Summer: Time to Garden Like a Boss As I woke up this morning, I knew it was going to be a beautiful day here in San Diego, CA. The cast iron skillet was sizzling with some heirloom onions and eggs from the farmer’s market and I looked outside my kitchen window to something that horrified me to my very core. Table of Contents My backyard “garden” was looking absolutely pathetic....

When starting seeds — no matter if you’re starting them for hydroponics or otherwise — it’s important to provide them the perfect germination conditions. Each type of seed has different conditions. But as a general rule, most seeds like to be in a growing medium that’s warm. Table of Contents Because most of us are starting seeds indoors, either in preparation for the coming season or to grow them indoors, we don’t have the luxury of warm soil....

If you’re an avid tomato grower like me, you most likely have had to deal with tomato suckers at some point or another. They’re tricky little things, and I really struggled to figure out whether or not I should leave them be or cut them off. Table of Contents Lucky for you, I’m going to give you some tips and tricks that will help to prevent you from going through this same confusing experience....

There are many things that can attack your garden plants and flowers, so it’s always a good idea to have a basic understanding of plant diseases so you don’t have to deal with infected plants that have the potential to cause damage to your garden. Today we’re discussing aster yellows, an infection that is found in the plant sap of a host plant; the tiny organism, called phytoplasma, is spread by infected leafhoppers....

One of the most popular tropical fruits, pineapple belongs to the Bromeliads family and grows in a small shrub. It has an aromatic and juicy pulp inside and thorny tough skin outside that is crowned with thick leaves. All of you, who are confused that Is Pineapple a Citrus Fruit or a Berry, will find all their answers in this article! Check out our article on growing pineapple indoors here Is Pineapple a Citrus Fruit?...

Table of Contents If you have always wanted a palm tree but thought you’d never be rich enough to have a house it could fit in, then have I got a great deal for you: the Chamaedorea elegans, otherwise known as the parlor palm. It rarely grows bigger than four feet in height, and it’s an indoor plant well suited to humidity and light levels in homes. Perhaps you’ve longed for some of that old Victorian elegance in a potted plant to grace your home and make your visitors marvel about your wealth and affluence....

Although some claim that you can just plant them and that’s all that there is to it, that’s not really the case. Plants that Contain Citronella, And Why you Need to Buy Insect Repellent I’m going to be straight with you. You cannot run over to your local garden center or hop online and purchase a plant (or thirty) that will make your summer backyard gatherings mosquito-free. It’s just not going to happen....

But there is a solution to your cornflower woes. In this guide, we’ll show you what to do about your bachelor’s button problems. A field of bachelor’s buttons is a dazzling delight, especially when those vibrant heads are nodding lazily in the breeze. But sometimes that nodding can go a little bit too far, and you might find those fabulous flower heads falling right over. Bachelor’s button flowers (which are technically what is known as an inflorescence), are frilly and vibrant....

If you have a balcony that doesn’t get too much sun, then don’t worry! You can still make it green by growing shade-loving plants. Have a look at these Indoor Balcony Garden Ideas and get creative! Check out our article on the apartment balcony garden ideas here Indoor Balcony Garden Ideas 1. A Cozy Sitout A cozy sit-out with plants in hanging planters on the railing is a perfect place to chill out....

However, when a normally green shrub’s leaves fade to yellow during the growing season, something is amiss in the garden. This yellowing phenomenon is called “chlorosis.” Forsythia (Forsythia spp.) is a deciduous woody shrub suited to USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8 that is covered in bright yellow flowers in late winter to early spring. There are many cultivated varieties. Some have variegated leaves of green and yellow. Others shade from green to yellow, bronze, red, or purple as the weather cools down in autumn....

1. Squirrel Proof Birdfeeder Ready a PVC pipe into a bird feeder using PVC Cap, glue, metal screws, cable ties, wood block, and drain pipe. Get the step by step tutorial at Instructables. 2. Functional Squirrel Proof Bird Feeder This bird feeder is not just squirrel proof but looks modern too. Have a look at the tutorial here. 3. Plastic Bottle Feeder The use of a plastic bottle in this bird feeder DIY makes it difficult for the squirrels to reach for the food....

From seed to root, all parts of this plant are edible. Now all you need to know is how to harvest this fragrant herb. While perhaps not the most well known plant these days, throughout much of history, angelica was looked upon as a powerful and important culinary and medicinal herb. Extracts of this plant have been used historically to treat infection, and it was even used in “the King’s Majesty’s Excellent Recipe for the Plague” in the 1600s....

Pycnanthemum tenuifolium is a hardy and adaptable plant that you can plant in your herb garden, along your garden borders, in a rain garden, and between rocks or as a xeriscaping plant. All parts of this plant, when crushed, have a strong fragrance of mint. The dried leaves of this fragrant herbaceous perennial plant emit a mint-like aroma, and can be used as a food item. You can boil them to make mint tea!...

In this article, we take an in-depth look at this exciting new book. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. If you’ve been wanting to garden indoors, but don’t really have a lot of free time or room for plants, have we got a book for you! Halleck offers both information and inspiration for current collectors of miniature flora, as well as aspiring “plant parents” with limited space and time, and a passion for “cute” botanical specimens....

Read on to learn more about why and how to tie up cabbages that you’re growing in the garden. Cabbage plants grow firm, round heads surrounded by large, loose outer foliage. Tying up the outer leaves is not a required step in the growing process. As long as plants are healthy, they should produce a head regardless of whether they are tied or not. That being said, binding the loose outer foliage can help to protect plants from strong sun and pests, and may result in tighter heads as well....

The plants have a basal mound of glossy green or variegated foliage, and slender leafless stems rise from the leaves. Calla lilies, members of the Zantedeschia genus, are not true lilies at all. These members of the arum family are cousins to the Jack-in-the-pulpit. Suited to year-round cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 8 to 11, they are grown as annuals in other temperate zones. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

Echeveria agavoides may be small, but it packs a powerful punch of color. Its triangular leaves are pale green with bright red tips. This contrast is an absolute eye-catcher! Table of Contents The species name “agavoides” was inspired by this plant’s agave-like appearance. It has almost no stem, and the leaves grow upwards before fanning out. An average height of 5 inches makes this one of the shortest Echeverias. It’s also low-maintenance and a great succulent for beginners....

Also known as wishbone flower, bluewings, and clown flower, this compact plant will grow in Zones 2-11. Torenia Fournieri If your shady spots are looking a little dull and uninspired, you may want to consider Torenia fourneiri, which blooms generously and brightly in shade. Another mark in the “wow” column for this lovely annual comes from its velvety bicolored or tricolored trumpet-shaped flowers with their delicate throats of contrasting color....

In our comprehensive guide to growing strawberries, we cover all you need to know to plant, care for, and harvest strawberries. Strawberries, Fragaria × ananassa, are low-profile, fruit-bearing perennials suited to cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 10. Sometimes considered a challenging crop, folks in cold regions with freezing winters often grow plants as annuals and discard them at season’s end. However, when you select the hardiest cultivars, and provide a little pre-winter TLC, your favorite berry-makers can yield sweet and tasty treats year after year....

Typically treated as annuals, peppers are planted outdoors in pots or in the garden a few weeks after the last frost and thrive in warm to hot temperatures until the fall harvest. Did you know that you can get a jump on next season’s pepper harvest by overwintering your hot peppers indoors? Table of Contents If peppers are known to be heat lovers, how does overwintering pepper plants work? With careful management, it’s possible to coax your peppers into dormancy and keep them alive until the warmth returns and they can resume normal growing habits....