Connecticut Garden Journal

Valentine's Day is almost upon us and the flower of this special day is roses. It's estimated 250 million roses are grown for Valentine's Day. While it's great to receive cut flower roses, perhaps getting the whole plant might be a better gift.

There may not be full-sized rose plants in garden centers yet, but there are miniature roses. Mini roses are regular rose plants, just bred to be smaller. They're easier to grow than hybrid roses and hardier because they're grown on their own rootstock.

Miniature roses grow best in full sun on well-drained, compost amended soil. Some don't actually stay very mini. Climbing varieties can reach 7-feet tall, but still have the small flowers. There are trailers that can ramble and then there are bush mini roses that stay around 1- to 2-feet tall.

When purchasing a mini rose at a florist or garden center, read the description to know what type of mini rose you're getting. 'Lemon Drop' is a nice, bush yellow variety. 'Sugar Plum' reaches 18- inches tall with lavender colored flower and a sweet fragrance. 'Hot N Sassy' has dazzling red flowers with a yellow center, growing up to 3- feet tall.

Once you have purchased your miniature rose plant for your sweetie, keep it in full sun indoors until spring. Don't overwater. Come spring, find a full sun location to plant the rose in your garden or in a container. Remember the ultimate size is small, so plant it with other low growing flowers.

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Winter is a good time of year to plan some new gardens. One area that always puzzles gardeners is shade. Finding the right perennial flowers to grow in the shade can be challenging. That's mostly because all shade isn't created equal.

The first step is to determine the type of shade you have. Part shade means that at some point there is sun on that area during the day. It could be a few hours in the morning or afternoon. Dappled shade usually refers to light filtered through tree leaves so the light is dappled on the flowers beneath. Deep shade is where no direct light reaches. This is often under an evergreen tree or on the north side of a house. Of course, there are varying degrees to all these designations. We had a house where the north side didn't receive any direct light. But there was enough indirect light and open space around it that we still grew ferns and hostas.

Another factor is moisture. If the area has sandy or rocky soil, you should select plants good for dry shade. These include euphorbia, brunnera, lamium, hardy geranium and epimedium. These will thrive under the dry conditions. If your area has wet soils, choose plants that are adapted such as Soloman's seal, ferns, astilbe, cardinal flower and great blue lobelia.

Don't grow perennial flowers under a low hanging, evergreen tree such as spruce. For limbed up, large deciduous trees, such as oaks, plant away from the trunk so the flowers have fewer large roots to compete with and more light to grow.

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When I talk about begonias, most gardeners think of the wax begonias, ubiquitous in garden centers in spring. These are great bedding plants for shady spots in our yard. They're good in the ground and in containers.

But there are many other begonias and can be great houseplants. These also flower, but some of the best houseplant types have attractive and interesting leaves.

Angel wings begonias get their common name from the shape of their leaves. This is a cane stemmed begonia, meaning that it can grow large outdoors in a warm, humid area. As a houseplant, the stems are easily pruned and the plant kept in bounds. The leaves can often have silver markings and the plant produces beautifully contrasting, colorful red, pink or white flowers.

Another indoor begonia that I love are the Rex begonias. These plants are grown mostly for the unique foliage. Some have red or pink variegated leaves with serrated edges. Others have green leaves that swirl on top of themselves giving the impression of a spiral of foliage. The plant stays a manageable 1 foot tall, can be pruned, but doesn't have impressive flowers.

Grow these indoor begonias in a room with bright, indirect light. Keep the soil moist, but well drained. Too much water can cause the stems to rot. They like 70°F temperatures during the day with cooler nights. In winter it's important they have humidity. Place a humidifier in the room or place the plants on a pebble tray filled to the top of the pebbles with water. Don't mist the leaves or they may rot.

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This time of year I start getting itchy to plant something. It's too early to repot houseplants and certainly too early to start seeds, like tomatoes, indoors. But there are some veggies that can be started this early.

Onions are a lot easier to grow from seed than you think. I started growing onions from seed indoors under grow lights a number of years ago because I noticed my local garden center only had a few varieties to buy. By growing your own transplants from seed you can explore odd-shaped Italian heirlooms, giant, sweet onions and onions good for pickling.

I love growing red onions. Newer varieties are sweeter than white or yellow onions and some, such as 'Redwing', last long in storage. We're still eating red onion bulbs I harvested last summer! If you're looking for a conversation piece in an onion, try 'Kelsae Giant'. This northern onion can grow to 15 pounds and still retain its sweetness.

Bunching onions, where you eat the tops and all, are a great way to get an early crop of onions in our area. They come with white or red coloring and you can even grow some in a sunny window for an early spring, indoor harvest. 'Pearl' is a small, white, pickling onion variety that produces quickly from a spring planting.

When purchasing onion seed look for long or day neutral varieties. These are best adapted to our climate. Start seeds indoors under grow lights 2- to 3-months before planting in the garden. Trim the tops, if they get leggy. Don't worry about overcrowding because onions transplant well even with small roots.

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Indoor succulent houseplants are very popular. You see them arranged in small pots as centerpieces or growing by themselves in shallow bowls. They're easy houseplants because most are slow growing, shallow rooted and don't require regular watering. But they do need a brightly lit room.

Probably the two most popular succulents are aloe and jade. Aloe vera is a well-known succulent for the skin soothing gel that's inside the leaves. We like having one around for those occasional burns I get while cooking. Aloe vera can grow fast into a large plant that will flop over. That's why we've moved onto other species of Aloe that stay smaller in the pot such as Aloe saponaria.

Jade is a popular houseplant and well-known succulent. The fleshy leaves and stems are good clues to not water this baby too much. Jade is a slow growing succulent but can live for decades. My sister-in-law had one that was over 30 years old and it looked like a tree! They're easy to propagate by taking a short cutting, letting it callous over for 5 days, dipping it in rooting hormone powder and growing it in a small pot.

Some easy to grow succulents are truly unique. My non-gardener brother had an African Milk Tree given to him. This euphorbia family plant grows straight up 6- to 8-feet tall with thorns. In Africa it's used as a living animal fence and hedge. But when you prune it, arms form along the trunk giving it a saguaro look. My brother barely cared for this plant in his dimly lit home and it still thrived.

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New Years is usually a time I reserve for leafing through the stacks of seed catalogs I have been receiving since November. I'm always looking for some unusual or improved vegetable varieties to grow. Being in the horticultural media, I often receive trial samples of plants from growers to try out. Last year we got a few winners that I really liked in the garden.

If you're a small space gardener and you're trying to pack in as many plants as you can on a deck, patio or balcony, try 'Bauer' lettuce. This All America Selections (AAS) winner is an oak leaf type lettuce that's packed with leaves and it only grows 8 inches wide. It's perfect for containers, hanging baskets and railing planters. If you like hot peppers, but never seem to have the room, try another AAS winner, 'Pot-a-Peno' jalapeno pepper. We trialed this one last year and every time I passed it, it was setting more fruit. It consistently gave us just enough fruit to spice up a pizza. Another trial variety was a unique basil. 'Everleaf Thai Towers' grows 2- to 3-feet tall, but only 1 foot wide. It's an attractive plant in our herb/flower garden and produces an abundance of leaves. Although smaller than traditional Genovese basil leaves, this Thai basil has that strong anise taste. Plus, it was slow to flower.

We like growing a variety of different colored eggplant. That's why I like 'Icicle' eggplant. These thin, long fruits are produced in abundance on sturdy plants. I love white eggplant for the mild textured skin and versatile uses in the kitchen.

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The holidays are still upon us and you might be thinking of a nice garden gift to give someone when you get together. Instead of the traditional cut flowers, consider a moth orchid.

Moth orchids or Phalenopsis, are one the easiest orchids to grow indoors. There are hundreds of varieties that grace garden centers, home centers, florists and grocery stores. Once in flower, as long as you do some basic care, the flower stalks can be in bloom for months, far surpassing the life of a cut flower.

You can help your flower gift recipient with a few tips on growing moth orchids. They like a bright room, out of direct sun with temperatures around 70 degrees F. They already are potted in an orchid mix, but if you repot them make sure you use a bark based mix. It's similar to how they grow in the wilds of Asia, where they're native, clinging to the bark on trees.

Keep the mix slightly moist in winter. Overwatering leads to flowers prematurely dropping. Add water only when the exposed roots turn silvery white. Use a pot with good water drainage holes. Moth orchids don't do well in standing water. Fertilize with a weak solution of liquid fertilizer once a month in winter and once a week in spring and summer.

After flowering, some gardeners give up on their moth orchids and compost it. But they're easy to keep blooming. Let the orchid rest until fall, then move it into a cool room that has a 15 degree difference in night and day temperatures. That will stimulate more flower stalks to grow.

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It happens every year. You invite friends and family over for the holidays and invariably, someone brings you a holiday plant as a gift. Now, you may know what to do with poinsettias, holiday cactus and amaryllis, but what about those unusual plants that are sometimes given? Let me walk you through their care.

Florists and garden centers are stocking more unusual holiday plants. Some are actually plants you can keep and plant outdoors in spring while others are more finicky. Florist azaleas and hydrangeas are forced into bloom this time of year and look stunning on a holiday table. But these varieties often are meant for warmer climates, so they will have to remain as houseplants or composted after the holiday. You can move them outdoors in summer and then back indoors in fall. They may even flower again in late winter.

You'll have better luck with hellebores, lemon cypress and rosemary. We all know hellebores and growers are now forcing some early blooming varieties for the holidays. Once finished flowering, simply grow it as a houseplant until it's warm enough to plant outside. The same is true of lemon cypress. This small evergreen has chartreuse colored foliage with a lemon scent when rubbed. It's hardy to zone 7, so will survive in warmer parts of the state, growing 10 feet tall and a few feet wide. Rosemary is a popular potted plant. Keep yours in a sunny window, adding water only as needed. Place it where air circulates well, but is out of cold drafts. Harvest shoots for cooking. Once warm outdoors, move it to a sunny, location.

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Hopefully you've been able to purchase a live holiday tree this year. Many know of national Christmas tree shortages due to supply chain issues. But there are also local growers who still have trees, so check around. You can also use a balled and burlap tree that's planted after the holiday.

Once you have your live holiday tree home, caring for it makes a difference. The first step is to recut the base of the tree and place it in warm water in a garage or shed. This will help hydrate the needles. Then move it indoors and keep the water basin filled. The tree will suck up lots of water the first few days so check the level daily. Cover the water with plastic so pets don't drink from it.

If you're decorating a rooted tree that will be planted later, dig the hole now before the ground freezes and keep the plant in a cool garage or shed until one week before the holiday. Then move it indoors into a large basin and keep the ball moist. A cool room is best so the tree doesn't come out of dormancy with the warm indoor temperatures. My brother used to place his tree in an unheated sunroom, where it stayed cool, but you could see the tree through glass doors. As soon as the holiday is over, move the tree back into a cool garage or shed for a week, then plant outdoors. Consider protecting the foliage by driving four stakes around the tree and wrapping burlap around the stakes to block the cold winds.

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We're right in the thick decorating and gift wrapping for the holidays. Many love to grow holiday plants to brighten the season. The most common are amaryllis, poinsettia and Christmas cactus. But if you're looking for a different holiday plant to add color and cheer to your holiday table, I have a few ideas.

Kalanchoe is a houseplant that packs a big flower punch with clusters of bright yellow, orange, white or red flowers. Like poinsettias, professional growers force this plant into bloom for the holidays by exposing it to dark conditions a few months ago. We should enjoy their work. Kalanchoe has succulent leaves and usually the plants are small, so they make a great table centerpiece paired with other succulents such as echeveria and sedum. Use a little moss and a few sprigs of dried flowers for an added touch. You can continue to grow kalanchoe after the holidays by placing it in a sunny window and keeping it away from cold drafts. It should continue flowering into summer.

Cyclamen is a common houseplant and outdoor plant depending on the species. This is another plant you'll see adorning garden centers around the holidays. The bright white, red or pink flowers rise above beautiful green and silver leaves making this another good choice for a table. I can almost see a few tiny gnomes hiding under the foliage. As a houseplant it grows best in humid and bright light conditions. Water it infrequently, but thoroughly. Cut back the whole plant if it looks ratty or has spider mites. It will regrow from tiny tubers in the soil.

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