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Caleb Schlegel

Author

Caleb Schlegel

Third-Generation Grower

Third-generation greenhouse grower with nearly twenty years across sales, production, and growing.

Caleb is a third-generation greenhouse grower at Schlegel. The family business has been part of his life since childhood, and he has worked nearly every role in it for almost twenty years.

From sales and production to hands-on growing, Caleb has a complete understanding of what it takes to bring a quality plant from seed to garden center bench. That depth informs every decision Schlegel makes — from the varieties they choose to the way each crop is timed and trialed.

He's also the one quietly building this site, the Planter Designer, and the rest of the digital tools you see at hoosierboy.com.

Growing Tips by Caleb

95 guides
Should I Leave the Leaves?

Seasonal Tips

Should I Leave the Leaves?

Four New Spillers We're Trying Next Spring

Plant Selection

Four New Spillers We're Trying Next Spring

The Breeder Behind Some of the Plants That Changed Our Industry

Industry News

The Breeder Behind Some of the Plants That Changed Our Industry

Not All Salvias Are the Same

Plant Selection

Not All Salvias Are the Same

Something New Is Coming to Garden Centers Next Spring

Behind the Scenes

Something New Is Coming to Garden Centers Next Spring

Meet Jamesbrittenia: One of Our New Annuals for 2027

Plant Spotlights

Meet Jamesbrittenia: One of Our New Annuals for 2027

These Don't Look Like Normal Pansies

Plant Spotlights

These Don't Look Like Normal Pansies

What's Growing Out of My Echinacea?

Troubleshooting

What's Growing Out of My Echinacea?

Don't Eat Me! Why Ornamental Kale and Cabbage Belong in Your Fall Garden

Plant Selection

Don't Eat Me! Why Ornamental Kale and Cabbage Belong in Your Fall Garden

Why Your Mums Might Be Late This Year: Understanding Heat Delay

Behind the Scenes

Why Your Mums Might Be Late This Year: Understanding Heat Delay

Daisy Mums vs. Decorative Mums: Why Don't We See More Daisies?

Plant Selection

Daisy Mums vs. Decorative Mums: Why Don't We See More Daisies?

Don't Change Seasons All at Once: The Easiest Way to Ease a Garden Into Fall

Seasonal Tips

Don't Change Seasons All at Once: The Easiest Way to Ease a Garden Into Fall

Why Are There So Many Spiders in My Garden Right Now?

Troubleshooting

Why Are There So Many Spiders in My Garden Right Now?

Can I Still Plant This? A Late-August and September Guide

Seasonal Tips

Can I Still Plant This? A Late-August and September Guide

Want to Visit a Trial Garden? There's One at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Indiana Growing

Want to Visit a Trial Garden? There's One at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Mums Aren't the Only Flower for Fall: Meet the Aster

Plant Selection

Mums Aren't the Only Flower for Fall: Meet the Aster

A Company You've Probably Never Heard of Is Shutting Down. Garden Centers Know It Well.

Industry News

A Company You've Probably Never Heard of Is Shutting Down. Garden Centers Know It Well.

Are the Mums We Grow Actually Perennials?

Indiana Growing

Are the Mums We Grow Actually Perennials?

It's Okay to Move On From Your Spring Flowers

Seasonal Tips

It's Okay to Move On From Your Spring Flowers

An Appreciation of Echinacea: The Nearly Perfect Perennial

Plant Selection

An Appreciation of Echinacea: The Nearly Perfect Perennial

Choosing the Right Zinnia for Your Cut Flower Garden

Plant Selection

Choosing the Right Zinnia for Your Cut Flower Garden

Why Isn't My Vegetable Producing Fruit?

Troubleshooting

Why Isn't My Vegetable Producing Fruit?

Japanese Beetles Explained: Why They Love Some Plants and Ignore Others

Troubleshooting

Japanese Beetles Explained: Why They Love Some Plants and Ignore Others

A New Favorite from Cultivate: Meet Jamesbrittenia

Plant Selection

A New Favorite from Cultivate: Meet Jamesbrittenia

How Do Mums Know It's Time to Bloom?

Indiana Growing

How Do Mums Know It's Time to Bloom?

Has Your Container Run Out of Fertilizer? Time to Recharge with Osmocote.

Container Care

Has Your Container Run Out of Fertilizer? Time to Recharge with Osmocote.

Coming Soon: Meet Helianthus SunCatcher

Plant Selection

Coming Soon: Meet Helianthus SunCatcher

Could This Be the Beginning of a More Deer-Resistant Begonia? Meet Wookie.

Plant Selection

Could This Be the Beginning of a More Deer-Resistant Begonia? Meet Wookie.

Succulents Continue to Evolve: Garden Solutions Steals the Show

Plant Selection

Succulents Continue to Evolve: Garden Solutions Steals the Show

The Future of Petunias: Danziger's New Amazonas Series

Plant Selection

The Future of Petunias: Danziger's New Amazonas Series

Heuchera Gets a Bold New Look: Meet Fyre Wing

Plant Selection

Heuchera Gets a Bold New Look: Meet Fyre Wing

July Is Angelonia Season

Plant Care

July Is Angelonia Season

What's Blooming in Indiana Right Now?

Perennials

What's Blooming in Indiana Right Now?

Not All Rudbeckias Are Created Equal

Perennials

Not All Rudbeckias Are Created Equal

Going Away for Fourth of July? How to Prepare Your Plants Before a Long Weekend

Plant Care

Going Away for Fourth of July? How to Prepare Your Plants Before a Long Weekend

Why Are My Petunias or Calibrachoas Turning Yellow?

Plant Care

Why Are My Petunias or Calibrachoas Turning Yellow?

Can You Save a Plant That Got Too Dry?

Plant Care

Can You Save a Plant That Got Too Dry?

When Should You Cut Back a Hanging Basket?

Plant Care

When Should You Cut Back a Hanging Basket?

Choose Plants That Match Your Lifestyle

Plant Care

Choose Plants That Match Your Lifestyle

The 80/20 Rule of Gardening

Plant Care

The 80/20 Rule of Gardening

The Best Fertilizer Plan Is the One You'll Actually Use

Plant Care

The Best Fertilizer Plan Is the One You'll Actually Use

The Biggest Time-Saving Tips I Know

Plant Care

The Biggest Time-Saving Tips I Know

Why Deer Love Hostas, Begonias, and Other Garden Favorites

Plant Care

Why Deer Love Hostas, Begonias, and Other Garden Favorites

The Most Deer-Resistant Plants I Grow

Plant Care

The Most Deer-Resistant Plants I Grow

What Does “Deer Resistant” Actually Mean?

Plant Care

What Does “Deer Resistant” Actually Mean?

What Actually Works for Deer Control? An Honest Tier List

Plant Care

What Actually Works for Deer Control? An Honest Tier List

Why Deer Often Leave Fuzzy and Aromatic Plants Alone

Plant Care

Why Deer Often Leave Fuzzy and Aromatic Plants Alone

What Pollinators You’ll See in Indiana This June

Plant Spotlights

What Pollinators You’ll See in Indiana This June

Plants Are Like People: Why Water Alone Isn’t Enough

Plant Care

Plants Are Like People: Why Water Alone Isn’t Enough

Why Plants Get Stressed (And What They Do About It)

Plant Care

Why Plants Get Stressed (And What They Do About It)

What We’re Growing Now (And What’s Coming Next)

Behind the Scenes

What We’re Growing Now (And What’s Coming Next)

Why Monarch Magic Ageratum Is My Plant of the Year

Plant Spotlights

Why Monarch Magic Ageratum Is My Plant of the Year

What Is an Omega Block (And Why Indiana Gardeners Should Love It)?

Seasonal Tips

What Is an Omega Block (And Why Indiana Gardeners Should Love It)?

What Is Happening at the Greenhouse Right Now?

Behind the Scenes

What Is Happening at the Greenhouse Right Now?

What the Dümmen Orange and Syngenta Flowers Partnership Means

Industry News

What the Dümmen Orange and Syngenta Flowers Partnership Means

Why SunPatiens Thrive in Beds (And Can Be Dramatic in Containers)

Seasonal Tips

Why SunPatiens Thrive in Beds (And Can Be Dramatic in Containers)

How to Fertilize SunPatiens (Without Overdoing It)

Seasonal Tips

How to Fertilize SunPatiens (Without Overdoing It)

SunPatiens in Shade? Why They Might Be Even Better There

Seasonal Tips

SunPatiens in Shade? Why They Might Be Even Better There

Caleb's Top Bedding Annual Picks (Shade Beds)

Seasonal Tips

Caleb's Top Bedding Annual Picks (Shade Beds)

Caleb's Top Bedding Annual Picks (Full Sun Beds)

Seasonal Tips

Caleb's Top Bedding Annual Picks (Full Sun Beds)

Why Are Some Plants Fuzzy? (And When That's a Good — or Bad — Thing)

Plant Care

Why Are Some Plants Fuzzy? (And When That's a Good — or Bad — Thing)

Why We Sleeve Plants (and Why You Should Remove It Quickly)

Plant Care

Why We Sleeve Plants (and Why You Should Remove It Quickly)

Caladiums: The Stained Glass of the Shade Garden

Plant Spotlights

Caladiums: The Stained Glass of the Shade Garden

Why Frost Damages Plants (The Science Explained Simply)

Seasonal Tips

Why Frost Damages Plants (The Science Explained Simply)

What Is Frost (And What It Actually Means for Your Plants)

Seasonal Tips

What Is Frost (And What It Actually Means for Your Plants)

Shamrock™ Lantana: The Master Grower’s Guide to the Perfect Filler

Plant Spotlights

Shamrock™ Lantana: The Master Grower’s Guide to the Perfect Filler

Do "Mosquito Repellent Plants" Actually Work? (Not Really — Here's What Does)

Seasonal Tips

Do "Mosquito Repellent Plants" Actually Work? (Not Really — Here's What Does)

Mosquito Dunks: The Simple Trick That Actually Works

Seasonal Tips

Mosquito Dunks: The Simple Trick That Actually Works

The Farmer's Almanac: Should You Trust It in Indiana?

Seasonal Tips

The Farmer's Almanac: Should You Trust It in Indiana?

A Warm Week Doesn't Mean Spring Has Arrived

Seasonal Tips

A Warm Week Doesn't Mean Spring Has Arrived

Calliope® Geranium Growing Guide — Bold Color Built to Perform

Plant Spotlights

Calliope® Geranium Growing Guide — Bold Color Built to Perform

Night Sky Petunias: How a Mutation Became One of the Most Unique Plants in the Industry

Plant Spotlights

Night Sky Petunias: How a Mutation Became One of the Most Unique Plants in the Industry

How to Control Aphids on Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)

Troubleshooting

How to Control Aphids on Black-Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia)

Petunia Growing Tips

Plant Care

Petunia Growing Tips

Annuals You Don’t Have to Deadhead

Plant Care

Annuals You Don’t Have to Deadhead

What to Do With Annuals at End of Season

Seasonal Tips

What to Do With Annuals at End of Season

Why Some Pots Thrive (and Others Struggle)

Container Care

Why Some Pots Thrive (and Others Struggle)

Foliage Spiller Accents

Plant Care

Foliage Spiller Accents

How to Build a Hanging Basket That Lasts All Summer

Container Care

How to Build a Hanging Basket That Lasts All Summer

Plan Your Garden the Right Way

Seasonal Tips

Plan Your Garden the Right Way

How to Deadhead Geraniums

Plant Care

How to Deadhead Geraniums

Calibrachoa Growing Tips

Plant Care

Calibrachoa Growing Tips

When to Plant Annuals (Frost Timing Guide)

Seasonal Tips

When to Plant Annuals (Frost Timing Guide)

How to Water Annuals the Right Way

Plant Care

How to Water Annuals the Right Way

How to Time Mums for Perfect Fall Color

Seasonal Tips

How to Time Mums for Perfect Fall Color

Deadheading Annuals: What to Do (and What Actually Needs It)

Plant Care

Deadheading Annuals: What to Do (and What Actually Needs It)

Why Some Plants Fail (And It’s Not You)

Plant Care

Why Some Plants Fail (And It’s Not You)

Why Your Plants Might Be Damaged (And It’s Not the Sun)

Plant Care

Why Your Plants Might Be Damaged (And It’s Not the Sun)

Mulching Basics: How and Why to Mulch Your Indiana Garden

Soil & Planting

Mulching Basics: How and Why to Mulch Your Indiana Garden

Best Time of Day to Water Plants

Plant Care

Best Time of Day to Water Plants

How to Test Your Garden Soil

Soil & Planting

How to Test Your Garden Soil

Geranium Growing Tips

Plant Care

Geranium Growing Tips

How to Choose the Best Potting Soil

Soil & Planting

How to Choose the Best Potting Soil

How to Avoid Plant Diseases Before They Start

Plant Care

How to Avoid Plant Diseases Before They Start

Low-Care Annuals That Actually Perform

Plant Care

Low-Care Annuals That Actually Perform

Read more from the Hoosier Boy team