It’s the time of year when you may hear the pitter patter of small creatures about your house. If it were just the kids! Nope, it’s mice seeking shelter in your cozy home! Oh I have trivia for the dinner table on the number of litters a mouse can have and how quickly that adds up. Plus some stats on their athletic abilities!

For those who have smaller homes or just don’t want the fuss of a big Christmas tree, check out the Norfolk Pine. This houseplant, that’s in many nurseries right now, is not a pine at all! Learn more about this wonderful plant and why you shouldn't toss it out after the holidays.

The local nurseries are filled with Fraser Firs, Balsams, Pine and Spruce.  You learned all about the different types last Friday when we talked about tree selection. Today is all about caring for your tree, even before you get it in the house! Once inside, what do you need to do? Where should you NOT put it?

Selecting a fresh cut Christmas tree takes a bit of knowledge and some thought. Find out the do's and don'ts of choosing your tree on today's Garden Bite. Be sure to check out my website too and see the options along with more information. I'll share what to do before you get them in the door and how to care for them next week! 

Happy Thanksgiving from Garden Bite. Today is about being grateful and sharing our bounty! And what I bring to the Thanksgiving table! ;-) 

Every year plant breeders introduce new cultivars! I share some of those new perennials with you today. There's a hibiscus you've GOT to see on my website gardenbite.com. Oh and so much more!

I was recently reading an article regarding the "worst trees" and took issue with a few of their choices! Find out which ones they didn't like and why I think they're beautiful choices! Perhaps in spite of their "issues"...

Ugh, ants. They really invaded my perennial bed this year. Today's episode is all about how to control them so they don't lift your plants right out of the ground! 

It's the season when we decorate... for decades that has meant using Oriental Bittersweet. This is one obnoxious invasive. It is shocking to see what this vine is capable of. Please go to gardenbite.com to see the destruction of the "holiday tradition". We have our own American Bittersweet which is beautiful and a native plant! Therefore it plays well with others. Listen to the podcast and then take a peek on my website!

I love creating my festive containers! I normally go to my local nursery and buy the “ingredients”, spruce tops, cedar branches and various other evergreens and fresh accents. This year was a bit different for me due to scheduled surgery. No worries, I'll be at full force in a few months. That said, I share some "starter" containers and what I did last year. Go to my website to see those creations and the numerous options for natural elements and more!