper. But now the few leaves left are about to succumb to gravity, and more leaves are falling off. What can you do to restore it to it’s original goodness? Poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) Member of the spurge …