Bringing Houseplants Indoors for Winter
If you let your houseplants vacation on the back deck or front porch this summer, then by early September it’s time to get them ready to move back inside for the winter. Letting your indoor plants spend their summer at “camp” is a great way to give them extra air circulation, increased surround lighting, and […]
10 Peperomias We Love!
Peperomia (Piperaceae) is an amazingly vast plant family of leaf shapes and textures! There are dozens of varieties to choose from but here are our favorites: Despite the huge difference in appearance, there are commonalities that all peperomias have. This makes it easier to care for a collection! To start, consider the tropical native habitat […]
10 Hoyas for Your Houseplant Haven!
Hoyas, also called wax plant or porcelain flower, are regaining popularity as beloved houseplants. It’s hard not to end up a collector as each one is uniquely different with foliage color, size, shape, and heavenly-scented bloom. If there’s a plant with the reputation for being one anybody can grow… it’s a hoya. They seem to […]
Use Root Stimulator in All Seasons!
You know you’re supposed to stop, or drastically cut back, fertilizing your plants between September and March to aid in their necessary dormant period. But, did you know you can work on root health all year long? Because root stimulators are a hormone that encourages root growth, rather than a chemical that forces plant growth, […]
Build Imaginations with Fairy Gardens
Building a fairy garden is a delightful way to explore an imaginary world with your children. With just a few household and gardening items — and a belief in the magic of fairies — together, you can create a unique, whimsical fairy garden. A fairy garden can be thought of as a tiny safe oasis […]
Splashes, Dashes, and Dots: A Brief Explanation of Leaf Variegation!
There has been a shifting trend in houseplants lately, from flowers to foliage. As more and more leaf variegation has been encouraged by growers and plant propagators, the blooms aren’t the stars of the sill that they used to be! But not all leaf variegation is created equally, and there are a few things to […]
Ghastly Houseplants for October!
The goosebump factor of these exotic and unusual plants is high! They are perfect for creating Halloween vibes and look gorgeous the rest of the year too. Embrace the gothic spirit of the season and surround yourself with slightly sinister plants!
Unique Plants for Lower Light Areas
Are you coveting the brightly lit living room jungles you see online, but feel disheartened by your lack of southern exposure windows? No fear, we’ve put together a list of plants that will turn your darker corners into the lush indoor wilderness you’ve been longing for…
Fairytale Cottagecore Garden
‘Cottagecore’ has become one of our favorite aesthetics this summer, transporting you to a fairytale of billowing roses, stately delphiniums, and picnics in fields of lavender. Even in the city or on a balcony, you can create your own golden hour garden! Here are ten plants, a mix of perennials and annuals, that we love […]
Planting Trees in the Summer
Coloradans often get scared about planting trees during the hot summer months. The sweltering heat and oppressive dryness make people wonder if it would be better to wait until fall to plant. The truth is that trees’ roots grow fast during the summer and with just a little extra TLC, summer can be a great […]
Grow Your Best-Ever Tomato Crop!
We think nothing tastes like summer more than fresh plump tomatoes! Especially ones you’ve grown yourself. Make this year your healthiest, most abundant tomato yield ever with these helpful tips. Feed!– Use a fertilizer that is built to support the fruiting nature of tomatoes. While nitrogen gives you strong healthy plants in other parts of […]
10 Phenomenal Philodendrons!
When you hear ‘Philodendron’ you might think of a basic green houseplant… well these philos are anything but basic, and never boring! Perfect plants for medium light situations (though variegated types need brighter light), you can find climbers, trailers, and standing varieties to suit your design dreams.
10 Best Annuals for Pollinators
Having a pollinator garden isn’t limited to a perennial garden bed. There are a multitude of annuals that you can grow in pots or garden beds to attract bees, butterflies, moths and birds. If you are growing vegetables in an urban setting, here are some ideas for annuals you can plant along with them to […]
10 Bountiful Crops to Share!
Growing your own food is a fun, rewarding experience that can directly impact your community as well as your own table. With these plants pumping out generous harvests, you will realize that there is more than enough to go around. Here are ten of the most bountiful crops to plant:
Planting for Beauty and Privacy
If you need privacy in your yard but cannot install a fence, you still have plenty of options. We have a great selection of deciduous and flowering shrubs, evergreen shrubs, vines, and tall grasses that can help you turn your property into a secluded retreat. Evergreen Shrubs for Hedges Wichita Blue Juniper- Thick and full […]
The Best Care For Annual Hanging Baskets
Create blooming vertical layers in your garden and on your porch with colorful hanging baskets! They are a great way to bring color closer to the house. Because they are in a basket instead of the ground they do have different water and nutrient needs, but it’s possible to keep them gorgeous all season long […]
10 Great Shrubs for Colorado!
When planting a well-rounded landscape, you’ll want to add shrubs to fill in the vertical space between perennials and trees. Not only will this build visual interest, but shrubs also create privacy screens, block noise from streets, give the garden a focal point, and provide wildlife habitat. With so many shrubs to choose from, it […]
Early Spring Planting
Spring is in the air! You can’t help wanting to join the birds outside and start planting your garden. It is possible to start planting well before the last frost date, even in Colorado! There are a number of vegetables, herbs, and flowers that you can plant outside…some of which even prefer the cooler temps […]
10 Shade Trees We Love
These 10 trees have stolen our gardening hearts this spring…
10 Blooming Perennials to Plant Now!
If you can work the ground, you can plant! You should still amend the soil and mulch, but otherwise it is perfectly safe. The only thing you must watch out for is that if your plants are blooming when you dig them in, be sure to cover them if it freezes. The plant itself will […]
Sowing Hot Peppers!
This week we’re cutting the cold with hot pepper seed sowing! It may seem early but hot peppers grow a bit slower, so now is the time to get them going. We’ll cover all the nitty gritty, from soil needs, to light requirements and beyond. So get out your gloves and get ready to plant […]
Alluring Alocasias!
We’ve noticed an increased interest in a particularly pretty plant group. This week we’re exploring the wild and wonderful world of Alocasias. We’ll start with an overview of the genus and then touch on some of the capable cultivars and spectacular species that make up this charismatic collection of plants. Made up of 97 accepted […]
Cold Hardy Carnivorous Plants
You might remember that back in late fall we took an introductory look at carnivorous plants. Some of you may even have dreamed of a botanically bountiful bog of your own, lamenting our northern, wearisome winters. Rejoice! We too can create a tantalizingly tropical-like bog to adorn our landscapes that, with a little help, will […]
Tissue Culture Explained!
We’re living in technologically tantalizing times, and with all of these scientific strategies slipping into our daily lives it can make common practices seem complicated and confusing. So, in this week’s blog, we’re tackling the topic of tissue culture. No need to nab your buddy Webster, we’ll walk you through the jargon for a clearer […]
Bonsai Trees and Pots: A Beautiful Pairing
It’s a new year and you’ve decided this year you’re delving into the botanical bastion of bonsai. But with so many plants and pots to choose from, where do you start? Worry not and read on as we guide you through the process of pairing plants and pots for bonsai. We’ll begin at the heart […]
Holiday Cactus Hints!
Do you have a holiday cactus? Have you been puzzling over its poor performance during that oh-so-magical flowering period? Are your flights of floriferous fancy infringing on your focus? Then gear up and get excited because it’s time for a Holiday Cactus Hootenanny! We’ll share some tips and tricks to boost your plant’s flower power. […]
How To Successfully Grow Herbs Indoors!
So you like fresh herbs. but you realize its winter and you live in Colorado so there’s no hoping that your outdoor herb garden will suddenly sprout fresh foliage to feed your culinary needs… Fret not! You too, can eat like a Mediterranean noble even in our hibernal habitat. Join us on an herbal expedition […]
Isopods in Terrariums: The Ultimate Desk Pets!
Have you been smitten with Isopod Insanity? Then look no further because we’ve got an assortment of cute, carapaced critters to calm your chitin cluttered mind. Not sure what the hubbub is about? Take a dive with us as we explore the unbearably adorable world of isopods. Isopods are crustaceans that have rigid, segmented exoskeletons, […]
Succulents: The Dormant Season
The sun is dipping before dinner, its last degrees of heat are being squeezed out and Snow Miser has finally reared his icy head. It’s winter and if you haven’t already, it’s time to deal with your tender succulents (we’ll address their cold hardy counterparts in another blog). Wintertime can be challenging for succies indoors […]
Pruning Trees and Shrubs in Winter
Winter is finally upon us and so we make our stand to greet it with pruners in hand! With the high winds and periodic heavy snows common along the Front Range, Colorado gardeners have our work cut out for us. Late fall-early winter is the perfect time to cut away the dead branches crowding our […]
Carnivorous Plants at Home!
When you hear the phrase “carnivorous plants” you likely think of the iconic Venus flytrap but were you aware that there are 582 other species of carnivorous plants and counting? About 3 species a year since 2000 have been discovered to be carnivorous. The fun doesn’t stop there. Snap traps like those utilized by the […]
Our Favorite Green “Strings of Things!”
We dream of walking through a living curtain of hanging succulent strings! There are many types of trailing succulents that have common “strings of things” names and we love them all. Aptly named for their shapes, these plants all need bright light (will tolerate a few hours of direct sun) and low water. You can […]
The Basics of Succulent Care
Though they are quite low maintenance with their modest care requirements, succulents can seem daunting to indoor gardeners used to growing leafy tropicals. There are basic habitat considerations, as with all plants, but succulents are truly an optimal beginner’s plant and their beautiful colors and textures attract even the most well-seasoned houseplant enthusiast. Here are […]
Hanging Houseplants for Any Light Situation!
Running out of space for plants on your shelves and sills? Look up! Just imagine all the available real estate for future hanging jungles. Indoor plants are really having a moment right now and there’s no reason to stop collecting your dream list just because you’ve used up your counter space. No matter what your […]
5 Live Mosses and Lichens for Terrariums!
Create a serene woodland oasis in miniature by bringing a variety of live mosses and lichens into your home. We recommend adding them to your terrariums and vivariums, giving them their own mossarium, or highlighting an especially gorgeous piece under a glass cloche. Keeping live moss looking green and lush can be intimidating but with […]
Air Plants Explained: Xeric v.s. Mesic
Tillandsia, commonly known as air plants, are fascinating plants that are among the easiest indoor foliage to grow. To get the best results, as with all plants, it helps to know what their native habitat is like and in the case of Tillandsia, there are two types: Xeric and Mesic. Xeric Air Plants Xeric conditions […]
High Light Plants for The Sunnier Side of The Sill
Light, light, and more light… If you’ve got it, flaunt it! These high light plants create a seamless indoor-outdoor vibe in a sun-filled room. Just keep an eye on the plants you place in these brightest spots. A “High Light” plant is not always a “Direct Sun” plant. So if you see some crispy tips […]
Medium Light, Maximum Beauty!
“The dappled morning light peered in through the eastern window and cast her gaze upon the Stromanthe sanguinea in the aged terracotta pot”… is how our medium light houseplant novella will begin someday. The words “diffuse” and “indirect” will be used often. Do you have a northern or eastern windowsill? It’s a perfect spot for […]
Sowing Veggies & Herbs in Late Summer
Enjoy fresh vegetables and herbs from the garden later into the fall season by sowing seeds now! Crops that mature fairly quickly ( 10 – 12 weeks) can be tucked into empty garden spaces for lush autumn harvests. The number of days from seed to harvest is dependent on the variety of seed. Some mature […]
10 Seriously Cool Ceropegia!
Ceropegias make up a large portion of our “Strings of Things” list, second only to the Senecio family. They are great at storing water in their leaves even when the soil is dry, so wait and watch for them to deflate a bit before watering. Give your ceropegias bright, indirect light and a warm room […]
Water-Wise Gardening
As a Western state, it is very important to know how to create a water-wise garden and grow plants that require less additional water. At the greenhouse, we hear that customers want to save water, but don’t want their yard to look like a desert. It is possible to reduce your water consumption and still […]
The Herbal Tea Garden
Looking as vibrant in the cup as they do in the garden, these plants are perfect for steeping. Use them fresh in the summer or dry them for the winter season. Herbal teas, also called tisanes, are a way to infuse your life with beauty and health! Whether you have a garden bed or a […]
Fresh Mint! Recipes for a Summer Harvest
Mint grows so easily in the garden that you inevitably find yourself harvesting this delicious herb all summer long! What to do with all that fresh mint? Here are a handful of our favorite recipes.
Hot Weather Watering
Hot, dry weather can sneak up on us, especially after a wet spring. As summer progresses, you might feel overwhelmed with the job of keeping up with your watering while maintaining a lower water bill. Here are some helpful tips for keeping your garden healthy and conserving water at the same time. Timing matters… Early […]
Summertime Butterfly Watching
Native butterflies are one of the many wonders we get to experience here in the Northern Colorado Front Range area. Because we have a variety of habitat types (plains, foothills, montane, sub-alpine and alpine) the list of known butterflies is brimming. Backyards, parks, open spaces, natural areas, and wildlife refuges are rich in opportunities for […]
Some Common June Pest Problems and Solutions
Are you beginning to see signs of unwanted pests in your plants? June seems to be the time of year when insects and diseases make their first grand appearance in the garden. Here is a list of some of the problems you might be encountering now and the solutions we recommend to keep your hard […]
Plant Smarter with Plant Select®!
Here in the Front Range area we are considered both a high plains and an intermountain region. There is an expansive selection of attractive plants that thrive here while offering food and habitat for native wildlife. Thanks to the Plant Select® program, the selection has been researched and streamlined to take out the guesswork for […]
Roses: What’s in a Name?
When shopping for roses for your garden you’ll notice there are different types. In a garden center like Gulley Greenhouse, the roses are even physically sorted by type for easier selection. Here is a quick guide you can use to choose which kind of rose is the perfect one for you and your garden…
Top Things to Do In Your Garden… Early Spring
Spring is the time to begin thinking seriously about your garden. Learn some tips and solutions for many gardening problems. PREPARE YOUR SOIL Give your garden soil the energy it needs to sustain bountiful crops by preparing it now. Using last year’s soil without adding in new nutrients is like asking a racecar driver to […]
Mycorrhizae: Down and Dirty with Symbiotic Fungi
Whether you’re brand new to the world of plant care, have had your hands in the soil for years, or you’re somewhere in between, one of the most important things you can do to understand and support the health of your plants is to learn about their relationships with the organisms around them. Especially when […]