by Matt Gibson and Erin Marissa Russell Compost or fertilizer? What’s the difference? Which one should you be using in your yard or garden? Or should you use both? Everyone who is interested in growing their own plants wants to create a healthy garden environment. To keep plants growing as vigorously as possible, many gardeners consider using compost and fertilizer. Compost is an all-natural organic material to improve the quality and tilth of your soil, while fertilizer can be either organic or chemical, and contains specific elements in exact ratios that plants can use to grow....

QUESTION: How do I sprout potatoes? Do potatoes sprout faster in the dark? – Van S. ANSWER: Yes, potatoes do sprout in the dark, but if you’re chitting potatoes (sprouting prior to planting), it’s best to do so in a light location that’s cool yet frost-free. Light is necessary for potatoes to grow healthy and strong. Gardeners use the chitting process to get potato plants sprouting sooner than they would in the garden, which means an earlier harvest....

Information Does your monstera have yellow leaves, but you aren't quite sure why? There are a number of different reasons this can happen, and luckily many can be fixed fairly easily. In this article, gardening expert and houseplant enthusiast Madison Moulton walks through why this can happen, and what your next steps should be to help revive your plant. By Madison Moulton Last updated: January 10, 2023 | 10 min read In the world of houseplant problems, yellowing leaves are undoubtedly one of the most common....

Keeping track of your harvests may seem tedious, but it ultimately helps you be a more successful gardener. First of all, it’s fun to see how much food you can grow in your garden. But when you keep records like this, it will also be easier to plan for future years. You can see exactly what’s working the best in your garden, and ditch the stuff that isn’t. You can also compare it to your previous records to see how your garden performs year over year....

Propagating Ti plant in Water is a great way to display this good luck plant on coffee tables in beautiful jars and vases. Let’s have a look at all the information you need to know about Growing Cordyline in Water. Check out our article on how to grow cordyline plants indoors here Ti Plant Commonly known as the Ti plant, it is native to Pacific islands and parts of Southeast Asia....

They’re truly ideal houseplants for beginners and experienced growers alike. Peperomia spp. Peperomias are marvelously diverse, ranging from petite bright green plants that trail out of hanging baskets to two-foot-tall upright specimens with striking wrinkled foliage and purple stems. Some look like succulents, while others are bushy and lush. What they have in common is that they’re all tolerant of drought, don’t demand much light, and they add gorgeous greenery to your home without much maintenance at all....

There’s a lot of different names for horse manure! Horse buns, horse chips, horse hooey, horsepucky, or our favorite, road apples. To some, it’s just a mess that needs to be cleaned up. Table of Contents But to a gardener, all that waste is some of the best organic fertilizer available. Sure, it needs to be mucked out of the stalls, then composted to cure it first. But once it’s done, it’s phenomenal....

In this article, I’ll cover how to cultivate borage, a versatile herb that may be grown as an ornamental, an ingredient for herbal and culinary use, or as a cover crop. Borago officinalis Borago officinalis, commonly known as borage or starflower, is one of a host of herbs with origins in the Mediterranean region. It’s a member of the Boraginaceae family of plants, which includes forget-me-not and heliotrope. Naturalized in the United States, it grows in a wild and weedy fashion, sporting its signature blue star blossoms as well as fuzzy leaves, stems, and drooping buds....

Callistemon spp. Bottlebrush plants are popular for their colorful bristly blooms that continue all through the summer. Hummingbirds certainly seem to love them! And with many different species and cultivars to choose from ranging from dwarf shrubs to large trees, you won’t have any trouble finding a bottlebrush that fits your needs. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

The most exotic and sought-after rare spice in the world, the saffron crocus is a beautiful bloom that people love all over the world. While the flower itself is small, if you’re growing saffron, it’s for the even smaller three stigmas that lie in its center. Once dried, the saffron loses 90% of its weight, making it worth more than several times its own weight in gold. It’s easy to learn how to grow saffron!...

Vegetables Carrots are one of the most popular vegetables in gardens around the world. But to get the perfect harvest, you need the perfect formula of soil conditions, climate, watering schedule, and more. In this article, gardening expert and farm owner Taylor Sievers examines how to plant, grow, and care for carrots in your garden. By Taylor Sievers Last updated: October 10, 2022 | 17 min read Many garden vegetables taste the best when they’re picked fresh from a backyard garden....

Crape myrtle trees (Lagerstroemia) are to the southern United States what ivy is to university towers. Imperative. Expected. Greatly appreciated, and… lovely. Though not as ubiquitous as they are the Southeast, the crape myrtle’s range also extends to the Southwest and up the west coast, where they are also revered for their great beauty. Heralding summer’s arrival, crape myrtles erupt in May, June, or July with profuse clusters of delicate flowers in a myriad of colors, including white, various shades of pink, purple, yellow, and even red....

Read on to learn what signs and symptoms you can expect from a distressed pomegranate tree or shrub, and how to address problems when they arise. Some fruit trees are highly susceptible to disease and pest infestation, such as stone fruits like peaches and plums, or apples. Others, like the pomegranate, are far less likely to be stricken with serious diseases or ravaged by infestations. But there are a handful of pests and diseases to be on the lookout for....

If you’ve ever been to a Japanese Zen garden, you know there is so much that goes into its design. I’m always fascinated by their simplicity, their fluidity, and the attention paid to every element present. It’s no wonder temples are surrounded by them. Table of Contents Whether Zen rock gardens are your go-to or another type, it’s possible to make your own Zen garden or Japanese-inspired garden based on the principles of Zen Buddhism....

Bearing in mind that there are multiple varieties of Kalanchoe, such as panda plant (Kalanchoe tomentosa), paddle plant (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora), and mother of thousands (Kalanchoe daigremontiana), among others, I’m going to focus on the flowering kalanchoe (Kalanchoe blossfeldiana) that you find at the garden center, grocery store, or nurseries, usually in late fall and early winter when you’ll also find familiar flowering plants like anthuriums and cyclamen for sale. Kalanchoe blossfeldiana is often simply labeled with “Kalanchoe” as the common name on plant tags....

Reasons for pruning blueberries Pruning blueberries is an essential winter chore for several reasons. Proper pruning maintains an open growth habit, which improves air circulation, opens the center of the plant to sunlight, and reduces disease. Annual pruning maintains productivity by encouraging the growth of new fruit-producing stems. Pruning removes dead or damaged branches. Pruning increases fruit quality because the shrub is able to put more energy into producing the fruit, not more leaves....

These plants come in both vine and bush form, and can be either deciduous or evergreen. The genus Lonicera has around 180 species, all contained within the Caprifoliaceae family. That’s a lot of different honeysuckles! Honeysuckle plants have much to offer. With ease of care, fragrant blooms that attract pollinators, and striking fruits, these plants are hardy, attractive specimens that are worthwhile additions to the landscape. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

The magnificent Rose of Sharon bush is your first choice to get the job done if you’re looking for a burst of color in your yard or garden. Here’s our guide on how to grow Rose of Sharon flowers. We’ll cover everything you need to know about growing and maintaining roses of Sharon so you’ll have a Rose of Sharon bush that will make your garden the new talk of the town....

If you are a fussy plant parent who always forgets to take care of his green friends, then here are some beautiful Succulents that Don’t Need Water Before a Month that you can grow without worrying about maintaining them! Here are the easiest to grow Succulents Succulents that Don’t Need Water Before a Month All succulents are capable of tolerating droughts due to their fleshy foliage that helps them in conserving water....

Carpenter Ants can cause severe damage to wood that is an integral part of your home and garden. However, these critters are tiny but can be very troublesome. So, what could you do? Don’t worry. We have the best Ways to Get Rid of Carpenter Ants from Homes and Gardens. Here are the best aphid repellent plants you can grow What are Carpenter Ants? Carpenter Ants do not feed on wood as termites do; rather, they chew and excrete it to make pathways for themselves and their colonies....