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For thousands of years, gardeners have been using the rich nutrients found in organic matter to boost the health of their flower beds, shrubs, and lawns. At times, composting can be smelly, unsightly, and a bit of chore (especially in winter, when you have to run outside in your socks to compost kitchen scraps). However, if done correctly, the level of effort is minimal and the rewards rather delightful. A lot of inexperienced gardeners are put off by the notion of composting because they don’t want food and garden debris rotting in a corner of their yard....

But every now and then, it’s fun to look at the wider world of plants, including those that have the ability to end your life if you eat them. Some of the plants you’ll read about below are incredibly rare and some are fairly common. Either way, we hope that the only time you ever see these plants are in the pictures below! White Snakeroot Also known as Tall Boneset or White Sanicle, White Snakeroot is extremely poisonous....

A compost thermometer is a necessary piece of equipment for hot composting. The higher the heat, the faster your materials will break down. But you don’t want it too hot, lest your pile dry out! Table of Contents So today, we’ll take the mystery out of the humble backyard thermometer. These devices are fairly simple to use, but they’re definitely necessary. And it’s important to get the right one! 6 Best Compost Thermometers 1....

The rabbits are onto something – carrot tops taste amazing! Well, at least carrot microgreens do. These young greens, fresh from the seed, have a mild carrot taste and delicate texture that you’ll love. They’ll add flavor to your plate and green to your garden! Table of Contents Carrot microgreens are one of the slowest microgreens you can grow (if you want something faster, try radishes or mustard). Depending on the variety, it’s usually 15-25 days until harvest....

For best results, they require a location that receives six to eight hours of bright, indirect sunlight, and well-draining soil. Peace lilies, Spathiphyllum spp. are easygoing houseplants that seldom suffer from disease issues when provided with the right care. In fact, they are so easy to grow that Dr. Leonard Parry, Horticulture Professor at the University of Vermont says that they have been called the “perfect houseplant.” In our guide to growing peace lilies, we cover how to cultivate these popular plants indoors....

Yards aren’t created equal. Some are beautifully flat and easy to work with, but others may be set on a sloped surface going either up or down. Without doing major terraforming, you’re stuck working with the landscape you’ve got. Thankfully, building a raised bed on a slope is an option, and there are multiple ways to do it! Table of Contents Depending on how steep the grade is where you’d like to place your raised beds, different variations may be necessary....

Planting a hedge is one of the friendliest ways to put a border around a property. Unlike fences, shrubs take time to grow, allowing you to ease into defining your space. In addition to creating privacy, hedging is a great way to divide gardens, line the borders of a driveway, and adorn your home’s foundation. The culture of planting trees and shrubs in dense, interwoven lines dates back thousands of years to the fields of farmers who needed to pen livestock and shield tender crops from seaborne winds....

1. PVC Hydroponics Unit Build this hydroponic unit using PVC pipes to grow edibles. Check out the step by step article at Instructables! 2. Hydroponic Towers Hydroponic towers are a perfect solution for small space growers. Learn more about this here. Also Read: Genius Vertical Garden Ideas 3. Hydroponic Window Farm Create a productive hydroponic window farm out of plastic bottles, if you have a sunny window. Check out the step by step tutorial here....

Growing an indoor herb garden is the best way to grow your own herbs if you don’t have space outdoors. 1. Growing Herbs From Seeds Starting herb seeds successfully either indoor or outdoor requires a number of things including ample light, quality growing medium, moisture, the right temperature, air circulation, and the MOST important thing– lots of patience. Save and use the infographic given above to learn how to start herb seeds....

Love aloe plants? Limited on space? Well, you’ve come to the right place. In this article, we’ll discuss everything you need to know about Aloe brevifolia, the dwarf aloe. Table of Contents Small and sweet, Aloe brevifolia is less than a foot tall. It has the thick, triangular leaves of an aloe plant, but grows in a succulent-like rosette. In color, it’s glaucous green, blue, and gray. Short-leaved aloe is ideal for small but showy spaces in containers or gardens....

Leaf gall is one of those diseases that can turn a stunningly beautiful camellia into a display that makes you scratch your head. Plants are weird and wonderful. Some days they look picture perfect and other times they look decidedly… wrong. Sometimes the problem is a branch that is growing oddly crooked, or maybe the sun scorched the leaves of a shade-loving species. And then there are those times when disease strikes and causes your plant to do some strange stuff....

In this growing guide, we’ll learn about the types of peas available to home gardeners, when and where to plant them, and most importantly, when to harvest and eat them. Pisum Sativum Opinions may differ, of course, but many gardeners will tell you that freshly picked peas (Pisum sativum) deliver a nearly unmatched pleasure. Fresh-off-the-vine peas deliver a crisp crunch, an unmistakably bright and complex flavor, and because they are often the first spring crop to be harvested, the first promise of summer’s bounty yet to come....

One of the best parts of growing potatoes is the delight of harvesting them after months of waiting for the delicious tubers. Root vegetables are beloved and grown across the world but are also susceptible to different pests and diseases. Often, because the crop is underground, the symptoms are not visible until we pull them out. There’s nothing worse than waiting the entire growth period to learn a disease has stricken the crop....

But if we thought about companion planting within your herb garden, a whole slew of questions might crop up. Herbs are the stars of the kitchen garden, adding strong tastes, aromas, potential health benefits, and overall zing to your cooking, homemade tea blends, and more. They make good companion plants for your vegetables, too. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Many gardeners are interested in achieving self-sufficiency and living off of their own abilities and the land. To cultivate a successful garden, we often need to include additional inputs like compost and fertilizers to keep up with the demand on the soil nutrients to grow crops. Store-bought fertilizers and manures often contain waste products from other animals like worms, chickens, and even bats. What if we can produce our own endless and free supply by using our urine as fertilizer?...

This also means that you will be able to reap all kinds of benefits from growing organically; however, if you are currently in the process of deciding exactly which vegetables to grow, here is a guide to which are the best crops to grow within a greenhouse. Tomatoes If you were used to the supermarket bought tomatoes before, you will have the lovely surprise of tomatoes that are bursting with flavour when you grow your own....

And the colors! Dark pink, light pink, medium pink; lavender, violet, deep purple, red, yellow, white, blue – Mother Nature has been generous to us with her palette of sweet pea flower hues. Lathryrus odoratus A child in a beloved cartoon strip. A mother’s tender nickname for a tiny baby. A character on a TV show popular with young adults. Sweet peas one and all. All named for the lovely vining annual whose legendary beauty makes us desire to apply its nomenclature to those dearest to us....

As far as plant diseases go, there are none more annoying, frustrating, and hair-pulling than fungus issues. Whether you’re growing microgreens, houseplants, or veggies, plant fungus like powdery mildew can absolutely ruin your plants. Here’s an example of a classic type of plant fungus, powdery mildew: Here’s a simple rule to detect plant fungus: If your plant has started showing signs of unusual spotting or has growth on it that is a different color than the plant, it probably has some kind of fungus....

Some trees can live for thousands of years, like bristlecone pines, and others are here for just a few decades, like some palms. Japanese maples fall somewhere in the middle. You spend time searching for the perfect Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) and you shell out your hard-earned money to buy the biggest one you can afford – and that’s only the beginning. Then you need to dig that giant hole and plant the darn thing, not to mention all the care that goes into raising it....

Sansevieria kirkii, also identified as star sansevieria, is a snake plant variety that is a bit harder to find. It’s a fantastic indoor houseplant, but also provides an amazing outdoor gardening experience if you’re in the right climate. Table of Contents If you’re an enthusiast of this popular species, it’s worth the effort to hunt one down and learn how to care for it. Recommended Products: Espoma Organic Cactus MixEspoma Organic Cactus Plant Food Quick Care Guide It’s native to the East African region, especially Tanzania....