Gardening

Spring Showers Bring Flooded Gardens

Posted on May 31, 2025June 2, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Amelia Martin, UConn Plant Science Graduate Student

You may have noticed the heavy rains and chilly temperatures last week’s nor ’easter brought to Connecticut. Maybe you were one of many who checked their back window to see their gardens had flooded and their plants are looking worse for the wear. If this sounds familiar and you are curious what garden flooding means for your plants and want to know how to protect them- you found the right article!

A flooded garden is not a unique problem, especially during periods of heavy rainfall, but there are some factors that may contribute to the severity of flooding. Having minimal or poor drainage can amplify the problem, especially if planting in garden boxes with closed bottoms. Soil compaction can contribute to flooding if you are planting directly in the ground. Compacted soil can happen if there has been too much tillage, if wheels or machinery have been over the area, or even from excess foot traffic. Lastly, the layout and landscaping of a yard can contribute to flooding as well. If you placed your garden at the bottom of a hill or there are minimal drainage angles surrounding your garden, water may be pooling up faster than it can drain.

To prevent flooding, check your gutters and make sure they are free from debris and directed to a drain or storm barrel. Put down gravel and mulch to help prevent surface flooding. Avoid cutting your grass too short to maintain strong roots which help to absorb water. Maintain healthy soil to allow for the best water absorption. Dig out a shallow drainage channel if you have the space for it. Consider switching to raised beds with drainage rather than in-ground gardens in easily flooded areas. Try adding native plants to your garden. Native plants have deep roots which helps them absorb excess water and prevent runoff. While handling these issues would be preventative measures, let’s talk about what to do if your garden has already flooded.

Assess the drainage situation and take note of where the water is pooling the most. If flooding is unusual in your garden- there may be something blocking the normal drainage route, which may be a quick fix. If not, knowing where water is likely to pool may help in future garden planning, or help you determine where to make improvements.

Stay off your garden beds. If you step on your soil while it is saturated, it will compact it, ruining the soil’s tilth. Instead, if you need to access your garden beds consider putting a wooden board down to walk on to distribute your weight better.

Re-fertilize your plants. Heavy rain can wash away nutrients out of the soil through a process called leaching. Check the forecast to make sure no more extreme weather is immediately approaching before fertilizing- or you may have to do it again.

Add supports to your plants. The wind and rain may have led to plants falling over. Add in some additional supports to get them upright again and give them a better chance for the next time heavy rain comes.

While having a flooded garden may be a bummer, there are some gardening activities that are actually easier to do in saturated soil! Once the rain stops and the ground is still wet, use this time to weed. The soft ground will make weeds especially easy to pull up- just try not to step on the garden beds. After a rain or a flood, re-mulching is always a good idea. The rain might wash away some previously placed mulch, use this as an opportunity to locate any spots barren of mulch and in need of a re-fill. After a couple days when the soil is soft but not sodden, the ground will be the perfect consistency to dig and put stakes.

Lastly, check for any young plants that didn’t survive the water or any seeds that haven’t come up. Take this as an opportunity to plant new seeds, as seeds do better in already moist soil where they have less chance of being displaced when watered.

At the end of the day, while having a flooded garden may not be the best for your plants, it is not the end of the world. There are a handful of preventative measures that can be taken ranging from backyard renovations to quick fixes- it is about finding what works best for you and your garden.

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations.

A Gardener’s Guide to Planting by Hardiness Zones

Posted on May 3, 2025May 20, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Marie Woodward, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Map of Connecticut USDA Hardiness zones as of 2023. Most zones in the state are either zone 6 or zone 7. — USDA Hardiness Zone Map for Connecticut, 2023

If you are wondering whether that shrub, flower, or tree that you saw in a magazine or catalog will grow well in your garden, using a hardiness zone map is your best bet to ensure success.

A hardiness zone map is a tool that divides a geographical area into distinct zones based on average annual minimum winter temperatures. These maps are used by gardeners and farmers around the world to determine which plants are most likely to thrive in a particular region. Each country has its own hardiness map that correlates to their climate. In the United States, the USDA publishes a hardiness zone map, which covers all fifty states and includes Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. It uses climate data collected over many years from weather stations throughout a specific region. Then the data is analyzed to determine average minimum winter temperatures from different areas.

The concept of hardiness zones was first introduced in 1927 by Dr. Alfred Rehder. Rehder worked at Harvard's Arnold Arboretum as a botanical taxonomist. He wanted to address the challenges gardeners and growers faced in selecting plants suited to their local climate. Prior to Rehder’s map, there was no standardized system for categorizing plants based on their ability to survive winter temperatures. His hand-drawn map featured eight hardiness zones and was based on the lowest winter temperatures recorded in various regions across the country. Rehder aimed to provide a practical tool for gardeners and growers. His map made it easier for them to choose plants with the best chances of survival in their region, ultimately contributing to more successful gardens and agricultural endeavors. Rehder’s innovative approach recognized the importance of adapting agricultural practices to local climates. In the 1960s, the USDA adopted and adapted Rehder's concept, creating the first official USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map.

Since its initial release, the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map has been updated several times to reflect changes in climate and the availability of more accurate data. The latest update of the USDA hardiness map was released in November 2023, jointly developed by the USDA's Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and Oregon State University's PRISM Climate Group. This update incorporates data from 1991 to 2020, covering a broader range of weather stations than previous versions. One of the key findings from this update is that the contiguous United States has become approximately 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit warmer on average compared to the previous map. As a result, around half of the country has shifted into the next warmer half zone, while the other half has remained unchanged. The updated map still consists of 13 zones, but now offers more detailed information on temperature ranges within each zone, including 10-degree zones and 5-degree half zones. Connecticut has two hardiness zones each of which is divided into half zones; (6a,6b); (7a,7b), to better reflect the temperatures in the state over the past few decades.

The importance of hardiness zones lies in their ability to help gardeners and farmers choose plants that will thrive in their specific region. By selecting plants appropriate for their zone, growers can reduce the risk of frost damage and increase their chances of a successful growing season. However, due to unexpected temperatures outside the average range, there is no guarantee that a plant won’t suffer but it does reduce the risk of plant damage. In addition to gardeners, researchers use hardiness zones to study the spread of insects and exotic weeds, while the USDA Risk Management Agency uses the map to help determine crop insurance rates for commercial growers.

While the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is an invaluable tool, it is important to note that it is not the only factor gardeners and farmers should consider when selecting plants. Other factors, such as soil type, precipitation, and local microclimates, can also impact plant growth and survival. Gardeners should use the map as a starting point and supplement it with local knowledge and research to make the best plant selections for their specific needs.

The development of the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map is a testament to the importance of adapting agricultural practices to local climates. Since its inception nearly a century ago, the map has evolved to reflect changes in climate and incorporate more accurate data. Today, the map remains an essential resource for gardeners and researchers alike, helping them to better understand and navigate the complexities of plant growth in the diverse regions of the United States. Knowing a plant’s hardiness zone when selecting that shrub, tree or flower will help you grow the garden of your dreams.

Celebrate Arbor Day!

Posted on April 26, 2025May 20, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Redbud tree in flower with tiny pink buds. — Photo by Dawn Pettinelli

Arbor Day is celebrated in Connecticut on April 25th. Since it is a day traditionally set aside for the planting of trees, perhaps you might consider adding one to your home landscape. If you haven’t the need for another arboreal specimen, then plan on giving your existing trees a little TLC.

Trees have a lot to offer. They provide us with cool shade on hot summer days, brighten our spring season with lovely blossoms, add color to the fall landscape and winter interest throughout cold, dreary days. Trees provide food, nesting sites and shelter for many animals, especially birds. They help reduce noise pollution, trap particulate air pollutants, and can alter the microclimate surrounding them.

Most importantly, trees supply plenty of oxygen for us to breathe. Each year, an acre of trees produces enough oxygen to keep 18 people alive. They also sequester carbon dioxide. Trees convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into plant matter as they photosynthesize. This has important consequences worldwide. As more and more of our forested land is being cleared, less carbon dioxide can be stored in trees and more is available to increase the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels which, in turn, can contribute to global warming.

While we can’t stop global deforestation, we can make a difference in our own backyards by planting more trees or making sure that the trees already present receive the conditions they need to thrive.

When selecting a tree for your landscape, do consider factors like its ultimate height and spread, susceptibility to insect and disease problems, flowering, fruiting and fall foliage potential, rate of growth and site requirements. Review gardening books, consult with nurserymen and maybe visit an arboretum to view mature specimens.

Trees are purchased either as dormant stock through mail order sources, containerized, or balled-and-burlapped (B & B). Dormant trees generally arrive in the spring or fall and should be soaked for a couple of hours and planted immediately. If you can’t get them in the ground right away, they can be stored in a cool place for a few days out of direct sunlight. Make sure them are kept moist.

Containerized stock can be planted throughout the growing season although cooler spring or fall is best. Hard to transplant species are best purchased this way as there is less disruption to their root system. If potbound, make several vertical cuts about one-quarter inch deep around the root ball before planting.

Purchasing B & B trees is fine for younger specimens, but often larger trees have a good portion of their roots removed in this process. This can lead to poor survival. For greatest success, choose small to medium sized trees.

A tree planted at the proper depth with the crown slightly exposed. The hole is dug twice the width as the original root ball. — Photo by Dawn Pettinelli

Holes for planting only need be as deep as the root system. The key is to make them at least 2 feet wider than the root ball. Especially in heavy or compacted soils, be sure to

loosen as much soil around the planting area as possible so roots can grow freely. The majority of roots are found in the upper 3 feet of soil.

Amendments such as peat moss or fertilizer are not necessary to add to the backfill. However, if the soil pH or phosphorus levels are low, ground limestone and bonemeal can be mixed into the backfill.

Add water to the hole before planting and let it drain. Next, position the root ball. Remove plastic mesh and cords. Burlap can be cut away as much as possible. Fill in the hole about half way. Gently firm the soil around the root ball. Don’t stomp on it or you will compact the soil. Water thoroughly and when the water drains, finish filling the hole. Make a well around the tree with soil and water once more. Apply a 2 to 3 inch layer of mulch keeping it away from the trunk. Newly planted trees need a thorough soaking each week throughout the first growing season either from natural precipitation or from you.

If you have questions about trees or any other gardening topic, call the UCONN Home & Garden Education Center (toll-free) at (877) 486-6271 or email us at ladybug@uconn.edu or visit our website, www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu.

Unbeanlievable: Here’s a Vegetable That Produces All Season Long

Posted on April 19, 2025May 20, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Abigayle Ward, Soil Science Graduate Student

Beans of the 'Dragon Tongue' variety are. yellow with purple streaks. — Beans like this Dragon Tongue variety can add interest to your vegetable garden! Photo by H. Zidack

Full of fiber, packed with protein, and great to grow, beans have been a staple in the diet of humans for thousands of years. Native edible beans can be found on every continent but Antarctica, although many of the beans we eat today are domesticated varieties that originated in South America, Europe, and Asia. Fabaceae, the bean family, is one of the largest families of plants in the world, with over 20,000 species described. As legumes, beans can convert nitrogen in the atmosphere into nitrogen useable by other plants, making them very useful to integrate into crop rotation for savvy home gardeners who want to save a little money on nitrogen fertilizer. In fact, excessive nitrogen fertilization of legumes can inhibit the natural nitrogen-fixation process, so use only a low-strength nitrogen fertilizer if absolutely necessary. Legumes can even be used as cover crops in the winter to prevent soil erosion and provide a boost to your soil health all winter long. You can direct-seed beans and still get production all season, meaning Connecticut gardeners can get beans in the ground now.

Fava beans (Vicia faba) are grown all around the world, very adaptable to many climates, and are generally very easy to grow. They are cold-tolerant and can be grown all the way down to USDA Hardiness Zone 3. In Connecticut, for the best results, you should plant fava bean seeds in the early spring in a place that gets full sun and doesn’t stay too moist. They will take about three months to begin producing beans but will continue producing throughout the season and into the fall. Some frost-resistant varieties will even survive temperatures below freezing, and since they self-pollinate, bees are not necessary for the production of pods. Fava beans do not require trellises, but some larger varieties may benefit from cages or trellises for additional support. In the summer, pollinators love the flowers, and understandably so – bean flowers not only signal the coming produce but are also eye-catching. Many varieties have white and dark red flowers. Some varieties have pink flowers. Bean pods can be harvested and eaten whole if they are young and tender. It is important to note that some people may have an adverse reaction to consuming fava beans, a metabolic disorder called favism. Favism causes anemia in response to the inhalation of the plant’s pollen or consumption of the beans. Be sure to check with your doctor before trying these beans for the first time.

For “summery” beans that are native to central and south America, you can try planting kidney, cranberry, appaloosa, or navy beans, all in the genus Phaseolus. Perhaps the delight of beans in the Phaseolus genera is their diversity in appearance. Appaloosa beans are especially whimsical, with white, brown, and reddish mottling. They strongly resemble the horse for which they are named. Some of these species behave like pole beans, meaning they will need to be trellised, while others behave like bushes, meaning they should not need to be trellised. The seed packet should indicate whether they will need to be trellised. As with fava beans, be sure to water Phaseolus when the soil seems dry, taking care to avoid watering the leaves. Excessive leaf wetness may increase the likelihood for fungi to grow and cause disease.

No matter what bean you try growing, pests and disease are ever-present. Aphids, bean beetles, and European corn borer are all possible bean pests. Beans are susceptible to diseases like powdery mildew, Fusarium wilt, and bean rust. Selecting disease and pest-resistant varieties will reduce the risk of yield loss. Like most legumes, the ideal soil pH for growing beans is 6-7. Since native Connecticut soil typically has a pH closer to 5.5, be sure to send a soil sample to the UConn Soil and Nutrient Analysis Lab to test the pH (and nutrients!) of your soil before planting to ensure you get accurate recommendations for any amendments your garden may need to allow beans to thrive!

Rocky Start for Rhododendron’s This Spring

Posted on April 12, 2025April 14, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Heather Zidack, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Two Rhododendron shrubs. Shrub in the foreground showing leaf curl while shrub behind it looks healthy and is not displaying any signs of stress. — Rhododendrons are showing a varying degree of stress responses to winter conditions in the landscape. Photo by Heather Zidack

Rhododendrons are looking rough this spring. You’ve probably seen it in your yard or in your neighborhood. The UConn Home & Garden Education Center has been seeing an increase in the number of calls regarding injury or damage to rhododendrons. In most cases, we are finding these reports to be winter injury. This is an environmental type of damage, caused by a perfect storm of conditions that we have seen throughout the state. So, let’s take a closer look into why this is happening.

Plants lose water through their leaves. During active growth, that water is constantly replenished from the roots. When the temperatures drop and the ground freezes in the winter, available water becomes limited. Plants have adapted to this in many ways. Dormancy is triggered by multiple factors, but water conservation is certainly one of those. Deciduous trees shed their leaves completely. Evergreens have developed various leaf adaptations to help with survival, too.

As broadleaf evergreens, rhododendrons have developed a waxy coat on their leaves to help prevent water loss. They also have a physiological mechanism to help defend themselves further. Just as you’d clasp your hands together on a cold winter day to shield them from the elements, rhododendron leaves curl themselves into cigar-shaped cylinders. The leading theory is that this happens to protect the leaves from further water loss. This natural defense mechanism has grabbed our attention this spring, since our weather patterns have lent a hand in amplifying a natural phenomenon.

At the end of last summer, CT started to see a moderate drought in much of the state. These conditions have persisted through this spring. Water availability was limited as plants went into the winter and remained limited throughout the season. Add in frozen soil and harsh winter winds and the environmental stress increased even more. When water is unavailable to the roots – through either freezing or drought conditions, plants lose their ability to return water to the living tissues. This drying out, referred to as desiccation, leads to winter injury or winter kill depending on the severity of damage. While we are finally seeing rain, these plants need time to recover and may not be ready to unfurl just yet.

Many have noted that some plants are faring better than others even within the same bed. This is also normal to some extent. It can be easy to forget that plants are living things in our landscapes. There is going to be variance in their ability to withstand environmental pressures and their recovery rates.

If you are seeing this in your rhododendrons, be patient this spring and monitor over the next month or so. With an increase of rain in the forecast, the extra hydration should help plants recover - or at least push out new growth. These shrubs will shed any leaves that are damaged beyond repair on their own. Do not prune or fertilize shrubs until the end of May to avoid further injury. If we go a week without rain, consider watering your shrubs to help speed up recovery – but only water if the soil feels dry to the touch! If by mid-late May you are seeing absolutely no improvement, we start to consider other factors that may contribute to the plant’s health. For now, they just need a little more time.

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations.

Ready! Get Set! Spring Into Action!

Posted on March 22, 2025April 10, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Dawn Pettinelli, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Climbing temperatures and longer days signal springtime! Time to pull out the rakes and wheelbarrow from the shed and get out in the yard. Take a stroll through the lawn areas and gardens and note what tidying up needs to be done. Pick up fallen twigs and rake up areas where leaves accumulated over the winter.

Lawn torn up by snow plow damage. — Lawns can be damaged Photo by Dawn Pettinelli

While we did not have a severe winter, there was some necessary snow and ice removal around driveways and walks. Often the lawn next to these areas has gotten ripped up or compacted and is in need of repair. Rake up the damaged sections and add topsoil if needed to level out the area. Then scratch up the surface and put down some grass seed. Usually at this time of year, little irrigation is necessary but be prepared to lightly water if dry, sunny conditions prevail. Another option is to line your driveway with tough groundcovers or pollinator friendly flowers although this can be challenging if drivers routinely miscalculate their parking abilities.

Speaking of lawns, check to see that your lawnmower and weedwhacker are in working order. Wait until closer to the beginning of April when lawns actually start to green up before applying limestone or fertilizer. They can be purchased now, however, so you’re ready to go when grass starts growing and the ground is dry enough to walk on. Crabgrass controls can be put down about the time the forsythia is in full bloom.

Next take a good look at your woody plants – your trees and shrubs. Some of us experienced pretty icy conditions over the winter that caused a fair amount of breakage. Remove any cracked or damage branches. Cut back to a bud, stem or the ground depending on where the damage occurred. Now before the plants leaf out is a great time to prune. After removing dead and damaged stems, cut out any crossing or rubbing ones, those that are too crowded, and then prune for desired height and shape. Keep in mind the plant’s mature size as you prune. Better to select a plant that fits its space than to continue hacking it to the size you desire. This is also a perfect time to prune fruit trees such as apples and pears, and also blueberry bushes.

By now your vegetable garden should be all planned out and seeds purchased, or at least ordered, as well as onion sets or plants, seed potatoes and sweet potato slips. Tomato and pepper seeds can be started in soilless media indoors. I prefer to plant 2 seeds of tomatoes in each cell of a 4 pack and 2 seeds of peppers in each cell of a 6 pack, because the peppers take longer to germinate and grow slower than tomatoes. Seeds are set about a quarter inch deep in the moistened media and kept about 70 degrees F under fluorescent lights. After the seeds germinate and the seedlings grow their first set of true leaves, the weaker of the two plants, if both seeds germinate, is removed.

Purple Morpo pansies with large purple flower heads in a pot. — Photo by Dawn Pettinelli

Cool season vegetable seeds should be collected or purchased for early plantings. These include peas, radishes, lettuce, spring turnips, spinach, chard and many Asian greens. A few warm days might have us chomping at the bit but wait until the soil temperature reaches 45 degrees F. How would you determine soil temperature? Using a soil thermometer, insert it into the soil where you want to plant your seeds about 1 to 2 inches deep and take a reading in the morning and then again around 2 pm. Shade the thermometer if in direct sun. Average the two readings and plant when there are a few days of at least 45 degrees F and the weather forecast is favorable.

Many of us are not cleaning up perennial gardens in the fall so that beneficial insects can overwinter in debris. You can start going in now and cutting down stems and tidying up. Fall bloomers like asters and mums can be divided. Limestone can be added if necessary but wait to fertilize when new growth appears.

The warmer weather puts a smile on our faces and we can share the joy of spring by planting pansies with their abundant blossoms and cheery faces. One can never have enough pansies, or at least, I feel that way. Get out and welcome spring, spruce up your lawn and gardens and be thankful that winter is over!

For questions on these or other garden chores or on other gardening topics, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at www.homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu or contact your local Cooperative Extension Center.

Garden centers prepare for nice weather as spring fever spreads

Posted on March 19, 2025March 20, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

The Challenges of Boxwood: Pests, Diseases, and Alternatives

Posted on February 22, 2025February 27, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Marie Woodward, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Boxwood, a classic choice for formal gardens and hedges, has faced increasing threats in recent years. As gardeners grapple with these challenges, it is crucial to understand the issues at hand and explore alternative plants for our landscapes.

Boxwood Blight is an aggressive fungal disease that affects various Boxwood species and causes rapid defoliation and potential plant death. First identified in the United Kingdom in the mid-1990s, this disease has since spread across North America. Early symptoms include stem cankers, sunken lesions, and eventual dieback. To mitigate the risk of Boxwood Blight, choose resistant cultivars, practice good garden hygiene, and monitor your plants for early signs of infection.

The Box Tree Moth is an invasive pest native to Asia that feeds on Boxwood plants. Since its arrival in North America, this moth has wreaked havoc on Boxwood populations, leading to defoliation and plant stress. Symptoms of infestation include see-through plants, "stick shrubs," and stem cankers. Regular monitoring and integrated pest management strategies are essential for controlling this destructive insect.

As Boxwood plants continue to face challenges from pests and diseases, it is wise to consider alternative options for our gardens. Ilex crenata (Japanese Holly) is a versatile, broadleaf evergreen that can be shaped into hedges or topiaries. Its small, glossy leaves provide a neat appearance, and its adaptability to various soil types and sun exposure makes it a low-maintenance choice.

Row of Gem Box Ilex shrubs for sale — Gem Box Ilex is one of many fantastic substitutes for Boxwood shrubs. Photo by H. Zidack

Euonymus japonicus (Japanese Euonymus), an evergreen shrub with small, glossy leaves and tolerance for a range of growing conditions is another possible substitution. Its compact growth habit and easy maintenance make it an excellent choice for hedges or screens.

Ilex glabra (Inkberry), is a slow-growing evergreen native to North America, featuring dark green leaves and red berries in the fall. Its low, spreading habit makes it ideal for low hedges or mass plantings.

Privets (Ligustrum), are fast-growing, low-maintenance evergreen shrubs with small, glossy leaves. They can be used for hedges, screens, or as stand-alone specimens. However, keep in mind that three cultivars, border privet, (Ligustrum obtusifolium Sieb. & Zucc), California privet, (Ligustrum ovalifolium Hassk.) and European privet (Ligustrum vulgare L.) are listed on UConn’s invasive plant database. If you decide to plant privets, look for seedless cultivars such as Golden Ticket privet (Ligustrum x vicaryi "KCLX1") at your local nursery.

The Boxwood Blight and Box Tree Moth present ongoing challenges for gardeners and landscapers. By understanding these threats and adopting appropriate management strategies, we can mitigate the damage they cause. Additionally, exploring alternative plants can help create more resilient and sustainable gardens in the face of these challenges. With careful planning and thoughtful plant selection, our landscapes can continue to thrive in the face of adversity.

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center supports UConn Extension’s mission by providing answers you can trust with research-based information and resources. For questions about your boxwoods or other gardening questions, contact us toll-free at (877) 486-6271, visit our website at homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu, or reach out to your local UConn Extension center at cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations.

Preparing for Spring on CRIS Radio

Posted on February 21, 2025February 27, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

Transcript

00:00:01 Stephen Thal

Hi, welcome to another segment on focal Point. This is Stephen Thal and I'm your host for today's program.

We're going to be learning a lot about getting ready for the spring when we realize the weather is still not quite ready for spring flowers, but we want to get everybody thinking about it. So when the time comes, they'll have some ammunition and be prepared to get in there and get their hands dirty.

00:00:31 Stephen Thal

To help us understand that we have Heather from the plant and science program at the University of Connecticut. Welcome back Heather.

00:00:41 Heather Zidack

Hi Stephen. Thanks for having me back!

00:00:43 Stephen Thal

Yeah, it's great because you gave everybody some spirits to think about and encouragement. One of the things that we've been reading about lately is about climate control. And we were curious, you know, as we look around the country, different things are happening. People can't seem to explain why the weather has changed so drastically, and we're sure that this will impact the way we think about our flowers and the way we want to put a garden in and do herbs. Can you help us understand what climate control may be doing to this?

00:01:22 Heather Zidack

Yeah. So there are some things that we are noticing, especially from people just calling into our office with , um, in relation to climate change and a couple of the big things that have happened in 2023, I believe it was the fall of 2023 they did change the USDA hardiness zones. Which, when you're shopping for plants, your zone is actually going to tell you the coldest temperature that plants can tolerate to survive in your area. And so Connecticut, we're about a Zone 6 at this point, is the safe one. But it did shift and so there are parts of the state that are even seeing some warmer. Especially Shoreline is a little closer to zone 7.

And you can look that up through the USDA to see the change from the zones. But that's a big change. Part of that happened because they had more data points and they could actually get more weather stations to report on what was going on, so it became a little more accurate in that sense. But we are also seeing some climate change effects happening as well.

We’ve seen you know a lot of flooding over the past couple years. Remember up in you know, Vermont, New Hampshire, they had some of those floods that led to crop loss and contamination of fields. Storms with heavy winds can damage a lot of crops sometimes.

And higher heat and humidity can affect your gardens as well.

So if you're looking for management techniques, the first thing that you can do is make sure that you're providing enough water and nutritional support to your plants to endure any stresses that they might see during the growing season. So get a soil test.

Have your your soil ready to go. Know what fertilizer you need.

And make sure you're watering. Not too much, not too little. But you're keeping up with what the plants need. That's going to help them build their defenses, just like when we take vitamin C in the winter to prevent colds.

If you're going to be seeing some hot weather come around and there's heat management strategies, one of the first things you want to do is remove weeds. It actually helps to increase air flow around the plants and also remove competition for some of those nutrients and water that I talked about a minute ago.

You can also use shade cloth or something to kind of keep the plants out of the hot hot heat of the sun, especially on those really hot days. If you're able to, If you've got potted plants and you can move them to a a sheltered spot on those hot days it works for them.

But those are a couple heat management strategies.

00:03:58 Stephen Thal

What about bugs?

00:03:59 Heather Zidack

For me? Oh.

00:04:00 Stephen Thal

What about anima-, little bugs like fleas, ticks, beetles?

00:04:04 Heather Zidack

Yeah, well, it's something that we notice in the garden and when we see these different fluctuations in heat and temperature. We see a lot of fluctuations in our insect populations.

So we do see there have been some instances where you haven't had the ability to really have a good kill off of everything in the environment. And so the next year we see more bugs coming out. Our office deals primarily with the garden insects and the pathogens. So seeing things like-Last year, there was a lot of Japanese beetles. Last year there was a lot of fungal infections.

Really, the best thing that you can do for that is again making sure any weeds are gone so they don't have anywhere to hide in your garden. You can also space your plants as they're recommended in order to make sure that you're having good airflow and good movement in between them, and again you're removing hiding places and you also want to prune all your woody ornamentals to encourage air flow too.

So if those are some good strategies for that.

00:05:09 Stephen Thal

You mentioned fertilizer and doing soil testing. Is there a phone number that people can call and how do they do that?

00:05:17 Heather Zidack

Absolutely, so soil testing can be done anytime that the ground is not frozen, so I think we're in the one time of the year where we can't do it right now, but once the ground thaws, the UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Lab is available for testing.They do a standard nutrient test and that covers all the basic nutrients that you would need for your home garden as well as pH so their phone number is 860-486-4274.

Again, that's 860-486-4274.

00:05:57 Stephen Thal

Ok, Great.

00:05:58 Stephen Thal

So we now got to prepare for maintaining our house plants. As well as taking care of those that we choose to go outside and give them some fresh air and not allow too much heat, how are we going to do this?

How do we prepare for it?

00:06:16 Heather Zidack

Yeah. So one of the things that you want to make sure that you're doing, it's still a little too cold to put anything outside just yet. You want to remember that our target is 50° at night before you're putting any plants outside.

What you want to do with your house plans inside is you want to check for water. Make sure that they're accurate adequately-They have enough moisture in the pot.

You want to check with your fingers, make sure that it's not clumping up too much in your hand. You want to make sure that it's also not like sand texture. You want to make sure there's an even moisture you might not need to water as much right now, especially if your plants are dormant, just like we don't think about hydration much in the winter, because we're not outside and in the heat, plants are the same way. So check before you water every time.

The other thing that you can do right now is dust the leaves to scout for pests and disease.

You can also start fertilizing your house plants when you see new and active growth. So like if there's new leaves, if there's new buds, if they're new shoots, those are signs your plant is waking up and you could use a little food at that point.

And you want to make sure that you're checking any bulbs or plants that you have in winter storage. So if you dug anything up from your yard, like Canna lilies or Gladiolus bulbs or anything like that, check those bulbs in storage.

Make sure they’re firm. Make sure there's no discoloration or smell to them and they should have some kind of humidity with them, but not too much. So if you had stored them in peat Moss, maybe missed in with the bottle for a second, but they don't need sopping water just yet. So you want to check all of those things.

00:07:56 Stephen Thal

And what kind of tools do we need to help us with our projects?

00:08:03 Heather Zidack

So big thing right now is going to be pruning season, so you can use-depends on the the size of the plant. But if you're outside, you want to have some some good hand pruners or some loppers- Depends on the size of your branches, but pruning right now is an advantage because there's low disease and low pest pressure outside, so plants can easily recover without being exposed to any other diseases.

In general, people use hand pruners or like I said Loppers which are a little bit larger to cut their their trees back.

And the rule that you follow is the rule of thirds. You don't want to cut off more than 1/3 of the entire plant if you want to leave 2/3 standing. And that ensures that there's enough of a ratio between roots and shoots that there's healthy regrowth.

With that being said there are some different pruning techniques that can be suggested for different species of plants.

So always consult with an arborist or landscaper or give our office a call. If you ever have any questions.

00:09:10 Stephen Thal

And what about choosing the right fertilizer?

I know there are many different kinds. I know I've heard of fertilizer from Maine where they save all of the lobster shells, crab shells and mix them all together. And that's supposed to be good too, for your plants.

00:09:29 Heather Zidack

There's all kinds of fertilizers out there and so. There's different products that are organic. You have things like manures and composts and things like that. Also have synthetic materials like regular. You have coast of Maine like you talked about. The important thing when you're looking for fertilizers, we always recommend getting that soil test first. Because you want to know what your baseline is, right?

You want to know where you're starting before you add anything else. Once you have that, the soil test is going to tell you in general terms you have 3 numbers on a bag. If you look at a bag of fertilizer, there's going to be usually something like the effect of 10-10-10, 5-5-5, 10-15-10 20-20-20, something like that.

Those 3 numbers there, those 3 numbers represent in this order nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. So when you're looking at those numbers, you're actually looking at a percentage of how much of that nutrient is in the bag.

00:10:31 Heather Zidack

So once you have your soil test for example and it says you are deficient in potassium. So, NPK, your third number there would be the one that you would want to add a little bit more of you would maybe look for something like a 5-5-10.

00:10:47 Heather Zidack

It all depends on what your soil test comes out as and what you're actually looking for with a specific crop, so it's hard to give a generalization, but knowing how to read that bag is your first step in knowing what to shop for when you're ready.

00:11:02 Stephen Thal

If we're going ahead and deciding to plant herbs, is this a good time of the year inside to get those started?

00:11:11 Heather Zidack

Absolutely. There's a lot of plants that you can start right now. Herbs are going to be great for kitchen gardens. You can pretty much start them any time of year.

Great for culinary purposes, but they're also loved by pollinators. The Swallow tail Caterpillar in particular loves things like dill and parsley plants, and they're all over them in my yard. So I actually grow a little extra just for them.

00:11:35 Heather Zidack

You get a lot of fragrance and texture out of all of the fresh herbs, which is fantastic, and it can be easily done, indoor or outdoor.

So right now you would want to start everything indoors that you want. The really cool thing with herbs is that there are some of them, like basil is an example. You know how they sell the basil plants in grocery stores, right?

00:11:56 Stephen Thal

Right.

00:11:57 Heather Zidack

So what you can do is you can actually cut off a stem of that basil, remove the leaves up to like the first leaf, maybe the first 3 or 4 leaves up there, put it in water, and it'll send out its own roots that you could then put in a pot yourself.

00:12:12 Heather Zidack

So you don't necessarily even need to do anything with seeds. You can do cuttings to keep your herbs going.

00:12:17 Heather Zidack

The only thing I would recommend is to plant if you're going to plant mint. Keep it in containers and keep it away from the ground. Don't put it outside unless you want to grow it for the rest of your life. It does have a pretty aggressive tendency, and once it hits the ground and gets rooted in, it can just grow and grow and grow. And then you have mint in that area forever.

But other than that, herbs are great to start right now.

00:12:43 Heather Zidack

A lot of people are starting, especially if they do cut flowers and small seeded plants right now. Like if you think snapdragons. If you think Cosmos, some of those they need to start now because they need a lot of time to grow. Veggie wise. People are starting things like broccoli and Brussels sprouts at this point.

Most people have started like onions and shallots by now, but you probably still have time if you were to do it like right now. And so really, there's a lot of different veggies that you could be starting right now.

00:13:19 Stephen Thal

Yeah, those are are very critical things that we have to keep keep aware of.

00:13:26 Heather Zidack

Yeah, timing is everything with when it comes to starting.

00:13:30 Stephen Thal

Right. And this is Stephen Thal with another segment on Focal Point and we're interviewing Heather from the Yukon plant and Science program and they offer a lot of help to citizens in the state. In terms of not only analyzing the soil, but talking to you about the different kinds of plants or herbs that you might want to consider starting and what has to be done to maintain them, and we know that Climate change has strongly impacted the way we have to do our season so that we can take all of our hard labor in to make sure we get some good results and not have it fail for us during the during the coming growing season.

00:14:20 Stephen Thal

I think it.

00:14:20 Heather Zidack

Yeah.

00:14:21 Stephen Thal

I think it forces us to have a have a little more time to work with this.

00:14:30 Heather Zidack

Yeah, it's really interesting. You know the frost date is a big thing that's important when you start planting seeds and when you start planting outside, especially with vegetable gardens and a lot of gardeners-

I remember, even when I was young, used to plant right around Mother's Day, which is in mid-May. In the past couple years, we probably could have done that, but you have to really watch the weather.

I've seen a few seasons where you're waiting past Memorial Day, which is the end of May at this point, and it's-For me, Memorial Day has become more of that target. Be like-this Is definitely the weekend things are going to go in.

You can keep an eye on the weather. And as long as the weather is staying above, you know, we're not getting frost. You can put your seedlings out, but you're taking a risk because we can have a frost anytime in that spring, part of May, and if you do you can lose your seedlings, so if you do put anything in the ground a little bit early do so with caution.

Keep an eye on the weather and be prepared to be able to run out and cover them if you need to. We always recommend like fabric coverings like either a towel or a sheet or a pillow case or something like that to cover your plants if they're in the ground and we have a frost coming. Using anything like plastic is definitely going to exacerbate the problem and cause more damage when it comes to frost and freezes than anything else.

So I would say. Look at your frost date.

I know the Farmers Almanac has a target frost date that you can look up, but if you want to play on the super safe side, I plant right around Memorial Day and that's a good time to plant, be outside and make sure that you're keeping an eye on the weather when you're putting things out.

00:16:21 Stephen Thal

Are there specific questions you should be asking the local gardeners or when you go in and buy things? To make sure you're getting the things that you want, especially the different plants.

00:16:35 Heather Zidack

Yeah, you want to look for quality seed whenever you're purchasing. In general, most garden centres have. Seed that is timely. So you're going to see, just like we have certain products in the grocery store that have like an expiration date. There are seeds that have that date planted on the back.

They should be packed for this year and I believe they have to sell seeds that are packed for this year, so that's not something that you have to worry about too much, but it is good to know where to look for that information. Look at where It will say “packed for” and then it will have the year on there.

It'll also show the germination rate, which is how well, the seed will actually sprout. That's advertised on the envelope as well as like a quality control and so you want to make sure that it's got a good germination rate.

I've seen seed products before that I've purchased where they had a note on the envelope that said last year we had a low germination rate. So this year we're giving you extra seed and in the envelope it was a little heavier pack than what it had been in previous year.

So you want to make sure you've got a good germination rate. You want to make sure that there's a a date that's packed for this year. Those are both more important than anything like brand. You want to make sure that you're looking for good seed when you're starting.

Something to keep in mind is that there are- if you are someone who saves seeds from year to year, you want to make sure you're storing them well. Keeping them in a cool, dry area.

And if you do have seeds that are either seed that you've saved and you have a history of, like plant disease in previous years, or if you've bought untreated seeds and you have a reason to have concern that maybe you had some kind of, you know, plant disease a previous year. You can have your seeds treated with something called hot water seed treatment and our plant diagnostic lab does that.

00:18:37 Heather Zidack

To help make sure that there are no pathogens on the feed when you plant them in the ground to give them a healthy start. So that's an option, especially if you have a history of disease in your garden that some gardeners do like to take advantage of.

00:18:52 Stephen Thal

Oh, that's good.

00:18:53 Stephen Thal

Are there any special plants that some of the gardeners may be putting out this for sale that we need to be aware of, especially for the disease?

00:19:04 Heather Zidack

So you want to be careful with-I will say if you're looking at things like plant swaps and you're going to like Garden Club plant swaps and things like that, we did help out a lot of garden clubs last year as they were looking at how to do this while still being aware of the jumping warm issue. And so jumping worms are an invasive worm that are going from property to property and the best way to make sure that they don't transfer between properties is to make sure that your roots of your plants are cleaned off.

So. A lot of, especially at plant swaps, a lot of these garden clubs were having people dig their plants that they were willing to donate. Rinse the plants off at the roots. Repot them into soilless potting media.

And then they were willing to trade them and and exchange them at these swaps.

So you want to make sure if you are going to plant swaps, they are taking some kind of precaution like that and if they are not, you can still take the plant home but you want to make sure that you're doing the rinsing of the roots to make sure that nothing is coming onto your property.

00:20:18 Heather Zidack

We had a lot of garden clubs that were able to take some of these procedures and be very successful with their plant swaps and not have to worry about it at all. But education is that first step in knowing how to manage this issue right and so that way they knew that they had to rinse the roots. They had to keep their gardeners educated on how to prevent this from spreading, and they were able to still have plant swaps and stuff, so not encouraging any fear of plant swaps.

Just kind of giving you that heads up of tou may need to wash the roots if you bring some.

00:20:50 Stephen Thal

Yeah, those are very important things. And I think also as a person who may be out with your plants or just sitting in the yard admiring them, I think we need to remind people to wear their sunglasses and to wear a hat and use proper sun protection.

00:21:07 Heather Zidack

Very important. I always used to tell my colleagues when I worked at a garden center, I'd say water the plants and water yourself.

00:21:16 Stephen Thal

That's good.

00:21:17 Stephen Thal

Yeah. Good.

00:21:20 Stephen Thal

Any other items you'd like to have us our listeners be aware of and enjoy their spring fling in the garden and in their house plants.

00:21:32 Heather Zidack

Yeah. One of the things that I would love to make everyone aware of is that the Connecticut Flower and Garden show is coming up at the end of February. It's going to be February 20th to 23rd at the Hartford Convention Center and the Home and Garden Education Center, Myself and my colleagues will be there answering garden questions.

So if you have garden questions, please feel free to stop by and say hi to us. We've also got speakers that are going to be there every single day. And it's a nice taste of spring because a lot of local landscapers and garden centres will do full on displays.

00:22:10 Heather Zidack

It's very cold. We're starting to see Snow and it's nice to take a break and just have that smell of fresh flowers all around and everything. So it's a great opportunity to get a taste of spring. And get your garden questions answered. If you need to see us. So it's really good coming up.

00:22:29 Heather Zidack

The other thing that I have for advice, if you're looking for spring a little bit early is if you have anything like Dogwood, forsythia, crab apple in your house or in your property, you can take cuttings of them and put the branches in warm water.

And they could force the flowers to open right now. So you could get a little bit of spring early in your house by doing that.

00:22:53 Heather Zidack

The other thing that's really important to keep in mind is that if you are an avid gardener. It's a good time to take any of your tools that are in the shed and make sure they're in proper working order. Make sure that all of the handles are tightened.

Make sure everything is sharpened if it needs to be sharpened and paint the handles with a bright red or bright orange paint to help you see them when you put them down in the garden.

00:23:17 Stephen Thal

Yeah. And I think also lawn mowers or any working tools like that should be taken to a mechanic to make sure everything's working.

00:23:24 Heather Zidack

Absolutely anything with an engine. Don't do yourself.

00:23:30 Stephen Thal

Yeah. Sounds like you've had some experiences.

00:23:34 Heather Zidack

Yeah.

00:23:35 Stephen Thal

Now in terms of plants, we have to watch out for some of these poisons that may be used to help plants. Are there any that we should avoid?

00:23:47 Heather Zidack

So most of the ones, fortunately, that you want to avoid too much are not allowed for sale to homeowners. That's a really, really good thing.

What you want to make sure that you're looking at if if anyone is using any chemicals in the garden. Every single product has a label on it, and that label has to match whatever you're trying to to achieve, right?

So If you're trying to eliminate cabbage worms, for example, in your garden. That label needs to say that that product will take care of cabbage worm.

Otherwise you should not be using it whatsoever, and so we say this recommendation with any chemical, but also all of those home remedies that you hear about. We don't recommend using them because there's not that science to back it up that says this label identifies the cabbage worms. And cabbage worms are my identified problem so this is going to work. So that's one of the first things.

00:24:45 Heather Zidack

The other thing that's really important in making sure that you're monitoring regularly and looking for bugs. Because a lot of times if you can take care of the problem early, you don't necessarily need those chemicals. Or there could be other ways to manage it before you get to that point. So as soon as you see something, get a picture and we could help you or have someone at a garden center help you identify what's what's going on. And what you can do to treat it.

00:25:14 Heather Zidack

Reading that label is the most important thing that anybody can do, and it's the safest thing because you want to make sure you're doing targeted approaches to target species when you're using any chemicals in the garden.

00:25:27 Stephen Thal

Yeah. And also if you have a bug you're not familiar with, put it in a little container and send it up to you guys.

00:25:35 Heather Zidack

Yes, we can do that. We do insect identification-insects found in the garden. If, if they're found inside the home, we usually recommend like either a pest control expert or there's other resources available, but we are definitely able to do any garden pest.

00:25:53 Stephen Thal

Yeah. How about the got local garden clubs? Can they be helpful too?

00:25:58 Heather Zidack

Sometimes! They actually have some good resources.

00:26:03 Heather Zidack

If you're looking for an identification or a diagnosis, it really is good to come to the either the plant diagnostic lab or our office here because we have the connection to the diagnostic lab. But there are garden clubs. There are a lot of people with a lot of knowledge about gardening. The the reason that we we pride ourselves on is because we have a lot of research based information that we’re able to share with our clients.

00:26:31 Stephen Thal

Well, we want to thank you for coming in and sharing this vital information for getting your spring things started.

00:26:40 Heather Zidack

Thank you so much for having me.

00:26:40 Stephen Thal

And you know well, give us a call when the neck was a fall we have to get ready.

Or. If there's any alerts, we can send them out.

00:26:50 Heather Zidack

Yes, I will let you know if there's anything else.

00:26:55 Stephen Thal

Well, I thank you very much, Heather, for coming on again. At the program we really enjoyed.

I'm sure I got a lot out of it and I'm sure people here got a lot out of it.

Appreciate you and your staff for all you do, why don't you give your number one more time?

00:27:12 Heather Zidack

Yes, if anybody has gardening questions for us, they can call and our number is 877-486-6271. Again, that's 877-486-6271.

00:27:31 Stephen Thal

OK, very , good. Thank you. Everybody thank you.

Thank you for all you do to help make us a successful spring season.

00:27:39 Heather Zidack

Yes, thank you for having me. Have a good spring!

00:27:41 Stephen Thal

Like this is Steven Thal and another segment on focal point and we wanted to thank you the listeners for listening to all of the focal point programs.

00:27:53 Stephen Thal

As we mentioned earlier in the program, please wear your sunglasses and a hat because the sun is going to be a lot stronger this year because of climate changes.

And also practice a family plan. If you don't know anything about it, contact a local fire department or go on the computer regarding emergency fire plans and involve everybody in in the House and doing a piece of it. And if you practice it a few times and also make sure that. Your fire alarm batteries or whatever are up to date cause a lot of them today are lasting 10 years.

So get involved because life you say may be your own.

00:28:36 Stephen Thal

Thank you for allowing us into your homes. Safe and stay healthy.

Shine a Light – But Which One?

Posted on February 15, 2025February 18, 2025 by Zidack, Heather

By Emily Leahy, UConn Home & Garden Education Center

Seedlings under LED lights — Seedlings growing under programmable LED lights. Photo by H. Zidack

The dead of winter brings a longing to spend time outside in the garden again. While this may not be possible yet, it is easy to craft your own growing space indoors. The elements of the outdoors that allow plants to thrive – light, warmth, and water – can all be brought indoors with a little creativity and the right resources.

Some steps remain unchanged. Still, refer to the plant’s label for guidance on choosing a proper container, water and nutrient needs, as well as temperature preferences. Guidelines on how much light the plant should receive can also be found on the label – but how can this be applied indoors?

One of the more challenging aspects to simulate, indoors, is an adequate amount of light. When outside, plants rely on the sun for light needed to carry out photosynthesis. This chemical reaction produces sugars which are used as energy in processes essential for the growth and maintenance of a healthy plant. While plants can still receive sunlight indoors through rays shining through windows, this often cannot act as an equitable substitute for unobstructed sunlight outdoors. This is where supplemental light sources in the form of grow lights come into play. Grow lights are specially designed with the purpose of emitting a wider spectrum of light wavelengths to enable photosynthesis. But with so many options available, how can you choose which is the best option?

Generally, there are two types of grow lights – bulbs and fixtures. Bulbs can be placed into existing light fixtures like lamps or overhead lighting. However, this can be unsuitable as it is difficult to control the distance from the plant and angle at which the light shines. Grow light fixtures are separate systems which can provide multiple plants with light simultaneously, offering a more even distribution. With proper setup, they can be positioned at an advantageous angle to provide plants with their preferred amount of light.

Next comes the question of which kind of light is appropriate for your plant – incandescent, fluorescent, or LED? It is important to determine beforehand the level of light which your plant prefers – high, medium, or low. Incandescent lights, while costing the least, are also the least efficient. 90% of their energy is released in the form of heat, while only 10% is light itself. While this makes them good contenders for low-light plants, they also require caution as they can provide plants with an overwhelming amount of heat.

Fluorescent lights are well-suited for plants requiring low to medium light. They emit the full spectrum of light, essential for promoting growth as they mimic natural sunlight. Most often they are seen as strips or tubes of light that can be affixed above plants, but they can also be purchased in bulb form. LED lights emit the full spectrum of light as well, while simultaneously emitting less heat than other bulb types. Yielding a high overall efficiency, LEDs can be customized with different colors/wavelengths of light to provide certain advantages for some plants. For example, blue lights promote vegetative growth, while red lights do the same for flowering and fruit growth.

Grow light setup — Different stages of growth may need different spectrums of light. Photo by H. Zidack

After choosing the most suitable kind of grow light for your plant, there are a variety of other tips helpful to consider. The type of plant not only determines the proper type of light to use, but also how much light should be provided. Supplying light 24 hours a day is not ideal as it can overwhelm the plant – remember the objective is to mimic the light conditions of the outdoors. Therefore, plants will require some hours of darkness each day.

Seedlings generally prefer 14-16 hours of light per day, as they necessitate the most encouragement for growth. 12 hours of light is suitable for herbs and other greens, while houseplants fall between the range of 6-12 hours per day – be sure to refer to the product label for any specifications on light preferences.

In terms of setup, lights should be angled to ensure a direct stream of emittance onto the plant in order to receive its full benefits. It is best to affix lights about 12 inches from the plant, although adjustments can be made as you see fit. Some indoor gardening systems are available that can be customized to fit specifications according to the type of plant being grown. It is also important to purchase lights that are rated to withstand humidity and moisture if they are being kept in a greenhouse-like environment.

Be sure to always refer to your plant’s label for its specific preferences for light and other growing conditions. With the help of grow lights, you can wait out the winter by bringing a little bit of the outdoors, indoors!

The UConn Home & Garden Education Center contributes to the Cooperative Extension mission of the University of Connecticut by connecting the public with research and resources provided by the University. For your gardening questions, feel free to contact us, toll-free, at the UConn Home & Garden Education Center - (877) 486-6271, visit our website at https://homegarden.cahnr.uconn.edu/, or contact your local Cooperative Extension center https://cahnr.uconn.edu/extension/locations/.

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