Your All Things Plants weekly news: January 30, 2013

There were 7 new gardening ideas posted last week:

By dave
January 30, 2013 ATP Podcast #4: Seed starting and more
Come hear Dave and Trish discuss all the news about ATP, gardening updates from Texas, and the main feature of today's show: our favorite tips and ideas about seed starting. (51 words - Read the full article)
(5 comments)

By SongofJoy
January 29, 2013 Basil and bugs
Aphids are drawn to prolific leaf growth and may attack herbs such as basil. (189 words - Read the full article)
(10 comments)

By Joannabanana
January 28, 2013 Starting Lavender from seed
It's possible to have early blooms the first year. Lavender seeds break dormancy when stratified. Roll seeds in a damp paper towel, put in a freezer bag and let sit at room temperature for a few hours. Place sealed bag in the freezer overnight. Thaw, sow in pre-moistened soil mix and place under lights. The seeds will germinate within a few days and will bloom by mid-June if you sow them the end of February. Lady Lavender is a consistent first year bloomer.
(7 comments)

By LarryR
January 27, 2013 What's blooming in January
I live in a house that's 113 years old. One of its advantages, especially since I'm a gardener, is very wide windowsills, some as wide as 11 inches. Perfect for potted plants. Windowsills allow those of us in temperate regions to continue gardening indoors during the winter while the outdoor garden slumbers. And the light is free. We don't have to buy grow lights nor pay for the electricity to run them. Come on in and discover what's blooming on my windowsills and who won last month's Mystery Blossom Contest. (1,207 words - Read the full article)
(22 comments)

By Joannabanana
January 26, 2013 Adding height to a trellis for hops
Some vigorous vines, like hops, require an extra tall trellis. Even if you found a 10 foot trellis, I'm not sure how you would get it home. One of the easiest solutions is to secure two six foot trellises together. (155 words - Read the full article)
(11 comments)

By Xeramtheum
January 25, 2013 Masonry ladders for climbing plants
I think my all time favorite plants are vines and climbers. My biggest problem has been giving them something to climb on. For years I was using those flimsy arches you get at a Dollar Store which would snap if you looked at them wrong; so last winter I was determined to find something sturdier. (284 words - Read the full article)
(21 comments)

By ShadyGreenThumb
January 24, 2013 Look for the Bar Code
There's lots of plant information at your fingertips when using your Smartphone. Look for a bar code on plant tags, particularly the Exotic Angel Plant brand, found at Lowes. Download a free Bar Code Scanner and scan the bar code. You can see if the plant is right for you with the information that comes up on your phone. Practice with the bar code below.
(5 comments)

Some numbers from last week:

124 new members.
101 new threads.
3,269 new posts.
521 new images to the plant database.
40 new comments in the plant database.