Welcome to Garden Bloggers Bloom Day. At Plant Exchange Blog on the Northern Plains, we’ve had a little snow, ice, and a morning or two of frozen water on window panes so far in November. Indoors, camellia, a standard pink Camellia japonica, is in bloom. Shiny dark green leaves and a compact shrub are other … Continue reading
Filed under houseplants …
Gardening Can Be Unpredictable
Welcome to Plant Exchange where we try to garden but it doesn’t always work out! It’s the middle of April, and the spring weather is unsettled. Below is an idea which the writer implemented in mid-March. She planted three pots and waited. Crunchy pod snow peas are a favorite, but getting the garden ready soon … Continue reading
What’s Happening At Des Moines Botanical Garden?
A reason to visit the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden, is that its outdoor gardens grow many of the same trees, shrubs and perennials that are found in this region. Des Moines is rated USDA Zone 5a and 5b and has an average of 9 more inches of rain each year and a somewhat less … Continue reading
Favorite Begonia Houseplant
Thanks for visiting our weekly Plant Exchange Blog. We hope you’ll enjoy this topic and will find many others of interest. Thank you for “Likes” and our loyal “Followers.” A plant needs to stand out from others to be a favorite here at Plant Exchange. This Begonia acetosa has shiny green leaves with red undersides. … Continue reading
November and Seasonal Transition
Welcome to November at Plant Exchange Blog where we visit about plants and the people who grow them. Today is cloudy and above freezing so far. We have an inquisitive visitor outside our window. A small plastic greenhouse helps us transition plants from summer outdoors to indoors in winter. Camellias can’t take the South Dakota … Continue reading
Houseplants Ready for Spring
Welcome to our weekly Plant Exchange blog. Spring is here! Green haze on trees and first bold color of tulips and daffodils are announcing spring these rainy days. It’s a fine time to give houseplants a hard look before we’re outside most days. While the red-backed glossy leaves of a favorite houseplant are beautiful, it’s … Continue reading
Why Isn’t My Houseplant Thriving?
At Plant Exchange, we find some of our houseplants are challenged by lack of sunlight, low humidity and uneven temperatures. While some of our houseplants have problems, this favorite continues to thrive, even under reduced light and other winter conditions. Dr. David Graper, horticulturalist at South Dakota State University, suggests how to find out what’s … Continue reading
