When you hear the words, "African violet," what do you think of? The ubiquitous purple-flowered, dark green leaf violet enthroned in a plastic pot on a kitchen windowsill? A foil-wrapped pot in a florist window?

Adding compost doesn't need to be an ordeal. Here are convenient ways to give your soil a boost with extra doses of great compost.

Don't throw away those inexpensive fall mums. Overwinter them for next year

Widely grown today, this lily created a sensation when first introduced from China. The story of its arrival in America is just one exciting page from the saga of plant collecting in the rugged eastern foothills of the Himalayas.

Now is the time to build up your compost so you’ll have lots of rich compost to use in the spring.