Oxalis are grown for their shamrock-shaped foliage and dainty little tubular flowers that fold up on cloudy days and at night. They’re easy to grow indoors or out, making them ideal for borders or rock gardens, containers and hanging baskets outdoors, or as houseplants year round. The genus Oxalis comprises about 500 species of annuals and perennials, mainly from southern … [Read more...] about Growing oxalis indoors and out
Container gardening
How to overwinter perennials in pots
Herbaceous perennials in pots — plants that die back and are dormant in winter — that have been part of your summer container displays need to be protected over the winter if they’re going to survive and bloom again next year. Here's how to overwinter perennials in pots. Hardy perennials have roots that sleep until next spring, which is when they begin to put on new growth. A … [Read more...] about How to overwinter perennials in pots
How to grow spectacular spring-flowering containers
Wouldn’t it be nice to grow your own favourite bulbs for spring-flowering containers? Most first attempts involve planting the bulbs in containers in the fall, watering them and waiting for spring. With few exceptions, the result is a container filled with wet soil and rotted bulbs. What happened? Well, there is this natural phenomenon that shaped Canada’s landscape AND has … [Read more...] about How to grow spectacular spring-flowering containers
A salute to annual Spanish flag vine
Annual vines are easy to grow and well-behaved, and most have intriguing blooms that last all summer. My current favourite is Spanish flag vine (Ipomoea lobata), a.k.a. firecracker vine. Small, tubular red and gold blooms are lined up in a row along short, wiry stems that arch out from the main stems. The effect is reminiscent of fringe or tiny flags, fluttering in a breeze. … [Read more...] about A salute to annual Spanish flag vine
4 quick-snip edible plants for containers
While there’s nothing like an abundant harvest to make a gardener feel super successful, I find a mountain of zucchini in August less useful than a year-round supply of nutritious, edible leaves provided by a cut-and-come-again edible garden plants using container gardening. Best of all, a snip-able bounty grown in containers can be kept in partial shade to discourage bolting, … [Read more...] about 4 quick-snip edible plants for containers