(This article was first published in a shortened form in The Gateway Gardener March 2012 issue)

Houseplants, our Green Heroes, work tirelessly purifying our home and office environments removing common pollutants and continuously releasing oxygen and moisture into our homes and offices. Houseplants improve our lives, naturally cleansing the very air we breathe. A recent news report noted that people in general spend 90 percent of their lives inside their home or office. YOU NEED A HERO, a houseplant in your life and yet you have resisted the purchase of one. WHY? The number one reason that customers tell me is: I don’t want to kill it. This month I want to review some general guidelines about houseplants in an effort to encourage those of you who have failed to try again! Tip! You learn from your mistakes!

Light Requirements:
All houseplants require light to manufacture food and to grow. Window coverings and trees outside your windows, and the type of houseplant will play a factor when deciding where to place your houseplants. Most houseplants like 8 – 10 hours of light per day.

Many houseplants grow well with bright indirect sunlight. It helps to KNOW what your plant needs in terms of light. When placing plants near windows, pay attention to the direction the windows are facing. South and West windows generally provide the most sunlight. Remember that South and West facing windows, especially during the summer months, produce the most heat and light which is not suitable for all houseplants. Many customers struggle with a North window and what plant to place there. Never fear, there are plants which will survive in this lower light exposure! East windows are very accommodating. Many plants grow in this location happily! TIP! Purchase plants from an independent garden center where an educated sales associate can assist you!

Watering Requirements:
More plants are killed by improper watering than any other problem. The amount of water and the frequency of watering will depend on its how much light the plants receives, the temperature and humidity in the home, and how close the plant it to heating and cooling vents. The type of plant and size of container also determine how quickly water is used. Generally, when watering, you should water so that some of the water makes its way into the saucer. Do not leave water in the saucer. Water standing in the saucer should be removed within a few hours after watering. The best way to tell if your plant needs water is to feel the soil! Stick your finger about an inch down in the soil and if it feels dry, it is time to water. If the plant is still very moist, wait a couple of days and check it again. TIP! During winter, houseplants will not require as much water as they do in the summer.

Temperature & Humidity:
Houseplants are generally tropical plants and do not like extreme changes in temperatures. If you are comfortable most likely the plant will be comfortable. Most houseplants do not like temperatures below 50 degrees and temperatures above 80 degrees. Note: just like you, houseplants will not want to be sitting by a drafty window. Cold drafts can damage foliage. Because most houseplants are tropical, they prefer some humidity during the winter months. To increase the humidity in your home for your houseplants try the following suggestions: 1. Group your houseplants together. 2. Place your houseplants on a tray of pebbles covered with water (The water should not be above the top of the pebbles.). 3. Lightly mist the leaves with a spray bottle. 4. Get a whole house Humidifier. I have one called April Air. TIP! I hang small misters on the side of pots which require more misting than others.

Fertilizing:
Houseplants enjoy regular fertilizing for best performance. There are many organic and synthetic fertilizers readily available from your local independent garden center to choose from. Houseplants require less fertilizer during the winter months when the plants are not actively growing. During the growing season (spring-fall) it is recommended to fertilize every 4 – 6 weeks. Some plants such as orchid have a feeding schedule to follow.  TIP! More is not better!

Repotting:
Many houseplants enjoy being pot bound and seldom need repotting. Some, on the other hand, will benefit from repotting to keep the plant looking its best. Often I find customers wish to repot their houseplant into a more decorative container. When potting into a decorative container, make sure there is adequate drainage. If there are no drainage holes in your pot, you should repot your houseplant into a regular plastic container that would fit inside your decorative container. When bringing a new plant into your home, it is often a good idea to let it acclimate before repotting. When repotting, be sure to use high quality potting soil. Some of the newer potting soils have beneficial bacteria and fungi which aid the root systems of houseplants. TIP! Try to avoid repotting in the fall. Plants should rest, days are short, and light is not at its best. Wait for spring!

Common Problems:
There are several common problems that can occur with your houseplants. Most problems can be resolved by adjusting the amount of light or the amount of water. Sometimes insects like mites, mealy bugs, scale, or aphids can cause plants to suffer. This is a top customer call during the month January. When determining what might be the cause of the problem, take into consideration if the plant has been recently moved or repotted. Some plants will drop leaves when placed in a new location. Also, yellowing leaves may be caused by overwatering, under watering, lack of nutrients, or by insect damage. Check with a professional on the topic of over or under watering or insects. Another common problem is tip burn (the tips of the leaves turn brown). This is usually caused by lack of humidity, salt build up from the water and fertilizer, chlorine and fluorine in the water, or inconsistent watering. Spotting on the leaves or burning or bleaching of the leaves can be caused from too much direct sun. Simply remove the plant to a shadier location or use sheer curtains to filter light. Plants that are spindly and have large gaps between the leaves may be suffering from not enough light. Move plants that are suffering from this problem into an area that receives more light. Remember, if you ever have any questions or concerns about your houseplants; Call your local independent garden center or visit and bring in a leaf of the plant that is having the problem.

TIP! Don’t wait to ask for help, Call or visit with a professional about your problems with a houseplant! We are here to help!

Bring a Houseplant Hero to work and put it to work cleaning the air!

Put a plant on your desk and feel happier, enjoy better health and be more productive. The NASA, Clean Air Plant Study recommends office workers should have at least one plant in their “personal breathing space” effectively remove indoor pollutants.

Ellen Barredo may be reached at Bowood Farms 314-454-6868 if you have specific houseplant questions. She is also co-hosting monthly on AM 550 KTRS, the Inside Out Show with Host John Shea, Callier and Shea Construction and Design. Saturdays from 12-3 p.m. This a call in radio show for help around the house inside and out! Listen and Call with your Home or Garden Questions.

(This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener Jan./Feb. 2011 issue)

Can’t wait to get out in the garden?  You can start sooner and have easily grown produce if you plant cool season vegetables!  Cool season veggies such as spinach, mustard, radishes, cabbage, kale, swiss chard, broccoli, and an array of lettuces can be started as seedlings indoors in February or sown in ground in a pre-warmed area of your garden.  These veggies thrive in the cooler weather of our early Missouri springs.  Many of the cool season veggies are also high in vitamin A and/or C.  A double bonus!

Start your seedlings indoors using the chart below as a guide. Some optimistic gardeners plant early with the hopes of mild winter weather. A week or two before the transplants are ready, prepare the garden space. To do this you will need to build a cold frame that consists of a temporary wall and an old window in the area you want to grow your veggies.  You can build your wall out of hay bales, concrete blocks, or even old bricks.  Then place the window on top of it horizontally.  This structure will allow the soil below to be warmed when the sun is out during the day.  It will also provide a bit of wind protection for your seedlings as they being their new life in the ground.  Once the weather looks promising you can try planting your seedlings outdoors.  Take note! If the temperatures take a turn for the worse (and they definitely can at that time of year), you may need to cover them if there is a threat of a cold spell for more than 2-3 days.

Make sure that that you check on the seedlings daily.  Water your seedlings as necessary, but try to do it during the warmest time of the day.  You may also need to ventilate your structure on sunny windless days by propping it open a few inches.  It can get quite warm in the cold frame at times. If you’re an experimental gardener type, you can also direct sow one row of a particular cool veggie every week or so to extend the harvest time.

Below is a list of cool season crops you can try with the indoor and outdoor start dates for the Central Missouri zone.  I have categorized them according to the vitamins they provide your body.  Happy gardening!

Mara Higdon is the Program Director at Gateway Greening. They focus on community development throughout the St Louis area.

Photos courtesy Tammy Palmier, Missouri Botanical Garden

(This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener January/February 2011 issue.)

Malabar spinach, gombrena, hemigraphis, and ornamental pineapple make up this edible frontyard landscape.

Creating a garden or landscape that is more than a park but a place that produces food for your family is not just a trend, it is a style of gardening that has been documented since ancient times. From earliest recorded history there is evidence of kitchen gardens or enclosed spaces open to the sky, where plants were cultivated for their edible and herbal properties. Throughout history families and communities would organize a protected area of land where special produce, more than just the grains of the field or roots from the woods, could be propagated and grown to provide superior flavors for their meals. Modern gardeners have the same desires to grown their own special vegetables, fruits and greens to enhance the family’s table. And no longer are those plants consigned strictly to a defined vegetable garden or fruit orchard. More and more gardeners are mixing them right into their ornamental beds and borders to create their own edible landscapes!

Every garden and landscape can be revived with the addition of vegetables, shrubs bearing

Pansies can help brighten an edible landscape--and yes, they're edible!

berries, vines with grapes or trees producing fruits or even nuts. Wherever there is a sunny corner, an opening in a border or even in a pot or window box, there is an opportunity to add something edible. The choices are limitless but the most popular vegetables are tomatoes, peppers, beans and greens like lettuces and spinach. These can be found in the form of seeds that you grow yourself indoors in preparation for planting outside in spring or as starter plants that simple can be planted in beds in your garden.

Most vegetables prefer bright sunny spots with access to water. The soil should be loosened and some type of organic matter added to improve soil nutrients and water retention. Fruits can be found in the form of small plants such as strawberries that form a groundcover in a sunny bed, vines to grow on a fence or arbor, as shrubs small or large that produce berries and as trees that have flowers that transform themselves into sweet apples, pears, peaches and more. Blueberry or raspberry bushes can be added to landscape borders and fruit trees used in the landscape rather than other ornamental trees to provide flowers and shade as well as fruit.

Adding edibles to a landscape may require the removal of older overgrown plant material. Here is the perfect reason to finally eliminate invasive bush honeysuckle from the garden or cut out those overgrown yews that have overwhelmed the house and garden after years of neglect. Give your home a facelift and create a garden that is not only beautiful but is fruitful as well. Your family will enjoy the benefits of your efforts at the dinner table with healthy, fresh vegetables and exciting seasonable fruits and berries.

This Victorian Garden is an example of our edible plants can be used in a formal ornamental landscape.

When reassessing your garden you may find that you already have some unappreciated yet delicious edibles like serviceberry, walnuts or ornamental sweet potatoes that can also be harvested and eaten. Do your research before harvesting and eating your ornamental plants since some may be poisonous, but you will be surprised at how many are considered delicacies in other cultures. Talk to your local garden center and learn more ways you can add plants with a purpose to your home landscape and enjoy the fruits of your labor in the garden and on your table.

5 Easy Steps To An Edible Landscape

(Tips from St. Louis-area gardening professionals)

1)            Plant fruit-bearing trees and shrubs.

“Our espaliered 4-in-1 trees have been very popular, with four different varieties of pears, apples or cherries on one tree. They are free-standing or you can put them against a wall, and they’re self pollinating, so one tree is all you need.” Babette Frisella Briagas, Frisella Nursery

“Try blueberries for a great shrub alternative.”—David Sherwood, Sherwood’s Forest Nursery & Garden Center

2)            Mix veggies into ornamental flower beds.

“I like mixing colorful leafy vegetables like mescalin, red-leaf lettuces, chards and kales in flower borders, plus rhubarb makes a striking accent in an ornamental garden.”—Cindy Collins, Hartke Nursery

Pick out a few tough herbs to scatter throughout your existing beds.  Rosemary, for example, provides wonderful texture with silvery green foliage and light purple flowers on upright stems. Other honorable herb mentions would be basil, Greek myrtle, chamomile and chives!—Jamie Sunfield, Hillermann Florist & Nursery.

3)            Grow vegetables and herbs in containers.
“At home, my husband and I grow our favorite herbs in containers so we can control the vigorous growth of things like mint and oregano.  We can also extend the harvest season by moving the containers indoors if we have an unexpected freeze or frost.”—Jennifer Schamber, Greenscape Gardens & Gifts

4)            Use plants with edible flowers and other plant parts in ornamental plants.
“The pansies and violas are our favorites! Plant them in the fall and they last long into the winter, then return beautifully in the spring! We really like the Delta orange blotch and blue combination.” –Sandy Richter, Sandy’s Back Porch

5)            Be careful with herbicides and other pesticides, read labels carefully or avoid use altogether.

Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer at Garden Heights Nursery. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State, and is a member of the Gateway Professional Horticulturist Association.

Kirkwood resident Bill Ruppert's chickens and coop

There are lots of benefits to keeping backyard chickens. Turns out one of them comes from simply watching them. Debi Gibson, director of the Maplewood/Richmond Heights School District’s Seed to Table program and the “mother hen” who cares for a clutch of chickens at the district’s Early Childhood Development Center’s teaching garden, says that’s what the employees of the adjacent fast food restaurant do on their breaks. “They bring their lunch out and just sit up there and watch the chickens,” she says.

Roxanne Oesch, a Kirkwood resident and owner of a small flock of backyard chickens, agrees. “My husband even built a bench for me, just so I could come out here and sit and watch them,” she says. “It’s very relaxing.”

Whether for stress relief or the prospect of fresh eggs, more and more city and suburban dwellers are exploring the benefits of raising backyard chickens. If you’re thinking about joining the flock, here are a few things you should know.

Why Bother?

For many people, raising chickens is simply the next logical step in growing your own safe,

Multi-colored Eggs from the chickens at Maplewood's Early Childhood Development Center

sustainable food supply. Fresh eggs are not only considered generally safer and more healthful, but people say they just taste better! Plus chickens are effective natural weed and pest controllers, and great fertilizer factories.

Is it Legal?

Before you build your coop and buy your chickens, better check with the local authorities to see what laws apply in your area. In University City, a permit is required. In the City of St. Louis, you can have up to 4 chickens without a permit. In Maplewood, the limit is 6. In Kirkwood, there’s no limit, but no roosters are allowed (this is true in most communities). Some subdivision by-laws restrict chicken ownership as well, and while it’s not the law, it’s a good idea to check with your neighbors, too, and get the okay from them (bribes of future fresh eggs may help!). Two communities–Richmond Heights and Creve Coeur, recently (as of Feb. 2012) revised or passed new ordinances allowing backyard chickens.)

The Coop Scoop

Kirkwood resident Roxanne Oesch with her chickens

Before you purchase your chickens, make sure you have a safe place for them to roam, rest and roost. Chicken coops can range from small, inexpensive (under $400) pre-formed plastic igloo-looking structures (www.omlet.us)  to large, elaborate Taj Ma-Chicken-Hals! At their most basic, they provide a protected space keeping them safe from the weather and predators, while giving them a comfortable place to lay their eggs. An extension of the coop is the pen or yard, where they’ll be able to cluck and scratch and do those things chickens do. How many chickens and how many dollars you have will affect your choices. You might want to go on a coop tour to see some options. See the Backyard Chickens in St. Louis group at www.meetup.com/stlouischickens/.

Chicken Choices

Turns out, not all chickens are factory-farm white. Not only do they come is all shapes and

Pictures of the various chicken varieties at Maplewood/Richmond Hgts. ECD

colors, from black to blue to russet and all combinations in between, you can also select them based upon a wide range of other factors, from temperament to egg flavor/color, production and hardiness. Roxanne Oesch researched her options before selecting her chickens for winter hardiness, egg production and tame personalities, purchasing a selection of exotic birds from the Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri (CackleHatchery.com).  Debi Gibson selected a wide range of birds for her school garden, for temperament, too, but also keeping educational value in mind. She purchased her flock from the Murray McMurray Hatchery in Webster City, Iowa (McMurrayHatchery.com). Some hatcheries have minimum purchases, so you may want to partner with someone else and split an order.

Feed Your Head…then Feed the Chickens

While there are plenty of online sources to answer questions about chicken care, you can also find lot of local folks to scratch your itch for chicken facts., One of the oldest and best known sources for facts as well as food is OK Hatchery in Kirkwood, where the Krieger family has been purveying chicken and other poultry supplies for generations.

Debi Gibson’s program is also piloting a program called the Community Chicken Project, an effort to promote the backyard chicken movement through classes (one titled “I’ve Got Chickens…Now What?!!”) and publications. Maplewood High School students are even producing a book on the topic, scheduled to be completed in April 2011.

Garden centers are another good source for information. Debi says Garden Heights Nursery in her school’s neighborhood has been very helpful. Bowood Farms in the Central West End has hosted some chicken seminars in recent months, and Greenscape Gardens in West County has a chicken coop on site you can visit, while getting your questions answered.

Finally, if you’re really interested, check out Pat Foreman’s series of books, including City Chicks, Chicken Tractor, and others on raising chickens at home.

Good cluck!

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Phalaenopsis, or Moth Orchid

January and February are top months to purchase blooming orchids of all types. But buyer beware! Don’t be tempted by the “Just add ice” plants found in groceries and mass merchant stores. The ice watering method may reduce the store’s loss but is not best for the plant. Plus, “grab n go” orchids’ sitting around by drafty doorways in winter in plastic sleeves can be permanently damaged. Shop for orchid plants at a garden center or nursery!

Growing Conditions

Find out what conditions your home currently provides, including light, humidity, and temperature, and find an orchid that closely matches those conditions. Most orchids prefer an east or west-facing window.  West or south-facing windows will work for winter, but plants may need to be set further from the window during summer or a hang a sheer drape to diffuse light. A north window is not suitable. All orchids prefer a higher humidity (60-70%) than a traditional home would provide, especially in a cool weather climate. Higher humidity can be obtained with a humidifier or by grouping orchids on a tray filled with pebbles and water. Temperatures for most orchids should be between 60-80˚.  To encourage blooming there should be a 10-15˚ change between day and night temperatures.

Orchid Care

Water the orchid thoroughly, but allow it to almost dry out in between

Cymbidium

watering.  Learn the weight of the pot when it is saturated with water, as well as several subsequent days until the plant, judged by placing a finger into the soil, needs to be watered.  Once you have felt the weight of the pot at both the saturated and drier stages, you will know when to water your orchid just by picking up the pot. Water your orchid early in the day with tepid water that has settled for a while in the watering can.  Don’t allow water to stay on leaves overnight.

Fertilize orchids with an orchid fertilizer like Jack’s Classic Orchid Special (30-10-10) every two to three weeks according to recommended levels.  Signs of too much fertilizer in the soil include black ends of the root or leaf tips.  When the orchid spike starts, switch to a bloom formula like Jack’s Classic Orchid Bloom Booster (3-9-6) to encourage bud set and promote prolific blooming.

Put a date on your orchid when it’s blooming.  It usually blooms once a year.  Keeping track will help you anticipate the next year’s bloom time and help with your care schedule.

Repotting

Newly purchased blooming plants do not need to be repotted for a year or so. Wait until the plant is no longer blooming. Orchids, in general, should be repotted every 1 – 3 years during a time when blooming has ceased.  If you can stick your finger down through the bark medium, it may be time to repot. If the plant is not thriving, it may be time to repot and evaluate the care schedule.  I have had several orchid specialists vary in advice on how often to repot. The type of orchid, where you place it in the home and how you care for it will help you determine your own schedule.

Orchids require a special planting medium that includes light organic structural components, such as Espoma, or Fafard Orchid Potting Mix. Compressed coir bricks are also a great value and are very easy to store.  Adding some charcoal will help filter out the fertilizer salts. Planting medium varies according to the type of orchid you are going.

Orchids may be planted in plastic or ceramic containers with a drainage hole.  A recent orchid specialist mentioned clay pots tend to retain salts that will harm the plants. I have not had a problem with this personally, but I also leach the bark mix often and I don’t over fertilize.

To Repot:

Soak or water the orchid before repotting to loosen roots.

Knock the orchid from its existing container and remove as much of the bark/soil medium from the roots as possible.

Trim off any diseased or wilting roots leaving all of the white, firm roots. If it has been awhile since plants were re-potted, you must be thorough about removing unproductive stems, leaves and roots if you want blooms.

What Kind of Orchid to Grow

For beginners you can’t go wrong with a phalaenopsis. Also known as “The Moth Orchid,” phalaenopsis is America’s favorite orchid.  It’s easy to grow, long blooming and comes in a wide range of colors.  If given bright light and moderate water, it will bloom for several weeks.  The typical bloom time is late winter into spring, but orchids can be forced to bloom at other times. Because of the typical bloom time, phalaenopsis orchids make a wonderful alternative holiday plant. After it has bloomed cut the spike down to the leaves.  Or to encourage another bloom cut the spike down to just above a node and a new spike may start from there with more blooms.   If the second method it is used, your orchid may not re-bloom for a year and a half, as it has used a lot of energy for the second set of blooms.

OMG-Orchids Everywhere!

To see moth orchids and more than 800 other orchids in bloom, don’t miss the annual Orchid Show at Missouri Botanical Garden Jan. 28^th through March 25^th, 2012. In celebration of the Garden’s “Year of China” and 25^th year of work on the Flora of China project, this year’s Orchid Show is adorned with suspended silk lanterns and infused with Chinese-themed accents.

Also, several local garden centers are having special orchid events in January and February. Be sure to see our Upcoming Events calendar for details.

(This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener December 2009 issue)

When you first see a fern, it is graceful and delicate experience. The fronds from species to species are unique in size, texture, and color. They evoke thoughts of a fresh environment! Ferns can be striking specimens in the home and work beautifully when displayed with poinsettias for the Holiday Season. Another feature: many can be used in cut flower arrangements and be pressed/dried for artistic uses.

There are many ferns you can enjoy in the home and most homes have at least one window providing the bright light they enjoy. Ferns will require even moisture with a container that drains. Providing a cooler room temperature around 65 degrees is beneficial. Please do not place ferns close to a fireplace or heating/cooling vents. Remember, harder leaf surfaces can tolerate less humidity than softer leaved ferns. Try to provide humidity with evaporation trays or a mini humidifier. Most ferns do not like direct misting. Periodic feedings of a balanced plant food during the growing season will help produce a lush, robust plant with good foliage color. A new organic food coming on the market is Espoma Grotone. Visit www.espoma.com for additional information.

Here are a few ferns to try:

'Fluffy Ruffles', photo by Ellen Barredo

Fluffy Ruffles: A compact cultivar with sturdy, erect leaf stalks that reach a length of up 12 inches and stand close together. The leaflets are an intense dark green and have an almost leathery texture. ‘Fluffy Ruffle’ leaflets are soft to the touch and add softness to any poinsettia combo.

Silver Lace: This is a small, variegated houseplant with creeping rhizomes of varying lengths that may branch. The ‘Silver Lace’ fern forms clusters of sterile and fertile

'Silver Lace' fern, photo by Ellen Barredo

fronds. The fertile fronds are long stemmed and project above the sterile fronds. The fronds are variegated and have an attractive, creamy white color that pairs wonderfully with salmon and pink poinsettia creations.

Green Flame: This fern is a superior and vigorous selection. The fronds are broad, succulent, glossy and have abundant leaf cresting. An upright growth habit makes the ‘Green Flame’ a real eye catcher in your poinsettia display.

Green Fantasy: ‘Green Fantasy’ is a stiff, upright Boston fern selection with bright green, highly textured fronds.  It is ideal for smaller pot sizes; it has a full and formal presentation. The big plus it is not supposed to shed as easily as other Boston Ferns.

Blue Star: A tropical American fern with brown scaly rhizomes cultivated for its beautiful crispate and lobed bluish-green fronds. ‘Blue Star’ is excellent for hanging baskets.

Fragrans Maidenhair: Elegant arching blackish stems accent the dark narrow fans of the “Fragrant Maidenhair Fern” The ‘Fragrans’ Maidenhair is easier than other fussier Maidenhair ferns to maintain as a houseplant. It is quite wonderful in a large glass terrarium with a few mini poinsettias.

Ellen Barredo studied horticulture at the St. Louis Community College at Meramec, and is a Missouri Certified Nursery Professional with more than 27 years in professional horticulture. She works at Bowood Farms and can be reached at (314) 454-6868.

(This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener December 2006 issue)

Artemisia forms the base of this holiday wreath, with dried herb accents. Photo by Joyce Driemeyer, wreath created by Webster Groves Herb Society.

The omnipresent wreath has become a major statement seasonally. It no longer manifests itself just at the holidays, but now trims entries year-round with ornamentation and color appropriate to the season.

Wreaths have an ancient history dating back to the early Greeks, who adorned successful warriors with crowns of bay leaves (Laurus nobilis) for valor. The Greeks also wore garlands of rosemary to improve memory and concentration. Although parsley adorned Roman heads, it was feared by the Greeks. Brides historically used crowns of myrtle (Myrtus communis), orange blossoms or rosemary.

The circle and sphere have long been symbols of immortality and eternity in Christianity, represented by the Christmas wreath. Fresh evergreen wreaths of boxwood or blue-berried juniper, pine or noble fir can be made using hollow wire or straw-based 8-12” circles and by securing the greens with picture-hanging wire. For a less time-consuming approach, buy ready-made fresh basic wreaths and decorate with fresh sprigs from the garden. Add cuttings of red-berried holly, rosemary, bayberry (Myrica spp.), or juniper and pine cones. I use the red berries of my deciduous hollies (Ilex verticillata).

Although I personally prefer fresh greens, if you are pressed for time, some of the unadorned artificial green wreaths are extremely handsome and can be save for future years. Ornament them annually with pinecones, holly or pomegranate and clusters of cinnamon sticks.

Small ornamental kitchen wreaths can be made using dried Artemisia as a

Artemisia wreath by Webster Groves Herb Society, photo by Joyce Driemeyer

base, and adorning with bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, rosemary sprigs and whole nutmegs. Secure the ornaments with a glue gun. Wreath is for décor only.

Kissing balls are easy to assemble. Start with a 4-inch Styrofoam ball, insert 3-4” cuttings of boxwood to completely cover the base. Attach a small ribbon with wire to the top of the ball for hanging, and add a sprig of mistletoe to the base of the ball.

Small rosemary or myrtle topiaries make attractive tabletop accents or gifts. Rosemary is tricky inside the house, and is unforgiving if allowed to dry out. At the same time, do not allow it to sit in water.

Happy Holidays!

Photos: wreaths made by Webster Groves Herb Society. Plain wreath is Artemisia. Other wreath is Artemisia base with dried herb décor.

Joyce Driemeyer is retired after more than 25 years as a professional landscape designer. She is a master gardener, and volunteers, lectures and conducts classes at Missouri Botanical Garden, and has served actively in both the St. Louis Herb Society and the Herb Society of America.

By Steffie Littlefield

This holiday season leave the glitz and glimmer to the commercial establishments and refresh your outdoor pots, window boxes and porches with natural fresh cut greens and colorful twigs.  Combining beautiful lush evergreen boughs, wreaths and garlands with weatherproof berries, pinecones, charming outdoor ornaments and rich red ribbons, will make the entrance to your home warm and inviting.

Rather than hide your empty front porch urns and window boxes in the garage for the winter, clear out the old plant material and hard soil, fill them with loose peat moss and create a wonderful winter tribute to Mother Nature. For a large urn, start with two or three fresh-cut Douglas fir boughs placed cut end down into the peat moss for center height. For color and fullness alternate silver fir and golden arborvitae tips around the container. To add a cascading or trailing dimension use white pine tips along the edges.  As a contrast in texture and as filler, I like cut boxwood or berried juniper stems stuck into the arrangement around the sides.

Next strategically stab red and yellow dogwood twigs into the top and sides

photo by Ellen Barredo

to add drama to the arrangement. For something different try curly willow stems; for added color, use incense cedars bunches with gold tips; and for that holiday touch, wire large pine cones to twigs and stick them into sides of the arrangement. I even like to use a few natural-looking, weatherproof red berry sprays.  Collecting old fashioned outdoor ornaments like snowflakes, metal sleigh bells, and fruit such as apples and pears can add charm to your outdoor decorations.

Bird seed formed into stars and wreaths attract and feed wildlife when hung from nearby tree limbs. Use a lightweight green florist wire to secure your ornaments.  A simple, elegant, velvet bow will provide the finishing touch on your evergreen wreath or swag.

After the holidays, your cut evergreens will stay fresh and colorful in the cold winter temperatures. If the weather is warm dampen the peat moss enough to keep the arrangement from drying too quickly.  Next spring, your natural decorations can be added to the mulch pile and recycled as garden compost.

Steffie Littlefield is a horticulturist and garden designer at Garden Heights Nursery. She has degrees from St. Louis Community College at Meramec and Southeast Missouri State and is a member of Gateway Professional Horticultural Association and past president of Horticulture Co-op of Metropolitan St. Louis. You can also find out about her family vineyard and event venue at www.edg-clif.com.

[This article was first published in The Gateway Gardener October 2009 issue]

Tulipa 'Golden Apeldoorn' courtesy Brent and Becky's Bulbs

The trouble with tulips is that they often act more like annuals and do not reliably come back every year like daffodils, hyacinths and crocuses usually do. Yet they are simply gorgeous and worth planting in the fall. Further, if you take some time to study tulips, you will find there are certain ones that are reliably perennial.

So don’t just go and buy a bargain bag of tulip bulbs. Find a good tulip resource—a book, a catalog, an internet site—or check out your local independent garden center, and learn more about all the many different species and types of tulips. For a tulip book, you can’t beat Tulips for North America by Brent and Becky Heath. This husband and wife team operates an internationally known bulb farm in Gloucester, Virginia (around the corner from Williamsburg). You can tour the farm, by reservation, from mid-March to mid-April. They have a wonderful catalog that makes a good partner to their books on tulips and daffodils. Visit their website at www.brentandbeckysbulbs.com.

The Most Perennial Tulips

Generally speaking, the most perennial tulips are those of the Darwin Group and their hybrids and also the species or botanical tulips. The Triumph tulips are nearly as perennial though they will not cope well with environmental conditions that are less than ideal. Darwins and Triumph are single-flowered, midseason flowering tulips. Darwins, which will stay in bloom for as long as five weeks in long cool springs, are among the tallest and largest (18 to 24 inches) tulips. They have an added advantage of being disease-resistant. Triumphs are short to medium in height and have long lasting flowers in a rainbow of colors. See sidebar for recommendations specific to our St. Louis region.

If you are fortunate in your tulip choices and we have springs with cool nights and you have no problems with voles and other animals, your tulips may bloom year after year and increase by division and even self-seeding. In one garden, I had a group of yellow Darwin hybrid tulips that came back for about 12 years and, for all I know, may still be blooming every April.

Culture

Plant tulip bulbs from October to November. Plant where they will receive six to eight hours of sunlight during their blooming season.  For effective design, plant in groups of no less than seven or nine—nothing looks worse than a single line of tulips soldiering their way along a flower bed. Space the bulbs about three inches apart. Choose a site with good drainage—that is crucial for all bulbs. Of course, a neutral to slightly alkaline soil with plenty of humus, a sandy loam ideally, would be best for bulbs. Most of us will have to add soil amendments to attain that.

Plant tulip bulbs deeply, three to four times the height of the bulb. Planting tulips deep helps protect them from rodents and buffers them from temperature extremes. Once you’ve planted tulip bulbs, be sure that the soil is moist. The bulbs must establish a good root system prior to hard freeze.

Planting tulips in among perennials or planning to add annuals to the bulb area are two good ways to hide the ripening foliage after bloom. Never cut off the green foliage. Let it ripen completely—the leaves are the factory producing the food for next spring’s flowers. Dried cow manure is a good organic fertilizer that you can apply each spring when tulip leaves appear. Or you can use a slow-release manufactured fertilizer such as 8-8-8 or one made especially for bulbs such as 9-6-6.

Perennial Tulip Varieties for St. Louis

(Recommendations from the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Kemper Center for Home Gardening)

Tulipa fosteriana:
‘Candela’
‘Orange Emperor’
‘Princeps’
‘Purissima’
‘Red Emperor’ (‘Madame Lefeber’)

Tulipa greigii:
‘Red Riding Hood’
‘Toronto’

Tulipa praestans:
‘Fusilier’

Triumph tulips:
‘Don Quichotte’
‘Golden Melody’
‘Kees Nelis’
‘Merry Widow’

T. 'Maytime' courtesy Brent and Becky's Bulbs

Lily-flowered tulips:
‘Aladdin’
‘Ballade’
‘Maytime’
‘Redshine’
‘White Triumphator’

Darwin hybrid tulips:
‘Apeldoorn’
‘Apeldoorn’s Elite’
‘Beauty of Apeldoorn’
‘Golden Apeldoorn’
‘Holland’s Glorie’
‘Oxford’
‘Striped Apeldoorn’

Single early tulip hybrids:
‘Keizerkroon’
‘Christmas Marvel’
‘Couleur Cardinal’

Fringed tulip:
‘Burgundy Lace’

Barbara Perry Lawton is a writer, author, speaker and photographer. She has served as manager of publications for Missouri Botanical Garden and as weekly garden columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The author of a number of gardening and natural history books, and contributor to many periodicals, she has earned regional and national honors for her writing and photography. Barbara is also a Master Gardener and volunteers at the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis, MO.