Connecticut Garden Journal

As the weather warms, I'm starting to think about basil. It's a bit early to plant basil, but it is a good time to shop for plants and seeds of some of the more unusual basil varieties. While we all know and love 'Genovese' basil, there are many other flavors to basil. One of our favorites is 'Thai' basil. The thicker leaves hold up well at high heat in Asian recipes and it has a sweet, anise-like flavor. The plant has attractive purple leaf veins and flowers, too. A cross between 'Genovese' and 'Thai' basil is 'Christmas' basil. This plant has the ornamental qualities of 'Thai' basil with a holiday scent of pine and fruity spices. 'Lemon' basil and 'Lime' basil have smaller leaves with a strong citrus smell. 'Holy' basil is also know as Tulsi. It's used in Indian cooking and medicines. It has a strong, spicy taste. For color in the basil patch, 'Cardinal' basil hales from Israel and has showy, large, red flowers. 'Dark Opal' and 'Purple' basil have deeper colored leaves with a strong, clove-like flavor. All basils grow best in full sun on well-drained, compost amended soil or in containers. Wait until the soil really warms, maybe until Memorial Day, to plant these exotic basils. There's no rush because basil loves hot weather. Keep the plants well watered. Unless you're growing basil for the ornamental flowers, snip off the blooms when they form to send more energy into leaf production. To harvest, strip off branches of basil leaves back to the main trunk or stem. This encourages more new branch growth with bigger leaves. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the recent trends to help pollinators thrive is called “No Mow May.” The idea is to not mow your lawn in May and let the weeds, which may be wildflowers, too, sprout up and bloom. This will provide pollinators with the pollen and nectar they need. Since lawns make up 40 million acres of our landscape, this could really make a difference. Although I want to help pollinators, too, I'm not a big proponent of “No Mow May.” Certainly May is a busy month for pollinators and they need all the help they can get. While many lawns have non-grass weeds in them, those weeds may not have the best flowers for pollinators. Also, what happens after May 31st? If everyone goes back to mowing their lawns as they usually do, all that potential pollinator food is lost. For an everlasting, positive benefit to our pollinators I would rather see homeowners dedicate a patch of their yard to wildflowers. It may be a small area on the side yard or in the back yard that doesn't get used much anyway. Ideally, it would be in full sun to grow the most variety of pollinator plants. Prepare this area like a garden bed, and seed pollinator friendly annuals, biennials and perennials. Once established, your pollinator garden should thrive on its own and only need a mowing in late fall to prevent woody plants from invading. Also, over seed your lawn with white clover and mow at least 3 inches tall to not cut off the clover flowers. This will provide another great source of food for pollinators. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With all the bulbs and spring ephemerals blooming right now, it's hard to think of flowers for late summer. But now is the time to plan for that quieter period when fewer flowers are blooming. One of the most versatile flowers to grow for summer and fall color is the dahlia. Dahlias hail from the mountains of Mexico and Guatemala. Europeans brought them to that continent and eventually they found their way to North America. Dahlias are hardy in zones 7 and above. Although they might overwinter in warmer parts of the state, its still good to dig and store them each winter. While you can grow dahlias from seed, for immediate satisfaction, purchase tubers. Plant in early- to mid-May in most parts of the state once the soil temperatures reach 60 degrees. Plant dahlias in full sun on well-drained soil. They do like a consistently cool, moist soil so add compost and keep a hose handy for watering. Plant 4- to 6-inches deep and lay the tuber flat with the growth point or “eye” facing upward. Either stake and tie the plants as they grow or plant them close to other tall perennials, such as peonies and baptisia, and let the dahlias use them for support. Pinch the plant when it's 1 foot tall to promote bushiness and more flowers. Select varieties based on their color and flower shape. The flower sizes can be 2- to 10-inches in diameter and the shapes include cactus, pom pom, peony, orchid and singles. I particularly like the purple and bi-color flower varieties and ones, such as 'Mystic Illusion', with dark purple foliage color. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On April 22nd we'll be celebrating the 54th annual Earth Day. While it's great to participate in Earth Day activities, why not make some changes to how we garden to support life on this planet better. I have some suggestions. Gardeners use a lot of plastic pots. Most of these plastic pots cannot be recycled and end up in the landfill. Instead of throwing out the pots, reuse them. As long as the pots are not broken, clean them well in spring with a 10% bleach solution for planting. For larger pots you don't need, ask your local garden center if they can reuse or recycle the pots. The less new plastic we purchase and use, the better for the planet. Create a mini meadow in your yard. Many gardeners want to help pollinators, but don't have the space or desire to turn their whole lawn into a pollinator garden. A solution is to find a small patch of your yard that isn't used much and create a mini meadow. Create a seed bed as you would for a vegetable garden, and plant wildflower seeds now. You'll grow a colorful mix of annuals and perennials that pollinators will love. Mow the meadow once in late fall. Reduce the use of all pesticides by using row covers, micro mesh covers, traps, and companion planting in your gardens. Even organic pesticides can cause harm to beneficial insects. Share your knowledge and time with some community gardening projects. Schools, churches, and libraries are some of the places that have gardens where you can help others grow food and flowers for all to enjoy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Many gardeners grow Brassica family veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts and kale. I also like to experiment with two other Brassicas: kohlrabi and rapini. Kohlrabi looks a bit like a space satellite. It's low growing and forms an edible, handball sized, swollen stem near the soil surface. That's the part you eat. It was discovered in the 16th century and is popular in Europe. The classic varieties, such as 'Quickstar', are green. I like growing the purple colored, 'Kohlibri' and the white skinned, 'Beas'. There are some varieties, such as 'Superschmelz', that can grow 14 inches across. That's a lot of kohlrabi to eat! The flavor of kohlrabi is like a slightly sweet turnip and I eat it raw in dips or roast it with root crops. Plant now and stagger your plantings or you'll get lots of kohlrabi all maturing at once. Once harvested the plant is destroyed. Another unusual Brassica is broccoli raab or rapini. This leafy vegetable hails from the Mediterranean region and from China. The name means “little turnip” in Italian. Like kohlrabi, it's related to turnips, but has a small, broccoli-like head and the leaves and small stems are cooked and eaten as well. The flavor can be slightly bitter, and very robust. I like it steamed, roasted, grilled and sauteed. It's great with pasta or with potatoes. Rapini grows best in cool temperatures, so now is the time to start growing it. It only takes 45 days after seeding to harvest the young plants. Thin plants to 8 inches apart and harvest before the flowers bolt for the mildest flavor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

I've just about finished my winter pruning. Blueberries, crabapples, apples and other fruit trees are done. Now it's time to start on my hydrangeas. Pruning hydrangeas can be confusing to home gardeners because when you prune varies depending on the type of hydrangea you're growing. That's the first step. Try to remember, or look into your garden notes, the name of your hydrangea. Don't worry if you can't find it, though. Another method to determine what hydrangea you have is when it blooms. If your hydrangea blooms in late spring or early summer, it's most likely a Hydrangea macrophylla or big leaf, often blue, hydrangea, an oakleaf hydrangea or a climbing hydrangea. These bloom from flower buds set last summer and fall. The time to prune them is after flowering this summer. If you prune too late in summer or fall you can remove flower buds for next year. Generally, these types of hydrangeas don't need lots of pruning. Prune to deadhead and remove dead, diseased and broken branches and crossing branches. If you have a repeat blooming blue or pink big leaf hydrangea, such as the 'Endless Summer' types, prune those after the first flush of flowers. If your hydrangeas bloom in mid summer to fall, you probably have Hydrangea arborescens or Hydrangea paniculata. The arborescens and panicle hydrangeas have big white, often turning to burgundy color, blooms that can last into winter. These hydrangeas bloom on new growth from this spring, so to stimulate more new growth, prune now. You can prune these hydrangeas to a basic skeleton structure of main branches and they still will flower. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the benefits of speaking at the Connecticut Flower and Garden Show last month was having time to listen to other speakers. One, in particular, caught my attention. Adam Wheeler from Broken Arrow Nursery in Hamden spoke about deer proofing your garden. Adam has been trying to thwart deer for years both at the nursery and home. He mentioned the usual deterrents, such as a 7 foot tall fence, electric fence and repellent sprays. He also has used fishing line strung at 1 and 3 foot heights in paths the deer use to enter the nursery. This seems to have confused the deer so they don't challenge the line and move on. The most interesting part of his talk was the shrubs and trees deer seem to avoid. Of course, if deer are hungry enough they'll eat anything. But there are some plants they seem to avoid. Certainly, plants with fuzzy leaves, such as lambs ears, plants with thorns, such as barberry, and plants with an aroma such as mint, are less desirable. He mentioned shrubs, such as witch hazel, beauty berry, boxwood, lindera and butterfly bush as also relatively safe. One technique he's had success with is mixing highly desirable plants, such as hosta and yews, with plants deer don't like. This seems to confuse them and the don't munch on them. One deer proof plant I didn't know about is the Japanese plum yew. Generally, yew (Taxus) is like candy for deer. But the Japanese plum yew (Cephalotaxus) has avoided major damage. It looks like the other yews and grows 2- to 6-feet tall and wide. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the joys of growing your own vegetables is fresh garden peas. Fresh peas are rarely found in grocery stores, so it's best to grow your own. Luckily, growing peas is easy, if you follow a few guidelines. It's best to sow peas in the ground while it's still cool. They like to mature early to avoid the summer heat. Once the ground has dried out and temperatures are above freezing, sow pea seeds in two rows separated by a trellis or fence. We grow ours in raised beds. The soil dries out and warms up faster so we get better seed germination. Another consideration is varieties. Garden peas are either shelling types, such as 'Tall Telephone', snow peas, such as 'Oregon Giant', and snap peas, such as 'Sugar Snap'. The big revolution in peas is different colored types. You can now plant yellow podded or purple podded snow peas, such as 'Golden Sweet' and 'Royal Snow'. And you can plant golden snap peas, such as 'Honey Snap II' and purple types, such as 'Royal Snap'. This adds a whole new color range to these tasty treats. Before seeding, soak seeds in warm water overnight to hasten germination. The killer of pea seeds is cold, heavy soil, so the faster the germination, the better. Consider planting lettuce or other greens around the pea rows. Peas are legumes and fix atmospheric nitrogen into a form other plants can use. The lettuce benefits from being a pea companion. After harvest, chop up the plants, add compost and sow a fall crop such as kale, carrots and Swiss chard. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of the best perennial flowers for blooming from mid-summer to fall is the tall garden phlox. Phlox paniculata and other tall species have colorful blooms, and depending on the selections, are great pollinator plants. However, they can be plagued with powdery mildew disease during our humid summers. The solution is variety selection. Mt. Cuba Center is a Delaware public garden that has been trialing various perennial flower varieties in their zone 6 to 7 gardens for years. One trial they did a few years ago was on the tall garden phlox varieties. Mt. Cuba uncovered some of the best phlox varieties for home gardeners. Phlox 'Jeana' is hands down the best lavender-pink flower colored variety. It produces tons of flowers from July to mid-September, on a 3- to 5-foot tall plants that are drought tolerant, grow in part shade and are powdery mildew resistant. An added bonus is 'Jeana' had the most butterflies of any phlox variety in the trial. The top rated phlox that is not lavender-pink flowered was 'Glamour Girl'. It has coral-pink flowers on 3 foot tall plants that bloom July through August. It's a vigorous grower with lush foliage and little powdery mildew. If you like white flowers, try 'Delta Snow'. This paniculata type has white flowers with a pink center. It is one of the best varieties for powdery mildew resistance. Finally, for a phlox from a different species, try the lavender colored Phlox amplifolia. It's unique for its 2 foot height, ability to grow in dry soils and its proclivity to spread by underground rhizomes making it a great meadow plant. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We love to grow zinnias. This Mexican, annual flower creates loads of color from mid summer to fall and is a magnet for pollinating bees and butterflies. There are many types of zinnias. Most fall in the Zinnia elegans species. They range from a few feet tall to 5 feet tall. We like the old fashioned 'State Fair Mix' and 'Benary Giants' for big, gaudy, colorful flowers. If powdery mildew is an issue in your garden try the 'Oklahoma Series'. If you're looking for shorter zinnias, check out the 'Profusion' and 'Zahara Series'. These have white, pink, red and yellow selections on 1 foot tall, mounding plants that flower all summer. They're great in the front of a border or in containers. Zinnias come in different flower shapes as well. The cactus flowered zinnia has long, curved and twisted petals, like a chrysanthemum, on 3 foot tall plants. The newer 'Queeny Series' features a mix of colors, such as orange and lime or red and lime, with 3 inch diameter flowers. The blooms are semi double and make great cut flowers. If you're looking for a more wild zinnia, try the Zinnia haageana species. Known as the Mexican zinnia, this 2 foot tall plant produces small, colorful, double blooms. 'Persian Carpet' and 'Jazzy Mix' are favorites for us. Start zinnia seeds indoors about 1 month before transplanting into the garden to get a jump on the season. Don't rush to transplant as they like the warmth. Give them plenty of room to grow, especially the large flowered types. You can top them when small to induce bushier growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Growing a pollinator garden has become very popular. But many gardeners don't have room for yet another garden. Another way to approach supporting pollinators is to find places in existing gardens to grow plants they love. One neglected group of plants for pollinators is ground covers. Growing ground covers between trees, shrubs and perennials not only creates a more natural look and adds color, but also provides a source of pollen and nectar for these essential creatures. Here's some ground covers to tuck between your plants. Wild and alpine strawberries are favorite pollinator friendly ground covers. We have them planted throughout a winding border filled with shrubs and perennials. They bloom in spring and then, off and on, all summer and we get some berries, too. Rock soapwort, or Saponaria, is perfect for a sunny flower garden. It grows 4- to 8-inches tall, tolerates dry soil and has fragrant, pink and white flowers in early summer. Strawberries and soapwort are deer resistant. We love growing the perennial geranium as a ground cover. It grows 1 foot tall, and slowly spreads to fill in part shade areas between large perennials and shrubs. The pink flowers bloom on and off all summer. Clover is a great groundcover for areas between shrubs , trees and tough perennials. The white flowers are favorites of pollinators and they bloom all summer. For a more colorful treat, try growing the purple leafed variety Altropurpureum. It stays 4 inches tall and has purple leaves with green edging. It's less vigorous than the green leafed versions but still flowers and adds a splash of color to your garden. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Have you noticed? The days are getting longer and the sun is getting stronger. Spring is coming! I'm getting ready to start a whole variety of vegetables and flowers for transplanting into the garden this spring. But we don't have to wait to enjoy all those tasty veggies. With the longer days and stronger sun, we can start growing vegetables indoors in a sunny window. The keys are full sun, warmth and the right greens. While the days are longer, it's important that where you grow your greens gets as much sun as possible. That means at least 4 hours a day. If you don't have that amount of sun, try using grow lights to supplement your light. Also, place the seedings in a warm room with few cold drafts. I place a clear plastic cover over my grow light set up to keep the air warm and humid. You'll also want to use a heating pad under the seedlings to get them to grow fast. The best greens to grow indoors now are ones that can take lower light levels and cool temperatures. Mache, spinach, arugula, mustards and winter lettuces are the best bets. Mache and arugula are quick germinating and mature greens with a mild taste, if not stressed. Mustards are fast growing with a little bite. Grow greens in a tray or large pots. Sow seeds and keep the soil moist. Thin and harvest when the greens are young, or let them grow larger for a bigger yield. By harvesting just outer leaves, many of these greens will continue yielding right into spring. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We know about GMO foods. Commodity crops, such as corn, rice and wheat, and some vegetables and fruits, such as squashes and pineapples, are genetically modified. But these varieties are available only to commercial growers. Now we have a GMO tomato that's available for home gardeners to grow. Recent news reports discuss a new, 'Purple' cherry tomato developed by the Norfolk Plant Science Group in England. They've worked for 20 years to move the purple gene trait from snapdragons into a cherry tomato. The result is a purple tomato with high levels of anthocyanin, an anti-cancer and anti-inflammation compound. These anthocyanins are in some tomato fruits already, but at low levels. 'Purple' tomato increases the levels and the potential health benefits. While many like the idea of the health benefits of nutrient dense vegetables, there are concerns about what happens in the environment when these plants are grown such as the controversy around GMO corn harming butterflies and pollinators. This GMO Purple tomato is making headlines, but it's also good to remember that traditional breeding can also create healthier varieties of edibles. The 'Indigo Rose' purple tomato that I've grown has been bred to have more anthocyanins in the fruit as well. In fact, the whole Indigo series of tomatoes has more than 50 varieties with this benefit that have all been bred traditionally. Trying to introduce a GMO tomato variety to home gardeners may be tough due to public perception of GMOs being bad for the environment and our health. But Norfolk Plant Sciences hopes to change the conversation. We'll see if it gets accepted. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Houseplants can be fun and fulfilling to grow. You always should grow the right houseplant for your room, but another fun way to choose houseplants is to select them based on Zodiac signs. Zodiac signs can correspond to your personality traits. For example, if your Zodiac sign is Aries you may have a lot of fire and like to stay active and busy. Then perhaps a snake plant or ZZ plant, that requires little care, is best for you? If your Zodiac sign is Taurus, you may find yourself to be hard working, tenacious and see things through. Maybe you should try a more difficult houseplant that requires extra care, such as a fiddle leaf fig or orchid. Capricorns tend to be very practical, serious people. That's why growing herbs and edibles indoors in a sunny window or under lights would suit this sign perfectly. The Pisces sign symbolizes intuition and luck. The money plant is an easy to grow houseplant loaded with good fortune and prosperity symbolism. Some plants equate to Zodiac signs because of their names. Peace lilies resonate with Libra which is ruled by the love planet, Venus. Sagittarius, ruled by Jupiter, is known for big, grand gestures. Why not grow a big, grand houseplant such as Monstera or rubber tree? Cancer is ruled by the moon which a closely associated with fertility. Why not a houseplant that reproduces easily such as a spider plant? You could go on and on looking for plants that associate with a zodiac sign. It's a fun way to get friends interested in houseplants and the symbolism they hold. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Succulents can make great houseplants depending on your space and light levels. Many gardeners love picking up some of these small plants in winter to add some greenery to their indoors. But it does matter which succulents you grow, and where you grow them, in your home. For high light windows that get at least 3 to 4 hours of direct sun a day in winter or if you have a grow light, light-loving succulents are best. Echeverias, sedums, cacti and sempervivums or hens and chicks, all love the bright light. For darker areas that may only get an hour or so of direct light, but still is a brightly lit room, try Haworthia, aloe, snake plant, ZZ plant and jade plants. They can tolerate the lower light levels and not get leggy. The other consideration is space. Many succulents can be purchased in small, 2-inch diameter pots, but they can grow big over time. Consider places in your home where you can grow larger succulents or grow some that stay small such as Haworthia. I've seen very large aloe, jade and agave plants in homes that are striking as long as they have room and sun. Succulents are best watered once the soil is dry. Slowly pour water into the pot so it drains out the bottom. Or place pots in a basin with a few inches of water and the soil will naturally soak up the water. Some succulents grow small pups or baby plants next to the mother plant. Create more succulents by separating the babies from the mother and potting them in their own containers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As I finish touring India, I'm reminded of the power of urban gardens. India is the most populated country in the world and it's impressive how they garden in such a crowded place. We also can garden in small spaces in our towns and cities, but there can be challenges. Here's a few tips for urban gardening. Urban settings can have poor or even contaminated soils. It's best to do a soil test to make sure the soil is safe to grow in. Building raised beds and adding organic matter and topsoil can help plants grow better. Consider trying straw bale gardening and community gardens as well. Of course, containers are sometimes the best option for a small gardening space and don't forget using hanging baskets, railing planters and vertical trellises to grow plants. Try to locate your beds and containers where they'll get the most sun. That may change throughout the summer due to shade from nearby buildings and trees, so move containers as needed and grow plants adapted to low light in shady spots. Also, place gardens close to a water source and check local zoning ordinances about building gardens in your yard. Because you have limited space, select flowers and edibles you really like. For a big bang for your efforts grow edibles such as cherry tomatoes, greens, zucchini, bush beans and cucumbers and annual flowers such as impatiens, zinnias, geraniums and petunias. Plan for animal pests such as cats, dogs, raccoons and mice. Fence the raised beds, add screening for bird and squirrel protection and use animal repellents. Learn more about the benefits of urban gardening at the Connecticut Horticultural Societies' Zoom talk at cthort.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One way to get a gardening fix in the middle of winter is to grow mushrooms. Gourmet mushrooms are hard to find in the wild and often very expensive in grocery stores. An easy way to have gourmet mushrooms is to grow them indoors with mushroom kits purchased online. Growers have expanded the varieties available. There are now oyster mushrooms, lion's mane, wine cap and shiitake mushrooms you can grow in the comfort of your home while the winter rages outdoors. Probably the easiest mushroom kits to try indoors are the lion's mane and oyster mushrooms. Kits feature blue, pink, or golden varieties of oyster mushrooms. Once you’ve received the mushroom box with inoculated spawn inside, place it in a humid, cool room and mist the medium in the plastic bag to keep it moist, but not wet. Within a few weeks, mushrooms magically appear. Harvest when they're fully formed. If you keep the kit moist you should get another flush of growth within 2 months. Shiitake mushrooms grow a little differently. Make slits in the clear plastic bag holding the medium and mist inside the bag to keep it moist, but not wet. Place it in a warm room with indirect light. After a few weeks the shiitake mushrooms will start forming. Harvest when the cap is domed by gently twisting and pulling the mushrooms. After the first harvest, soak the medium in water overnight. Let it dry out for another night, then place it back in the plastic bag to rest for 2 weeks. It should start sprouting mushrooms for a second round, soon after that. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

One of my favorite winter activities is perusing print catalogs and websites for new varieties to try this coming year. I have my favorites, but I'm always on the lookout for something new. So, after looking at a few of my favorite companies I have my 2024 list of new vegetables to grow. Here we go! From Johnny's Seeds in Maine comes two new tomato varieties. 'Harvest Moon' is a hybrid, beefsteak-type with yellow skin and flesh and a stunning bright red interior. It grows on a compact indeterminate plant so doesn't grow too large. 'Magic Bullet' is an open pollinated, grape-shaped, snacking tomato with colorful green, yellow, pink and indigo fruits! High Mowing in Vermont features 'Honeynut' butternut squash. This open pollinated variety produces 1 pound, sweet tasting fruits that are perfect for individual servings. The plant is also powdery mildew resistant. They also have 'Turkish Delight' hybrid eggplant. It has jet black skin on an elongated shape that sets fruits without pollination. From California comes Renee's Garden's 'Bronze Torch' grape tomato. The red fruits have golden streaks and are 2- to-3 inches long, tasty, and last long after harvest. Here's a turnip that you might like. 'Pastel Duo' baby turnips are white and pink turnips that don't need peeling. Harvest when they're walnut size for a mild flavor and use in salads or sautées. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happy New Year. January is time to go through all my old seeds, see what I need to replace and try some new varieties. This year let's keep our seed purchases local. There are vegetable and flower seed houses based in Connecticut offering a nice variety of seed to purchase. NE Seed in East Hartford has been around since 1987, but the family goes back many generations. They offer a wide variety of veggie seeds, including a nice selection of heirloom and hybrid tomatoes, and organic seed. They're geared towards larger sized growers and sell seed on line by the half ounce. John Scheepers Kitchen Garden Seeds in Bantam also offers a wide variety of veggies and flowers and are more geared to the small scale, home gardener. I particularly like their salad greens with many unusual selections such as dandelion greens and mache. They sell seed packets on-line. Chas Hart Seed has been selling seed wholesale since 1892 in Wethersfield. You mostly see their seeds on seed racks around the state. But they also offer seeds on-line in their catalog and sell seed by the quarter ounce. If you're looking for lots of classic varieties, this company is the place to go. Finally, Select Seeds in Union, Connecticut is all about flowers. They offer annual and perennial organic seeds and themed seed collections such as for pollinators, edible gardens, fragrance and containers. They sell seed in packets online and in stores. Although not all the seed offered in these catalogs is grown and sourced in New England, but purchasing seed from these companies supports the local economy. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After the holidays, many gardeners wonder what to do with the holiday plants they purchased or received. Many of those plants can have a second life indoors and outdoors. Let's go through the list. Poinsettias aren't hardy outdoors during our winters, but they do hold their bract colors throughout spring. The best use for poinsettias is as a houseplant this winter to add a little color indoors and then pair them with spring annual flowers, such as violas, pansies; and perennials, such as heuchera and bleeding heart, outdoors in the garden. As long as it doesn't frost, you can create a colorful spring scape using your poinsettias. Once summer comes and they start growing new green leaves, it's time to compost them. Check out Connecticut Gardener Magazine for more ideas on using poinsettias. For holiday cactus, find a bright, cool, room indoors for them to grow. In spring, hang holiday cactus plants in small trees, such as crabapples, as they would grow in Nature to give them a taste of the humidity and light. Amaryllis are perennial bulbs and are easy to bring back again for a repeat bloom next year. Remove the flower stalks, once spent, and leave the leaves growing your amaryllis in a sunny window. In early summer move the potted amaryllis outdoors to a part shade location with other low growing perennials. The green leaves provide a perfect backdrop to more colorful annuals and perennials. Come fall, move it into a dark, cool room, stop watering, remove the leaves and let it stay dormant for a few months before it starts growing again. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.