Gardening

Plant-related poisonings are the third leading cause of illnesses and death in children, and they're responsible for thousands of pet poisoning emergencies each year. These 8 plants are safe to keep in your home, and they won't pose a threat to kids or pets.

Learn about the differences between LEDs and fluorescent grow lights and which is best for you indoor garden. Compare grow light types for growing vegetables and other plants indoors.

How do you prune crepe myrtle trees and when do you prune them? These are just two of the questions answered in this article about this ornamental tree—a Southern favorite.

If you are keen to grow frangipani (plumeria) from seeds, this article will show you how with easy to follow instructions and photos

Hostas are hardy plants and a staple in northern shade gardens. Knowing how and when to divide them can add more healthy plants to your garden.

Looking for an easy garden project that anyone can do? Try building your own cedar raised garden bed. It's easy, cheap, and you'll reap the benefits for years to come.

Did you know that plants can be cloned? You can make new plants for your garden using the technique of taking cuttings. For many plants, this process is simple and only takes minutes to do.

Designing a simple landscape plan requires a careful assessment of the garden site: determine the sun exposure, soil pH, moisture level, and location of the garden prior to selecting plants. Sample garden plans for different situations are included in this article about how to create a simple garden.

Learn some easy ways you can turn your garden or yard into a bird-friendly habitat and design a beautiful backyard sanctuary for songbirds. Create an environment with the proper feeders, water sources and vegetation and beautiful songbirds will visit often!

There are many differences between organic and non-organic soils. Mulch, compost, and manure are organic and will transform a nutrient deficient soil into a rich organic environment for plants. Perlite, vermiculite, expanded clay aggregate, and rockwool are non-organic. They are heavily used in hydroponics and as soil amendments for potted plants.

If you've put a hummingbird feeder up only to discover it full of ants the following morning, don't despair. Here is an easy and inexpensive way to keep those unwanted ants off your feeders.

Instructions for planting, growing and harvesting lettuce in a small garden. I show you how much sun and water the lettuce plant needs to grow. How to grow lettuce plants in pots and containers. How long does it take for a lettuce seed to germinate?

Hydroponic gardening was first developed by scientists for growing food in space ships. Using a similar system you can grow vegetables & herbs in an apartment window indoors.

Learn to mix your own bonsai soil the right way to ensure your bonsai will stay healthy and grow to be vigorous works of art.

Beautiful trees deserve to be cloned. When you grow a tree from a cutting, the resulting tree shares the same characteristics as the mother tree. Leyland cypress trees don't produce viable seeds so the most effective way to propagate them is by taking cuttings. We will show you how!

How long does it take to grow sweet peppers from seed? When can you plant pepper plants outside? This guide will reveal all you need to know to grow and care for sweet bell peppers.

Powdery mildew, while not usually a fatal plant disease, will severely affect a garden plant's vitality. There ARE organic ways to kill powdery mildew that are safe and effective.

If you are new to houseplants, buy one that is inexpensive and does not require a lot of care. Here is what to look for in a new plant and how to take care of it when you get it home.

Harvesting honey from your hive is a fun and exciting endeavor. Photos, videos, and step by step instructions to extracting honey from your backyard hive.

Learn how to grow and care for camellia plants. The show of flowers each year in the winter months is spectacular!

It's one thing to read about hydroponic gardening in your home and quite another to actually do it. Here are instructions for how to build a vertical indoor vegetable garden using hydroponics.

When you are out in the yard and you don’t want to get bit by mosquitoes, this organic yard spray (which is safe for humans and plants) may be the solution for you.

From fighting off pesky nematodes to decorating wedding ceremonies, French marigolds have many unique uses. No wonder these fascinating plants are loved the world over.

Better Homes and Gardens magazine has been inspiring gardeners for decades. A visit to the magazine's test garden in Des Moines provides a real-life look at some great garden design ideas.

Don't you hate it when pests destroy your plants? Learn how to protect your seedlings from destructive snails and slugs.

No cottage or country garden would be complete without showy stalks of hollyhock (A. rosea.) From germination to storing seeds, this guide makes growing these old-fashioned favorites a little easier.

This article includes photos of my hosta plant in different stages of growth, from the beginning sprouts to full growth and blooming. Photos taken in Virginia.

A great way to grow potatoes in small spaces. Try growing potatoes in containers to save space and grow in an environment that's easy to maintain.

Get your flower and vegetable garden off to a beneficial start with natural soil amendments. Keep your soil healthy and you’ll create a productive and quality bumper crop.

Ginger is one herb or spice that I always have in my pantry. I eat the crystallized ginger, use the powder/fresh for teas and cooking. It is so easy to grow your own. Find out how here.

This guide shows you what fittings you need to connect up your garden hose to an indoor or garden tap and also how to attach it to spray nozzles, sprinklers, pressure washers and coiled hoses.

Gardeners struggle to find shrubs that can survive in shade. These 10 beautiful bushes are perfect for shady planting locations, with many photos and details to help you choose the best one for your garden.

Inexpensive and ordinary, clay pots possess a pleasingly earthy appeal.

Landscapes consist of a variety of physical components combined together to form a "look" or style - plants, softscape, and hardscape. This article describes what they are and how to use them.

How do you grow peas from seed. I explain how long it takes for pea seeds to germinate and how far apart you need to plant them. It is easier to pick the pods if you plant them around a homemade trellis.

Flowering crabapple trees are not only beautiful, but provide vital food for wildlife during the long winter and early spring. Here's how to find varieties that keep their fruit over winter.

Wild primulas and primroses have been cultivated and hybridized to make a huge collection of attractive plants. The flowers have a wonderful range of colours.

This is a how-to article on growing camellia flowers from cuttings. If you have a beautiful camellia plant, you can actually "clone" it!

Chinese lanterns are easy to grow and make great fall decorations. Be careful though, the plants are invasive.

Composting toilets are great for those looking for an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plumbing. Some versions don't even require electricity or water. Composting toilets turn your waste into soil. There are three different types of composting toilets to choose from.

Looking for a unique addition you your landscaping or garden plan? The spiderwort is hardy, handsome, and easy-to-grow.

Learn the basics of hydroponic gardening before you start one. The rewards of growing a hydroponics garden include greater yield and flexibility of location.

The Venus flytrap is a fascinating plant that is very popular in homes. The wild population grows in a limited area in the United States and is in trouble.

A guide to planting, growing and harvesting carrots from seeds in pots and containers in your garden. How long does it take for carrots to grow from seed? How long does it take for a carrot seed to germinate? Carrot Juice recipe

There are many great ways to keep those pesky bugs out of your garden, but often the natural way is the best way. Here are some plants that you can plant in your garden to keep bugs away!

Ground cover plants can add color and depth to a garden, pathway, or lawn. Creeping thyme requires little maintenance but produces lots of beautiful foliage and color.

Many gardeners have discovered that plants love drip irrigation. This drip irrigation installation guide helps water wise homeowners design and install a complete system.

Wisteria is a magnificent vining plant that boasts beautiful cascades of lavender, pink, or white flowers each spring. Find out how to successfully grow and care for a wisteria vine.

Moth Orchid or Phalaenopsis is an easy to grow houseplant that is inexpensive and easy to find. Flowers are long lived, lasting over a month. With proper care, get your Phal to thrive and rebloom

How to grow strawberries in pots and containers from seeds. Gardening tips for planting, growing and harvesting strawberry plants. You can grow new strawberry plants from runners for next year. Step-by-step instructions. I have included Jam recipes.

Many first time renters are uncomfortable with houseplants, although they long to have them. Using them for decor is one thing, but how do you care for them, especially watering?

An adventure in windowsill gardening.

As an organic farmer, I look for natural ways to solve any pest control problems. Neem is the ideal plant as it's a vigorous growing tree and both its leaves and seeds have repellent properties.

Step-by-step instructions with photos on how to install new bees into a hive.

Wisterias are beautiful vines known for their vibrant colors that can stop traffic. But they are also notorious for growing aggressively. This article will explain how to successively grow and care for one.

Flying termites are a natural phenomenon, but termites in trees are dangerous. Termite damage in one of my gum trees caused the tree to snap in a high wind. I now encourage nature's predators.

How to grow and take care of tomato plants from seed to harvest in the garden. How much space and sun do tomatoes need to grow successfully? How much water should you give a tomato plant? Step-by-step instructions for planting, growing and harvesting tomatoes from seed.

It IS easy being green when you grow beans in your Ohio garden. Depending on where you live in the Buckeye State, you can stagger the planting windows to have tasty legumes, all season long.

Want a beautiful garden or at least a beautiful bouquet. It's helpful to know what flowers flourish in what month to know how to enjoy beautiful flowers all year long.

Tips from my 10 years of experience growing and harvesting stevia: Which type to buy, how to grow, harvest, and dry it, and why some stevia has a bitter taste.

Purple coneflowers, black-eyed Susans, and Michaelmas daisies are colourful members of the Aster family. Each flower is associated with some interesting facts.

The Worm Factory 360 vermicomposting system makes composting accessible, even to people with little space. Though initially setting up a worm bin may seem daunting, this system is easy to set up and maintain by following these simple guidelines.

Rose-Scented Geraniums are one of the more useful herbs in the garden - make a relaxing herbal tea or use the leaves to delicately scent and nourish wood and to keep insects at bay.

This article will provide you with all the information you need to know to dig up your tuberous begonias and store their roots over the winter. It will also describe how to restart your plant from tubers in the spring, as well as provide additional information about tuberous begonias in general.

Mass cane, more commonly referred to as corn plant, is one of the most widely used indoor dracaenas. This article shows you how to care for this plant, especially in situations when the leaves turn brown or yellow.

Here is a list of the top 10 climbing plants perfectly suited for a small garden trellis. Bringing color, scent and interest into your yard, climbers also create a decorative screen or an ornamental feature that will bring months of pleasure.

Mountain apple is a beautiful fruit tree that grows in many gardens and farms in Hawaii. It has a unique rose flavor, tastes sweet and extremely juicy. Mountain apples are usually eaten fresh or made into jams, pickles, and wines.

These dazzling white blossomed trees herald Spring each year. See photos & learn how to best care for these trees which also grace Fall with their magnificent colored leaves.

This guide will show you how to plant, grow and harvest spring onions, also known as scallions or green onions. I also provide some recipes for coleslaw and potato salad, so that you can make some tasty side dishes with your own freshly grown vegetables.

Introduction to 10 common houseplants that can be poisonous to your children and pets. Houseplants are lovely, but please use them with caution!

This article will provide tips on pruning raspberries properly for growing more fruit every season. This guide will also offer helpful advice on general care for these wonderful plants.

If you've ever wondered how bees make honey and function in their society, then this guide is for you.

What bulbs bloom first in spring? Find the best, early blooming spring bulbs to pack a punch of color in the garden as the snow begins to melt.

Tithonia is a great addition to any garden because it is deer resistant. It also works well in butterfly gardens because it is the nectar plant for many butterflies including monarchs.

Using the right kinds of sprinkler heads can have a big impact on how healthy your landscape is. There are three main kinds of sprinkler heads, each with a different purpose.

It's enjoyable to have plants in a home, but some house plants are poisonous. These need to be treated carefully and kept away from children and pets.

How to repurpose an old wine crate as a good looking and environmental herb container.

Interested in making compost for your garden? These 25 tips will help you get started. (Recipe for super-fast compost included.)

English ivy is an attractive plant that may be invasive in North America. It's both helpful and harmful for humans, other living things, and the environment.

Knowing the characteristics of your soil is something many novice gardeners fail to do before planting. Read about pH levels, N-P-K levels, and mulching.

Although grown as perennials in warmer regions, morning glories are usually grown as annuals. Growing them from seed is an easy, inexpensive way to have them in your yard. These prolific vines display trumpet-shaped flowers that bloom only once, then give way to other blooms the following day.

A symbol of good luck, lucky bamboo is a beautiful plant that is surprisingly easy to cultivate. Learn plant care tips as well as information about its significance for both feng shui and vastu shastra.

Learn everything you need to know about planting, growing, and harvesting onions in a small garden. I explain when to plant onions and how long it takes them to grow and how to take care of these vegetables.

How to grow cabbage from seeds in the garden. Gardening tips for planting, growing and harvesting cabbage successfully. It grows very well in cool weather. The seeds germinate quickly and are easy to transplant.

Numerous photos and videos showcase many of the flowering plants in our garden at this time of year. Learn how to grow and care for them.

If you like to craft with dried flowers, you need to add celosia to your cutting garden. The flowers come in many bright colors, are easy to dry and retain their colors for months.

Grow your own quinoa as a grain substitute and excellent source of protein for vegetarian and vegan diets.

How to go from no garden to new garden using simple methods and only hand tools.

How do pineapples grow? Learn how easy it is to plant this nutritionally rich fruit and enjoy the health benefits of pineapple. You can even do pineapple planting in a pot and have them indoors.

Make a compost tea brewing system from a few basic materials. While there are many commercial products available, making a simple and effective compost tea brewing system is an easy DIY project.

These 20 apps, ranging from free to under $20, are fun, useful tools for home gardeners, landscapers & nature lovers. Updated to include specialty apps about cacti, wildflowers, veggies, & mushrooms.

This article includes pictures and videos showing varieties of iris plants and how to grow them. Read about our experiences, plus other information you may wish to know about this flowering perennial.

You can buy "ready made" plants in a store, but it can be much more fun to grow them yourself from seed. The magical phenomenon of seed germination is entertaining for both adults and children alike. This step by step guide shows you how to sow poppy seeds and grow them on into mature plants.

Pots and soil can be messy, but it's easy and cheap to grow houseplants in nothing more than a vase, water, and some liquid fertilizer!

Weeds are unsightly and spoil a neatly tended garden or yard. Fortunately there are lots of ways to deal with them, either with chemicals or in a natural, environmentally friendly way

Christmas or holiday plants are a wonderful addition to a home during the Christmas season. While some are harmless or have low toxicity, others are poisonous.

This is a guide to the top 10 easy perennial plants to grow from seed. Perhaps you are looking at packets of perennial flower seeds and are wondering which ones are the best and the easiest to grow. Hopefully something here will be of help.

Simple how-to make a rain garden for homeowners. No power tools or plumbing alterations are needed to make an eco-friendly plant-filled depression in your property for rain water to temporarily accumulate before being absorbed into the ground, allowing soil's natural filtration to work.

Pests of eggplant are sometimes difficult to identify before damage occurs. Learn the serious eggplant pests and natural remedies for their removal.

If you're wondering how you'll know when bananas are ready to pick, here are photos to showing the various stages. An attentive eye and patience are required to pick your bananas at the perfect time.