Durian fruit gets a bad rap sometimes. Some people think the ripe edible fruit smells like sewage or rot, while others think the opposite and really appreciate it. The flesh is described as custard-like and sweet by lovers of the fruit or like onion sauce by those who aren’t fans. Love it or hate it, durian fruit grows on a durian tree, and you can grow your own at home if you desire....

Often, beginner gardeners can think that growing their own vegetables might be too big a step for them, that they should start with something ‘easy’… not knowing that growing vegetables is in fact quite often very easy! While there are some that take some babying, the list of the easiest vegetables to grow is in fact quite long. Our list only touches the surface of what’s out there that you can master with ease!...

One noxious weed a lot of gardeners deal with is the dreaded goat head weed. This weed forms a dense mat that overtakes almost any planting area and causes a lot of problems. Especially among garden beds where you grow ground cover, look out for this plant. Table of Contents The first recorded instance of goat head weed occurred in California in 1902. As the decades went on, horticulturists noticed the noxious weed formed monocultures that outcompeted native plants....

If you had trouble keeping your pet goldfish alive, you might have more luck with the goldfish plant! This houseplant isn’t named ironically – it really does resemble tiny goldfish swimming in a sea of foliage. You’ll be impressed not only with the goldfish plant’s fun appearance but also with its unique growing habits. Table of Contents The goldfish plant is native to Latin America. It’s a tropical plant, which means it only grows year-round in zones 10-11 in the United States....

Pomegranates grown in soil that is lacking may not produce the best quality fruit either. They may be small or bland in flavor, or they may ripen poorly. Some plants are heavy feeders, relying on the application of fertilizers every year to grow and produce fruit. Pomegranates, however, are not included in that category. They’re able to grow in soil that is low in organic material, and can tolerate some salt, sand, and drought-like conditions....

There’s one thing that’s true about making hummus from scratch. You have to know how to grow chickpeas. There’s nothing like fresh chickpeas to liven up your kitchen and affix nitrogen into your garden soil. And growing chickpeas is worthwhile because it’s so rewarding. Table of Contents You have a lot of varieties to choose from when it comes to planting chickpeas too. Sow seeds, add a little aged compost and you’re off!...

In this article you’ll learn everything you need to know to cultivate your own lush and lovely caladiums. Caladium spp. Caladiums are ornamental plants with striking foliage in variegated combinations of green, pink, red, and white. They are the only species in the Caladium genus, one of many aroids, or plants in the large Arum (Araceae) family that includes calla lilies, peace lilies, philodendrons, and taro. Native to tropical and subtropical regions of Central and South America, they grow in the sun-dappled shade and moist earth beneath the canopies created by high-branched trees....

Where I live now, I’m on a ravine which means even WAY more squirrels than my last yard. Cute as they are, they can be very destructive. With a couple of oak trees and a bird feeder next door, you’d think the squirrels would leave my gardens alone. Nope! They like to take big bites out of my tomatoes, just as they’re ripening and ruffle around in my containers. With a bigger property, I find it harder to defend all my gardens....

I’ll take you through every step in the process of growing this wonderfully ornamental and tasty plant. Anethum graveolens The smell of dill takes me straight to my happy place: Mediterranean-style meals, warm spring days, and soft feathery plants. Life doesn’t get much better than that does it? Luckily, those of us who love this aromatic herb don’t have to rely on the market for a fresh supply, as we can easily grow our own....

Here’s what’s to come in this article: Ipomoea purpurea The common morning glory is an easy-to-grow ornamental flower that’s tolerant of a variety of conditions, a voracious grower that opens its blooms wide in the morning only to wilt by the afternoon. Requiring little care, it’s the annual groundcover and trellis plant of choice for gardeners everywhere. We’ll take a look at where the morning glory comes from and take a gander at its history in horticulture....

And that’s where learning how to propagate them comes into play. Flowering bulbs make a wonderful addition to the garden, filling it with color and fragrance from early spring all the way through to mid-autumn. They take up very little space, work equally well in beds, borders, or containers, and are among the best plants for naturalizing in meadows and woodlands. And by choosing a selection that flowers at different times, you’ll always have something coming into bloom as the previous performers fade away....

Rainwater is the best type of water to use on houseplants. In the summer, I use the water from my rain barrels and my houseplants love it. Unfortunately, during the winter the water in my rain barrels would be frozen solid if I left them outside here in MN. So, as an alternative to using rainwater, I melt snow during the winter to use for watering my houseplants. Well, guess what – melted snow water is good for plants too!...

When autumn comes in the Americas, spice is the name of the game. Baked goods, coffees, and warm dishes sport autumn spice blends we all know and love. Mace and the spice nutmeg accompany others in multiple forms. But did you know that these spices both grow on a nutmeg tree? Table of Contents Nutmeg and mace come from the tropical tree, Myristica fragrans. Nutmeg trees originate in the Spice Islands, an archipelago of the eastern part of Indonesia....

For the majority of my adult life, I have lived in dorm rooms, apartments, or small houses. While this is incredibly normal and something that I personally have enjoyed, it makes certain tasks such as composting more complex. Enter indoor compost bins, a useful device to help you recycle your kitchen waste into garden gold! Table of Contents I’m sure a lot of you are in the same boat, so I’ve compiled a list to help you decide what type of indoor compost bin is best for your lifestyle....

These easy-care plants require little attention outside of an annual cleanup, and look sensational as single specimens or as a backdrop or focal point in mixed planters. Ornamental grasses add unique color, motion, and texture throughout the garden, and these low-maintenance plants are also well-suited to container growth. Cultivation in planters and pots is a smart way to enjoy their graceful, swaying motion in small spaces, and to easily manage the spread of fast-growing types that can potentially take over the garden....

As succulent topiaries are in the craze, the San Diego Botanic Garden illustrates the plant people or more clearly the succulent people. These life-like sculpture are so amazing to look at. Pat Hammer, the Director of Operations of the San Diego Botanical Garden, is responsible for this topiary idea. Initially, those topiaries were covered with the ivy, but as the trend changed, they decided to try with succulents. These succulent topiaries are the result of years of patience and the knowledge and masterful work of the volunteers of the garden....

Carrots are fragile plants and they frequently crack, usually down the length of the root. The primary cause of split carrots is sporadic moisture. Pulling up root vegetables is like opening presents on Christmas day. There’s a powerful feeling of anticipation and excitement about what the wrapping – or the soil – holds. There are few things more satisfying than pulling up a pristine, brightly colored, edible plant. While I’ve enjoyed laughing at uniquely shaped vegetables and have an odd love for intertwined roots, I’d much rather uncover something that looks like it came from the grocery store....

I remember my delight when I found a roadside fruit stand that was just overloaded with fresh, rich peaches. All of them were perfectly ripe and ready to eat right now. But peaches spoil quickly, and that’s why you need the best food dehydrator you can get. Table of Contents We all love fruit and vegetables in season! And gardeners often discover to our simultaneous delight and dismay that there’s an unexpected abundance of produce and herbs....

Although a few pests here and there do not cause much harm, if you leave the problem untreated, it can multiply and make an ugly mess. Panic not! Check out our post on Common Houseplant Pests and How to Get Rid of Them! Do you Know How to Make Homemade Insecticidal Soap to Kill Pests? Read on! Common Houseplant Pests and How to Get Rid of Them 1. Spider Mites Tiny insects like spider mites are so small that you may never be able to notice them with your naked eyes, but they look like dark specs on surfaces....

1. Lemongrass Botanical name: Cymbopogon Both varieties of Lemongrass–Cymbopogon nardus and Cymbopogon winterianus are used in the formulation of anti-mosquito repellents. The compounds present in them, like geraniol and citronellol, repel the mosquitoes. Tip To Use: Squeeze the oil by crushing the leaves and applying it to your skin to repel the mosquitoes. Also Read: How to Grow Lemon Grass from Seeds 2. Horsemint Botanical name: Monarda punctata Horsemint belongs to the Lamiaceae family....