Primrose

Primrose
Primula acaulis

Tired of winter's cold gray weather? The perfect pick me up is to stop in the greenhouse for a few of these brightly colored, sweetly fragrant plants. Their color palette ranges from white to red, to shades of yellow, pink, and deep purple. Large numbers of these bright beautiful blossoms are clustered in the center of the leaves' rosette pattern, creating a nestled bed of color in the midst of dark green paddle shaped foliage.
Primrose prefer cooler temperatures (55-60F), but will do quite well in your house if you can stay around 67-68 degrees. An east or west facing window sill where they will receive lots of bright indirect light and perhaps cooler temperatures would be best. These plants want to be moist but not wet all the time, so water only when the soil surface feels slightly dry to the touch. Remove dead flowers by pinching them off near their base, and fertilize according to directions on your fertilizer package. In spring after danger of frost, you can plant these perennials outdoors in semi shade in well drained soil. With some winter protection, they will be up again in spring with the crocuses, once again delighting you with riots of color to chase away the winter blahs.

By Sandy Weinkam
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses

Gardenia

Gardenia

It is hard to find a more beautiful and fragrant plant than the Gardenia. However, it can be a temperamental beauty.
The Gardenia needs bright light but not direct sunlight. It prefers cool temperatures at night (55-65F), and slightly warmer during the day, and also requires a humid environment which can be accomplished by standing the pot on a large tray of pebbles which are kept wet at all times. Keep the soil evenly moist and water with tepid or lukewarm water. When fertilizing, use an acid based fertilizer.
The Gardenia can be moved outside in late spring when there is no longer a chance of frost. A north or northwest location out of direct sunlight is ideal. Remember to keep the soil moist, and this plant will bring you many years of beauty and fragrance.

By Gayla Parker
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses

Orchid Cactus

Orchid Cactus
Epiphyllum

Orchid Cactus are very unique plants. Their native habitat is the jungles of south and central America and Mexico, but they will perform well as indoor houseplants if given some extra humidity. Humidity can be enhanced by placing a pebble tray with water in the pebbles under the plant pot. Their very fragrant flowers come in nearly every color except blue and are typically five inches across. They bloom spring through early summer when temperatures are warmer and daylight hours are longer. They need room to grow, at least a space three feet wide, that receives medium light. Morning or late afternoon sun, but no hot direct mid afternoon sun are the ideal lighting conditions. They prefer a rich well drained soil, and require very little fertilizer, preferably in early spring and then once more after blooming. Because their thick fleshy stems retain water well, they really only need to be watered once or twice a week spring through fall, then very sparingly during winter.If you supply your Orchid Cactus with these growing conditions, you will be rewarded with beautiful fragrant flowers year after year.


By Michelle Lynn
Gardening Expert at A.J. Rahn Greenhouses