Don’t like waiting? Want to grow fresh homegrown leafy greens in no time in limited space? Start these Fast-Growing Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Harvest in Just 15 Days. These taste delicious in salads and many dishes! Check out the Best Leafy Green Vegetables to Grow in Containers here Fast Growing Leafy Green Vegetables You Can Harvest in Just 15 Days Do remember that 15 days will count after the germination and not right after planting seeds....

We love our almond milk, trail mix, and marzipan, but how much attention do we pay to the producer of these nutty gifts? As it turns out, the almond tree is quite a spectacular plant, with beautiful blossoms, delicious fruit, and majestic form. What’s better is that growing your own is a project that will put your gardening skills to the test. Table of Contents Almond trees are used to being outside, but they can be potted and brought indoors (your family will love the fragrance!...

Do you have a bit of a spooky streak? Love plants that look like they should grow outside that haunted house on the hill? Black mondo grass is the ideal low-maintenance, creepy ground cover. But it also looks amazing even outside of a goth’s garden! Table of Contents Also known as Ophiopogon planiscapus, black mondo grass is a drought-tolerant plant that isn’t technically a grass. It’s part of the same plant family as asparagus, in fact....

Bacillus thuringiensis, or BT, is a naturally occurring bacteria used as a pesticide for various pests that attack gardens. It’s commonly used for caterpillars and mosquitoes, which are arguably two of the most annoying pests in the garden. You can find BT in many forms, including granules, sprays, and dunks. BT spray is one of the more common varieties available for home gardeners or commercial use. Table of Contents There are a few different BT strains that can target specific pests, so it’s wise to keep a few different kinds on hand....

In this article, you’ll discover how to lift, cure, and store caladium corms for replanting the following spring. Caladiums are colorful, tropical foliage plants that grow as perennials in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11. In colder areas, where the ground freezes, they are often grown as annuals. They can be taken out of the ground in the fall, the corms stored during the winter months, and replanted the following spring....

QUESTION: Can too much Epsom salt burn plants? I read about using it to grow better tomatoes. – Frieda S ANSWER: Yes, epsom salt can burn your plants. Many gardeners use Epsom salt in their garden because of what it contains, magnesium sulfate. This is great for getting rid of pests in your garden and causing your plants to produce bountiful harvests. It can also make your plants appear more vibrant as it assists with photosynthesis....

If you’ve ever been down the mulch aisle at your local garden center, you know that there’s an overwhelming amount of options to choose from. But did you know that many types of common landscaping mulches are not good to use in your vegetable plot? When it comes to mulching a vegetable garden, it’s very important to choose the right type of mulch. Don’t worry, there are tons of wonderful vegetable garden mulches to choose from....

Apples have become one of the most iconic fruits in our diets, but it’s come a long from the mountains of Eurasia to kitchen tables around the world. Apples are a member of the rose family (Rosaceae) which also includes pears, peaches and quinces. For over a thousand years, growers along the silk road cultivated and traded fruits. The increase in the popularity of apples also unintentionally spread a small but destructive tag-a-long: the apple codling moth (Cydia pomonella)....

Compared to growing plants outside, indoor plants tend to experience fewer problems, making them popular with many homeowners because of their easy maintenance. They are prone to some problems though, and a common concern is whether indoor plants attract bugs? Do Indoor Plants Attract Bugs? Yes, indoor plants attract bugs. They are are usually attracted by indoor growing conditions that have high humidity or a lack of air circulation. The most common pests are aphids, spider mites, fungus gnats, mealybugs, scale, thrips, and whitefly....

Well, the way that you harvest, process, and store your nuts can have a huge effect on the quality and quantity that you are able to enjoy from your tree, so it’s important to know the best techniques. So, you’ve planted your almond tree following our handy guide packed full of growing recommendations, thanks to which you now have a beautiful and bountiful crop. Now the question is, how and when is best to harvest your almonds to make the most of them?...

Thrips are tiny black bugs on houseplants, and they can be extremely annoying. In this post, you’ll learn all about thrips: their life cycle, where they come from, what they eat, damage they cause, and much more. Then I’ll show you exactly how to get rid thrips on indoor plants naturally, and prevent them from ever coming back. Finding thrips on houseplants is very disheartening. Not only are they irritating, they can cause major damage to your indoor plants....

Thrips are tiny black bugs on houseplants, and they can be extremely annoying. In this post, you’ll learn all about thrips: their life cycle, where they come from, what they eat, damage they cause, and much more. Then I’ll show you exactly how to get rid thrips on indoor plants naturally, and prevent them from ever coming back. Finding thrips on houseplants is very disheartening. Not only are they irritating, they can cause major damage to your indoor plants....

By Matt Gibson and Erin Marissa Russell Croton plants are tropical houseplants known for their colorful variegated foliage. Croton leaves come in a wide variety of colors, color combinations, leaf shapes, and leaf sizes depending on the variety, and are commonly found covered in green, yellow, orange, and red splashes, splotches, stripes and streaks. You can also find croton varieties with shades of brown, purple, copper, pink, and ivory. Many cultivars have two or more foliar colors on display, and some types even slowly change color over the course of the growing season, while others boast three or four different colors at a time....

Globe artichokes and Jerusalem artichokes are entirely different plants. This article is about globe artichokes, the large, thistle-like plants that produce edible “leaves” and “hearts.” Artichokes grow well in the Mediterranean climate of the California coast, with its fog, deep rich soil, and cool summers. In fact, Castroville, California has the honor of being called the artichoke capital of the world. But you can grow chokes in less ideal conditions by choosing the right varieties and adapting the growing techniques to your climate....

While famous for its leaves, it also features pink or purple flowers. Some cultivars, like ‘Cotton Boll,’ have white flowers, but these are less common. Stachys byzantina If you love plants that are as fun to look at as they are to touch, lamb’s ears, Stachys byzantina, makes a fantastically fluffy addition to any landscape. It’s also surprisingly easy to grow, since the only thing it doesn’t like is soggy soil....

The painted daisy, Tanacetum coccineum, has an interesting story. With vibrant colors of red, violet, pink, yellow and white, it’s cheerful and bright. But it’s useful too! While it’s grown most commonly for its flowers, it’s also a natural insecticide source. Today, we’re delving deep into the world of the pyrethrum daisy. Also called Persian pellitory or Persian insect flower, painted daisies are big bloomers. Coming from the Caucasus and western and central Asia, they’re sure to be a highlight in your garden....

USDA Zones — 5-10 Difficulty — Easy Other Names — Alazor, American Saffron, Bastard Saffron, Benibana, Benibana Oil, Benibana Flower, Cártamo, Carthame, Dyer’s Saffron, Fake Saffron, False Saffron, Safranon, Zaffer, Zafran, Sallflower and Chimichanga. Safflower Growing Information Belonging to the family Asteraceae, the safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) is an annual plant. Ideal for dry gardens, it has a bushy growing habit and reaches 0.80 to 1 m high. It has sturdy stems and leathery and slightly prickly leaves....

We have an area behind our house that gets full sun that I always thought would be perfect for growing, but it’s under the eaves of the house so it doesn’t get much rain. My husband put a few pots of peppers there last year, but hand-watering all of those pots became a major chore in the heat of the summer. We were in a drought last year, so we had to manually water these pots a few times a day....

Low-tech cold frames have a small footprint, and they’re quite versatile. Any gardener looking to extend the growing season or offer protection for their plantings should consider adding one to their arsenal of garden tools. Greenhouses offer an amazing venue for overwintering plants, but purchasing and constructing one may be outside a gardener’s budget. Or it may be too large to fit on their property. Or perhaps it’s a bit too labor intensive....

It’s awful to have viable plants suffer frost damage or even die while they’re still producing and before you’re ready for the season to be over. Having a stash of homegrown zucchini you’ve blanched to keep in the freezer or canned and pickled to store in the cellar is wonderful. But when the plants themselves are frozen in your garden, that’s the – ahem – polar opposite. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....