Plus, there are so many size, shape, and growth combinations available, you’re sure to find what you need to add height, texture, or color to a garden display. Chances are, if you need a small tree to add interest to your own garden, there’s a Japanese maple that fits the bill. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
And when I started shopping for seeds to grow my own, what a surprise it was to discover so many different varieties were available. If you’ve not yet fallen in love with the peppery deliciousness of this member of the Brassicaceae family, it’s probably because you just haven’t tasted the right variety. Or maybe you’ve only eaten the bagged stuff that is sold at the grocery store. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
Some grow so big and old that they earn world record status, like the 240-year-old grapevine that fills a conservatory in Hampton Court Palace, London, England, and the 127-year-old Sierra Madre, California Chinese wisteria that spans an acre. When they cover the facade of a home, climbing plants enrich its character, contribute to its identity, and create a sense of permanence. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener’s Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition The book reveals the true scope of an environment we mostly cannot see – and which we either choose to use or abuse when we garden, with no grey areas in between! Originally published in 2006, the authors expound on the intense soil science research of one Dr. Elaine Ingham – whose groundbreaking (pun intended) work in the 1980s led to an entirely new understanding of what it means to be a gardener: whether through growing food, landscaping, or nursing perennial plants....
Hit up Craigslist. And that’s just what Jason Ellis of Rock Hill, South Carolina did. He found some free pallet racking and put it to use, converting it into the framework of a spectacular DIY greenhouse. Pallet racking is the metal framework that pallets are stored on in warehouses – similar to giant sized shelving. And they fit together like a giant erector set. And better yet, they often available on Craigslist for free, or for a small fee....
The first thing I did that spring was plant eleven trees – including three apple trees that have survived moose attacks, subzero temperatures, and high winds. I wanted to sow a field of wildflowers to go with the trees, but the mixed seed bag I bought at the nursery to test out in my flower beds produced blooms that just didn’t look wild enough for me. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
As is the case with choosing a house, of all the decisions you make when deciding to add a rose to your garden, perhaps the most important is placement. And when gardeners complain that roses are too fussy, it’s often just because they’ve put them in the wrong place. Hey, you’d be miserable, too, if someone plopped you somewhere that you didn’t like and wished you luck. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
For purple martins, those tasty insects and summer lodgings could be in your yard, if you offer these attractive and melodious birds a proper residence. With the exception of a limited range in the far northwest, the birds have crossed the western United States off their summer destination list, though they still return each spring to the eastern part of the country. Their arrival is eagerly anticipated by homeowners who appreciate the birds’ entertaining and useful attributes, some hoping to take advantage of the birds’ reputation for enjoying thousands of mosquitoes per day....
Humidity Too much humidity can allow mold spores and diseases to run rampant in your greenhouse; too little and the plants will die of thirst. Do research ahead of time to group plants together with similar humidity needs. Grow them at the same time, or build more than one smaller greenhouse, if space permits. Misting is an excellent way to increase humidity- find out how much your plants need. Shade Even in the winter, your plants may need shade from the sun....
It’s related to the native burning bush, E. atropurpureus, as well as native bittersweet, Celastrus scandens, and its highly invasive non-native counterpart, C. orbiculatus. The non-native burning bush, E. alatus, is not to be confused with Mexican fireweed, Bassia scoparia, which is considered an invasive plant in several states. Although it is an herbaceous plant and not a woody shrub, it too is commonly called a burning bush. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....
In the past I’ve cleaned entire raspberry bushes of edible fruit, snagged a few days’ worth of apples and pears, and passed out with a belly full of strawberries. That last one caused a stir back in the day! This dedication to sun-warmed produce by the bucketful places cherries high on my list of favorite fresh fruit. I was fortunate to grow up near a few cherry trees that were at their peak of production, but since then I’ve helped individuals plant their own trees and may have treated myself to a few of those fruits when they were ripe....
Look no further than heavenly bamboo. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. It’ll do well in a variety of soil textures, and will visually change leaf shades in a kaleidoscopic manner as the seasons change. Its plumes of cream-white flowers and bright red berries are attractive in the landscape and to beautiful songbirds....
One of things that makes these lovely climbing and trailing houseplants so intriguing is their vast array of leaf colors, shapes, and textures. And as if fascinating foliage weren’t already enough, hoyas can produce blooms striking and fragrant enough to compete with some of the showiest garden ornamentals, yet you can grow them indoors! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
Now’s your chance to bring a taste of that awesome display home. The tulip, Tulipa spp., is a colorful perennial flower in the Liliaceae, or lily family. It’s best suited to growing in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 7. True botanical species as well as cultivated hybrid varieties are available. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
Blueberry plants bloom during mid- to late spring – typically in May or June, depending on the species and cultivar – with showy white, pink, or purple flowers. As the blossoms give way to fruit in the summer, typically July and August, dark green leaves with light undersides provide contrast against the ripening light to dark blue berries. In the fall, the foliage turns red, orange, purple, yellow, or a mixture of these colors....
The Aglaonema genus includes over 20 different species, and is part of the Araceae, or Arum family. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. In this article, we discuss all you need to know to grow and care for your own Chinese evergreen. Here’s the agenda: Let’s begin with an overview of Chinese evergreen and its place in history....
We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. What Is Daikon? Daikon is a specific type of radish characterized by its large root. It’s no surprise that its name comes from two Japanese words: dai, which means large, and kon, which means root. It also has a longer date to maturity than other types of radish, which makes sense for its larger size....
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good salad, but there are days when I worry that if I have to stick my fork into another baby spinach and arugula mixture, my taste buds will fall asleep. Can you relate? We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Endive might be just the thing you’re looking for....
That easygoing nature makes them a fairly sure thing in the face of all kinds of gardening challenges, including container gardening. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. They’ll forgive you if you get a bit lazy during the dog days of summer, and they’ll keep on giving you that bright, boisterous display. We’re going to go over everything you should know to make these plants happy....
It has been several years since I moved from western North Carolina up to Vermont, but when spring comes around I still pine for mountain laurel blooming season in the Smokies. Fortunately for me, it is possible to recreate this incredible sight in the home garden. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. With beautiful evergreen foliage and spectacular springtime displays of flowers, mountain laurel can take any landscape design to the next level....
