Your All Things Plants newsletter for October 31, 2011

• 21 new members.
• 162 new threads.
• 3,163 new posts.
• 2,172 new images to the plant database.
• 142 new comments in the plant database.

News from Trish:

There's a new forum this week: Cactus and Succulents Enjoy!

There were 5 new articles published last week:

New York Roof Gardens By Sandi Schmidt on October 31, 2011 Gordon Hawkins' Brooklyn roof garden is well known in gardening website circles. He frequently posts photos of his exotic and eclectic collection of brugmansias, passifloras, clerodendrons, and more. The source of many brugmansia collections has been his generous free cuttings in late fall each year... (14 comments)

Team Cold Season Annuals, or Team Done for the Year? By Trish Whitinger on October 30, 2011 Are you a gardener who plants annuals for the cooler season, or do you call it a year and let your landscape be bare until spring? (19 comments)

Garden Tours: flaflwrgrl, Ann By Sharon Brown on October 29, 2011 Welcome to All Things Plants: Garden Tours. Each week we'll take you on a tour of the lovely gardens of one of our members. Join us now as we travel way down south to Florida where Ann will take us through the gardens she has created. You are going to love what you see! (26 comments)

Beekeeping equipment: The basic tools By Margaret Tucker on October 28, 2011 Before you get your bees you need to have their hive set up and some basic tools to work with. Beekeeping supply catalogs show you all kinds of tools but which ones do you really need to get started? Come and find out. (9 comments)

Top 10 list of pests that affect houseplants By Paul Rodman on October 26, 2011 As the outdoor gardening season is winding down in many parts of the country, a lot of us are bringing plants indoors or purchasing houseplants to keep our thumbs green during the winter months. Do you know that most pests that affect houseplants are brought in hitchhiking on other plants? I’ll h... (11 comments)

Daily Gardening Tips from this week:

October 31, 2011: If you have lots of conifer trees in your yard and have been wondering what to do with all those cones after the crafts projects are done, try using them as a decorative mulch. I use cones from the Eastern White Pines (P. strobus). Lay down felted landscaping fabric and include an 8-12" mow strip of your favorite mulch at the perimeter. New additions every year keep it looking fresh. The only down side I've seen to date is the squirrels sometimes raid it. Tip and photo by eclayne - (6 comments)

October 30, 2011: Unsure of hardiness of a new plant? Makes starts from the new plant, leave some in the garden to overwinter and keep some in a protected area during winter (indoors or in a garage). Tip and photo by valleylynn - (13 comments)

October 29, 2011: Shop the Christmas aisles early for ornaments that can be used in the garden. Tip and photo by imapigeon - (8 comments)

October 28, 2011: Always carry your cell phone in case of an emergency. Tip by Boopaints Photo by mcash70 - (23 comments)

October 27, 2011: A dish of beer in the garden will attract slugs. Tip by threegardeners Photo by gingin - (29 comments)

October 26, 2011: Trade seeds. Either ones you have extra of, or newly harvested. Tip by Shelly Photo by gardengus - (4 comments)

October 25, 2011: Try a hayrack planter on your deck railing, for flowers when the garden goes to sleep for winter. Winter pansies are cheerful and colorful to see from your window on dreary days. Tip and photo by sandnsea2 - (4 comments)