Frost and Cold Protection Frost is the enemy of most flowers and some leaves. A dusting of frost can kill blossoms and even the leaves of many kinds of plants. Frost forms on surfaces when the temperature goes below water’s freezing point of 32°F (0°C). Note that the temperature at ground level and on plant […]
Botanical names (aka scientific or Latin names) for plant species are italicized or underlined. Botanical names are standard throughout the world, unlike common names which can be different in different languages and even in different parts of the same country. A botanical species name has two parts — 1. The Genus: which is always in […]
In our previous post “Flowers: Sex, Pollinators and Pollinizers“, we focused our topic on asexual reproduction in plants — primarily those that need a pollinator or pollinizer to boost the reproduction cycle. Asexual reproduction, as we discussed, works best in environments that do not change. But as you may know, our surrounding environment rarely ever […]
Photoperiodism is the process by which plants use the length of daylight and/or darkness to regulate flowering & certain other processes, regardless of the ambient temperature or weather. Photoperiodism is dependent on a plant’s ability to sense light. Plants do not have eyes but they do have photoreceptors — these are cells that contain a […]
An invasive species, as defined in an Executive Order signed by President Clinton in 1999, is an “alien species whose introduction does, or is likely to, cause economic or environmental harm, or harm to human health” Some kinds of plants, due to being transplanted away from their natural home, consequently become invasive in their new home. […]
(When the flowers of summer have faded to memory, and the autumn leaves have fallen to compost, it’s nice to have evergreen trees and shrubs to brighten the wintertime landscape. Whether your yard is snowy bright or dreary bleak, seems like evergreens can make a dramatic improvement. Evergreen trees usually are the dominant structural elements […]
Here at Perfect Plants Nursery, we love our mulch! If we see a patch of bare soil, we mulch it! Nature doesn’t allow bare soil, and we shouldn’t either. We can think of six good reasons to always add a layer of mulch when you install a new plant Start a new flower bed or […]
Now that you have planted your fall vegetable garden, are enjoying the last of your summertime veggies, and are ready to relax in the cooler days of autumn, there are still a few things you might want to do before winter sets in. Fall is the best time to look for bargains at your local […]
The winter months still upon us, it’s easy for your green thumb to grow restless with lack of time spent outdoors. Lucky for you (and your green thumb), investing on some landscape inside the home is an excellent way to pass those long, dreary winter days and—as if you need any added bonus to get […]
As we all bundle up and cope with the coldest temperatures of the year, it’s important to be mindful of how the winter weather affects our plants as well. Plants in their first year after being planted are the most at risk as they are still becoming established. Most plants naturally go through several steps […]
If you’ve done some shopping (window or otherwise) for fruit or nut trees, you might have noticed the phrases “chill hours” or “chill zones” in the plant’s description. Though there’s some debate on the topic, it’s generally acknowledged that chill hours are the average number of hours plants are subjected to temperatures between 32 degrees […]
Pecans play a huge role in fall and winter holiday traditions and cuisine, especially in the South. Whether it’s a classic pecan pie (or even pecan pie truffles), pralines, banana bread or other savory dishes, pecans can have their place at every meal, and make a great snack in between. While some in-store pecans are nice to […]