The Inside Dirt at iloveplants.com for November 2004

Greetings fellow gardeners and a warm welcome to all of our new subscribers!

A Season for Gratitude

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this month I am reminded of everything I have to be thankful for. And counted among family, friends, love and health are the wonders of nature - the endless varieties of beautiful flowers, nurturing herbs, healthful fruit and vegetables. What a joy it is to be a gardener!

Carefree Cactus

Cacti come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes and require minimal care. Place them in a sunny location and they make perfect houseplants.

Our viewers have given these two comprehensive websites on cactus & succulents a rating of 10!

Cactus by Aggie Horticulture contains plenty of information for the cactus novice or collector. You will find a little history on these interesting plants, as well as tips on sowing them from seed, light & water requirements, fertilization needs, diseases and pests. Follow their advice, and you�ll find these non-fussy plants easy to grow.

Hints on Growing Cacti & other Succulent Plants by succulent-plant.com offers information on general care, handling, fertilizers, pots and containers, propagation and soil mixtures and water needs. Don�t miss their repotting tips to help you handle these prickly plants.

See our Cactus & Succulents Page for more websites with information on growing cactus, as well as some mail-order sources.

Decorating for Thanksgiving with Flowers

Giving thanks with fresh cut flowers celebrates the season and creates lasting impressions. Make your own special holiday bouquets with help from Flower Possibilities. This website contains lots of flower recipes and decorating tips from the experts. Each month there are new flower possibility projects.

The Gardener�s Bookshelf

Visit our new Gardener�s Bookshelf directory to view our great selection of gardening books. We have a large selection of books on perennials, roses, orchids, landscape design, water gardening, trees, garden structures and annuals.

By choosing books through our partnership with Amazon you will be helping to support iloveplants.com. We will donate 10% of the profits generated from book purchases to the Garden Conservancy Organization to help conserve gardens today and for future generations. Thank you for your support!

Garden News for November

Winterizing the Garden

For those who live in a cool climate it is necessary to put the garden to bed each fall. These seven all-purpose tips from marthastewart.com will help make the task easier.

Growing Pansies for Winter Cheer

A planter of pansies is all you need to brighten a dreary winter day. Peg Fisher�s article contains suggestions and tips for growing these charming flowers.

Gardening Indoors with Houseplants

Now�s a great time to focus on indoor plants. The University of Illinois provides some terrific information on houseplant needs, selection and care, plus lots more. Great Website!

Garden Bargains Online � Fall Clearance Sales!

Visit our GARDEN BARGAINS page for the latest special offers, discounts, coupons and sales offered by nurseries and garden product companies.

Now that winter is close at hand, we can still enjoy gardening indoors. Give your houseplants a little extra care and have fun adding fresh flowers to your d�cor to brighten the day.

Susan Myers