Posts

When I moved to Knoxville, Tennessee post-college, lo and behold! Between the earlier springs and the rich, heavy soil, people had entire side lots blanketed with blue in April. Bachelor’s buttons grown from seed are my perfect example of the adjustment enthusiastic gardeners must make when they relocate. I was a kid in Williamsburg, Virginia, which had long springs and sandy soil. In those days, I would carefully tend a small packet’s worth of these annuals in a four-by-four-foot garden plot, deadheading each spent bloom....

When it comes to fragrance, snaps will have you analyzing sweet notes of bubblegum, citrus, and a perfume that you can’t quite put your finger on but remember from your childhood. Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus), perennial in USDA Hardiness Zones 7 to 10 and annual in other temperate regions, are one of the most popular garden plants and cut flowers out there, and for good reason. If you like bright colors, they’ve got that covered....

Luckily ‘Integrated Pest Management’ (IPM) offers just that – except in this case, the helping hands come from a perhaps somewhat unlikely place. I’m sure I’m not the only one that has wished that I had a few extra pairs of helping hands in the garden from time to time. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

by Erin Marissa Russell Ready to find out how muskmelons and cantaloupes compare? First things first: Cantaloupes are muskmelons. Muskmelon is a category that includes, in addition to cantaloupes, honeydew, Persian melon, and Santa Claus melon. There’s lots more to learn about cantaloupes and the muskmelon category, which we’ve explained right here in this article. Muskmelon vs. Cantaloupe: Botany You may have read some contradictory information around the web that claims Cucumis melo var....

Information Are you thinking of starting a garden, but doing it the old fashioned way with no pesticides? Organic Gardening can be an extremely fun experience, but there are some specific steps you'll want to take before getting started. In this article, organic gardening expert Logan Hailey walks through what you can expect. By Logan Hailey Last updated: October 14, 2022 | 28 min read Tiptoeing out to my organic garden on a cool summer evening, I cut an emerald zucchini from the squash patch, pull handfuls of crisp sugar snap peas from their vines, snip some rosemary and thyme from the herb gardens, and pull some kale for a delicious homegrown Italian meal....

Along with being grateful that there’s a heavy soil carrot option, I’m thankful that this is a standout cultivar. Daucus carota sativus ‘Danvers’ Even though I amend diligently and till mightily, my garden soil is still heavy. It’s amazing I can grow carrots in this dirt, but I can, and I have long-ago growers from Danvers, Massachusetts to thank for that. They introduced the variety originally known as ‘Danvers Half Long’ more than a century ago....

But don’t discount the importance of this grouping just because it’s a motley crew of plants. Roses are one of the most varied flowering plants out there. There are over a hundred species, and thousands of hybrids and cultivars. They come in an endless range of colors, shapes, and sizes, from ones with tiny blossoms that have just a few petals to massive blooms with over a hundred petals each....

QUESTION: What are the easiest and most nutritious vegetables to grow? I’m still new to gardening so I probably wouldn’t succeed with anything difficult, and I’m growing vegetables because I care about health and that’s why I’m looking specifically for EASY and NUTRITIOUS. – Edward W ANSWER: Sounds like a fun challenge! Here’s what I came up with for my list of vegetables that are great for beginners, while also being nutrient dense....

Question: I’m going to start celery early and then transplant in my garden. What month do you plant celery? I’m trying to figure out how to time it around cool nights. -Paula S. Answer: The month you should plant celery varies depending on where in the world you are gardening, but we can answer the question of when to plant celery another way. Regions with cool springtimes and summers should plant celery in early spring....

Flavors range from bold and spicy to mildly sweet – try growing the bold ones for savory dishes, the sweet ones for baked goods, desserts, and ice cream. Full of flavor and wonderfully aromatic, basil, Ocimum basilicum, is one of the easiest herbs to grow. Its pungent, peppery taste with a hint of licorice makes it popular in a variety of cuisines. This member of the mint, or Lamiaceae family is an annual herb grown for its flavorful leaves....

by Jennifer Poindexter Are you interested in growing different types of vegetables? What about growing root vegetables? Some gardeners have heard this term but aren’t sure which crops fall under the heading of root vegetables. I’m going to walk you through your different options of root veggies, share some of their growing conditions, and their planting zones. This should give you all the information necessary to grow these crops well....

Vines Looking to plant some flowering vines in your shade garden, or somewhere in your garden that's shadier than the rest of the area? The good news is that there are many vines that will grow quickly, depending on your hardiness zone. In this article, you'll learn about our favorite flowering vines for shade gardens and shady areas, along with what zones they typically grow the best in! By Jason White Last updated: June 9, 2022 | 13 min read Whether you’re curious about a flowering vine that’s growing near a hedgerow of trees, or you’d like to install a trellis in a shady part of your lawn, you’ve come to the right place....

The variation is due to a 1990s taxonomic reclassification that whittled 600 species of plants down to 180 “true” Asian and European Aster species, recategorized the North American ones, and did nothing to change any of their well-established common names. The Aster genus of flowering plants is one of many in the large Asteraceae family that includes chrysanthemums and daisies. The blooms have a composite structure made up of a central disk of florets surrounded by petal-like rays....

Microgreens are the first set of leaves also known as cotyledons. They are not the true leaves of plants. However, microgreens can be harvested between cotyledon to first true leaf stage, when 3-4 true leaves appear, and they grow above 2 inches tall. Also Read: Everything about Growing Microgreens Choose the Right Home Shallow containers that are wide with ample drainage holes are suitable for growing microgreens. Plastic or resin ones are better because they are lightweight and easy to move around....

Best Plants For Vertical Garden Not all plants adapt well to vertical gardening. They must have certain important characteristics for proper development and growth. Ferns They are one of the garden plants that are preferred for their adaptability and humidity resistance. Ferns are easy to grow and they cover the area quickly. You can grow sword fern, blue star fern, bird’s nest fern, they are easiest. Ferns will generally grow downward, so you’ll need to grow other covering plants with them too....

Most people are familiar with basil in its dried, crushed form. Some are familiar with it in its fresh form as well. So how do you get it from fresh to dried? It’s not hard at all and requires no special tools or equipment. There are two options for drying basil: air drying and oven drying. Some people use a microwave, but there are a lot of reasons not to do this....

To ensure abundant blossoms and vibrant growth, potted lilacs need large containers and regular maintenance to keep their roots in check, and small-growing or dwarf varieties are recommended for their manageable sizes. A favorite in the spring garden, lilacs (Syringa spp.) have an unmistakable, sweet fragrance and large, beautiful flowers in shades of lavender, pink, purple, and white. One of their most appealing features is that mature shrubs can reach a height of up to 30 feet and spread almost as much, providing a glorious sight and a heady fragrance when in full bloom....

by Matt Gibson The serrano pepper is basically a smaller version of the jalapeno. Clocking in between 5,000 and 23,000 Scoville units, serranos are typically a bit hotter than the jalapeno and are always a wonderful addition to salsas, sauces, relishes, or any recipe that could use a spicy kick. A longtime staple of Mexican cooking, the serrano pepper gets its origin, and its name, from the mountainous region of the Mexican states of Hidalgo and Puebla (the name serrano being a reference to the spanish word for mountains, sierra)....

Learn the best tips on How to Grow so Many Tomatoes in so Little Space and enjoy a fresh harvest even if you don’t have a garden! How to Grow so Many Tomatoes in so Little Space 1. Mind the Time Don’t start the plants too early before the season unless you live in a warm climate. Otherwise, your tomato plants will be exposed to unexpected late frost and cold temperatures....

And the colors! Dark pink, light pink, medium pink; lavender, violet, deep purple, red, yellow, white, blue – Mother Nature has been generous to us with her palette of sweet pea flower hues. Lathryrus odoratus A child in a beloved cartoon strip. A mother’s tender nickname for a tiny baby. A character on a TV show popular with young adults. Sweet peas one and all. All named for the lovely vining annual whose legendary beauty makes us desire to apply its nomenclature to those dearest to us....