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3137 North Oak Street Ext. Valdosta, GA
bellsouth.net
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House Plants Our greenhouse is filled with attractive foliage as well as beautiful, blooming plants. A visit is like a tropical retreat this time of year. The addition of these plants in your home will not only help to naturally reduce pollutants, but will regulate humidity. They are also known to help reduce stress and to make your indoor spaces a pleasant place to relax in.
Whether you are a beginning or expert indoor gardener, we at Seasons Garden Center are sure that our knowledgeable staff will be able to match your needs and experience with the perfect indoor plant. |
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Bringing House Plants Indoor for the Winter
If you allowed your house plants to take an "outdoor vacation" on your porch, deck, or garden this summer, then now is the time to consider moving them back inside for the winter. Here are a few tips that will help make this transition successful:
- The indoor environment is different than outside, so it would be best to move the plants in gradually. Sudden changes in humidity, light and temperature can result in wilting, yellowing or loss of leaves. However, the loss of a few leaves is nothing to be concerned about.
- Make sure you have prepared a proper location inside. Plants don't like to be in cold or warm drafts, so keep them away from heating vents and doorways. If the area doesn't receive enough light, you might look into providing some form of artificial light. Plants that require a higher humidity can be placed on a saucer filled with gravel and some water. This will raise the humidity around the plant.
- Check the plants for diseases and hitchhikers. If insects or diseases are present, treat with an appropriate pesticide before you bring them inside. Also look for creatures like snails and slugs, lizards, frogs and roaches.
- Make sure you don't overwater your plants. They may have needed water once a day outside, but once a week should be sufficient inside. It is a good idea to feel the soil surface to see if it is dry.
Now sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labor. Your house plants should be happy inside until it is time for another "outdoor vacation" next spring.
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Christmas Gift and Accessories Don't forget to check out our wonderful assortment of Christmas ornaments, artificial trees and wreaths. Our Christmas ornaments have the gardener and nature lover in mind and our artificial wreaths are sure to give you that dependable Christmas look for many years to come.
Miller Hardware and Seasons Garden Center is also proud to offer the finest Chiminea and firepit selection around. Both come in different sizes, colors, and shapes.
Let us help you give that perfect gift that will give your family and friends years of enjoyment!
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December Plant of the Month |
Winter Daphne
"The Aristocrat of Fragrant Shrubs"
 At Seasons Garden Center, our staff is often asked what shrubs they can plant that have fragrant flowers. Gardenias are all too often the old standby. While gardenias are excellent plants with wonderfully fragrant blooms, there is another plant with even more fragrance and fewer insect problems. Enter Daphne odora, or as it is commonly called, 'Winter Daphne'.
Finicky, persnickety, difficult, magnificent, wonderful, irresistible-all of these qualities have been used to describe the Winter Daphne. A native to China, Winter Daphne has long been grown in southern gardens and often closely associated with camellias. Here is a quote from Michael Dirr, PhD, Department of Horticulture at the University of Georgia:
"Daphne odora is a compact, broadleaf evergreen shrub that offers early color and fragrance not available from any other plant. It is a great addition to the shade garden in zones 7-9 and can be used in the shrub border or planted singly or in small groupings. It can also be used in containers and placed near high traffic areas during peak bloom periods. No other plant offers such a wonderful fragrance from January through March. I have 20 Daphne odora in my own garden."
Excited yet? There are three things to remember when planting Winter Daphne: Well drained soil is a must, avoid the late, hot afternoon sun, and DO NOT overwater. With Winter Daphne it is best to err on the side of too dry rather than too wet. Follow these precautions and the seductive aroma of Winter Daphne in bloom will make all the effort worthwhile.
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 The days are shorter, the nights are longer. Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season is in full effect. For gardeners and nature lovers alike this is the season for camellias. Last month we talked about Camellia sasanqua; this month we will highlight its cousin the Camellia japonica.
Camellias, native to Asia, were introduced to the west in the 18th century and named for a Jesuit priest, Georg Josef Kamel. The Camellia japonica differs from its cousin the sasanqua because of its larger leaves and blooms. There are thousands of different varieties and cultivars of camellia japonica and their blooming time is much more extended than the sasanqua: from fall to spring depending on variety. Camellias are easily grown outdoors in our mild South Georgia climate. They can be transplanted in the ground or just as easily grown in containers. Camellia japonica needs light shade and well drained soil. Avoid planting camellias in poorly drained, wet soils as this is not acceptable for the plants root system. Amend your planting area with plenty of organic matter and pine bark mulch to ensure a healthy plant. Camellias do not need a lot of fertilizer but it is best to fertilize after the plant has flowered. For the best results, use the fertilizer by Fertilome for acid loving plants. Camellia japonicas are generally pest free but can be troubled by an insect commonly called scale. Use an oil based spray in the milder months or a systemic insecticide once a year.
At Seasons we are proud to offer Georgia grown Camellia japonicas. 'Touchdown' is an excellent cultivar with large, peony-like deep pink flowers in late fall and early winter. It has a large, bushy growth habit which makes for a grand statement in the landscape. 'Carter's Sunburst' is an upright grower with medium sized, pale pink blooms with darker colored veins. It is truly an eye-catching plant when in full bloom. A widely popular cultivar, 'Royal Velvet', has huge semi-double crimson colored flowers that burst on the scene in late winter. This cultivar is an old southern staple and will give you many years of enjoyment around the holidays. 'Dixie Knight Supreme' has white marked, dark red semi-double blooms. This is a perfect specimen plant to show off to your friends and neighbors. Season's is also proud to offer a Camellia hybrid 'Hulyn Smith', which was cultivated by Valdosta, Georgia's own Hulyn Smith. This hybrid has enormous, lush, soft pink blooms. On a side note, gently cut your blooms and place them in a water bowl to enjoy the blooms indoors or to decorate for parties!
Camellias are truly a part of our southern heritage and with the right location and requirements you too can enjoy their outstanding beauty and elegance. These plants are wonderful Christmas gifts for the gardener in the family as well. Come by Seasons and let us show you the aptly named "winter princess of the garden". |
 If your grandmother collected plants, more than likely she had at least one Christmas cactus. Since the plants are simple to grow and root easily, it was not uncommon for a single plant to be passed down from one generation to the next.
Christmas cactus has been a holiday tradition since the 1800's. Early in their cultivated history, breeders crossed Schlumbergera truncata with Schlumbergea russelliana to produce the many hybrids we see today. These flat stemmed cacti are members of the Zygo-cactus family and are native to Central and South America. Unlike the more familiar common desert cacti, these cacti are from the rain forest. Christmas cacti are epiphytes, which means they grow up in trees in a very similar environment as bromeliads and orchids.
While Christmas cacti are handsome plants in their own rights, the main reason they are grown is for their spectacular seasonal blooms. Here are a few tips for successfully growing your cactus and getting them to bloom next season:
- Use a fertile, well drained, peat based potting media. Remember, these plants naturally grow in decayed leaves in the crotch of tree limbs.
- Place the plant in bright indirect light. Exposure to direct sun can stunt the plant and burn the leaves.
- While they can tolerate a wide range of temperatures, they do best between 65 and 80 degrees.
- These cacti are not desert plants, so they require the same amount of water you give other houseplants. When the soil feels dry, it is time to water.
- Like orchids, these plants don't need a lot of fertilizer. Two or three applications a year with an all purpose liquid fertilizer (20-20-20) should be sufficient.
How to re-flower your Christmas cactus: (These cacti are thermo-photoperiodic plants; this means bud set is triggered by a combination of day length and temperature).
- In the fall, place your cactus in a spot where it will not receive artificial light during the night. The plant requires 12 to 14 hours of total darkness each day.
- The plant needs some chilling at about 50 to 60 degrees for a week or two to set buds.
- You will need to backoff on the watering and fertilizer during the fall. Stop all fertilizing by the end of October.
- After the blooming season, the cactus should be given a 30 day rest period. Place it in a cool location and limit the water. Don't be too concerned if you lose a few leaves or the plant begins to look weak during this period.
Now that you know all the secrets for successfully growing and getting your Christmas cactus to bloom, stop by Seasons Garden Center and let us help you start your own family tradition.
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Poinsettias at Seasons:
"A Color Explosion"
Red poinsettias at Christmas time; few plants go hand in hand with the Christmas holidays than this traditional plant. But wait; are you the type of person who needs a little more "excitement" or a change from the ordinary? Well not to worry! At Seasons Garden Center you can pick and choose from a color explosion of different varieties of poinsettia. Of course the tried and true crimson red and off white varieties are still offered, but here is a short list of some of the more exotic looks Seasons is proud to offer:
- Monet - this Blue Ribbon winner from the society of American Florist has multi-colored bracts of red, deep rose, and cream
- Marble - creamy white bracts with soft pink centers. Sure to brighten those holiday blues!
- Winter Rose - A fabulous selection with double blooming bracts that are similar to a rose bloom
- Jingle Bells - Red colored bracts splashed with pink and white shades. Sure to get you into the holiday spirit.
- Shimmer Surprise - Bold and innovative with bracts similar to Jingle Bells but with more pronounced white and pink splashes
Come by Seasons Garden Center and let us show you these novelty poinsettias and their explosion of colors!
(Note: Some varieties are limited in availability so don't miss out.)
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