Big news for the gardening community.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture released a new USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map and if you didn’t already suspect, Indiana got warmer. The updated map was released November 15, 2023. The 2023 hardiness map is the analysis of average temperatures for about 30 years – 1991 to 1920. When... The post What to know about Indiana’s updated plant hardiness zones appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

Like a lot of you, my tomatoes and peppers are slow to ripen this year. The cause? Smoke from wildfires. The atmosphere may not look smoky, but the UV blocking layer is several thousand feet above us.  Purdue University assessed the effects of haze and reduced air quality from wildfire smoke on corn in June.... The post Why are veggies slow to ripen this year? appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

Let’s talk about garden phlox (P. paniculata), toadlily (Tricyrtis spp.), hardy mums (Chrysanthemum spp.), and bee balm (Monarda spp.) What do these perennials have in common this time of year? Powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is an umbrella term for at least five fungi genera, or a closely related groups of similar species. Some plants are more susceptible to... The post What’s that white stuff on my plants? appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

When I look at images (formerly known as photos) on social media, I wonder if what I’m seeing are the real things or are they artificial intelligence, or AI as it’s referred to most of the time. We’ve all seen the fake AI images of Tom Cruise.  AI allows use of made-up images for all kinds of... The post Is that plant real or is it AI? appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

Gardeners need to be mindful of the various stages of heat illness. Our bodies need to maintain and regulate certain temperatures and when it gets too hot, our health is at risk. If we’re not able to shed excess heat The California Department of Industrial Relations has an informative posting on heat illness, much of which... The post Avoid heat illness appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

In a quick read of my emails and many gardening social media sites, you’ll see dozens of references to aphids on plants in the Indiana landscape. Aphids have appeared on many plants in the landscape, from vegetables, annuals and perennials to trees and shrubs. Even the weeds. What are aphids? Aphids are tiny insects (1/16... The post Aphids on plants and what to do about them appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

If you’re like me, you probably thought the only thing people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from just needed access to food. That is not wrong, but it’s not right, either. A recent showing of The Working Hungry, written and produced by my friend Shannon Cagle Dawson, enlightened me. The 30-minute, Emmy-nominated... The post The Working Hungry need more than food appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

The onset of Winter 2022 delivered a holiday surprise few gardeners embrace – a quick drop in temperatures after a slow, mild fall. A lot of the damage to plants is showing itself now as we see winter kill on buds of leaves, flowers and branches. One way to see if a branch is alive... The post Is my plant dead or alive: April’s big reveal appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

We always think of perennials and annuals when it comes to supporting bees and other pollinators. But trees and shrubs have a role to play, too. Thanks to the good work at the Horticultural Research Institute and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, we now have nine trees and shrubs that have a “very... The post Nine trees and shrubs that bees like best appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more

Just the other day, someone on a Facebook gardening page mentioned she was hardening off her seedlings on warm, cloudy days. Another person asked what hardening off means.  I answered her question, but it got me thinking about some of the words gardeners use and what those garden terms mean. Here’s a primer of 14... The post How knowing 14 garden terms can help you grow appeared first on Hoosier Gardener ..read more