GardenSpotlight

Summertime!   Ahhh…picnics, barbeques, outdoor sports……mosquitoes.   There are many things you can purchase to help fend off those nasty, disease carrying insects.   One of those items is Citronella Oil.   Citronella Oil is produced from Citronella plants, one of which is a type of grass ( Cymbopogon nardus).   There are also Citronella Geraniums or Scented Geraniums, of which the citronella type are also known as Mosquito Plants. Citronella grass is a coarse, clump-forming tropical grass that can grow 5-6 ft tall. The stems are cane-like and the leaves are grayish green and flat; about 3 ft long and about 1 in wide.   It does not spread by runners, as some grasses do, but the clump increases in size as the plant matures.   I did read somewhere that the grass can become quite invasive as it produces a large quantity of seeds, so you may want to check with you local nursery or county extension office prior to planting.   This grass is closely rel...

Easter is almost here.   The traditional plant this time of year is the Lily.   There are many types of lilies, but at Easter, the standard is Lilium longiflorum , the Latin name for the Easter Lily.   The Easter Lily is native to the Ryukyu Islands of southern Japan.   Each holiday is marked by cherished traditions that bring joy, comfort, and warmth, and provide continuity from one generation to the next.   For many, the beautiful trumpet-shaped white flowers of the Easter Lily symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and life - the spiritual essence of Easter. Easter Lily bulbs are harvested in the fall, packed and shipped to commercial greenhouses where they are planted in pots and forced under controlled conditions to bloom for the Easter holiday.   To keep your Easter Lily as long as possible, follow these guidelines.   First, look for lilies that are neither too tall or too short. Ideally, a plant’s height should be about twice the height...