WE SAVE  To reduce the amount of energy used at K&W, we’ve decided to close off a portion of the Greenhouse for the winter months.  Although the floor space will be reduced, K&W’s wonderful selection of beautiful plants will still be available in the soothing environment as always through the winter months.  We will still have a comfortable seating area for customers to enjoy the greenhouse experience. 

WE RECYCLE  Due to the routine maintenance of equipment and the large quantities of oil used, K&W has decided to recycle the waste oil and reuse it as a heat source for the Landscape/Maintenance Shop.  With the use of the waste oil as a heat source, K&W will reduce the amount of energy needed to heat the shop. 

Stay tuned for more information in months to come on how K&W is turning over a green leaf in order to conserve resources. 

Keeping your houseplants healthy during winter months may seem difficult. Light from windows is reduced, days are shorter and humidity may be lower due to heating. But by making a few changes, you can help keep your houseplants healthy.

Keeping things light

In winter, your plants receive sunlight for less time and in less intensity. Houseplants native to rainforests that are used to lower light will be fine with that, but most plants need more light. Try to move your plants near a brighter window (S/SW exposure) to get them more sunlight.

If you have no brighter windows (due to shade trees or apartment living), you might want to consider the purchase of plant lamps that are designed to provide the full spectrum light your plants need. They can be mounted under shelves over plants or on specially-designed plant stands. Leave them on about eight hours a day, and they'll give your plants the light they need.

You can also use cool fluorescent bulbs as close as 6 inches from the top of plants.

Temperature

Most plants do not do well when subjected to rapid fluctuations in temperature. Keep them away from hot air sources and cold drafts alike. Run ceiling fans on low if the house is closed up. Fans break up stagnant air; that's healthier for both you and your plants.

Humidity

Some symptoms of low humidity are brown leaf tips and wilting. Low humidity makes your plants work harder to get moisture from the air and soil, as well as keep what they have inside.

One way to give your plants some extra humidity is to mist them two or three times a day. The water will evaporate off the leaves and provide a cloud of higher humidity around the plant. For a less labor-intensive method, put a layer of pebbles in the bottom of a tray and fill the tray with just enough water to cover the bottom of the tray (below the top of the pebbles). Place potted plants in the tray.

Other

Fertilizing should be done less often for most plants in winter.

Give your plants a good washing. Dirt, dust, grease, and other particles can settle on leaves. Dirty leaves can't absorb as much sunlight as clean ones. Gently wipe clean the leaves with a soft sponge or cloth dipped in plain water. Sturdier plants can even be given a quick shower in the bathroom with tepid water.

Getting to know Dee Speaker

Job Title:  Greenhouse/Perennial Manager

Number of Years at K&W:  12 ½ years

Areas of Experience at K&W: Nursery, Cashier, Perennials, Greenhouse.  “My first love is perennials.  The greenhouse has been a winter home for years, until recently I have taken the Greenhouse Manager position along with the Perennial Manager.”

Interesting Facts about Dee:  Married to Terry for 26 and a half years; they have five children: three grown daughters, and twin teenage sons.  Dee lives on a 5 acre farmette, and always has a menagerie of animals.  The five acres is just enough land to always find more that can be landscaped.  P.S. Ask her about the llama!

Hobbies:  Gardening, Growing orchids and walking.

Favorite Plants:  “Can’t do that, choosing a favorite plant is like choosing my favorite kid, I just can’t do that.”  After much pressuring, Dee offered that her favorite houseplants are orchids and favorite perennials are daylilies.  She estimates that she has 50 plus varieties of daylilies in her garden. 

Favorite Season:  Favorite season is a toss up between spring and fall.  “After a long winter it’s nice to get back outside and see all my plants come back and of course to see my bluebirds return.  I also love Fall; the colors are so rich, the purples and oranges are beautiful.” 

There's something about the taste of fresh, home-grown herbs in cooking that is hard to beat. The flavors are so much more flavorful and aromatic than using something dry out of a shaker bottle. Most home gardeners lament the coming of winter since it usually spells the end of the outdoor growing season. But it doesn't have to be that way. Many herbs can be grown indoors quite successfully in the winter months and then be transplanted into the garden the following spring.

With the right location and care, many herbs can be fooled into thinking that summer is still here. If you're a little nervous or skeptical about growing herbs indoors, use some tried and tested varieties such as chives, coriander, dill, mint, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and thyme. Most of these can be started by seed, while mint and rosemary can be started by seed or cutting.

Most herbs are sun lovers and will require a southern facing window that gets at least six hours of sunlight per day. For less sunny locations, mint, parsley and rosemary will get by with less sunlight. You might also consider hanging a grow light 6-9 inches above your plants to provide light on cloudy days. Make sure to also rotate your containers at least once per week in order to help your plants grow evenly.

Start your plants in seed trays and then transplant them to window boxes or larger containers once the plants become rooted. Use a good quality potting soil and make sure the containers you use have drainage holes. If you use water trays under your pots, make sure that you check them after watering and drain any standing water in them.

The herbs listed above will do fine provided temperatures are maintained between 55 and 70 degrees. Feed with a water soluble plant food every 2-4 weeks just as you would any other indoor plant, and don't water until the soil surface becomes dry. The use of a small fan will also help herbs survive the stuffy air conditions that can occur indoors in winter.

Plant pests are usually less prevalent during the winter months. Nevertheless, visually check your plants at least once per week, and treat your plants with an insecticidal soap before pests actually become a problem.

So don't let the winter doldrums get you down. Spice up your life and your winter meals with the addition of fresh, homegrown indoor herbs!