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If you brought your rosemary plant inside for the winter, here's my mid-winter reminder to check on it. It's about time for your plant to either start drying out or getting mildew.  The low humidity in houses can quickly take its toll on rosemary needles, especially if your plant is under a warm plant light. And on the flip side, even if you've been good about keeping it watered, you can still wind up with mildew. Now's the time to get your rosemary in top shape, because it's one of the first plants to get moved back outdoors; rosemary loves the chilly spring temperatures. In fact, if you're having mild weather, let your plant enjoy the day outside. Just don't forget to bring it back in.

If you haven't been snipping too many branches for cooking, your rosemary should burst into beautiful blue blossoms in the spring. Once the blooms fade, your rosemary will benefit from a light trim and feeding. If it's in a pot, spring is also a good time to freshen the soil. And if you don't have a rosemary plant, why not? It's such a luxurious indulgence for so little money or effort. You really should try growing rosemary.

Photo: fantax / stock.xchng

Why is My Rosemary So Dry? originally appeared on About.com Gardening on Sunday, February 5th, 2012 at 09:00:14.

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Seed starting isn't rocket science, yet we've all have our triumphs and disappointments. Here are some tips and basics to give you the advantage when starting your garden seeds this spring.

• Seed Starting in 10 Steps
• Do Seedlings Need Fertilizer?
• What's a Soil-less Potting Mix?
• Why Did Your Seedlings Suddenly Wilt and Die?

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

Seed Starting in 10 Steps originally appeared on About.com Gardening on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 09:00:52.

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The votes are all in and "Dew Kissed Rose" was the run away winner of Best Gardening Photo of 2011. Congratulations, Jerry! Congratulations to all our 2011 Photo Challenge Winners and thank you for sharing your photos and your gardens with us.

Now let's all pick up our cameras and get ready for the 1st Photo Challenge of 2012 - Indoor Gardening. Houseplants, a fig tree wintering indoors, a maze of hydroponics... What's growing in your house?

1st Place Photo Submitted by Jerry Yother.

Best Garden Photo of 2011 originally appeared on About.com Gardening on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 07:00:58.

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Phil has spoken and in true groundhog fashion, it's not good news for gardeners. Phil saw his shadow and retreated into his burrow for another 6 weeks of winter. Many of us are still waiting for winter to start, so it will be hard to tell the difference. I'd be happy to know he won't be roaming around my yard for the next month, but to confuse things further, Shubenacadie Sam, of Nova Scotia, Wiarton Willie, of Ontario and Staten Island Chuck all predicted an early spring.  Personal experience makes it hard for me to trust groundhogs.

I don't put a lot of stock into what a pampered rodent says, but there is something to be said for animals and plants being able to give us signs of the weather to come. There's a science called phenology and it has to do with the timing of recurring biological phenomena and their relationship to the weather. I like it because it tells you when it's safe to plant. For instance, you can put your tomato plants out when lily-of-the-valley are in full bloom.

Do you secretly watch for Phil's prognostication, too? What signs tell you spring is on the way?

Photo: © Alan Freed/PunxsutawneyPhil.com, Inc. Used with Permission.

Phil Says 6 More Weeks of Winter, But... originally appeared on About.com Gardening on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 07:30:21.

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February is the toughest month in the garden. Usually it's just the gardeners in warm climates don't know what to expect from the weather. This year nature is teasing northern gardeners, making us think spring is just around the corner. Whatever it brings, February means that winter is half over and subtle signs of spring are there if you really look.

So get out your sharpening tools or your grow lights. Look over this February in the Garden To Do List and let's get gardening!

Photo: © Marie Iannotti

February in the Garden Regional Gardening Tips originally appeared on About.com Gardening on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 07:01:28.

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