Boardash: ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Saturday November 7, 2009

Saturday, November 7, 2009

ArcaMax Gardening Daily Tips for Saturday November 7, 2009

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Advice from Carolyn Hax

Gardening Daily Tips
For You
Saturday November 7, 2009

Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharum)
Q&A: Raised Garden Basics
Q&A: Growing Ranunculus Indoors
Tip: Perennials Winter Protection
New Healthy Life Daily Videos
Reader Photos

Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharum)

Today's Featured Plant
Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharum)

Read the full profile of this plant at ArcaMax.com.

Interested in reading about other plants? Search through hundreds of plant profiles and helpful articles by keyword.

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Q&A: Raised Garden Basics

Question: Can you tell me why raised beds are so popular, and also give me a little information about how to make them?

Answer: Raised beds are simply garden beds where the soil surface is built up so that it sits higher than the surrounding area. You can make a raised be by raking garden soil into broad, flat-topped areas. Or, you can create a low box from materials such as brick, fieldstone, or wood -- or specially made raised beds -- and fill the box with topsoil. Raised beds help soil drain -- and warm up -- in the spring. They permanently define a garden area so that you can focus your soil amendments, such as compost, on that area, and also refrain from walking on it and compacting the soil. They aren't appropriate for every garden situation, though. For example, in hot, dry cliimates a raised bed may dry out too quickly, especially if the soil is sandy.

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Q&A: Growing Ranunculus Indoors

Question: What can you tell me about Ranunculus? Can these be grown indoors in containers?

Answer: Ranunculus are members of the buttercup family, related to those favorite flowers found in overgrown fields. Though many related species are quite hardy, the ones you generally see for sale are "tender bulbs," meaning they cannot overwinter in the ground in cold areas. Ranunculus prefers cool temperatures, so it can be a challenge to grow them indoors. If you have a spot that would provide the proper environment -- nighttime temperatures in the 40s and 50s F, daytime temperatures of 60 to 65 degrees F -- you can always give it a try. The plants need bright light, but should be shielded from direct sun during the hottest part of the day.

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Tip: Perennials Winter Protection

After cutting back perennials, protect them from winter. Snow is a great insulator, but if you live where snow cover isn't consistent, place pine and other evergreen boughs over the plantings to catch snow and break the wind.

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Sincerely,
ArcaMax Editors