Hits & Misses: Lemons and limes & primula opportunity
Question of the Week: Can I take an offshoot from my aloe to start a new plant?
Science & Technology: Term primer

You’d think after so many years in the gardening business I wouldn’t get very excited about new plant introductions. But this year there are two that have me jumping around like a spring lamb. Sorry, bad visual. Instead try envisioning the impressive hydrangeas we’re growing. Hydrangea arborescens ‘Incrediball’ promises huge, basketball-sized white flowerheads, and H. arborescens ‘Invincibelle Spirit’ is the first-ever pink variety with signature globe-shaped heads. Yes, I know the true test will be how they perform, but spring is all about promise, and spring’s not that far away.

Hits & Misses
Hit: Lemons and Limes
There’s something about growing an indoor lime or lemon tree that I find both intriguing and rewarding. So, I’m delighted that we’ve got a new shipment in. Citrus trees grow well in homes but with one big caveat—they must be located in a very sunny, south-facing window. If you don’t have a sun-drenched spot in your home, then do yourself a favour and don’t buy a citrus tree. However, if you have plenty of sunlight, keep the lemon meringue pie recipe handy.

Miss: Primula Opportunity
Primula sold as indoor plants have more potential than you may think. People tend to see them as beautiful, fragrant plants that bloom once and that’s it. But did you know primula can be planted outside in a shady spot in the spring? Outdoors, they will often rebloom in the fall and, given reasonable snow cover, will emerge the following spring.

Question of the Week
Can I take an offshoot from my aloe to start a new plant?
Yes, and here’s how. If the offshoots of your aloe have their own roots, they can be safely separated from the mother plant and potted up. If the offshoots don’t have their own roots, you can take cuttings by following this procedure:

1. With a sharp knife, remove the offshoot at the point where it joins the stem of the mother plant. Next, the fresh cut on the offshoot must be allowed to dry and harden for two to three days. This will prevent harmful fungi from invading the tissue.
2. Once the cut on the offshoot has healed, dip the end of the offshoot into a rooting hormone; then nestle it gently into a pot of fresh, loosely packed soil. The cutting should be planted just deep enough that the stem is buried and remains in the soil if the plant leans over.
3. Water in well.

Of course, the best time to take cuttings is in the spring or early summer when plants are actively growing.

Science & Technology
Term Primer
Sometimes it’s hard to get a handle on scientific terms that describe categories of plants, so here’s a primer on some common terms.

Species: a group of closely related plants that, as a rule, have similar characteristics and can usually interbreed

Variety: a uniform, genetically identical group of plants from the same species

Cultivar: a variety that is bred for commercial production

Wild Relative: no, not your cousin, the ancestor of modern crops

Did You Know?
Some plants follow the sun’s path through the sky and orient their leaves perpendicular to it to catch as many rays as possible (diaheliotropism). Others orient their leaves parallel to the sun’s rays to avoid overheating and excessive water loss (paraheliotropism).

“Until man duplicates a blade of grass, nature can laugh at his so called scientific knowledge.”

–Thomas Edison