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Tomatoes are one of the most common plants you’ll find in a backyard garden. They are popular because they’re fairly easy to care for, can be highly productive in the right conditions, and many varieties work well in containers or a raised bed. Indeed, growing tomatoes in raised beds is a great way to grow them in a small space or an accessible garden! Table of Contents Since there are so many tomato varieties to choose from, have some fun and make themed beds such as a salsa garden, or opt to include tomato companion plants....

What is the difference between hay and straw? I think a lot of people use the word hay to describe straw, and vice versa, not realizing there is a difference. Hay is planted and harvested by farmers to feed livestock, like horses, sheep, and cows. It’s actually a mix of plants that could include fescues, legumes, such as alfalfa and clover, and different types of grasses, like millet. Hay contains all the parts of a mature plant—stalks, leaves, and seed heads—harvested when they are fresh and still full of nutrients for animal feed....

Korean cuisine seems to have taken forever to become popular in the United States. It’s only been the last 10-15 years when it seems to have taken off like a rocket, likely aided by the interest in K-pop and a desire for something new. Among Korean dishes, kimchi is the best known and copied. Knowing how long to ferment kimchi has become a necessity! This fermentation process is required for making kimchi....

The vivid bracts of Anthuriums make it stand out with its glossy green foliage. If your plant is not flowering despite you making all the efforts, then here are some fantastic ways on How to Force Anthuriums to Bloom Faster! Here are the best types of Anthuriums you can grow What Stops Anthuriums from Flowering? Anthuriums are finicky about the environment they are grown in. They dislike soggy soil or inadequate lighting patterns that hinder them from flowering....

What are squash bugs? Squash bugs (Anasa tristis) are a member of the stink bug family. If you disturb or injure them, they emit a foul odor. Like other stink bugs, they feed on plants by piercing plant tissue with their needle-like mouthpart and sucking out the plant sap. Squash bugs are found all across North America and are native to the continent. They feed on all members of the cucurbit family but tend to prefer summer and winter squash, as well as pumpkin vines and gourds....

To keep this calathea happy indoors you’ll need to meet a few specific needs. But once you understand these requirements, caring for it is quite easy. Goeppertia makoyana (syn. Calathea makoyana) The peacock plant is a gorgeous variety of prayer plant with beautifully patterned, variegated leaves. This houseplant provides texture and color to living spaces, and including one in your collection is an absolute must! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

If succulents bring to mind visions of tiny rosettes, the impressive, trailing stems of donkey’s tail will expand your options, providing the perfect choice for a raised planter or hanging basket. Sedum morganianum With its trailing stems and plump, bluish leaves, donkey’s tail sedum makes a striking houseplant that’s easy to care for. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Their large, green, scalloped or rounded leaves can be inconspicuous in the garden, but these plants are remarkably stunning when they’re in bloom, in a wide range of available colors. Alcea rosea Are you looking to infuse more attention-grabbing flowers into your garden? Then hollyhocks are perfect for you. Growing and caring for A. rosea is easy. Their flowers create impressive displays, and they’re also exceptional pollinator plants. Stunning additions to the garden; they can reach nine feet tall when in flower!...

It’s hard not to love this group of plants. They’re adaptable, sturdy, long-living, and give you a big bang for your buck. I mean, what would fall be without those neon red leaves? Acer spp. A lazy day under the shade of a leafy tree. Digging into a big plate of pancakes covered in syrup. An elegant, bright red focal point in a shady garden. Maples give us so much....

Petals of the flower cosmos are evenly placed, and the leaves grow as opposite pairs on the stems. The word cosmos is from the Greek and means, appropriately, order, balance, and harmony. If the antonym of cosmos is chaos, the flower cosmos represents that concept as well, for it grows in a profuse, riotous array of colors. Cosmos Varieties There are many cultivated varieties. Albatross is pure white. The popular Chocolate cosmos is a deep burgundy and smells like chocolate!...

Are you ready to learn how to grow pot marigold? Here’s what I’ll cover: Calendula officinalis On late summer mornings, one of my favorite rituals is to wander through my garden, and pick a few of the vibrant pot marigold flowers to make into a refreshing tea. Each day I am pleasantly surprised to see a collection of new buds developing on my plants. An herb that keeps on giving, the showy flowers of calendula bloom well into the fall....

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....

If you keep your garden free of weeds and debris, and practice a few other smart gardening tactics that we’ll go over below, you can usually keep your patch of echinacea problem-free. One of the most fabulous things about coneflowers is that they’re rarely troubled by pests or diseases. That goes double for any of the uncultivated species. Now, this shouldn’t imply that there are zero issues that you have to watch out for....

The lemon verbena plant is by far my favorite herb to grow! It has the most aromatic, supercharged zingy lemon scent of all herbs. Close your eyes, inhale and you’re instantly transported to a sun-drenched lemon grove in the Mediterranean, feeling uplifted, refreshed, and awake! Table of Contents The leaves are normally used as an infusion to flavor foods. Add a few fresh leaves to boiled water to make a revitalizing herbal tea; as a scented garnish in cocktails, cold drinks, and desserts; infused in creams and butter to flavor ice cream, biscuits, and cakes; or as an alternative to a lemon zest rub to give a lemon zing to meat dishes....

What makes a raised bed a good option in the first place, and why should you get one? To put it simply, whether you purchase a bed kit or build your own, your garden bed is elevated from the ground and housed within a beautifully (or simply) fashioned container. But beyond just looks, there is a lot more to raised bed gardening than simply meets the eye. Sure, you beautify and neaten up your growing space – but did you know that these structures also achieve tons for your plant health, soil health, and – drumroll – YOUR health?...

Table of Contents The Nutrient Film Technique, sometimes referred to as NFT, is one of the most popular types of hydroponic systems. It’s prized for how versatile and modular it is. By adding more NFT channels to the system (I’ll cover what those are later in the article), you can significantly increase your yields without too much extra effort. Listen to this post on the Epic Gardening Podcast Subscribe to the Epic Gardening Podcast on iTunes...

There are so many opportunities for gifting plants for special occasions, or simply to say thank you and show your appreciation. Whether you want to give plants for Christmas presents, you’re looking for a housewarming gift plant, plants for birthday presents or good Mother’s day houseplants, or even fun party favors – the list goes on and on. Plants are incredibly thoughtful, and there is something wonderful about giving them as gifts....

by Erin Marissa Russell If your family and friends have already enjoyed your garden’s harvest of sweet potatoes served in all your favorite dishes but you’ve still got a pile of potatoes to cook, Gardening Channel has brought together 100 recipes to help spice things up. After preparing the perfect plot of soil, sowing the miniature seeds and babying each vegetable seedling according to its needs, you’ve spent hour after arduous hour pulling up invading weeds....

Here’s the lineup: Garden tools are crafted with the home gardener in mind, to make working with plants and soil easier. Their unique features are suited to chores like digging, planting, pruning, and weeding. Using them correctly can help save time, money, and energy, making gardening a pleasant experience. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

When I feel that first nip in the air, I stock up on hot chocolate and marshmallows, air out the afghans, and clean out the fire pit. Are you looking for a way to extend the use of your outdoor living space well into the winter? A patio heater, fire pit, or both might be just what you’re after! In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about styles and fuel options....