Gardening

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.

Read more about what is required for proper cherry tree hole preparation in the desert, tree location, soil prep, insect and disease treatment and control, and fertilizer. Enjoy summer cherry dessert!

Corn plants make an exotic addition to your home.

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.

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.

This article will provide information on watercress, tomatoes, bok choi, radishes, and more of the easiest vegetables to grow in your veggie garden.

All plants need some light. Houseplants that will thrive in low light conditions still need some sunlight for photosynthesis. Here are 12 houseplants that will grow in low or indirect light.

Learn how to identify poison ivy and remove it from your yard safely.

See photos & videos of the Southern Magnolia trees and learn how to grow & care for them. The blossoms are spectacular and fragrant!

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

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

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.

Our experiences with the pros and cons of growing the beautiful red tipped photinia plants, including photos and videos.

I have been growing chia organically for the past ten years, and I have fine-tuned my growing and harvesting techniques. Chia is easy to grow, and chia seeds have lots of nutritional value.

Here we are discussing Marigold Tagetes, or the African Marigold, not the Calendula. Although both have their uses and benefits, the former is better at keeping gardens healthy and pest free.

Finding predator tracks in your yard and around your livestock? Use these non-lethal tricks to keep coyotes, wolves, and foxes from killing your animals and entering your yard.

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

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.

Love watermelon but hate the seeds? Follow these five tips to grow seedless watermelons in your home garden successfully.

If you don't know which type of soil you have, you won't know which types of flowers, shrubs, and trees you are going to be able to grow with any success. This article will review the different soil types, show you how to determine which type you have, and show ways of amending it.

Sweet alyssum produces a carpet of abundant tiny flowers that resemble snow when planted in masses. Learn how to grow and care for this annual ground cover, and what to plant it with.

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.

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

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

Tick bites can cause diseases in humans and pets. Design a tick-free environment by cleaning, spraying, and planting to keep ticks out of your yard.

Lupines add interest to your garden with unusual leaves and colorful spires of flowers.

Numerous photos and videos showcase many of the flowering plants in our garden in the month of October. Learn how to grow and care for them.

You can grow sage successfully with this article’s easy guidelines. You will also learn how to care for your crop and the herb’s uses and precautions.

"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.

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

Follow this handy guide to learn how to set up your garden hose to an indoor or garden tap, as well as how to attach it to spray nozzles, sprinklers, pressure washers, and coiled hoses.

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

A quick guide to 11 of the most notorious pests in your garden and what you can do about them now.

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.

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 that beautiful songbirds will visit often!

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.

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.

Did you ever want to grow your own garlic? This article explains how to grow garlic, when to grow garlic and how to cultivate and harvest it. Garlic has many health benefits too, so why not give it a go?

Growing potatoes in containers can save space and simplify the process. This guide will show you how to successfully grow this tasty vegetable in a variety of different mediums, including garbage bags, trash cans, and old tires.

Fungus gnats are tiny, obnoxious flying bugs that look like fruit flies but are not. They are found in your home or office and are attracted to moisture, but you don't need to throw out all your plants and produce to get rid of them. Learn how to combat fungus gnats.

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.

The air inside your home can contain harmful pollutants that may cause many ailments. This article is all about indoor plants that can help clean the air inside your home and filter out pollutants.

Basil prefers to grow under long days, in full sun and well-drained soil. Yet it can grow in partial shade also but will have less vigor. You can grow it in your garden as well as indoors if you are able to provide light for at least 10 hours a day.

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.

Ladybugs are your friends in the garden. They do no damage, yet eat most of the pesky pests that do! Release some ladybugs and keep your flowers and plants growing beautifully.

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.

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.

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

European fan palms add a tropical flare to your home or yard.

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.

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.

You can enjoy homegrown figs no matter where you live. Fig trees grow well in containers if they are not hardy in your area.

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.

Gophers are found in many places, but when they take up residence in our own yards, we might need to act to keep them under control. There are a few ways to prevent, control and even kill gophers.

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.

Design this cottage-style front garden on a budget using a few central paving stone slabs. With a variety of different plants and some outdoor furniture, you'll have a professional looking garden in no time, and at a fraction of the cost.

Pretty in a border, beautiful in a bouquet, purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is a hardy, low-maintenance perennial that's easy to grow by division or from seed.

This is a guide to 10 of the easiest 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.

This article explains how to grow onions step by step and how to cultivate and harvest onions. They are easy to grow, require little maintenance, and have a great flavour.

Sometimes it's hard to know what plants flourish in shade. Here's an extensive list.

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.

Spring and fall are the ideal times to propagate chives by division. Dividing chives into small clumps and potting/planting them is relatively simple. Here's how I did it this spring.

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

Do plants like music? It's a controversial topic: Studies have supported the claim that music can result in better growth, but many disagree with those findings. Hear both sides & decide for yourself.

Lithops are small succulent-like plants that thrive on neglect. If you tend to forget to water, lithops are for you.

Moth orchids are easy-to-grow houseplants that are inexpensive and easy to find. Flowers are long-lived, lasting over a month. With proper care, get your flower to thrive and rebloom.

Here’s how to keep these 10 houseplants healthy and happy.

Follow along on an adventure in windowsill gardening with gingko seeds.

Yellowing of leaves on tomato plants can be caused by plenty of factors, most of them treatable. Are your tomatoes in trouble? This guide will help.

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.

Getting started with small-scale home homesteading will make you and your family more self-reliant. Know the feeling of a job well done by growing your own produce and by practicing other self-reliant activities.

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.

These dazzling white-blossomed trees herald the arrival of spring each year. See photos and learn how to best care for these trees, which also produce magnificently colored leaves in the autumn.

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.

Gardenias are small trees that are grown for their fragrant flowers. With a little care, you can grow them outdoors in warm climates or indoors as houseplants in colder climates.

Walks through through the countryside with a basket for wild blackberries and strawberries are fantastic to imagine, but unrealistic for most city-dwellers. Today, a growing community of urban foragers is finding food in the most seemingly food-bare environments. Learn about urban foraging, and some of the most common edible, urban plants.

A garden consists of a variety of physical components, including softscape, hardscape, décor, and supporting features, that are combined together to form a "look" or style. This article describes each component and how to use them.

How to plant and grow tomato plants in containers and hanging baskets . I explain how much space and sun 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.

You can grow rosemary easily with this step-by-step guide.

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

Tree stumps up to 9 inches diameter can be removed with minimal tools and a little patience. This guide shows you what tools you need and the steps involved

Silver sage is grown for its large fuzzy leaves that just beg to be touched.

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? Includes a carrot juice recipe.

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

You can grow lavender quickly and easily with this guide. You’ll also learn how to care for lavender and as a bonus, get an overview of the herb’s valuable properties.

Arugula is a flavorful, nutritious vegetable. I have this easy-growing plant in my garden and want to share a few growing tips. I've also included my favorite arugula salad recipe.

How to grow scallions and spring onions from seeds in containers or in the garden. They are also known as green onions. Step by step instructions with my own photos. I also provide some recipes for coleslaw and potato salad side dishes with your own freshly grown vegetables.

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

Wouldn't it be nice to be self-sufficient? Even if you live in a big city and don't have much space for a big garden, there are still some easy to grow veggies you can plant. And what's even better is that you can get them at your local supermarket! Read on to find out what these are.

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.

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.

Creeping juniper is an evergreen groundcover that is perfect for filling in gaps in hard places like along hills or sidewalks. It also makes a great accent when paired with flowering shrubs.

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 is extremely juicy. Mountain apples are usually eaten fresh or made into jams, pickles, and wines.

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

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.

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

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.

It's enjoyable to have plants in a home. Some houseplants are poisonous and need to be kept away from children and pets. In this article, you'll learn about 12 toxic plants and some safe alternatives.

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.

We love the splash of color that crotons add to our landscape. Learn how to grow and care for these beauties, which come in hundreds of varieties, colors, and forms.