A tenacious vine, the Virginia creeper is best known as the plant gracing the walls of Ivy League Schools. It has five leaflet leaves and small tendrils that adhere to just about any surface that allow it to climb to great heights without falling over.
Place your Virginia creepers with caution, because once they attached to a surface, they’re extremely hard to remove. It can take 10 pounds of force to separate a Virginia creeper from a wall and vines can cause major damage to the surfaces underneath.
If the Virginia creeper sounds like too much, consider growing the winter creeper. It’s an evergreen and it will need to be attached to a trellis or fence to climb. Once it grows, the winter creep creates a nice, low screen covering a cement foundation or unsightly view.
This week's tip: To get your garlic to last through winter, store bulbs in a 60 degree cupboards and covered with an upside down, unglazed clay pot. The pot will hold more moisture around the bulbs and prevent them from drying out so quickly indoors.