Posts

Shrubs Deadheading your lilacs can be one of the best ways to encourage their beautiful blooms. Getting the timing right on when to deadhead is important, but deadheading lilacs is a fairly straightforward process. In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jaros walks through 7 simple steps to deadhead your lilacs this season! By Liz Jaros Last updated: July 1, 2022 | 5 min read When the much-anticipated garden grown lilac show is over and you’re left with nothing but faded former blooms, you might be tempted to move on and direct your attention elsewhere in the yard....

Do you feel like your flowers are lackluster and sparse most years? They might not be getting enough nutrients! Producing blooms takes a lot of energy, and sometimes plants can’t get the necessary nutrition they need from the soil alone. A good fertilizer provides nutrients and energy for plants so they can bloom, stay healthy, and get bigger every year. While there are lots of product choices out there, not all of them are right for fertilizing flowers....

It’s always so disappointing when you discover bugs on your houseplants. The beautiful plants you are nurturing are in danger and you must act quickly to save them. The good news is there are some great options to get rid of houseplant bugs naturally. This article will tell you everything you need to know about houseplant pests and the best ways to easily get rid of them without using any harmful pesticides....

Are you ready to welcome an areca palm into your home? Here’s what I’ll cover: Dypsis​ ​lutescens​ Living in a northern climate with long cold winters, I am always looking for dramatic indoor plants to liven up my home. With its elegant, arching fronds, the areca palm adds a tropical flair to the living room all year long. Relatively low maintenance, these popular houseplants are nontoxic to dogs and cats, and with the right care will grace your home for many years....

It doesn’t just make for good eating, either. Levisticum officinale There are a few plants out there that don’t have broad popularity and I just can’t understand why. Number one on that list is lovage. What’s not to love about lovage? The entire plant is edible, from root to tip, and it has a bright, fresh flavor that tastes a bit like citrusy celery. It’s also hardy, fuss-free, and reseeds readily without becoming invasive....

Like other tulips, they’re members of the Lily family, Liliaceae. Originally from Turkey and the Middle East, they’re now grown around the world. Tulipa x hybrida Also called double late tulips or double hybrids, peony tulips (Tulipa x hybrida) are round and layered with scores of ruffled petals, which makes them resemble a real peony (Paeonia lactiflora). But the two are entirely different flowers. Peonies are usually herbaceous perennials or woody shrubs that grow from thick tubers – which I have recently seen unearthed in my front flower bed because my dog has inexplicably been digging up one of my peonies over and over again…...

In short, bok choy keeps us happy and healthy – so it’s only fair that we return the favor, since a bok choy’s health in the garden isn’t always guaranteed. Good ol’ bok choy… where would we be without you? A leafy green superstar in Asian cuisine, bok choy – or pak choi – is quite delectable, whether it’s consumed solo or as an ingredient in a more complex dish....

I wish I could tell you that the process is quick and easy, but I won’t lie. Propagating bay trees takes time and patience, no matter what method you choose, and it’s likely that a majority of your cuttings will fail. Bay trees are so beautiful that I sometimes forget the leaves are also an essential culinary herb. And every time I do pluck a leaf from my tree to toss in a recipe, I think to myself, “I wish I had more of these in my garden....

Luscious, delicious leeks! They’re on every fine chef’s menu somewhere. In the UK, they’re a staple part of the daily diet, and they appear heavily in Asian cuisine as well. Leeks are found in the most elegant dishes and at the finest restaurants. Table of Contents But they’re also in the finest of gardens, too. Today, we look at the leek, explore some of the diversity of this allium, and learn the best way to cultivate these culinary delights....

One of the most pervasive and annoying diseases that occurs on vegetable crops is powdery mildew. Though a powdery mildew infection isn’t uncommon in gardens, it’s important to understand the mechanisms behind this disease, and control it quickly to prevent its spread. Table of Contents With so many susceptible plants, it’s likely you’ve come into contact with powdery mildew fungus on leaf surfaces a time or two before. If you haven’t, it’s good you’re here!...

What does that even mean? What’s the difference? Does it matter? You might see certain terms on the tag of a raspberry plant you’re eyeing at your local nursery. Fall bearing. Or everbearing. Perhaps a little confused, you move on, and come across a blackberry plant. Floricane fruiting, the tag reads. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

An insecticide that will be in a lot of gardeners’ sheds is pyrethrin spray. Pyrethrin can be controversial among gardeners because although it’s naturally derived, it can harm beneficial insects as well as humans in large amounts. There’s also a synthetic version called permethrin that can make the topic a little confusing. Some gardeners think it’s best to stay away from all of it, just to be safe. Table of Contents...

If the sunflowers you planted in your garden beds, containers, or landscape are drooping, you’ve come to the right place. In this guide, I’ll share five possible explanations. One of the coolest things about growing sunflowers is watching the way the flower heads pivot to follow the sun as it moves across the sky, from dawn to dusk. Known as “heliotropism,” this trait makes the blooms seem like they’re always looking right at the sun....

Have you ever looked at a sweet potato during dinner and wondered what it looks like in its plant form? Well, look no further, for here you’ll learn all about the sweet potato vine… the ornamental sweet potato vine, that is! Table of Contents While it is the same species as its edible relative, ornamental sweet potato vines are bred for their incredible leaves rather than their tasty tubers. Purple vine plants are common, as are green, red, bronze, and even multicolored....

If you are looking for plants to keep on counters and coffee tables for a lush tropical look indoors, then here are the Best Tabletop Palms you must grow! Check out the best cold-tolerant palm trees here How to Grow Tabletop Palms? The key to growing palms on the tabletops lies in the pot and their age. You will have to confine them in a smaller than usual pot to ensure their size stays manageable on desks and tabletops....

If you are looking for Low Maintenance Flowers that Tolerate High Temperatures & Heat, you are at the right place. We have compiled the best varieties for you! Find out the best low-maintenance houseplants here Low Maintenance Flowers that Tolerate High Temperatures & Heat 1. Vinca Botanical Name: Catharanthus roseus Vinca blooms do pretty well in drought and prefers sunny, hot conditions. This flowering plant cannot withstand soggy soil and dislike wet foliage....

Shrubs Spring hydrangea care is a bit different than other seasons. In spring, you are working to get your hydrangeas to rebloom, and encourage their prolific flower growth. In this article, gardening expert and hydrangea enthusiast Jill Drago walks through her top tips for spring hydrangea care. By Jill Drago Last updated: November 22, 2022 | 6 min read Every summer bloom comes from a little hard work and love in the springtime....

Here are the most stunning Types of Flowering Kalanchoe Varieties with which you can adorn your home and garden! Check out the most Beautiful Kalanchoe Types & Varieties You Should Grow here Best Types of Flowering Kalanchoe Varieties 1. Kerinci Botanical Name: Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ‘Kerinci’ ‘Kerinci’ showcases clusters of rich pink blooms during spring. You can easily grow it as a houseplant as long as it gets plenty of sunlight....

Shrubs If you are thinking of planting a lilac shrub in a pot or container, there are several important factors you'll need to remember for a successful planting. In this article, certified master gardener Liz Jaros walks through 14 of her top tips for growing lilacs in pots or containers this season! By Liz Jaros Last updated: July 5, 2022 | 10 min read Known for their tall stature, distinctive scent, and loose, arching form, lilacs are typically chosen by property owners and landscape designers who need to fill a large, sunny space with a low-maintenance, ornamental plant....

Sweet potato fries burst into popularity a few years ago, but sweet potatoes have been a staple food for quite a long time. While the crunchy version served with aioli may be new, these versatile sweet potato varieties that range in color from purple to cream-colored to orange and red have been a nutritious and tasty food for almost 5000 years. Now grown throughout the world, Ipomoea Batatas has almost 7000 known varieties....