http://statebystategardening.com/la/articles/ en genebush@munchkinnursery.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-14T13:00:50+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/primula_for_the_midwest_five_easy_favorites/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/primula_for_the_midwest_five_easy_favorites/ Primrose, cowslip, oxslip — no matter what you call them, these old-fashioned favorites are easy-to-grow early spring bloomers. Here a few to consider for your own shady garden. 2012-05-14T13:00:50+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/alliums_for_all/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/alliums_for_all/ Alliums or ‘ornamental onions’ come in all sizes and colors—from giant globe-shaped purple spheres to delicate yellow sprays. The best part is that deer, squirrels, voles and rabbits find them foul-tasting. Here are some awe-inspiring alliums to add to your garden this year. 2012-05-09T13:00:47+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/air_layering_a_makeover_for_overgrown_houseplants/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/air_layering_a_makeover_for_overgrown_houseplants/ Houseplants bring life to our homes and offices, but sometimes they outgrow their welcome. Those with woody stems, such as dracaenas, corn plants and scheffleras, can become too tall and lose their shape or threaten the ceiling. Instead of tossing them out and buying new plants or giving them to a friend with taller ceilings, try air layering. This easy propagation technique will not only rejuvenate your plants — it will reward you with new plants for your efforts ... 2012-05-09T13:00:10+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/green_gap_perennials/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/green_gap_perennials/ Midwestern gardeners have a narrow gap between the cold of winter and heat of summer. But, because of the fickleness of spring weather, there is often a significant gap between the peak of spring bloom (bulbs, roses and early perennials) and the maturity of summer flowers (annuals and summer perennials, such as echinaceas and daylilies). This gap usually becomes apparent throughout late May and early June, when many people’s gardens are green and growing, but with few flowers ... 2012-05-07T13:00:17+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/lemon_balm_the_scent_of_sweet_dreams_and_calm_nerves/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/lemon_balm_the_scent_of_sweet_dreams_and_calm_nerves/ What can produce a mild sedative effect, relieve cramps and gas and produce antibacterial and antiviral properties, according to modern research? Lemon balm. No new discovery, lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) was noted by the 16th century physician Paracelsus as healing patients at death’s door. The Roman scholar Pliny, another believer in the effects of lemon balm, thought ... 2012-05-02T12:59:43+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/whats_in_the_bag/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/whats_in_the_bag/ Potting soils are not all the same. It pays (literally) to pay attention to the contents. 2012-05-02T05:01:42+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/planting_by_design/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/planting_by_design/ Here’s my pet theory. All of us gardeners fall into one of two camps: plant lovers or design doyennes. The former waxes eloquent in Latin nomenclature, often with anthropomorphic plant references while using words such as “cultural requirements” and “fastigiated branching.” The design doyennes look for the big picture in the garden and are less concerned with individual plants ... 2012-04-25T13:00:43+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/cattleya_culture_growing_cattleya_orchids/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/cattleya_culture_growing_cattleya_orchids/ To many people, the beautiful Cattleya is what they think of when the word “orchid” is mentioned — and with good reason. The flowers of the cattleya orchid are large, showy and colorful. Because of their popularity for use in corsages, cattleyas are commonly known as “the corsage orchid.” Named for the English horticulturist William Cattley (1788-1835), Cattleya is among the easiest of the orchid ... 2012-04-25T12:59:36+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/northern_crapemyrtle_the_summer_show_can_extend_well_beyond_the_south/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/northern_crapemyrtle_the_summer_show_can_extend_well_beyond_the_south/ As I skimmed through some of the State-by-State Gardening Midwest magazines, it occurred to me that readers in Northern states, for example in Zones 6 and 5 and in even especially warm spots in Zone 4, can, if done properly, grow crepemyrtle (Lagerstroemia indica). I have a test plot in Ft. Atkinson, Wis., and have had crapemyrtle surviving, growing and flowering the last three years. The first year the plants grew ... 2012-04-23T12:59:45+00:00 http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/invasive_invaders/ http://statebystategardening.com/state.php/carolinas/articles/invasive_invaders/ Many species of non-native invasive plants, insects and animals plague the Midwest. Why should gardeners care? Here is what you need to know. Chestnut blight in the early 1900s. Dutch elm disease in the mid-1900s. Emerald ash borer in the early 2000s. Asian longhorned beetle has been discovered in five states with the most recent find in Ohio. The list of invasive species goes on and grows ... 2012-04-18T13:00:33+00:00