winter

Most fig trees are hardy only in USDA zones 7 and higher, but you don’t have to move down South to have one. There are ways to grow your own fresh figs, even up North! Start by selecting the  most cold-hardy varieties. Among the best are Celeste Fig, Brown Turkey Fig, Ventura, and the most […]

Temperatures are falling, colors are changing, holidays are passing, and winter is approaching. Before you hunker down and settle in for the season, you should consider how to keep winter trees safe. While nature has built in some organic winterizing processes, there are also steps you can take to learn how to winterize trees and […]

Choosing the best trees for your front yard is important because it’s a long-term decision. Given the long lives of trees, you should make sure you understand the purpose you want your front yard trees to serve, as well as the details of the trees you choose. For example, you need to know the tree’s […]

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 […]

What is photoperiodism? Photoperiodism in plants is the process by which plants use the length of light and darkness to regulate flowering & certain other processes, regardless of the ambient temperature or weather. This blog will teach you the difference in short day plants and long day plants! Photoperiodism is dependent on a plant’s ability […]

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 in winter to brighten the wintertime landscape. You can even use shrubs! Whether your yard is bright or bleak, it seems like evergreens can make a dramatic improvement. Evergreen trees usually are […]

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. Learn how to use mulch in your garden! Why Use Mulch? If you are starting a new flower bed or planting a vegetable garden, you should […]

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 in some indoor landscaping is an excellent way to pass those long, dreary winter days and—as if you need any added bonus to get excited about […]