A Country Garden Journal

HOW TO GROW CHRISTMAS CACTUS December is probably the month when you will bring your Christmas Cactus home from the store. That is, unless you are lucky enough to get a free plant from a friend or inherit one from your Grandma. These plants are […]

CHOOSING YOUR POINSETTIA Christmas Shopping is upon us, and as we browse through the mall, we can’t help but be tempted by the ever-colorful Poinsettia. Impulse buying is a weakness with some of us. Nevertheless, randomly grabbing a plant while on your way to the […]

AMARYLLIS BLOOMS CHRISTMAS TO EASTER Now that your Amaryllis has finished blooming for the year, it is time to start planning for the seasons to come. Each year, the bulb will get bigger, and have the potential to pump out even more blooms. But there […]

GROWING AMARYLLIS FOR WINTERTIME COLOR Right around the Holiday Season, we long for something that still has a bit of enthusiasm for blooming. The roses are fast asleep, as are the daylilies. This is the perfect time of year to invest in house plants that […]

FRUIT TREES – – – HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HARVEST The subject of pollinating fruit trees is seldom written about in PLAIN ENGLISH! And that is why many people bypass it. But there is no surer way to increase the size of your harvest, and […]

THE NEED FOR CROSS POLLINATION Many fruit trees require a tree of another variety that blooms at the same time to be planted nearby as a cross pollinator. Not all yards have room for this. I have found that the good old fashioned “Bartlett” Pear […]

WHAT IS COMPANION PLANTING? Fruit trees, just like other plants, have likes and dislikes. Whether requiring or preferring a certain diet or not being able to grow well if planted too near certain other plants, you must pay attention to these traits. Companion Planting means […]

GARDEN DESIGN Self-pollinating trees give you the option of planting them here and there around your property. For those of us who don’t care for garden whimsy and don’t have time to devote to the constant trimming that topiary requires, an artistically pruned dwarf fruit […]

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW ABOUT GRAFTING ROOTSTOCK It is good to call the nursery and inquire what type of rootstock a tree is grafted on to verify that it will not exceed its advertised mature height and width. The grafting rootstock that is used […]

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PLANTING LOCATION FOR YOUR FRUIT TREES Planting fruit trees in the right location is as important as choosing a variety that will survive in your area of the country. Growing your own fruit at home is a great family activity, but careful […]