Garden Bite with Teri Knight

Every year there’s a lot of social media chatter about those holiday cacti. Do you have an overachieving Christmas cactus or is it really a Thanksgiving cactus? And what about those Easter ones? Identifying those cacti isn't difficult, you just need to know what you're looking for! And THAT is on today's Garden Bite . 

Sunday, we celebrate National Poinsettia Day in the U.S.!  It's actually a native of Mexico, where it grows like a weed and can reach 10 feet tall. But here in the U.S., it is more of a houseplant and definitely a beautiful Christmas gift! Learn how to care for them and about the legend of WHY they're also named "Flowers of the Holy Night". I LOVE this story!  And check out all the color...

A couple of weeks ago I talked about the benefits of bats and birds. I want to add to the list of birds that bring joy AND munch on those unwanted pests such as beetles, caterpillars, grubs, snails and my recent nemesis, ANTS! Learn which birds will hang out all year if you give them what they need and how much they LOVE to eat!  Check out gardenbite.com . 

Gardening, being in nature, is one of the best things we can do for ourselves both physically and mentally. However, there are many of us with differing abilities that make movement and/or chores in the garden a bit more challenging. Today there are so many wonderful tools and advice on gardening with differing abilities. Learn more on adaptive gardening on today's Garden Bite. Be sure to check ou...

Yesterday I shared the what and why of All America Selections. Today, I introduce you to some of the winners for 2022. Two vegetables and an annual you'll want in your garden next year! Go to gardenbite.com for more details and pictures too! 

All America Selections (AAS) was established in 1932. Since that time, home gardeners have been able to see that designation and know that the plant they're buying has gone through rigorous trials. But how did it get started? Why did it get started? And where are those trial gardens??? It's all on today's Garden Bite. Be sure to check out my website too! 

Black Friday may be over but we’re seeing plenty of holiday shopping ads! As the gardener or one of them in your family, there’s nothing wrong with leaving hints about what you want!  Tools are a gardener’s biggest friend. Find out my favorites on today's Garden Bite.

Some may scoff but bats have benefits. Learn the many benefits before you kill it at one o'clock in the morning after it's flown into your bedroom! Oh and other birds belong in this category for their ability to eat insects we don't want! 

It’s the time of year when you may hear the pitter patter of small creatures about your house. If it were just the kids! Nope, it’s mice seeking shelter in your cozy home! Oh I have trivia for the dinner table on the number of litters a mouse can have and how quickly that adds up. Plus some stats on their athletic abilities!

For those who have smaller homes or just don’t want the fuss of a big Christmas tree, check out the Norfolk Pine . This houseplant, that’s in many nurseries right now, is not a pine at all! Learn more about this wonderful plant and why you shouldn't toss it out after the holidays.

The local nurseries are filled with Fraser Firs, Balsams, Pine and Spruce.  You learned all about the different types last Friday when we talked about tree selection. Today is all about caring for your tree, even before you get it in the house! Once inside, what do you need to do? Where should you NOT put it?

Selecting a fresh cut Christmas tree takes a bit of knowledge and some thought. Find out the do's and don'ts of choosing your tree on today's Garden Bite. Be sure to check out my website too and see the options along with more information. I'll share what to do before you get them in the door and how to care for them next week! 

Happy Thanksgiving from Garden Bite. Today is about being grateful and sharing our bounty! And what I bring to the Thanksgiving table! ;-) 

Every year plant breeders introduce new cultivars! I share some of those new perennials with you today. There's a hibiscus you've GOT to see on my website gardenbite.com. Oh and so much more!

I was recently reading an article regarding the "worst trees" and took issue with a few of their choices! Find out which ones they didn't like and why I think they're beautiful choices! Perhaps in spite of their "issues"...

Ugh, ants. They really invaded my perennial bed this year. Today's episode is all about how to control them so they don't lift your plants right out of the ground! 

It's the season when we decorate... for decades that has meant using Oriental Bittersweet. This is one obnoxious invasive. It is shocking to see what this vine is capable of. Please go to gardenbite.com to see the destruction of the "holiday tradition". We have our own American Bittersweet which is beautiful and a native plant! Therefore it plays well with others. Listen to the podcast and then ta...

I love creating my festive containers! I normally go to my local nursery and buy the “ingredients”, spruce tops, cedar branches and various other evergreens and fresh accents. This year was a bit different for me due to scheduled surgery. No worries, I'll be at full force in a few months. That said, I share some "starter" containers and what I did last year. Go to my website to see those creations...

Inching out of a pandemic, we’re gathering again. That means host/hostess gifts! Rather than last minute, consider something a little different that’s easy and just takes a couple of weeks. Infused sugars! I have lots of ideas on today's show with pictures and more instruction on my website, gardenbite.com. 

Each year, hundreds of annual flowers are on public display as part of the annual flower variety trial at the University of Minnesota Horticulture Display Garden in Morris , MN.

If you haven't brought your houseplants back in the house, they might be covered in snow or shivering and not too happy with you! Today's Garden Bite is about the steps to bringing them back indoors. Be sure to go to my website too! 

Our winters can be brutal and the Farmers Almanac is calling 2021/22 winter "The Season of Shivers". So today is about using nature for mulch, protecting those shrubs and what shrubs are more tolerant of salt and snow!

Transitioning from combat to civilian life isn’t easy. Experts are going back to lessons from long ago about the role nature has in healing. Years ago, on another radio show I had called “15 with the Author”, I talked with Stephanie Westlund who wrote, “Field Exercises : How Veterans Are Healing Themselves through Farming and Outdoor Activities". It is a look at the healing properties of being in...

Does indoor compost stink? What about those little fruit flies? I've learned a few things about indoor composting and as we enter winter, we're not as likely to head to the compost pile in 8 ft of snow (okay, I exaggerate!) So what are some of those little nuances to having an indoor compost bucket that doesn't smell?  Find out on today's Bite.

The holiday season brings out the amaryllis bulbs for those of us in cold climates. We force them to bloom. Can we keep them? Can we force them to bloom next year? How would we do that? It's all answered on today's Garden Bite. And what are waxed amaryllis?