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Now, onto the fun part. One of my favorite things about growing aubergines is that they are some of the easiest plants to hand-pollinate. With its smooth, purple skin and meaty flavor, eggplant (Solanum melongena) is a tasty and beautiful vegetable to grow. Well, it’s actually a fruit, botanically speaking. But in the culinary world, we treat it as a vegetable. Also called “aubergine” and “brinjal,” the eggplant is a member of the nightshade or Solanaceae family, along with tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and petunias (yes, really)....

Using plant-based soaps is not something new and dates back to 1500 BC. Using plant-based soaps are organic and comes with the benefit of no chemicals and thus won’t harm your skin. Here is a list of Plants that Can be Used as Soap! Check out our article on plants with cosmetic uses here! Plants that Can be Used as Soap 1. Soapwort Botanical Name: Saponaria officinalis The usage of soapwort is not something new....

Tough, drought tolerant and evergreen, Callirhoe involucrata or the purple poppy mallow is known for its beautiful extra bright magenta flowers that look like tiny wine cups. This is the reason why this plant is also called “wine cups” colloquially. You’ll find them growing in native plant gardens and rock gardens all over the US. Table of Contents This mat-forming plant is found abundantly in North America and is native to southwest and central United States especially Missouri where it most frequently grows in dry, rocky soils in fields, prairies, and along roadsides that are dispersed in a number of counties located in the northeast side of the Missouri River....

Potatoes are a huge staple crop of many different cultures and peoples. People have grown potatoes for centuries all over the world. There are at least one hundred varieties of seed potatoes and many different ways to eat them. Better yet, there are many ways to grow them, and among those is the topic of the day: growing potatoes in a bucket! Table of Contents Store-bought potatoes are cheap and plentiful, but they may contain some trace amounts of pesticides....

Eryngium yuccifolium is a distinctive plant commonly known as button snake-root or rattlesnake master. It’s an evergreen perennial forb native to the south eastern United States. Part of the tallgrass prairies, the plants occur in rocky woods, glades, and prairies. They mostly grow as native plants in certain regions of North America, Texas, Florida, Minnesota and Ohio. Table of Contents The rattlesnake master is hermaphrodite and produces greenish-white flowers from July to September....

Often those who have a small balcony don’t find ideas to do something due to the size. But with some changes you can decorate a tiny space like that and make it cozy especially in the spring. So check out these 11 small apartment balcony ideas and inspire yourself. Small Apartment Balcony Ideas Spring is coming and even an outdoor smaller space like a balcony can be adapted and furnished according to your taste....

USDA Zones— 4 – 10 Difficulty— Easy Soil pH– Neutral Flax belongs to the family Linaceae; its botanical name is Linum Usitatissimum (Flax). It is primarily grown for its seeds and also for its fiber. The primary source of Omega-3 fatty acids. It is widely used in the textile industry to make popular linen clothes. But you can also grow it in your garden and to use in combination with other annual or perennial plants and ornamental grasses....

You can check out the basics of growing big, healthy, and beautiful petunias in our growing guide. Petunias are vibrant annuals with soft, delicate flowers. They smell heavenly, and we’re not the only ones who think so. Animals and insects consider these plants to be a tasty delicacy. Insects might also try and use your petunias as a new home to lay eggs. So how do you prevent an infestation and protect your beautiful flowers?...

The common names go on and on, but whatever you choose to call M. virginica, it’s time to dig in! Mertensia virginica Gentlemen’s breeches or old ladies’ bonnets. Wait, are we talking about old fashioned clothing on a gardening website? Eastern bluebell, Virginia cowslip, or Roanoke bells. Phew, it is a plant. Exactly what you came to learn about, right? Don’t worry, we’ve covered the basics of everything you could ever want or need to know about how to grow, propagate, and care for the shade loving, blue bloomed North American native also known as blue and pink ladies, smooth lungwort, or chiming bells…...

Before we get started, if you haven’t read my hydroponic nutrients guide, hop on over there now and educate yourself! OK, let’s talk about a crucial step in your hydroponics education – pH and nutrient availability. We have already learned what plants need to survive: LightWaterNutrientsOxygenCarbon dioxide In this article, we’ll take a look at just two of these: water and nutrients. Listen to this post on the Epic Gardening Podcast:...

1. Grow Red Flowers Red is the color of love, and growing red flowers in your romantic balcony garden is a must. 2. Candles, Candles, Candles… One of the most influential romantic balcony ideas–Light up a lot of candles. Give place to scented candles too, the best scents to spark a romantic mood are Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Lavender, Orange, and Vanilla. You can also make your own scented candles, the DIY is here....

If you want a fresh supply of veggies, try growing these Vegetables You Can Harvest Indoors Year Round. You can also grow them easily in containers too. Here the most protein-rich vegetables you can grow Vegetables You Can Harvest Indoors Year Round 1. Green Onions Botanical Name: Allium fistulosum This versatile vegetable plays an important role in several cuisines. You can chop it in soups, stir fry, sauces, soups, or bake it in a loaf of bread or biscuits....

We all try to be as healthy and natural as possible. We go to grocery stores, organic markets and spend money on superfoods. We purify our drinking water, pay attention to our body and occasionally try to enjoy nature to come out of our hectic schedules. A herb garden fits perfectly well into this picture. Your home-grown herbs and perhaps vegetables too. Who does not want that? Freshest and tastiest. But of course, there is still a practical side to this story....

As a part of the ecosystem, our gardens are constantly fighting a battle against attacks both big and small. Broad mites (Polyphagotarsonemus latus) are tiny but destructive bugs that reproduce rapidly and can cause a lot of damage to vegetables and ornamental plants. They have been documented on over 60 plant families. This mite is a problem in areas of the world without freezing winter temperatures and poses a serious threat to greenhouse growers....

Citrus are some of the most popular fruits found in our homes and grown by gardeners who are lucky enough to live in warm climates. Two major diseases affect citrus plants, citrus canker and huanglongbing (citrus greening disease), both of which have devastating economic consequences for the citrus industry and are strictly regulated by governmental agencies in the U.S. and abroad. Table of Contents Citrus canker or the citrus canker bacterial disease is caused by variants of the bacterium Xanthomonas axonopodis pv....

The mythology behind garlic is long and storied. From vampires to devils to werewolves, garlic is purported to do anything and everything. While those stories may just be myths, garlic is both a great plant to grow in your garden, and a great plant to use on your garden. It’s a common plant used to repel bugs in the garden as well. Garlic bulbs consist of numerous segments called cloves, which can be separated and planted....

As a gardener, you have probably heard about the benefits of soil fungi or even have added mycorrhizae into your soil – but not all fungi are beneficial. Verticillium wilt is a fungal disease that impacts over 400 plant species including trees and shrubs, vines, flowers, and vegetables. Some of our most prized garden plants such as roses and tomatoes are susceptible. Table of Contents There are two types of this soil-borne fungi: Verticillium dahliae and Verticillium albo-atrum....

Haworthia is a beautiful succulent with thick fleshy leaves that can be see-through or translucent, depending on the cultivar. As there are more than 80 Haworthia species, we are going to help you with some of the best Types of Haworthia! Best Types of Haworthia 1. Haworthia transiens As other Haworthia cultivars, it’s also stemless and comprises of fleshy, light green leaves. When placed under full sun, the leaves turn brownish-red, with translucent areas....

If you’ve ever discovered that your soil is simply too tough to penetrate with a shovel, you’ll need a digging fork. These tools are a great way to loosen the soil in preparation to digging. They’re also great for working organic material, fertilizer, or compost into your garden beds. They’re amazing for getting root vegetables up to the surface to be harvested. They’re great for turning your compost pile. Table of Contents...

When I say the dead of winter, I mean it. Pastinaca sativa doesn’t just tolerate freezing weather – it needs it. It tastes best after it has lived through a few weeks of some seriously chilly temps. I don’t know why parsnips aren’t more popular. Their cousin, the colorful carrot, is a kitchen garden must-have. But when you mention parsnips, it tends to elicit looks of confusion (if not disgust)....