Some species produce sticky, sweet honeydew which can further lead to sooty mold and ant infestations, causing additional harm in the garden. Scale is an umbrella term used to identify nearly 8,000 varieties of wingless, sucking insect species in the order Hemiptera. One of the more common garden pests, these minute organisms feed on the bark, fruit, and leaves of perennial trees and shrubs using their tiny, straw-like mouthparts. Different species suck different fluids from the plant, ultimately resulting in the slow depletion of vital plant nutrients....

1. Observe Before you begin gardening, you must observe the space you are about to use, perfectly. How big or small it is? Which way the wind blows and how windy it is? Is it sloppy or shady? Take a look at every aspect of the selected area neatly and consider how you can use it. How many hours of sun it gets? Which spots are the longest sunny? Where is partial shade?...

If you’re looking to add a low-maintenance annual flowering plant to your garden, look no further than the rocky mountain bee plant! These plants originated in western North America and southern British Columbia. They can thrive when grown inside their native range with little to no human intervention. Table of Contents These plants were used as a food source by Native Americans, but today they are admired as pollinator plants that will attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and native bees to your garden....

What I didn’t realize in those early days is that growing and harvesting it can be a bit tricky, if you don’t know what to watch out for. I grew up eating broccoli at almost every meal. My mother loves broccoli, almost to an absurd degree, and she made sure to instill that love in all of her children. Whether it was roasted with garlic, steamed in butter, or sauteed in a stir fry, I could almost always count on broccoli making an appearance at the dinner table....

Calatheas are some of the most beautiful houseplants, and it’s hard to resist bringing them home. However, they have a well-earned reputation for being fussy plants, prone to all kinds of problems. If you think your Calathea is dying, don’t dispair, as I can show you exactly how to fix your plant, and also keep it in perfect shape year after year. The most common cause of a Calathea dying is overwatering, leading to root rot....

Spring’s over, and now summer has begun. And your hedges are a disaster. Time to break out your best hedge trimmer and clean that up! Table of Contents Wait, you don’t have one yet? Oh, but you must. A hedge trimmer can make your life a lot easier and save you time. It’ll also spare you from having to hire an expensive gardener multiple times a year. Let’s explore all the aspects of selecting the right hedge trimmer for your specific needs, and I’ll share my top picks for quality models!...

There’s been a huge rise in the popularity of growing plants using indoor smart gardens over the last few years. It’s a great way to bring plants inside, and allows everyone to enjoy the pleasure of growing plants, without necessarily having a green thumb. Some of the designs and features are incredible and they don’t always have to cost a lot of money. This article looks at some of the best and most innovative options available....

When I was a newbie gardener, I thought I needed to start all of my seeds indoors. Although I was pretty successful growing lots of different types of seeds inside, I had many failures too. After a few years of trial-and-error, I began to experiment with starting seeds both indoors and direct sowing (i.e.: planting) them right in my garden. I literally tossed my leftover seeds into the garden in the spring just to see what would sprout....

1- Shady Balcony Garden Usually a balcony facing North or East is left empty or used as a “warehouse”: Brooms, rugs, various storage materials are piled up there to utilize the space. Is it the right way to use a balcony? A big no! Balcony is an only open space in most of the apartments and flats and you should use it wisely. How to Fix it? Grow plants that tolerate shade or grow in less sunlight....

Who wouldn’t want to be able to grow your own chocolate? When you grow a cacao tree, you can get many of the cocoa products you see in stores today. Theobroma cacao is definitely a true tropical tree. Like other tropical plants, cocoa likes humidity, heat, and all the things that most climates in the continental US just don’t have. But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely impossible to grow it here....

Question: Can you eat cauliflower with black spots? Is it going bad? -Heather G. Answer: Cauliflower that has been stored for a while is likely to develop light brown freckle-like spots on the heads of the florets. The reason for the discoloration is oxidation, which occurs naturally due to prolonged exposure to light and air. These spots are more likely to occur the longer that the cauliflower has been stored and they do not mean that your cauliflower has gone bad and needs to be tossed out....

3 reasons to care about climate change gardening Climate change gardening influences the health and success of your garden. When you nurture your soil, foster biodiversity, and support pollinators you create a garden that is more resilient to the challenges of climate change. Here are 3 reasons to care about climate change gardening. Extreme weather – The impact of weather related challenges like droughts, storms, precipitation, flooding, and above or below normal temperatures can be reduced with climate change gardening strategies....

The leaves are dropping in earnest now, and while my post last week offered you 6 reasons to NOT clean up your garden this fall, I didn’t discuss what to do with all the leaves that collect on the lawn. Raking is one of my least favorite garden chores (and it IS a chore!), and while you don’t have to rake every last leaf out of your perennial beds (nor should you; again, see last week’s post for some of the reasons why), you do have to get the bulk of the leaves off the lawn....

Why grow broccoli from seeds? Broccoli plants are the same species of plant (Brassica oleracea) as many other brassicas (also called cole crops), including cauliflower, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. Over many generations, the original Brassica oleracea has been selected for various traits, giving us an array of different vegetables with very different appearances. Broccoli is among the most popular, and there are many benefits to growing it from seed....

Growing cucumbers is one of my favorite springtime activities! Having a harvest to pickle with dill and garlic makes summer refreshing. And fresh cucumbers from the garden simply can’t be beaten. While having space to grow them is great, it’s not completely necessary. Did you know growing cucumbers in a pot is possible? Table of Contents Cucumber bushes are easy to grow, and as long as proper cucumber spacing, pruning cucumbers, and fertilizing them are present, it’s one of the most rewarding crops to grow....

Maintaining healthy and productive plants can sometimes be quite difficult, and it is always good to learn some handy tricks–just like this one–How Rusty Nails Can Save your Dying Plants! Check out our article on some great hacks to save Dying Plants here What Do Rusty Nails Have? Rusty nails contain iron oxide, a reddish brittle coating, which forms when iron and oxygen react together in the presence of moisture in the air (water)....

Bean leaf beetles, Mexican bean beetles, and cucumber beetles are the most common culprits. Thankfully, there are effective organic methods available to keep these pests at bay. There is nothing worse when you are growing yummy, vibrant green beans to find them suddenly infested by pests. While there are many insects that can decimate legumes, beetles are some of the worst. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

USDA Zones: 10-12, 2-9 (As an Annual) Botanical Name: Celosia Colors: Red, Pink, Purple, Yellow, Orange, Burgundy, White Common Names: Woolflower, Silver Cockscomb, Quail Grass, Cockscomb The genus Celosia belongs to the family of Amaranthaceae. It is native to the warm climate of Africa and Asia and appreciated for the showy inflorescences that are colorful and unusual like no other flower. So, if you are looking forward to growing one, here are all the details on How to Grow Celosia!...

Take a look at How to Grow Morning Glory in Pots and flaunt its beautiful blooms in tight spaces! You can also grow it in hanging baskets. USDA Zones: 9-11 Check out the best types of Morning Glory Flowers here How Long Does a Morning Glory Blossom Last? The Morning Glory flower lasts only a day and begins to fade away before sunset. This beautiful flower earned its name because its fragile petals unfurl with sunrise and fade away before sunset....

I know I would’ve been eager to figure out what lay inside of it! How fortunate that our forebears sampled this once-wild fruit, with its one-of-a-kind shape, and its inner chambers bursting with nutritious, juicy gems. Punica granatum Can you imagine being the first person to stumble upon a pomegranate growing in the wild? What must they have thought, when they found those odd globes hanging from the branches just overhead?...