Get them while they last!! We still have premium pulp potted roses & fruit trees we need to clear out for 2009 inventory. We are extending our price special of 50% OFF these pulp potted items.

Subject to stock on hand. Discount cannot be combined with any other discounts.

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. 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.

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, 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 Gardner & Bloome Potting Soil, and make sure the containers you use have drainage holes. Make sure that if you use water trays under your pots 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 Max Sea All Purpose Fertilizer, every 2-4 weeks just like 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 they 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.

Will ants hurt my plants?

Answer:
Not directly. 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.

There are several effective methods to control ants, including ready-to-use sprays, such as Bayer Home Insect Control, and ant baits containing boric acid, such as Terro Ant Bait. You can also place a sticky barrier, such as Tanglefoot Pest Barrier, 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.

Jim was born in Santa Clara, California. He was raised on a small farm where is family grew apricots, cherries, almonds, and prunes. He majored in English and Political Science in college but eventually went to work in the photography field. After fourteen years at Eastman Kodak, Jim took a chance and quit to begin a long-term career in the nursery business.

Jim is a passionate environmentalist and vegetarian. He regularly participates in volunteer projects in his spare time, building fences, repairing trails and ridding parks and preserves of non-native invasive plant species. His long-term goals are to become a published author while continuing his work and passion for the environment.