No matter where you live, there will be seasons either too hot or too cold for extensive outdoor gardening. In southern climates, we solve that problem by populating our gardens with cacti, agaves, aloes, and stonecrops. But what if you want to be surrounded by your garden, no matter the time of year or the weather outside?

The Victorians had the answer, and now we can follow their gracious lead. There are so many varieties of plants that can be grown indoors, but today we're going to focus on just a few, the palms. These are plants that should be placed in east-west or southern-facing windows, as they generally like strong indirect light; direct light will tend to brown the edges of the leaves. They take in carbon dioxide, which we exhale, and emit oxygen, thus clearing the air. When grouped by size, their impact is that of entering an old-fashioned conservatory.

The Howea fosteriana, or Kentia palm, is one of the most elegant and durable of all indoor palms. It has a remarkable record of surviving low light, dust, central heating, drought and general neglect. As it is rather large, 5 to 12 feet indoors, place this palm in the focal position to provide the perfect backdrop to your frond forest. Surround it with the areca palm, also known as Chrysalidocarpus lutescens, which will grow 6 to 7 feet tall indoors, with long, feather-shaped, arching narrow leaflets.

The Chamaedorea elegans, or 'Bella', is a miniature palm that ranges in height from 18” to 3 to 4 feet, making it the perfect “border” palm for your frond grouping. These three choices are somewhat similar in appearance, so for that extra added “pop” why not hang a Boston fern, or Nephrolepsis exaltata bostoniensis, above them? There are numerous varieties, most with frilly or lacy fronds.

All of these palms are easy to care for; they like cool temperatures of 65 degrees to 70 degrees at night, and easily tolerate daytime temperatures of up to 80 degrees. Keep them clean and fresh-looking by periodically taking a soft cloth dampened with water and wiping both the tops and bottoms of the leaves. Keep an eye out for spider mites and mealy bugs while doing this. An alternative method is to put your frond family in the bathtub and giving them a gentle shower.

Fertilize with a complete fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Organic 10 Palm & Tropical Fertilizer, one that contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, water-soluble being the preferred kind so that any potential for fertilizer burn is reduced.

When temperate weather once again arrives, you may move your palms outside, being careful not to shock them by exposing them to conditions that are drastically different from what they've become accustomed to. Start them in an area that as nearly as possible duplicates their indoor abode, and allow them to gradually adjust to the warmer temperatures and the brighter sun. If you move them out to your porch or sunroom at the same time as your outdoor furniture, you will have created a delightful outdoor room that carries the gardens inside. And just as with the Victorians, the elegance of these graceful guardians of a bygone era will woo you with their beauty.

Are you tired of purchasing a cut Christmas tree every year--just to throw it away after the holidays are over? Consider buying a living Christmas tree instead. Living Christmas trees are becoming more popular every year because of their many advantages over cut Christmas trees, which include a lower fire hazard, repeat use, and an increase in value once planted in the landscape, where they can become a yearly source of cut greens for each holiday season.

After the holidays, you can leave your tree outdoors in its original container for year-round beauty and bring it back in again for a second Christmas. However, because most living trees used for Christmas trees are fast growing, they should not remain in a container for more than two years. There are a few other things to consider when planning to use a living Christmas tree indoors.

Living trees can stay in the house for only a brief period, no more than 7 to 10 days. Prolonged exposure to warm household temperatures would force new growth to develop on the tree and this growth would be apt to suffer damage when the tree is transplanted outdoors after Christmas. Longer periods in a home can lead to death of the tree.

Be sure to water the tree regularly while it is being used in the home. Line the tub or container in which you place a living tree with plastic or place a larger saucer underneath the container to keep excess water from dripping through onto your floor or carpeting. One good way to water is to dump two trays of ice cubes on the soil--this waters the tree slowly and evenly. It also helps keep the roots cooler.

Use only the newer low watt lights on your tree to avoid burning or discoloring the needles, and do not spray your tree with colored Christmas paint or snow, even if the product says it is washable.

After Christmas, if the weather should happen to be very cold, place the living tree in the basement or garage where it is cool, but not below freezing, for a few days only: Then, when the weather improves, take the tree out of the container and plant it.

Make sure that the tree will fit into your landscape. Most trees used as Christmas trees will eventually reach heights of 40 to 60 feet. The tree will be inside for a very short time compared to the time that you will have it in your landscape.

We stock living Christmas trees that grow well in our local area. With care and planning, your Christmas tree will serve as a living memory for many years.

By Tamara Galbraith

It's not the heat...it's the humidity. You've heard it a thousand times, right? But for plants brought inside for the winter, the saying is especially true.

Most plants thrive in 80% relative humidity. The average home's winter humidity level is a pretty desert-like 20-60%. So you know plants are suffering. Fortunately, there are some easy ways to raise humidity around your plants.

Humidifiers are wonderful additions to any household, and a benefit to humans as well as plants. There are both cold mist and heating humidifiers, and they work as their name implies: one sends a cool mist into the atmosphere, while the other heats the water and shoots warm vapor into the air...an especially nice treat for both tropical plants and folks suffering with the flu.

One of the most popular methods is to use a pebble tray. Fill a drainage saucer with small pebbles or rocks. Fill the saucer with water to just below the top of the rocks. Put your container on top. Over time, the water will evaporate and increase the humidity around the plant. You can also group plants closely together to build up the humidity in one area.

Two big don'ts: Don't place plants near outside doors where they will get frequent blasts of chilly air, and don't place them near furnace output vents, where they will dry out faster than you can say "Mojave Desert."

If you are looking for a way to add some color to your garden in the winter, consider planting sasanqua camellias. They produce an attractive show of flowers from early autumn into late winter, blooming long before their better known (japonica) cousins.

Add to that, bright glossy green leaves and interesting growth habits and you have a "must" for your winter garden.

Sasanqua camellias can be planted in containers and in shrub and tree beds with equal success. This allows you to place them on patios and decks, or near walkways for greater enjoyment. They can also be used for bonsai specimens, espaliers, informal hedges, screens or graceful focal points in the garden.

Their natural growth is either upright or a graceful willow-like form. Some have single, semi-double, or fully double flowers that can be small, medium or rather large, and they come in shades of pink, rose, red, white, and combinations.

One of the outstanding characteristics of sasanqua camellias is that they will tolerate more sun exposure than spring-flowering types of camellias. Most varieties don't grow nearly as large as their cousins, enabling them to make perfect understory plants. Like all camellias, they need to be planted in locations with good drainage in a hole amended with an acid planting mix such as Gardner & Bloome Acid Planting Mix.

Do I really need two fruit tree varieties to produce fruit?

Answer:
Yes and no. Citrus trees like lemons, limes, and oranges are self-fertile and require no pollinator. Most apricots, figs, nectarines, peaches and persimmons are self-fertile; only a few varieties need a second tree to help them produce fruit.

Our staff of garden experts knows which trees make the best "mates" for others, and will be happy to help you with any questions.