When you’ve run a gardening blog for a few years, you start to receive a lot of questions from your readers. Not surprisingly, one of the questions that I have received the most often is about whether or not Miracle-Gro is an organic or a synthetic fertilizer. Table of Contents Because of this, I decided it was time to directly address this topic. But, before we get into the nitty gritty of answering “is Miracle Gro organic?...
Juniperus conferta is a dense, evergreen shrub native to the seacoast of Japan and Sakhalin Island. With prickly blue-green foliage, the Shore Juniper grows as a low-spreading, creeping plant, making it an excellent ground cover plant type. An excellent ground cover for dry, sandy soils, and poor soils in general, conferta works perfectly in well drained soils in retaining walls. You can also plant it for erosion control. here’s everything you need to know about its care and maintenance....
One common problem that plagues gardeners is tomato leaf curl. This symptom can be caused by many factors and the key is to correctly identify the issue before administering a solution. Table of Contents Tomatoes are one of the most commonly grown plants and take the pride of place in many gardens. From gorgeous heirlooms to prolific hybrids, there is a tomato plant out there for everyone. Nothing beats the taste of a tomato straight off the vine, but tomatoes can also be a bit tricky to grow....
1. DIY Planter Using Cabinet Doors Transform four cabinet doors into a resourceful planter, which you can display in your porch or patio. Visit My Repurposed Life for the tutorial 2. Corner Cabinet Planter Create a multilevel corner cabinet planter to display combinations of flowers without occupying much space. Check out the tutorial here. 3. Kitchen Herb Planter Paint a cabinet door and screw a loaf pan onto it to DIY this kitchen herb planter on a budget....
What is Castile Soap? Castile soap has many benefits, and it’s very popular among environmentally conscious people, but do you know there are castile soap uses in the garden? It’s made from vegetable oils only and NO added animal fats. Also being completely biodegradable it won’t harm the ecosystem. It’s available in the bar and liquid form, but you should buy liquid castile soap when using it in the garden....
Sunflowers are commonly used in many sunny gardens since, unsurprisingly, sunflowers demand full sun. Whether you grow sunflowers for the seeds, beauty, or birds, sunflowers are a bright addition to both edible and flower gardens and will add a pop of color. If you like to plant the same types of flowers in the same place, you may be wondering, are sunflowers annuals or perennials? Table of Contents There are both annual and perennial sunflowers available....
When it comes to organic fertilizers for garden soil, there are many options. Since they’re typically slow-release fertilizers, you’re not at risk of over-doing it. Blood meal and bone meal for plants are two effective fertilizers that are incredibly high in essential nutrients and proteins. Table of Contents However, blood meal is a unique mix for the soil that offers high amounts of nitrogen. Let’s explore what it is, and how it differs from bone meal for gardening....
Whether you’re growing your mums as perennials or annuals, they generally need very little input from you to thrive. Chrysanthemums are pretty much effortless to grow. After coddling my fussy old world roses all summer, I’m more than ready for the easy-going late-season color that these reliable beauties provide. As the summer heat starts to fade, they’re just getting started. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
Sage is a wonderful herb to use in the kitchen and adds delicious flavor to meat and vegetable dishes. It’s easy to grow sage yourself at home, in the garden, or even on a sunny windowsill. For anyone growing sage already or looking to start, here are some useful tips on how to harvest sage to optimize use, storage, and how to keep your sage plants looking healthy and productive....
Want to know how to keep flowers blooming for a long time? Want them to show up more often? Want to extend their blooming period? Well, the answer is not tricky. Keep them well maintained, provide optimal growing conditions. Give access to full sun or provide some shade, if you’re growing a flowering plant like impatiens. Besides all these basic requirements, here is this most important tip, which can improve the productivity of your flowering plants–Deadheading....
Mother Nature has gifted our northern friends with a number of rosemary varieties that can withstand the chill and still reward with garden interest and palate pleasure. As the Mediterranean is the source of so much goodness on our dinner tables, it’s hardly a surprise that the region is also home to rosemary (Salvia rosmarinus), the pungent member of the mint family that adds the perfect flavor to many dishes....
A beautiful vase is always a good idea to put your plants. But what if we up the game and give you some stunning DIY Silver Planter Ideas that are truly going to enhance the beauty of your plants wherever you are going to put them! Check out the list below! 1. Mercury Glass Effect DIY If you don’t want to invest in expensive vases, save your money by making these cheap silver vases....
Let’s learn why you should plant in autumn, what “fall” really means, and how to plant woody plants! The cooler temperatures of fall are an invitation to leave the blast-chiller air conditioning behind, and step outside and enjoy that certain crispness that characterizes autumn. And while you’re out there, why not install a few shrubs into your landscape? As with trees, autumn is generally considered to be the best time to plant ornamental bushes....
Cucumber plants are one of the easiest and most productive crops a gardener can cultivate. They spring from the ground and climb high up into trellises or across fences. Some even spread their vines over the ground and hide their cucumbers under wide dark leaves shading their fruit from the sun. For any gardener wishing to grow cucumbers, they should try growing a few plants to ensure plenty of pollination and thus a bountiful harvest!...
This post has gotten a lot of attention recently, and as a result is in the process of being updated to include more information. I cite studies and in no way reference any particular company – I am talking about mineral wool as a growing media in this post. If you want better alternatives to rockwool, please check out my hydroponic media guide. It’s Not Environmentally Friendly I believe in environmental sustainability – it’s one of the reasons I’ve chosen to grow hydroponically....
Native to moist and shady tropical and subtropical forests, these frost-tender perennials of the Schlumbergera genus thrive in partial sun or shady gardens with moderate summer temperatures and mild winters. Highly popular houseplants, Christmas cactuses feature fantastic flowers that typically brighten our homes – but they can thrive in outdoor gardens too, provided your winters are mild enough. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....
Jade is a popular houseplant known for its resilient nature and remarkable appearance. Its mutated branches were propagated to give birth to new varieties called the Tolkien group of Jade plants. ‘Hobbit’ and ‘Gollum‘ inspired by the characters in ‘Tolkien Legendarium,’ from J. R. R. Tolkien’s series of fantasy books. Here are some best Jade varieties you can grow Characteristics of Tolkien Group of Jade Plants Varieties of Jade belonging to the Tolkien Group have the following characteristics:...
Healthy, mature bulbs produce secondary “offset” bulbs which can be removed and repotted, providing you with new plants, and you can also propagate amaryllis by bulb sectioning, aka cuttage. The stunningly unique blooms of amaryllis can add dramatic color to your home and garden. Native to South America, tropical Hippeastrum can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 9-11, and indoors in colder areas. These striking flowers are often forced to bloom in the winter, adding some sparkle to holiday decor....
Read on to learn about some of our favorites. Cucumbers are one of these veggies that really is best eaten right off the vine. So what should you do if you have an abundance? Fortunately, there are several easy and delicious ways to store cucumbers for later. 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 want to know what juniper can do for your health, and discover a few preparations to help make it happen, this guide is for you. We’ll discuss the following topics, coming right up: When it comes to herbal remedies, some species get all the attention. It’s difficult to find someone who hasn’t heard of echinacea. But it’s pretty uncommon to find someone who knows the medicinal value of juniper....
