Jeff Lowenfels
Lowenfels: Today's African violets are far cry from finicky flowers of yore
You just can't beat African violets when it comes to great all-around houseplants. Unfortunately, for so many hobby gardeners who are forced to spend the winter indoors, they are underappreciated. They are considered old-fashioned. They have a reputation for being finicky. You could fool me.
Jeff Lowenfels
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Lowenfels: Last glance at plant catalogs before the light returns
OK. This is the last column on catalogs/webalogs. The days are finally getting noticeably longer and seed racks are popping up all over. This means it is time to think about actually buying some seeds and even starting a few (sweet peas, pelargonium and indoor herbs, for example).
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Lowenfels: Gardeners' online wish list includes more than plants
Continuing with this month's garden websites and catalogs, let's move away from plants for a week and get into some of the hardware of gardening.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Lowenfels: More websites for gardeners longing for spring
What was I thinking last week when I was putting together the annual "must-have" garden nursery websites and catalogs? I could try and blame it on the limited words I am allowed each week in this column, but in any case I left off a bunch of catalogs Alaskan gardeners simply must have to ease the...
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Lowenfels: Dreaming of a pesticide-free Christmas
I would even settle, this year at least, for just Anchorage to be a pesticide-free gardening zone. What a gift that would be for us all.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Lowenfels: Careful watering key to cactus care in Alaska
I just got back from a business trip to Tucson, Ariz. Talk about a difference in landscape, not to mention temperature. No snow, but cacti everywhere you look and so much sun that some plants have chlorophyll in their bark. Oh yeah, and snakes.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Herbs as houseplants or for cooking can flourish indoors
One of the nice things about having grow lights during the winter months is the ability to grow your own fresh herbs. Not only will you use these when cooking, they make attractive houseplants. The trick is to figure out which are the easiest herbs to grow indoors. Lucky you. I have the answers.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Prepare feeders for winter's bird buffet
O.K. gardeners. There are a few things that need to be checked this weekend, some of them outdoors. I know it is cold, but you are an Alaskan gardener, not just some ordinary, Outside soil shifter.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Yes, you can grow pineapples in Alaska
There are lots of plants that don't need supplemental lights. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't have at least one place where you can grow some lettuce, perhaps some African Violets and let your plants enjoy some "sun."
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Tweaking temperature gets indoor orchids to re-flower
It must be winter. Emails are piling up. Time to answer a few here.
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JEFF LOWENFELS
Wait for Halloween to set out bird feeders
Lots of questions coming in both by email as well as Saturday mornings on The Garden Party (10 a.m.-noon on KBYR 700 or online at kbyr.com). Let's get to some that have not be answered.


