Most home gardeners lament the coming of winter since it usually spells the end of the outdoor growing season. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many herbs can be grown indoors quite successfully in the winter months and then be transplanted into the garden the following spring. There's something about the taste of fresh, home-grown herbs in cooking that is hard to beat. The flavors are so much more flavorful and aromatic than using something dry out of a shaker bottle.

With the right location and care, many herbs can be fooled into thinking that summer is still here. If you're a little nervous or skeptical about growing herbs indoors, use some tried and tested varieties such as chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. Most of these can be started by seed, while mint and rosemary can be started by seed or cutting.

Most herbs are sun lovers and will require a southern facing window that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. For less sunny locations, mint, parsley and rosemary will get by with less sunlight. You might also consider hanging a grow light 6-9 inches above your plants to provide light on cloudy days. Make sure to also rotate your containers at least once per week in order to help your plants grow evenly.

Start your plants in seed trays and then transplant them to window boxes or larger containers once the plants become rooted. Use a good quality potting soil, such as Kellogg Potting Soil, and make sure the containers you use have drainage holes. If you use water trays under your pots, make sure that you check them after watering and drain any standing water in them.

The herbs listed above will do fine provided temperatures are maintained between 55 and 70 degrees. Feed with a water soluble plant food, such as Dr. Earth Liquid Solution 3-3-3, every 2-4 weeks just as you would any other indoor plant, and don't water until the soil surface becomes dry. The use of a small fan will also help herbs survive the stuffy air conditions that can occur indoors in winter.

Plant pests are usually less prevalent during the winter months. Nevertheless, visually check your plants at least once per week, and treat your plants with an insecticidal soap before pests actually become a problem.

So don't let the winter doldrums get you down. Spice up your life and your winter meals with the addition of fresh, homegrown indoor herbs!

Summer's blasts of heat can make even the hardiest of shrubs look brown, tired, and just plain ugly.

Now is the time to give your bushes a haircut. Trimming the ends of the plant encourages new lush, green growth. Be certain to remove any brown, dead branches to open up the space and help the plant fill in the voids.

Ground covers like ivy will also benefit from a trimming.

Within weeks, new growth will appear, giving a fresh green look.

The popularity of crotons in both indoor and outdoor plantings is increasing at a phenomenal rate. Native to tropical areas of Malaysia and southern Asia, these easy- growing plants have bright-colored foliage, often with many colors in one leaf. The uniqueness of these plants is their colorful glossy foliage in varying shapes and sizes.

Crotons are a small shrub which can reach a height of 2-6 feet. Some crotons can even be used as hedges or specimen plants. They also grow well in containers. The 6"-12" leaves are leathery and start out green, gradually changing color as the plant matures. They come in many shapes and a rainbow of colors including reds, pinks, yellows, rust, orange and even some purples, to name just a few.

Crotons are grown primarily for their brightly colored foliage. For this reason they need a fairly high amount of light to maintain their vibrant colors. Crotons prefer high humidity, full sun and moist, humus-rich but well-drained soil with a generous supply of organic material; we recommend Gardner & Bloome Soil Building Compost.

Crotons only require a moderate amount of watering on a regular basis. Keep them moist but not excessively wet. To maintain good growth, feed crotons regularly throughout the year with a water-soluble fertilizer, such as Gro-Power Liquid All Purpose Fertilizer. We stock a great selection of crotons just waiting to find a place in your home or garden. Stop by today to see what all the fuss is about!

Will ants hurt my plants?

Answer:
Not directly. But if ants are living in the soil around a plant, they can make the plant dry out and need water more frequently. This is because their ant tunnels create air pockets which dry out the soil faster. On the other hand, those same tunnels help to aerate the soil, which is a good thing. If ants are on the foliage of a plant, that's usually a sign that harmful sucking insects such as aphids or whiteflies are feeding and damaging your plant.

These sucking insects emit a residue called honeydew that is sweet and very attractive to ants. The ants will roam your plant and feed on the sweet honeydew.

Unfortunately, they will do nothing to control the damaging insect. In fact, ants sometimes will move predator insects to fresh parts of the plant to help them create fresh honeydew. At this point, they become partners in crime and should be destroyed. Their criminal status may be determined by interviewing a sampling of suspected ants or catching them red-handed in the act of predator insect transport.

There are several effective methods to control ants, including aerosol sprays, such as Poison Free, and ant baits containing boric acid, such as Grants. You can also place a sticky barrier, such as Tanglefoot, around the trunks of trees or bushes that are vulnerable to attack. As always, do not use sprays on edible plants unless the sprays are marked for use on edibles.