Colourful dahlias, native to Mexico, make a superb cut flower. They thrive in hot, sunny weather and rich, fertile soil, but they won’t survive freezing temperatures. This means you’ll need to store dahlia tubers over winter if you wish to plant them again next year. But before learning how to divide and store dahlias, first decide if it’s worth the effort. Unless your … [Read more...] about How to divide and store dahlia tubers
October in the Garden
How to store calla and canna lilies
In the fall, you can store calla and canna plants for next year. Both are easy to overwinter; here’s how: Overwintering calla lilies These wonderfully colourful plants are from South Africa. In their natural habitat, they grow and flower during the wet season, going dormant during the following dry season. Fortunately, these bulbs are super easy to store over the … [Read more...] about How to store calla and canna lilies
How to store tuberous begonias for the winter
It seems a shame, but tuberous begonias are often flowering at their best in late summer, just when it’s time to bring them indoors. Like most bulbs, tuberous begonias need a period of dormancy – several months where it’s dry, dark and cool. My bulbs spend the winter in a dark corner of our basement. I discovered my storage trick by trial and error over the many, many … [Read more...] about How to store tuberous begonias for the winter
Protect evergreen shrubs and trees in winter
Despite the surprisingly warm days this week, it’s smart to consider what we can do to protect needle and broadleaf evergreen plants from winter injuries. Evergreen shrubs and trees might give the impression that they’re tough and resilient, but the truth is these plants require as much consideration as tender perennials, and need regular watering and an annual feeding to keep … [Read more...] about Protect evergreen shrubs and trees in winter
Beautiful pumpkins — warts and all
The arrival of the first seed catalogues has coincided with the end of pumpkin season. My friend Clare had a bumper crop of pumpkins (Curcurbita spp.) at her farm garden in Ontario, and her cold cellar is full of the smooth, round globes waiting for winter pies. She gifted me with a lovely specimen that sat on my porch Halloween night, and now is on the dining-room sideboard. … [Read more...] about Beautiful pumpkins — warts and all
