It’s show time… Yard, Garden and Patio show time! We are itching for spring and that means we are throwing our rain coats on and heading for the Oregon Convention Center to get ideas, tips, garden gadgets and plants for spring. If you are looking to catch a little spring fever, you can click here and print out the discount coupon.

The Garden Time Blog has also been updated. Check out our recent field trip to help build hypertufa pots with Donna Wright of Black Gold. We even give you a link to the story so you can build your own.

Winter Seed Starting

It may seem a little early to start your new garden for the season, but there are some plants that you can give a little head start to now. We looked at some of the tools that you can use to get a successful start to your garden. Judy started by showing us how to start plants by using cuttings from your already established plants by using rooting hormone. William then showed us how to start seeds with planting trays, heating mats and a special seedling soil made by Black Gold. Most of your local garden centers have a big selection of seeds with more arriving everyday, and they also have great advice and tips for your best garden ever.

Winter Indoor Plants

The cold and wet weather may be keeping you out of the garden, but you can still enjoy wonderful unique plants indoors! We stopped by Portland Nursery on Division (503-788-9000) to see a few of the special plants they have for gardeners trapped indoors. We started with a very unusual plant, the pitcher plant. This one traps insects in its cup shaped pitchers and then absorbs the nutrients from the decomposing insect. Remember, the pitcher plant loves a nice warm and humid place to grow. Next was a Pineapple plant. This will grow an actual pineapple that you can eat though it may be smaller than the ones you find at the grocery store. Another tropic loving plant is the Vanilla Orchid. This plant has the ability to grow a vanilla type bean, but you really need to provide more heat and humidity than most homes have. Still it is a great house plant. Next was a beautiful color plant, the Rose Pine Cone. This plant has a wonderful multicolored bloom that has shades of pink, red and purple. Plus it blooms all year long! Finally we found the Chinese evergreen. This is a foliage plant with huge mottled leaves than is very easy to grow. If you are feeling like you need a plant boost during these dreary winter months, try some indoor plants!