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Winter Cover Crops

Master Gardener Carl Wayne Hardeman talks about the benefits of cover crops in the garden. Cover crops are planted to cover bare ground. They can be used for erosion prevention or adding nutrients and structure to the soil. Soil microbes are important to plants and live on the roots of plants. Having bare ground can starve the microbes, cover crops can feed the microbes until the next crop is planted.

Related Videos:
Winter Garden Vegetables
Fall and Winter Flowers
Planting Cool Season Vegetables

Tomato Pests

Lily Basics

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This Week in the Garden

Up-Potting Seedlings

This week in the garden Kim Rucker, Greenhouse Manager at Dixon Gallery and Gardens shows how to transplant a flower seedling from a starting cell to a small pot so it can continue to grow. >>Watch

Garden Notes
Differences in Growth in Annuals

Annual flowers from the same nursery tray may grow very differently. University of Memphis Director of Landscape Joellen Dimond explains that nursery grown annuals are treated with a growth retardant to keep them compact. Also, environmental conditions in the landscape bed can affect how large the plants grow. She shows begonias that have been affected by wet conditions compared to those that are in more optimal conditions. >>Watch

Boxwood

UT Horticultural Specialist Carol Reese talks about boxwood. There are several species of boxwood. It has very specific sighting requirements regarding heat, cold, and roots. Korean and Japanese little leaf types are more tolerant to the hot summer sun. It is important before you plant to make sure you research your site and boxwood that will tolerate it. >>Watch

Building an
Aeroponics System

Hydroponics expert, Scott Dekarske, and Master Gardener, Stephan Leonard, show how to assemble an inexpensive aeroponics system. It only takes a few hours to assemble this system. Continue reading about our success growing tomatoes in this aeroponic set-up, here.

Spiders

Andy Williams from Lichterman Nature Center talks about spiders. Spiders are beneficials in the garden. He talks about the different kinds of spiders we find in the garden. In the South there are three types of spiders and they differ in their body shape, web construction and hunting methods. >>Watch

Garden Rodent Control

Mike Dennison talks about moles, voles and chipmunks. They can be garden pests. He shows how to set a scissors style mole trap. He also talks about methods for controlling voles and chipmunks. >>Watch

Buying Garden Seeds

Growing garden plants from seed gives you a huge selection to choose from. Master Gardener Tom Mashour talks about how to choose the right seeds for your garden. He reviews the advantages of seed catalogs, retail stores, and feed stores. >>Watch

Transform a Bare Mulch Bed

How to Prep Garden Tools for Winter

Microgreens

Home Mouse and Rat Control

History and Symbolism of Plants at Christmas

Build a Holiday Evergreen Display

Looking for more garden info?

Viewer Questions

What should I plant in my garden fall and winter?

Plants for the fall into winter garden include swiss chard because of its bright colors. You could also plant turnip greens. They can grow all winter. There are some ornamental edible mustards with bright red and purple foliage. Some oriental cabbages can be planted as well. >>Watch

Should I dig up my hibiscus for the winter?

There are two kinds of hibiscus: tropical and perennial. The perennial hibiscus will die back to the ground every winter but come up in the spring. The tropical hibiscus will not survive the winter and will need to be replanted in the spring. The tropical type can be dug up and brought inside but next spring it will take some time for the plant to recover and begin to look good again. It may be easier to let it die and get a new plant next year. >>Watch

Do I leave purple fountain grass in the ground this winter?

Purple fountain grass is an annual even though many big box stores try to sell it as a perennial. It will die in the winter. If you would like a perennial grass, there are several other options to consider. The dead grass can be pretty in the winter and does not have to be removed in the fall. The brown grass provides structure to the planting and provides food for wildlife during the winter. >>Watch

Can I leave my banana tree in the ground for the winter?

In a banana tree it is the root that you want to keep. Digging it up for the winter will protect it from freezing and from root rot. It can be kept in the corner of the garage. There are hardy bananas that do not need to be dug up. Some are hardy to -10˚F. >>Watch

My cryptomeria is turning brown in the center. Should I be concerned?

Cryptomeria and other conifers can have brown needles for several reasons. If there has been a drought the plant will drop some of its needles. If this is the case, make sure to water during dry spells. Brown interior needles are often a more benign condition. The plant recognizes that those needles are being shaded and are not generating nutrients for the tree. The tree will then drop those needles to improve efficiency. If you don’t like the look of the brown needles you can knock the needles off. >>Watch