http://Applegarthgreenhouse.com/

Applegarth Greenhouse, Soda Springs, ID (2026)

06/12/2026

☠️ I Found One of History’s Most Dangerous Plants Growing Wild in My Pasture… And It Was Variegated

Today I came across something I never expected to find growing wild in one of our pastures—a variegated form of Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger).

At first glance, it almost looks ornamental. The leaves are splashed with creamy yellow and green, creating a pattern so striking that many gardeners would stop and stare. Yet beneath its beauty lies one of the most infamous plants in human history.

Henbane contains powerful alkaloids such as hyoscyamine and scopolamine, which can affect the nervous system and cause hallucinations, confusion, delirium, poisoning, and even death. Every part of the plant is toxic, especially the seeds.

Historically, henbane has been associated with ancient medicine, witches’ brews, folk remedies, alchemy, and poison lore. It is one of those plants that lives at the strange crossroads between medicine and poison.

What makes this specimen so fascinating is its unusual variegation. Black henbane is not normally variegated, so finding one with this coloration growing wild is uncommon. Whether this is a rare genetic mutation or something else entirely, it turns an already fascinating plant into something truly remarkable.

But here is the important part: Black Henbane is also considered a noxious w**d in Idaho. That means that as beautiful and unusual as this plant may be, it is still an invasive and toxic species that should not be allowed to spread—especially in pasture areas where livestock or wildlife could encounter it.

So while the horticulturist in me is fascinated, the responsible land steward in me knows this plant needs to be handled with caution, documented, and prevented from going to seed.

Nature often reminds us that beauty and danger can live in the same leaf. A plant can be breathtaking, historic, medicinal, poisonous, invasive, and ecologically problematic all at once.

That is why I never stop looking closely. Sometimes the most interesting things are growing quietly where no one expects to find them.

Have you ever found a plant that was both beautiful and unsettling?

06/09/2026

🌿 Beauty Isn’t a Luxury — It’s Medicine

Throughout history, from ancient Persian paradises and Egyptian temple gardens to Renaissance estates and Victorian public parks, humans have poured heart and soul into creating beautiful spaces.

Gardens weren’t just for food or show. They were sanctuaries for the spirit, reflections of divine order, and places where we touched the sacred rhythms of life.

Gardening and landscaping are profoundly spiritual.

They teach patience as seeds sprout in their own time, mindfulness in the feel of soil and scent of blooms, stewardship of the earth, and hope in every new leaf.

They remind us that beauty isn’t frivolous. It is nourishment for the soul, a bridge to wonder, gratitude, and peace.

So why does so much of our modern world feel stripped of that grace?

We’ve traded time for hustle, craftsmanship for efficiency, and shared aesthetic joy for utilitarian sameness. Busy lives, economic pressures, and a culture of speed have made it harder to slow down and cultivate loveliness — in our yards, our communities, and even our inner lives.

But here’s the invitation:

Start small.

Plant a flower. Tend a corner. Clean up one neglected space. Add a pot of herbs by the door. Create one little place that makes you pause and breathe.

Reclaim the ancient art of making things beautiful.

In doing so, we don’t just beautify space. We heal something in ourselves and pass on a legacy of care.

🌸 What small garden, yard, porch, greenhouse, or landscaping project are you going to work on this season? Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear what beauty you’re growing.

06/04/2026

🌱 **Experience Our Vision for Southeast Idaho** 🌱

What if our community had a regional greenhouse dedicated to local food production, horticultural education, community wellness, grower support, and long-term food resilience?

The **Caribou County Greenhouse, Food Production & Wellness Cooperative** is a vision for strengthening our local food system, supporting families and growers, expanding educational opportunities, and creating a more sustainable future for our region.

We invite you to explore the project, review the proposal, and see what we're working to build for the future of Southeast Idaho.

👉 Click the link below to view the proposal and experience the vision.

If the project resonates with you, please consider sharing it with others who may be interested in supporting, volunteering, networking, or helping bring this vision to life.

https://www.applegarthgreenhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Caribou-Co-Greenhouse-Food-Production-Wellness-Cooperative-Web-Version.pdf

06/04/2026

VOLUNTEERS WANTED — HELP BUILD A STRONGER FUTURE FOR SOUTHEAST IDAHO

I am looking for volunteers who would be interested in helping research grants, identify funding opportunities, connect with potential donors, build community partnerships, and network with organizations that may be able to help bring a major community agricultural initiative to life.

You do not need to be a grant writer to help. I am looking for people with research skills, local knowledge, business connections, nonprofit experience, agricultural interests, fundraising experience, or simply a passion for strengthening our community.

The project is the Caribou County Greenhouse, Food Production & Wellness Cooperative, a proposed regional initiative designed to improve local food security, support growers and families, expand agricultural education, develop community gardens and demonstration landscapes, provide seedling and greenhouse production, create food storage and handling infrastructure, and build long-term resilience for Southeast Idaho.

This is a large vision, and large visions are built by communities—not individuals. If you have experience with grants, nonprofit organizations, community development, agriculture, economic development, food systems, fundraising, or simply want to volunteer your time to help make a positive difference, I would love to hear from you.

Please reach out if you would like to get involved, offer ideas, share contacts, or help research opportunities.
📧 [email protected]�🌐 applegarthgreenhouse.com

Great ideas rarely succeed because of one person—they succeed because a community gets behind them. If you know someone who may be interested in helping, volunteering, networking, fundraising, or connecting us with opportunities, please share this post to your page and help us spread the word. Together we can build something that serves Southeast Idaho for generations to come.

05/26/2026

For most people, Mother’s Day marks the last average frost date of the year.

I still remember the crowds in the nurseries on Mother’s Day — carts full of flowers, hanging baskets disappearing as fast as people could grab them, and everyone eager to finally get outside and plant.

For many garden centers, Mother’s Day is the single biggest sales day of the entire year. In some cases, the profit from that one day can rival or even exceed the profits from much of the rest of the season combined.

But here in Soda Springs, Idaho… things seem to operate on their own schedule.

Around here, Mother’s Day can still fool you. I tend to think our true signal is closer to Memorial Day. I like to believe the peonies know best.

Every year when those buds finally begin to open, it almost feels like they're saying:
"Alright… now you can probably relax and plant your annuals and seeds."

But then again… peonies don't know everything.

This is Southeast Idaho after all. We can still wake up to snow just to keep us humble.
What garden sign tells you it's finally safe to plant?�🌱🌸

05/12/2026

One of the easiest ways to see the difference in our local growing zones is simply by watching the lilacs.

In my previous posts, I talked about how even small changes in elevation and climate can dramatically affect what grows in our area. A perfect example is happening right now. If you drive over to Grace, the lilacs are already in full bloom. Yet here in Soda Springs, most are still sitting tightly in bud.

Only about 11 miles apart, but the difference in spring progression is pretty apparent.

Spring has always been my favorite time of year, and the smell of lilacs is one of my favorite aromas on earth. There’s something about that fragrance that instantly feels nostalgic, calming, and hopeful after a long Idaho winter.

Enjoy the lilacs while they last. Their bloom is short-lived, but for a brief moment each year, they remind us just how beautiful this season can be.

05/11/2026

INTEREST SURVEY
Southeast Idaho deserves a gardening and horticulture course built specifically for our climate — not Logan, Boise, or online advice written for Zone 6–8 gardeners.

After more than 35 years working in greenhouses, landscape nurseries, propagation, cold-climate growing, and regional horticulture, I’m considering launching a 10-Week Regional Horticulture Course here in Soda Springs focused entirely on the realities of gardening in USDA Zone 3–4.

This would be a practical, research-based course covering topics like:
• Cold-climate gardening strategies�• Soil and water management for our region�• Plant selection that actually survives here�• Greenhouse growing & season extension�• Trees, shrubs, and landscape planning�• Vegetable production in short seasons�• Irrigation, fertility, and soil health�• Troubleshooting common local gardening problems

The goal is simple:�Help people stop wasting money on plants that fail here and start building successful, resilient gardens and landscapes adapted to Southeast Idaho.
Before I move forward developing the full program, I’d like community feedback.

👇 PLEASE COMMENT BELOW 👇

1️⃣ Would you attend a 10-week horticulture course like this?

2️⃣ What day would work best for you?�• Weeknight�• Saturday�• Other?

3️⃣ What time would you prefer?�• Afternoon�• Early Evening�• Night?

4️⃣ What would you realistically be willing to pay for a full 10-week course?�(Examples: $50, $100, $200, etc.)
This course would be taught locally and in person, with a focus on real-world gardening and landscape success in Southeast Idaho’s unique climate and soils.

This would be designed for:�✔ Homeowners�✔ Gardeners�✔ Greenhouse growers�✔ Landscapers�✔ Homesteaders�✔ Beginners and advanced growers alike

If enough interest exists, I’ll move forward developing the full curriculum and student handbook series for Southeast Idaho growers. 🌱

05/07/2026

Every year around dandelion season I get asked the same question:
“What is the best w**d killer for lawns?”

I’m not sponsored by anyone, but after decades in the greenhouse and landscape industry, one of my personal favorites for broadleaf w**d control in lawns has been Gordon’s Trimec Lawn W**d Killer.

A lot of people don’t realize there is actually a science behind why these products work.

Plants are broadly divided into two major groups:

• Monocots – grasses, lilies, grains, etc.
• Dicots (broadleaf plants) – dandelions, clover, thistles, flowers, shrubs, trees, garden plants, etc.

Lawn grasses are monocots. Dandelions are dicots.

Selective lawn herbicides are designed to target broadleaf dicot plants while leaving monocot grasses mostly unharmed. That’s why you can spray a lawn for dandelions without killing the grass itself.

BUT… timing and temperature matter A LOT.

One of the biggest mistakes people make is spraying on hot days. If temperatures climb much above 80°F, many lawn herbicides can begin to volatilize (turn into v***r). Once that happens, the chemical can drift through the air and damage nearby plants, trees, flowers, gardens, grapes, tomatoes, shrubs, and even sensitive ornamentals.

Best practice:
• Spray during cooler weather
• Early morning or evening is best
• Avoid windy days
• Never spray before extreme heat

There is also another side to this conversation that people don’t always want to hear: being a homeowner in a neighborhood comes with some responsibility to the people around you.

A single dandelion plant can produce thousands of seeds, and those seeds do not stay in your yard. They move into neighboring lawns, flower beds, gardens, and landscaped spaces. In towns like ours, where maintaining attractive landscapes is already difficult because of climate, soil pH, water quality, and winter temperatures, unmanaged w**ds quickly become a neighborhood-wide issue.

People often ask for a completely effective “natural” solution that does not involve herbicides. The reality is that for established perennial broadleaf w**ds like dandelions, there really is not a low-effort alternative that works at scale. Hand digging is labor intensive and often leaves root fragments behind. Vinegar burns the tops temporarily but rarely kills the deep taproot. Flame w**ding is impractical in lawns and can create other problems. Once perennial w**ds become established across an area, they continuously reseed themselves.

That doesn’t mean people are bad for wanting to avoid chemicals. It simply means there are tradeoffs no matter which path you choose.

Used correctly, selective lawn herbicides can clean up a lawn very effectively. Used carelessly, they can accidentally damage an entire landscape.

As always, read the label carefully and follow all directions exactly. The label is the law.

05/05/2026

Garden Questions for Soda Springs: Choosing Plants That Actually Survive Here

One of the biggest frustrations I see in Soda Springs landscaping is not a lack of effort, interest, or beauty. It is that many people are buying plants that were never truly suited for our area in the first place.

Soda Springs sits in a challenging growing region. We are generally working within USDA Zone 3–4 conditions, depending on the exact location, exposure, wind, snow cover, elevation, and microclimate. That matters. A perennial labeled Zone 5 may look beautiful on the nursery bench in Pocatello, Logan, or another warmer retail area, but that does not mean it will overwinter successfully here.
Many people spend good money on perennials, shrubs, vines, and ornamentals only to watch them struggle, disappear, or die after one winter. Often, the plant was not “hard to grow.” It was simply the wrong plant for Soda Springs.

But cold hardiness is only one part of the story.

Our local water quality, soil chemistry, and regional pH can also make a huge difference in how plants perform. Some plants may technically be hardy enough for our zone, yet still fail to thrive because they dislike alkaline soils, mineral-heavy water, drying winds, intense sun exposure, poor drainage, or our short growing season. This is why a plant can be “rated hardy” and still look weak, yellow, stunted, or disappointing in the landscape.

I believe one reason Soda Springs lacks more beautiful, mature, lasting landscapes is because the correct plants have not always been available, understood, or recommended for this specific area. People are often sold what looks good in the store, not necessarily what will survive and become beautiful here.
I would like to help change that.

I have over 35 years of experience in horticulture, greenhouse growing, landscape plants, and the nursery industry. I have grown, sold, cared for, and studied plants for most of my life, and I understand how different our local conditions can be from places that are only an hour or two away.

So I want to make myself available as a local garden and landscape question resource for Soda Springs and the surrounding area.
If you have a gardening question, ask me.

It can be about:
* Perennials that actually survive here
* Shrubs and trees for Zone 3–4
* Plants that tolerate alkaline soil
* Why a plant keeps dying
* What to plant in sun, shade, wind, or dry areas
* Soil problems
* Water quality and pH
* Vegetable gardens
* Greenhouse growing
* Herbs and medicinal plants
* Lawn alternatives
* Landscape design for our climate
* What not to waste your money on

When someone asks a question, I will do my best to answer it publicly as a full post so others in the community can learn from it too. Chances are, if one person is wondering about something, many others are dealing with the same issue.

My goal is not to criticize where people buy plants. Pocatello, Logan, and other regional nurseries may have wonderful plants. The problem is that not every beautiful plant on the shelf belongs in Soda Springs. A Zone 5 perennial may be perfectly fine somewhere else and still be a poor investment here.

The goal is simple: help local people save money, avoid frustration, and build landscapes that actually grow better with time.
Soda Springs can have beautiful landscapes. We just need to work with our climate, our soil, our water, and our true growing conditions instead of trying to force plants that were selected for warmer or more forgiving areas.

So if you have a garden question, send it my way.
Let’s start building a better local plant knowledge base together—one question at a time.

07/31/2025

Designing with Climate in Mind

With decades of hands-on experience in horticulture and landscape design, I specialize in crafting resilient, beautiful spaces rooted in the realities of climate and soil. From edible gardens and herbal sanctuaries to pollinator corridors and drought-adapted landscapes, my work is grounded in deep botanical knowledge—and an understanding of what truly thrives in our USDA zone.

As every gardener knows, what works in one region may fail in another. That’s why smart planting—by zone, soil, and microclimate—is the foundation of lasting, living design.

Now I’d love your input:

What would you like to learn more about when it comes to zone-specific plants for our unique climate?
Are you curious about:
– Native perennials that hold up to extreme weather?
– Fruit trees best suited to our chill hours?
– Drought-tolerant herbs and ornamentals?
– Seasonal succession planting by zone?

Your questions will help guide future posts—and deepen the conversation around climate-wise, place-based planting.

Let’s cultivate something resilient together.

Applegarth Greenhouse

06/12/2026

06/09/2026

06/04/2026

06/04/2026

05/26/2026

05/12/2026

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07/31/2025

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