I like to imagine that some gardeners centuries back noticed how hot a manure pile can get, and they had a lightbulb moment – or maybe an oil lamp moment? Tunnels and cold frames can only get you so far. If you really want to extend your growing season and increase the number of different types of crops you can grow, it’s time to level up with a hotbed. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
Do you want to grow lemons, but a shortage of space is stopping you? If this is your plight, then growing lemon tree pots is a smart idea. Plant it on a patio, terrace, or even indoors, and you will be bestowed by its scented flowers and soft yellow citrus fruits. You can grow it on the balcony too! Let’s have a look at How to Grow a Lemon Tree in Pot easily!...
These majestic drought-tolerant yuccas can’t be grown in just any garden! They require the perfect setting to thrive. Expansive growing spaces where summer is hot and winter is cold best suit their cultivation needs. Yucca brevifolia The captivating Yucca brevifolia, commonly known as the Joshua tree, is a member of the agave (Agavaceae) family. With the Mojave, Great Basin, and western Sonoran Deserts composing its native growing range, this slow-growing evergreen monocot is an iconic desert dweller....
But does anyone even have a root cellar anymore? I admit it: I haven’t always loved beets (Beta vulgaris). But that all changed the day I tried home-pickled beets in a sandwich for the first time, and was shocked by how much more flavorful they were than the ones that come in a can. Home-pickled beets taste fantastic in all sorts of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes, and the recipe I use is this one, from our sister site Foodal....
When I finally remembered to look at it again, the bloom was a crispy brown and the leaves were dry. Clearly, I had no idea what I was doing. But I’ve learned a lot about propagating plants like this one since the age of 10, and I’m here to help you find success in your own garden! Buddleia spp. “It’s called butterfly bush,” a coworker at my parents’ flower shop told me, “and it really does attract butterflies!...
Oleander (Nerium oleander) is a shrub or small tree that blooms in summer with large, striking flowers in shades of red, white, light yellow, and pink. Because of its dense branching and rapid growth rate it is a popular hedge. Planting an oleander hedge is an excellent way to hide utilities, chain link fences, and other eyesores in the landscape. It also makes an attractive specimen plant if planted singly or in a garden border....
Harvesting lavender is simple, and the more you do it, the more you’ll get. In this post, you’ll learn what part to cut, and the best time to do it. Then I’ll show you exactly how to pick the buds and leaves, and give you tips for storing them too. Lavender is a beautiful and highly fragrant herb that is extremely popular for it’s calming effect. Lots of gardeners love growing lavender in their home garden for the bright purple flowers alone....
As so-called “dynamic accumulators,” dandelions can be used to produce a nutrient-dense homemade fertilizer without a lot of effort – it’s surprisingly easy! If you enjoy organic gardening solutions, making dandelion tea fertilizer is a great way to create your own cost-effective products while being self-sufficient. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. The process mostly involves putting the weeds in water and aerating the mixture from time to time, to allow for proper fermentation....
Whether you plan to make your own wine and jam, or you simply love the look of the vines, grapes are a classic plant to use for growing vertically. The beautiful perennial vines are outstanding to use as a privacy screen, or for creating small “rooms” in your garden. Plus, you get the added bonus of yummy fruit to enjoy at the end of the summer! But in order to to get a good crop, it’s important to learn how to trellis grapes in order to keep them healthy and productive....
And whether they’re left in the ground or lifted and stored, winterizing these pretty plants is simple and straightforward – some can even survive as houseplants, adding foliage and blooms to your interior decor! Calla lilies are gorgeous, trumpet-like flowers on stately stems that add richly colored elegance to beds, borders, containers, and water gardens as well. But these frost-tender herbaceous perennials are hardy only in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11....
Ice cream bean is a fast-growing tree with many uses, including its exotic fruit! The large fruits contain a sweet cottony pulp. The edible pulp is where the “ice cream” name comes from as it has a sweet vanilla taste, sometimes with a cinnamon note, and the texture of cotton candy. Table of Contents The ice cream bean has many different names in its native region, and indigenous peoples use the tree for a variety of uses....
What’s an indeterminate tomato, and why would you want a list of them? You can read our guide to tomato terminology here if you want to learn all the terms. Indeterminate tomato plants also known as cordon tomatoes or vine tomatoes, continue to grow and produce fruit throughout the summer. Because of this, they either require support with staking, trellis support or large tomato cages, or you can leave them to lie on the ground....
Mung beans may not sound familiar to you, but you’ve probably had them if you’ve ever had bean sprouts. The bean sprouts you find at salad bars and in stir fry typically come from the mung bean plant in the United States. Table of Contents Mung bean sprouts are one of the most common ways they’re eaten, but they can be utilized in other ways. They’re most popular in Asia, and they can be eaten savory or sweet, as sprouts or beans, and even as a paste....
Are you looking for an easy to grow houseplant that offers bright colors year-round? Then look no further than the Oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea) with its bright purple and green foliage. This showy evergreen with its no-fuss habit is a perfect choice for the beginner or those who do not want to tend to high-maintenance plants. Let’s start with a quick summary of oyster plant care, to help you keep yours thriving for years....
by Matt Gibson and Erin Marissa Russell If you are standing in the garden center, trying to figure out which additive your soil needs the most, wondering what the difference is between perlite and vermiculite, then this article is for you. The two soil additives are popular options and are similar, but they are distinctly different in a few important ways. Read on to learn more about the key difference between these two all-natural soil amendments that gardeners use to change the water retention and nutrient retention levels in their garden soil....
Often referred to as the honey mushroom, shoestring fungus, or honey fungus, the Armillaria genus consists of a number of different species that can be devastating to an orchard. Armillaria spp. The fungus Armillaria is truly a menace to apples and a number of other fruit trees, ornamentals, crops, and shrubs. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
Cutting back an overgrown or sickly zucchini plant takes about as long as those seven notes, and costs even less than “two bits,” which is 25 cents. Pruning zucchini puts me in mind of the catchy seven beats that tap out “Shave and a haircut…” and then the response, “Two bits!” The knocking pattern for gags originated in vaudeville, but younger folks may know it from Bugs Bunny cartoons or the movie “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?...
QUESTION: Which vegetables should not be refrigerated? My refrigerator is always totally full, so I could save a lot of room if I knew which ones it’s ok to store on the counter or in the pantry. -Janice L. ANSWER: There are a variety of vegetables which don’t require refrigeration. In most cases, the cold tends to remove the flavor of the crop or disrupts the texture. Here are the vegetables you could easily store somewhere else than in your refrigerator:...
by Matt Gibson Cover crops, also known as green manures or catch crops, are plants that should be planted during the winter in areas of your garden that would otherwise remain bare during the freezing season. Good cover crops not only protect the soil from erosion over the harsh winter months, but also protect beneficial life that lives in the soil that would remain bare without the help of cover crops....
There is no reason why you should settle down for an empty, boring backyard when there is so much that can inspire you. Check out our post on how Your Backyard Can Be the Best Hang Out Place with these DIYs! Here are DIY Plant Risers for Indoor Plants to Make a Statement Your Backyard Can Be the Best Hang Out Place with these DIYs! 1. Fire Pit Now you can make your own fire pit in 4-5 steps....
