For many, this winter has been characterized by abnormally mild temperatures punctuated by sudden and sometimes severe cold spells. These swings in temperature can be rough on plants. This is especially true when there is no snow cover. (Snow serves as a blanket to keep plants in the consistently cool and dark conditions that encourage and perpetuate dormancy.) Warm days when there is little to no snow may cause the ground to thaw. The sun’s rays and warming soil signal to plants that spring has arrived, even if the calendar says otherwise. Early flowering plants such as Hellebores, Snowdrops (Galanthus), Crocuses, Daffodils, and Tulips may begin poking up their heads and producing leaves and buds way ahead of schedule. What to do? Here at the farm, our garden staff tends to allow Nature to take its course, but here is some advice from our gardening experts:
Hellebores, which are generally the first perennials to flower as spring begins to stir, can handle some fluctuations in temperature, especially if you leave their winter-burned foliage in place to serve as a jacket. (Prune away the brown foliage after bunches of buds appear and spring temperatures begin to assert themselves.)
Daffodils are tough early bloomers. Foliage that emerges too soon may get frostbit at the tips but the plants will generally rally and produce their flowers on cue as spring arrives.
Several years ago, our Tulip trial garden endured a polar vortex plunge. The plants, many of them already in bud, wilted and sagged terribly in the cold and some stems and leaves developed a desperate watery look, but because the extreme cold was of relatively short duration (less than 24 hours), the plants made it through and were that much more beautiful when they blossomed.
For particularly exposed or vulnerable plants (or if you feel you must do something), consider covering them with a layer of Oak leaves and/or Pine boughs. Both serve to trap in some of the cold, which keeps plants dormant until spring. At that point, remove the leaves or boughs and enjoy your blossoms.
Some gardeners recommend mulching plants in advance of a temperature plunge to provide protection, but beware: Mulch is as good at trapping in heat as it is protecting from the cold. If you mulch after unseasonably warm days, your plants may continue to grow in what they perceive to be cozy conditions.
For larger specimens, such as early flowering shrubs and fruit trees whose buds have begun to swell, burlapor oldbedsheets may be gently tossed over them to get them through a sudden cold snap, but beware of doing this in high winds, which could result in breakage.
Do not touch plants that have been subject to extreme cold. The frozen tissue of leaves and stems is especially vulnerable to damage. Keep your hands away and hope the plants recover naturally as temperatures rise.
Sweet Peas (properly called Lathyrus odoratus) are one of the great plants for cutting, and they provide irresistible colors and fragrance for spring and early summer bouquets. The delicate flowers are available in a wide range of rich colors, and they scent the air with grapelike perfume. To help those who have never grown Sweet Peas in a garden or a container pot, we asked our nursery manager, Barb Pierson, to offer a bit of advice. Her tips will help any novice or green thumb enjoy a bountiful crop of these beautiful flowers.
Why do people grow Sweet Peas?
Sweet Peas are grown for their beautiful ruffled flowers in shades of pastels, blues, and bi-colors. Many varieties are fragrant making them a desirable cut flower. Sweet Peas have a long history of cultivation and breeding for both the home gardener and the florist trade.
Sweet Pea ‘Zinfandel’
How do I go about growing Sweet Peas?
Sweet Peas can be grown from seed and sown directly in the ground after a seed treatment or, more easily, from a started plant. Here at White Flower Farm, we sow 3 seeds per pot to produce 3 growing Sweet Pea vines.
Where do I plant them and when?
Sweet Peas enjoy full sun in the northern half of the US. In the South, they can benefit from afternoon shade. They like cool roots and cool temperatures so they are planted as early as possible in the spring. A light frost will not harm newly planted seedlings. In very warm areas, they can be planted in the fall and grown through the winter and early spring. For best results, add compost to the soil and check that the area is well drained. Raised beds can be a good way to grow Sweet Peas.
Sweet Pea ‘Cherie Amour’
Do they need any special care while they are growing?
Because Sweet Peas are vining, they need support to grow up and flower. Many types of structures can work such as a trellis, supports with mesh or twine, or fences. They need a structure that is well anchored in the ground to support the weight of the vines. The plants will form tendrils that wrap around the support you provide.
They like a nutrient-rich soil so adding compost at the time of planting is recommended, and mulching Sweet Peas will keep the roots cool and retain moisture while growing.
Once the plants have grown to about 6” in height, it helps to pinch the growing tips by 1”, which will help the plants branch out and produce more flowering stems.
Sweet Pea ‘Cupani’s Original’
What are the most common mistakes that people make with Sweet Peas?
Waiting until mid-summer to plant them – they don’t like the heat and won’t produce flowers as readily
Not providing support at the time of planting. It is difficult to add your trellis or support after the plants have started growing
Poor soil without adding compost or fertilizer will result in weak plants and fewer flowers
Planting Sweet Peas too close together without thinning them can create an environment for powdery mildew and crowding, which reduces flower count
Do Sweet Peas produce pods that you can eat like the ones you find in the grocery store?
Although the seed pods look like Snap Pea pods, they are not edible. You can save the pods and seeds to produce plants for the following year. Keep in mind that the seeds may not produce plants that are the same color as the parent plant.
Will the plants come back again next year?
In most climates, the plants are not hardy through the winter. Even in warm climates, they are re-planted with fresh seed and plants to produce the most flowers and have vigorous growth.
When do they bloom? Are there tips for getting extra blossoms?
Sweet Peas will start blooming approximately 4 -6 weeks after visible vining. Timing of bloom will depend on whether the plants have been pinched back. Pinching may slow growth somewhat, but it will produce bushy plants with more flowers. Sweet Peas will grow and flower faster as the days get longer in spring and early summer. Using compost or dried aged manure will help provide nutrients to produce large abundant flowers. A fertilizer with higher phosphorus than nitrogen can boost flower production as well.
Sweet Pea ‘Cherie Amour’
What is the process for cutting the blooms?
Cut the blooms in the morning before the sun has had time to dehydrate them. Choose freshly opened flowers on the longest stems for your vase. Do not cut the main stem of the plant, just the side flowering stems.
Why should I get my Sweet Peas from White Flower Farm?
Our plants are produced in our greenhouses in spring and are shipped to you at the proper time for planting in your area; no seed treatment or waiting for germination required. We ship our Sweet Peas in 4” pots – each containing 3 fully rooted seedlings – and they arrive ready to go into the ground. This saves you the time and trouble it takes to grow Sweet Peas from seed. Buying and planting our Sweet Pea seedlings is the quickest way to enjoy these fragrant flowers outdoors and in vases in your home.
Are you looking to stretch this year’s holiday budget while still giving top quality presents that will delight your recipients? Scroll below for a handful of shopping tips from the elves at White Flower Farm:
Mini Flowering Plants
Our mini flowering houseplants, which come in sets of four (starting at $65), can be divvied up to make four individual gifts. Pictured above are our Mini Orchids in white ceramic cachepots. For more mini plant options, click here for Mini Red Cyclamen in ceramic cachepots, and here for Mini White Cyclamen in glass cachepots.
Bareroot Amaryllis Bulbs
Our premium, large grade, bareroot Amaryllis bulbs start at an affordable $23 per bulb. Wrap up a bareroot bulb and give it along with a printout of our potting tips, or go the DIY route, and pot up a few bulbs yourself to give as gifts. Click here to find a wide variety of Amaryllis varieties, all available as bareroot bulbs.
For an easy guide to potting a bareroot Amaryllis bulb or growing it on pebbles, click here.
Bareroot Paperwhite Bulbs
Buy any single bag of 12 premium bareroot Paperwhite bulbs (starting at $35). Divvy them up and give the bare bulbs as is or do a little DIY project and set a few bulbs atop pebbles in a hurricane vase or in several smaller glasses or bowls to multiply the number of gifts. Tie a ribbon around the vessels, and you have several great presents that will flower and bring fragrance to any indoor space (and smiles to the faces of your recipients).
For bareroot Paperwhite ‘Ariel’ bulbs, click here.
For bareroot Paperwhite ‘Wintersun’ bulbs, click here.
Tabletop Evergreen Quintet
Our Tabletop Evergreen Quintet ($115) includes five different mini plants along with five canvas boxes. The quintet can be divided up to make five individual gifts, each charming, lasting, and easy-care. Click here for the quintet.
Lavender Sachets by the Yard
Our popular, fragrant Lavender Sachets by the Yard ($32) arrive as a single segmented yard of eight fragrant Lavender sachets stitched inside lilac-colored organza fabric. Simply cut apart the segments to create eight great individual gifts or stocking stuffers.
Gifts Priced To Include Standard Shipping
A number of gifts we offer are priced to include standard shipping. From lovely pre-potted bulb gardens to favorite gardening gloves and boots to stylish botanically-themed scarves and our charming new Flower Garden Tea Towel Calendar. All of these gifts make budgeting easier because the shipping charges are already included in the price. For more gifts priced with shipping included, click here.
3-Gift Offers That Include Standard Shipping
Our 3-gift offers are among our bestselling items year after year, mainly because they provide a great value. For starters, choose what type of gift you wish to send: Amaryllis (red, white, pink, or bicolor); pre-potted Bulb Collections; or Citrus Samplers. We’ll send three gifts of your choosing, one to each of three addresses, at a price that includes standard shipping. For all of our 3-gift offers with shipping included, click here.
A White Flower Farm Gift Certificate
A White Flower Farm Gift Certificate never expires, and it invites recipients to choose whatever they might like from our wide array of garden plants, indoor plants, tools and gear, fresh-cut flower bouquets, seasonal decorations, botanically inspired home and garden accents, and more. Our gift certificates start at $25. Those valued at $50 or more receive a 10% discount. We send your recipient a gift certificate along with a copy of our latest catalog. Click here to order.
On behalf of the staff at White Flower Farm, we hope your holiday season is merry and bright!
Here at the farm, we’re in the midst of planting a whole lot of Tulip bulbs for next spring’s displays. If you’ve ever found yourself a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number and variety of Tulips available for planting, we thought a few suggestions might help. We polled about a dozen members of our staff and asked them each to select a favorite. In our humble estimation, their choices could not be better. If you’re looking for a great Tulip or a selection of different ones to add to the spring show in your garden, you would be hard pressed to find better varieties than those highlighted here. You may rely on any of them to bring beauty, color, and joy to your spring garden. (If you wish to also enjoy your Tulips in vases indoors, make sure to plant extra for cutting.)
Tulip ‘Apricot Foxx’
“Tender tones of apricot, raspberry, and honey comingle in the blossoms of Tulip ‘Apricot Foxx.’ You can pair this beauty with almost any other spring bloomer, and it flatters every companion.”
– Mary A., Product Information Manager
Tulip ‘Purissima Blonde’
“The variegated foliage stands out in the spring garden. The white blooms and colorful foliage pair well with yellow and white Daffodils. They bloom together in our area. They tend to be more perennial than other Tulips. For great companions try Daffodils ‘Merel’s Favourite’ and ‘Lemon Sailboat.’”
– Cheryl D., Nursery Inventory and Merchandise Manager
Tulip ‘Blue Diamond’
“I’ve planted ‘Blue Diamond’ Tulips the last few years and they never fail to elicit excited comments when their double purple flowers are in full bloom. They add a touch of surprise to the garden and mix wonderfully with other pink or white Tulips.”
– Tom B., Store Manager
Tulip ‘Prinses Irene’
“Each of these beautiful blossoms is like a painting, the warm orange petals variously flamed and feathered in purple. For an added surprise, the flowers are fragrant. They are stunning on their own or planted amid a sea of Muscari armeniacum and/or Anemone blanda ‘Blue Shades.’”
– Deb H., Senior Copywriter
Tulip bakeri ‘Lilac Wonder’
“Small and quite delicate looking but solidly perennial for me – approaching the 10-year mark and still going strong.”
– Eliot A. W., Owner, White Flower Farm
Tulip ‘Big Love’
“Tulip ‘Big Love’ is my favorite. It has elegant big blossoms with an exceptional coloration of deep reddish purple with white hearts. It brings back such wonderful memories of my Nonni’s Tulip garden!”
– Michelle T., Customer Service Manager
Tulip ‘Finola’
“I love the play of pink, white, and pale green on each flower of Tulip ‘Finola,’ and those double blooms are so packed with petals!”
– Liz Z., Director of e-Commerce
Tulip ‘Elsenburg’
“I love Parrot Tulip ‘Elsenburg’ because people can’t believe that, yes, that is a Tulip.”
– Pam W., Customer Support Representative
Tulip ‘Orca’
“Striking double orange blossoms are sturdy in spring rains and very long lasting. Blends well with deep purple Tulips as well as yellow. Pink, too, if you’re looking for something bright and cheerful. Also beautiful when forced for early spring containers. A favorite of mine since discovering it a few years ago.”
– Lorraine C., President, White Flower Farm
Turkish Tapestry – Species Tulip Mix
“I love the way Species Tulips retain their wild nature, opening with the sun and closing again when a cloud passes, often with different coloration inside – very entertaining. Refined linear foliage dries up and disappears without a fuss after blooms have faded, and plants often increase over the years.”
– Karen B., Senior Horticultural Advisor
Tulip ‘Pink Impression’
“One of my favorites is Tulip ‘Pink Impression.’ This large Darwin is the classic lipstick pink, tall and gorgeous. It is perfect mixed with spring-flowering perennials and groundcovers.”
Foundation plants – the shrubs and other plants that are positioned in front of a house – do more than add color and seasonal interest to the exterior of a home. Chosen well, they:
Serve as an expression of a homeowner’s style
Enhance or mirror the architectural style of the house
Give a residence a settled, finished look
Increase the value of a property while upgrading the look of the neighborhood
Stand at a distance from your front door and survey the foundation plants that surround your entrance. Do they enhance the style of your home? Do they incorporate a mix of colors and textures? Do the plants offer interest in all seasons? Are they sized properly for the space? Jot a few notes and consider whether it’s time for a bit of rejuvenation or perhaps a total redo.
Hydrangea Endless Summer® accentuates the cottage style of this shingled house while adding fabulous color and nicely proportioned blossoms from midsummer to fall.
When choosing foundation plants for your house, it’s important to consider the following:
Exposure: Be aware of how much sun or shade you have in front of your home and choose plants that will thrive in those conditions.
A grouping of Hostas and Ferns adds quiet, lush beauty to a shady corner of a foundation.
Style: Is your home formal in design or more casual? Is it a period dwelling or newer build? Consider choosing plants that reflect and enhance the architectural style of your house. A seaside bungalow would look great surrounded by Hydrangeas, Ornamental Grasses, and Shrub Roses. A Colonial of any vintage might best be enhanced by evergreens and more formal plantings. A contemporary ranch might look just right with a cushion of cloud-pruned evergreens and Japanese Maples softening its edges.
Lonicera (Honeysuckle) ‘Major Wheeler’ softens the lines of a garage and adds bright color that will attract hummingbirds to the tubular blooms.
Maximize Your Views: As you consider various plants, keep in mind the style of your home’s interior design and remember that the exterior serves as a prelude to what happens indoors. If the windows of your home look out on some of the plantings, choose and site plants that enhance these views. Frame an ornamental tree or shrub in a window. Choose some fragrant shrubs for spots beneath windows that are likely to be open in fair weather. Also be careful not to choose plantings that will block a view. Instead, make the most of sight lines and choose plant sizes, colors, and styles accordingly.
Mature Size: When selecting any plant for the front of your home, keep in mind its eventual mature size. The 1-gallon shrub you plant today may reach 8’ tall in a few years. Choose and site your plants accordingly so they have adequate space to grow and so the mature plant will fit the space.
Seasonal Interest: The best foundation plantings provide interest in all four seasons. Consider mixing plant types to create a succession of “moments.” Evergreens can be used to provide year-round color and form. They also serve as a handsome backdrop for a show of spring-flowering bulbs. Spring- and summer-flowering shrubs take their turns adding attractions around your front door. End the season with perennials and shrubs that provide dramatic autumn blossoms or leaf color. In this way, your foundation plantings are never static. They change with the seasons just as you might change a wreath on the front door or the decorations in your yard.
Color: Choose a color palette that plays well with your house. You might opt for a complementary color scheme or a contrasting one. Remember that simpler can be better. Limit the number of colors you incorporate into your landscape and repeat them in different forms and sizes. Limiting the number of colors helps produce a unified, curated look.
Hydrangea ‘Annabelle’ anchors a display of Impatiens and Hosta. The limited color palette of whites and pinks enhances the gray and white colors of the house.
Textures & Forms: Choose specimens that offer a variety of textures (fine, feathery, grassy, broad-leaf) and silhouettes (mounds, pyramids, pillars).
Layers: The most successful foundation plantings create layers of interest by incorporating plants of various heights. Small ornamental trees or upright evergreens can be used as the largest elements. Mid-size shrubs fill in the mid-range. And perennials in a broad array of sizes and forms – from tall grasses to low-growing ground covers – can all be interwoven to complete the picture and fill in gaps.
Whichever plants you choose for your home, they are sure to add beauty and curb appeal to your property. Nothing says ‘welcome’ quite like an inviting entrance.
I write to apologize for what has become, for many, an unusual and uncomfortably long wait for order delivery. To the extent that any of you, our valued customers, have been disappointed or discouraged by our performance this spring, I sincerely apologize. These are not ordinary times. As the season has progressed, we have attempted to be forthright about our fulfillment capability, and we hope you can bear with us just a little bit longer. Please be assured that our team is working around the clock to address questions and concerns as they arise and to get orders out the door as expeditiously as possible. In the meantime, I can offer an update and some information that may be helpful.
When can I expect delivery of my existing order and/or newly placed order?
Our staff is now focused exclusively on fulfillment, and we anticipate that ALL existing orders will be shipped by the first week of June at the latest. Please keep in mind that our practice has always been to ship tender plants including annuals and vegetables to the warmest hardiness zones first. That means customers in southern-most states receive their plants ahead of those in cooler climates. Shipment of tender plants to customers in New England and other cooler parts of the country will follow. This year, owing to spring’s unusually cold temperatures in the northeast and some other parts of the country, shipping would have been delayed regardless. Plants are sent only when we believe they can travel safely and arrive in the condition consistent with our standards. Again, we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience these delays may be causing.
No More Plant Orders for Spring
Due to this spring’s unprecedented sell-outs and a sustained, high volume of orders, we have, as of May 12, 2020, stopped accepting new orders for all plants that are shipped in spring. This suspension will alleviate the pressure on our shipping line, providing our staff with a much-needed opportunity to catch up on existing orders. Please note that orders for items including tools, supplies, cut flowers, Orchids, and decorative accessories continue to be accepted at this time. Bulbs, perennials, shrubs and vines may be reserved now for autumn. They will be shipped at the proper time for fall planting in your area.
Store Events & Display Gardens
The White Flower Farm Store and display gardens remain closed to the public. All events through June have been cancelled. If it is possible to open the store and gardens sometime later this season, and to do so safely, we will be overjoyed to welcome you. In the meantime, we are offering a curbside pickup program that features a specific list of plants, you’ll find the details here.
How To Contact Customer Service
Our customer service team continues to work from home and is therefore not available by phone; please email [email protected] with any specific inquiries or concerns – response time is, at the moment, about 24 hours.
We thank you for your forbearance and for the patience and understanding this strange season has asked of all of us.
In March, when the White Flower Farm display gardens are just waking from their winter sleep, the staff’s work detail is mostly about clearing away debris and making plans. But there is at least one notable exception: The Hellebores are showing plump buds that are ready to pop.
Hellebore buds popping up in the late winter garden.
In cold climates like ours, these rugged, beautiful perennials are one of the earliest signs of spring. Their habit of flowering in late February and March, during the season of Lent, and the Rose-like form of their blossoms, are why they are often called Lenten Roses. Gardeners prize these plants for their flowers and their foliage, and for a robust, cold-hardy disposition that makes them fuss-free, long-lived additions to any shade garden.
One of Spring’s Earliest Bloomers
Winter might not be fully over when Hellebores stoically send up their buds. Unlike other early performers that might get nicked by frosts, Hellebores are just fine in cooler temperatures. Plant them wherever you need a cheering early spring display.
The single, highly ornate flowers of Hellebore Honeymoon® ‘Rio Carnival’ can wake a garden from its winter slumber.
Hellebores come in a disarming array of colors – from pearly white and cream to butter yellow, rose, burgundy and almost black, with blossom forms ranging from single to doubles, all accented by a center of yellow stamens. Single Hellebore flowers are intriguingly complex in their anatomy but always large enough to notice from a distance. Showy doubles offer layers of petals. Many Hellebore blooms feature design details. There are freckles. There are hems and bands of contrasting colors. Breeders are developing varieties that have upward-facing flowers, which some regard as an improvement on the nodding or partially hidden blossoms that are characteristic of most earlier and classic cultivars.
The golden blossoms and buds of Hellebore Honeymoon® ‘California Dreaming’ bring the glow of sunshine to the late winter and spring garden.
The appeal of Hellebores lasts far beyond early spring. The flowers don’t fizzle when warmer weather arrives. The colorful blooms remain over an impressively long period. Months go by, and even as the flowers fade, they remain beautiful. Some would say they get better as time passes and the colors deepen or blanch.
The various colors and forms of Hellebores can be combined with splendid results. The Hellebore Honeymoon® Mix blends tones from ivory and pink to deepest red and near-black.
Ornamental Foliage for All Seasons
While Hellebore flowers often get the most attention, the glossy dark green, palmate foliage is of equal value in any shade garden. In many climates, the leaves are evergreen unless covered by snow. (In winters that are cold but not particularly snowy, Hellebore foliage may get scorched or tattered, but affected leaves can be pruned away, and as spring comes, the plants send up plenty more.)
The dark green, palmate foliage of a Hellebore, lower right, keeps its great looks all season. Here, it’s grouped with Hosta ‘June,’ left, and the golden, variegated blades of Hakonechloa (Japanese forest grass) ‘Aureola,’ top.
In an additional boon for gardeners, the leathery, serrated leaves are unappetizing to deer and voles (as well as other pests), which give Hellebores a wide berth.
It should be noted that Hellebore leaves, stems and roots are toxic and can cause a dermatological reaction in some people so we recommend wearing gloves and long sleeves when handling or cutting them. (Additionally, no parts of the plant should be eaten by humans.)
Hellebore Wedding Party® ‘Shotgun Wedding’ is a spectacular double with beautiful design detail on the multi-layered petals.
Caring for Hellebores
Hellebores prefer dappled shade and a compost-rich, well-drained soil. Under these conditions, they are trouble-free, but patience is imperative. These are not fast-paced perennials. Hellebores slowly but reliably gain size and bud count every year. When planting them, remember to give them sufficient space to expand. The winning formula is dappled shade and generous spacing.
In circumstances when Hellebore foliage gets beaten down by snow or tattered by the cold, some gardeners question whether to snip the foliage in autumn or wait until spring. In colder climates, you might as well snip it off in autumn and let the buds swell leafless. In warmer parts of the country, Hellebores may remain evergreen without suffering any damage. In that case, prune off leaves in late winter before the buds swell to make room for new growth. New leaves initiate rapidly no matter which way you play it.
Dividing Hellebores is not recommended. Although these plants may be slow to settle in, once they do, they rarely need division and may resent it.
Hellebore Honeymoon® ‘Paris in Pink’ pots up beautifully in a container.
Garden & Landscape Uses
Hellebores are at their best when planted in groups. Mass them in woodland areas where they will naturalize, or plant in 3’s and 5’s under trees and shrubs, along a pathway, or at the edge of a shady border. Create a dynamic display of contrasting colors, forms and blossom times by planting Hellebores with companionable shade-dwellers including Hostas, Astilbes, Hakonechloa (Japanese Forest Grass), Ferns, Heucheras, and Tiarella.
Hellebores also perform well in containers, and they make an impressive window box display with lasting appeal. Due to their thick, plentiful roots, you’ll want to afford them sufficient space for root growth and provide regular water. If winter seems too long, consider hosting a Hellebore or two indoors during the coldest months. On a windowsill, these beautiful plants blossom in the dead of winter. You’ll have flowers to carry you through the dullest days.
Sharing your home and office with indoor plants has plenty of benefits. For one thing, plants are beautiful to look at, and they generally enhance the look of any interior. Studies (including some conducted by NASA) indicate that indoor plants have demonstrated the potential to help purify the air. Living green plants with their pleasing, biomorphic shapes are also thought to reduce stress and promote tranquility. While most indoor plants don’t require much in the way of care, the little bit of nurturing they do need (mainly in the form of occasional watering) is, for many, a pleasing ritual.
Split-leaf Philodendron
If you have never grown a houseplant indoors (or even if you’ve killed a few in trying), there is no need for trepidation. Keep in mind the most common cause of houseplant trouble is overwatering, so most of us who grow indoor plants tend not to neglect our charges but to care too much. Most houseplants will grow and thrive if given their required conditions: adequate space, their preferred sun exposure, regular watering (and not too much), and occasional fertilizer. Most varieties can tolerate a certain degree of neglect so if you’re away for a week on vacation, there’s no need to anticipate plant carnage upon your return. The long and short is you don’t need to be a gardener or a green thumb to enjoy the beauty and benefits of indoor plants, but a few tips will help you ensure your plants thrive. Here is a helpful primer for beginners:
Clockwise from top left: Peace Lily ‘Domino,’ ‘Black Coral’ Snake Plant, and Silver Dollar Fern.
Choose the Right Plant for the Right Spot
Before adding any new plant to your home or office, survey the spot where you plant to put it. How much space is available? Is the space big enough for a large plant, or do you need a smaller, tabletop variety? What is the quality of light? Is the plant’s future home in shade, lit by direct sun, or suffused with bright indirect light? Most houseplants, including some of those listed below, require bright, indirect light. That means they are best situated in rooms with a south-facing window. But there are also plants that grow beautifully in the lower light of rooms with less advantageous exposures. Keep in mind that east/west-facing windows generally provide moderate light while north-facing windows have low light. So before purchasing any plant, take a few minutes to orient yourself in a room, determine the size of the plant’s future home and the quality of sunlight it offers. Keep this information in mind when plant shopping so you can choose the right plant for the right spot.
Rattlesnake Plant
Read the Plant Tag
Any plant being offered for purchase should be accompanied by a tag or webpage that offers information including the plant’s botanical and common names, its light requirements, size at maturity, and, if relevant, period of bloom. Pay particular attention to the type of light the plant requires and its eventual size to ensure it’s a good match for the conditions you can offer. We’ve all made the mistake of buying a plant based solely on its good looks only to find we don’t have the right conditions to keep it looking its best.
Chinese Evergreen
Don’t Drown Your Houseplant
The fastest and easiest way to kill a houseplant is not by neglect but by overwatering. Over the years, our customer service team has fielded countless calls from well-meaning plant owners who are essentially drowning their charges. A plant’s needs for water vary by time of year, the humidity level in the home (which can change significantly due to conditions outdoors), the plant’s life cycle, and the type of container it’s potted in. (Clay pots promote evaporation at a higher rate than most other materials, which means plants potted in clay tend to need more frequent hydration.) Some people we know water their plants on a weekly schedule, i.e., if it’s Thursday, the plants get a drink. We don’t recommend this approach. If you do keep a calendar, use it to check on the plant to see if it needs water. Don’t automatically water every plant just because the calendar says so. Let the plant tell you what it needs. The best way to know if your plant is thirsty is to gently press the soil at the top of the pot with your finger. If the soil is dry to a depth of 1”, your plant needs a drink. Some plants appreciate a thorough watering, which is best done over the sink, if that’s possible. (Simply add water in a slow, steady stream until the soil takes it up and you feel the pot growing heavier in your hand. Let water drip out the drainage holes at the bottom of the pot before turning off the tap. When the last drips escape the drainage holes, return the plant to its saucer or tray. Don’t water the plant again until the soil at the top of the pot is dry to the touch. If a plant is too large to carry to the sink, or if, like Snake Plants and Dracaenas, plants prefer to be watered less thoroughly, pour in just enough to dampen the soil around the base of the plant.
A few overall watering tips:
Never leave any plant in standing water. If the saucer beneath a plant fills with water, empty it at once. Keep in mind that if the potting mix stays wet, a plant’s roots can begin to rot.
Some plants, including the Snake Plant, Dracaenas, some Philodendrons, and Chinese Evergreens prefer to dry out considerably before being watered again.
Plants with a dense leaf spread around their bases (African Violets, Peace Lilys, etc.) generally prefer to be watered from below. Pour a modest amount of water into the plant’s saucer and let the plant take it up by the roots before adding more. Do not saturate.
Before watering Snake Plants and Dracaenas, you can wait until the soil is dry enough to begin pulling away from the edges of the pot.
Plants require less water during the winter months when they are not actively growing.
As you get to know your individual houseplants, their watering needs will become apparent to you. During the time it takes you to familiarize yourself with the plant, err on the side of under-watering. A droopy, thirsty plant will recover better and faster than one that’s been overwatered.
For information about individual indoor plants, including when and what to feed them, refer to the Growing Guides on each plant’s product page on our website. Before you know it, the care of your plants will become second nature to you, and we can all but promise you’ll be delighted in their company.
We offer a Houseplant Success Kit with our favorite Joyce Chen scissors for pruning, a watering can, and our custom created fertilizer to help you care for your houseplants with confidence.
If you’ve spent any time shopping for plants, you’ve likely encountered the term “hardiness zone.” Simply put, hardiness zones are numerical and alphabetical codes that are assigned by the U.S. Department of Agriculture to each area of the country. Our hardiness zone at the farm is 5b. Other areas of Connecticut may have slightly different zones, ranging up to 7a depending on regional geographic and climactic factors. Why is it important for gardeners to know their hardiness zones? Knowing your zone is the key to choosing plants that can survive and thrive in your particular area. Choosing plants that are not hardy in your zone can lead to frustration, disappointment and unnecessary expense.
To help demystify ‘hardiness zones,’ and to help you understand how to choose plants that are hardy for your garden, read below.
What Is a Hardiness Zone?
Using historical temperature data, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) divided the country into 13 hardiness zones, ranging from 1 (coldest) to 13 (warmest). Each of these zones is further divided into “A” and “B” for greater accuracy, with A being colder than B. Click here to see the USDA’s hardiness zone map. These zones are defined by average annual minimum temperatures. For example, a zip code in which the average annual minimum temperature is between -15 and -10 Fahrenheit is assigned to hardiness zone 5B.
The idea behind the map is that a gardener may look up his or her hardiness zone and use it to identify plants that will thrive in their area. For example, a gardener in our region of Northwest Connecticut (hardiness zone 5b) may confidently plant a variety that has been rated hardy to zone 4 but would generally not plant a variety that is rated hardy only to zone 6, because the zone 6 plant is not likely to survive the typical winter in that area.
How To Find & Use Your Hardiness Zone on WhiteFlowerFarm.com
It’s easy to find your zone on our website, www.WhiteFlowerFarm.com, and our site is set up to help you shop with your zone in mind. First, at the top of our home page, just under the Search box, click on Find Your Hardiness Zone and enter your zip code in the box that appears, then click Look Up. When the page reappears, your zone number will be listed at the top of the page in the spot previously occupied by Find Your Hardiness Zone. As you shop for individual plants and collections, the site will keep track of your zone, so that just beneath each product name, the words “Within My Zone” will appear alongside a small green flag if the plant you’ve chosen is, indeed, hardy in your area. If a plant is not hardy in your area, a small red flag with the words “Outside My Zone” will display.
As you navigate our site, you may also use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down a listing to display only plants that will thrive in your zone.
Some experienced gardeners may “push the zone” by taking a chance on a plant that is not hardy in their area. Some plants can, in fact, be pushed, but they may require coddling and special care to see them through winter. Please be aware that we cannot honor our usual guarantee on plants if they have been shipped and planted outside of their suggested hardiness range.
Sometimes Hardiness Ratings Include “S” or “W” – What Does This Mean?
When listing the hardiness range of a plant, we often “split” the warm end of the range—for example, you might see a plant listed as Hardiness Zone: 3-8S/10W. In this instance, the 3 refers to the “cold hardiness” of the plant—all else equal, this variety should overwinter successfully in zone 3. The 8S refers to the humid Southeast (the ‘S’ being for ‘South’) and the 10W (‘W’ for ‘West’) to the comparatively dry Pacific Coast states of CA, OR, and WA—this plant can tolerate zone 8 temperatures in the South, and zone 10 temperatures on the West coast. In Northern climates, summer heat is not typically a consideration.
So to summarize—a plant listed as 3-8S/10W should successfully overwinter in zones 3 or warmer, tolerate humid heat up to zone 8, and tolerate dry heat up to zone 10.
We realize this is a bit complicated, but the problem is that the USDA zones are not always sufficiently specific. For example, our nursery in Connecticut is in the same hardiness zone as Taos, New Mexico, a climate that could hardly be more different than ours. Furthermore, there are innumerable other variables that may determine how a plant fares in a given site. We find that customers, over time, gain a good understanding of which plants do and don’t work for them, and this understanding is much more helpful than a strict reliance on hardiness zones. When in doubt, please contact us—our customer service team is extremely knowledgeable and ready to assist. You’ll find them at [email protected] or by calling 1-800-503-9624.
Around the farm, our staff is a wee bit busy picking and packing gifts for customers all across the land, but between things, we’ve all been placing our own orders holiday gifts. If it helps you wrap up your shopping, we put together a collection of some of our staff members’ favorites for holiday gifting. Please bear in mind, the standard shipping deadline for online orders is Dec. 19th at 11:59 p.m. EST.
‘I especially love the pinecones in the Starlight Bouquet, and the rich reds of Resplendent Reds. They’re both terrific for seasonal decorations, or for any day you or someone you love could use a lift.
Also great for gifting and getting are our houseplants. Philodendron ‘Congo Rojo’ and Chinese Evergreen, shown above, are great choices for low light. Draceana ‘Jade Jewel’ will add great color and interest to a bright spot. They’re all so easy and beautiful!!’
‘While I am typically a plant enthusiast, there is nothing like biting into our incredibly juicy Honeybells. Perfect to give or receive, as there aren’t many people who would pass up that incredible flavor in the dead of winter.’
‘In addition to adding easy, festive color to a holiday dinner table, mantelpiece, or side table, these long-blooming little charmers are perfect for brightening small nooks around the house or the corners of office desktops. I’m giving my daughter a set to share with her coworkers to lend a touch of holiday cheer to their workspace. And the graceful blossoms and silver-patterned leaves will continue to provide enjoyment long after the holidays are gone. Plus, no green thumb is required to grow them.’
‘I’m going to fill the Armscote Bee Pot with a few gardening supplies, a trowel, gardening scissors, and a pair of gloves. It makes a terrific gift for gardening friends.’
‘If you love gardening and cooking then you can’t go wrong with gifting or receiving the Organic Culinary Herb Set in Art Seed Packs. This set has an excellent variety of herbs that you can use everyday. Plus it’s so fun to get them growing indoors, it will help take your mind of the winter blues.’
‘I have 3 favorite picks for gift giving: Red Amaryllis or Bicolor Amaryllis to 3 Addresses, and Holiday Cactus. The#1 is Red Amaryllis to 3 Addresses: It’s fast and easy, and foolproof. Holiday colors! #2 is Bicolor Amaryllis to 3 Addresses: I sent this last year. I don’t like to repeat colors so this year I switched to red.’
My #3 pick is Holiday Cactus Blush: It’s easy, takes all light levels, and plants are easy to keep alive.’
‘I love to give and receive anthuriums as gifts because they add a decidedly tropical flair to almost any location and provide a welcome splash of color during the snowy months of winter. Add to this that they are easy care and tolerant of a wide range of conditions and you have a winning combination!’
‘For giving, I love the festive feel of the Pine Cone Party Holiday Wreath, and the simplicity of the colors and tones go with anyone’s holiday décor.’
‘For receiving, I’m asking for our Leaf Brush. Big-leafed houseplants are so fun to grow, but sometimes they need a little help in getting the dust off of their leaves. This brush is the perfect tool to gently clean them. It’s one of those items that I didn’t know I needed until I learned it existed.’
