Why bother feeding your lawn at all? You probably fall into one of three different camps when it comes to lawn care. Camp 1: You tend your lawn methodically. You fertilize regularly, mow frequently, and perhaps apply weed killers and pesticides a few times a year. Camp 2: You ignore your lawn except for keeping it mowed. You apply no fertilizers, you let the weeds flower for the pollinators, and you only consider pests if they happen to show up....

What is an anthurium plant? Anthuriums, also known as flamingo flowers or painter’s palette, are tropical plants native to parts of the Caribbean, Central America, and South America. They’re hardy in USDA zones 11 to 12 and grown as indoor plants in colder climates. The most common type of anthurium is Anthurium andreanum, which is often sold at garden centers and florists around the holidays to add cheerful color to the festive season....

Why grow kale in winter There are many reasons to consider growing kale in winter. First, this non-heading member of the cabbage family boasts nutrient-dense leaves high in vitamins and minerals. It’s also extremely hardy with the most cold tolerant varieties surviving down to -10 F (-23 C)! Kale, along with beets, carrots, and leeks, also tastes better in winter, or at least after a couple of hard frosts. This is because the starch molecules in the plants convert to sugar molecules when the weather is cold....

What is lacinato kale? Lacinato kale is an heirloom vegetable from Italy with many names including dinosaur kale, Tuscan kale, Cavolo Nero, Toscana kale, Italian kale, and black kale. It’s a member of the cabbage family and related to crops like collards, cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage. Lacinato is one of the most ornamental vegetables I grow and everyone loves its unique form and foliage. The plants can grow up to three feet tall and when mature look a bit like miniature palm trees with a rosette of narrow leaves held atop straight stems....

Why focus on plants that grow in water? There are many reasons to include plants that grow in water in your indoor garden. Here are five benefits to growing plants like heartleaf philodendron and golden pothos in water. Plants that grow in water need less care. While I have a large, thriving outdoor garden, I’ll admit that I find it hard to keep on top of my indoor plants. The biggest task is watering and if you’re a neglectful waterer like me, or if you tend to overwater your plants, growing plants in water is a low-care solution....

Types of tomato diseases Unfortunately, there are several pathogens that can cause tomato plant disease. I’m going to introduce you to several specific tomato diseases later in this article, but before I get to that, it’s important to talk briefly about the different types of pathogens and how to prevent them from striking your garden in the first place. Some tomato disease pathogens are fungal organisms while others are bacterial or even viral....

My three favourite zucchini recipes Zucchini pizza Zucchini pizza is my favourite thing to make with big, oversized zucchini. The whole meal is edible, except the stems! I slice a zucchini in two, scoop out the seeds and a little extra, if necessary, to make room for toppings. I barbecue the zucchini, skin side down until cooked and then add the toppings and barbecue for a few minutes longer (usually until all the cheese I’ve added has melted)....

Terrific tomatoes: Mark Cullen, best-selling author, television and radio host, newspaper columnist & gardening spokesperson: “My favourite tomato is Lemon Boy, which produces medium-sized, perfectly round fruit. The bright yellow tomatoes are popular with gardeners because of their unusual, sunny appearance, but Lemon Boy also tastes great! It’s very sweet – a great hamburger and sandwich tomato, and the plants are blight resistant.” Carson Arthur, HGTV Host & Outdoor Design and Lifestyle Expert “While not an heirloom, my favourite find for 2015 was definitely Pinky Tuscadero!...

Why should you consider growing edamame? Edamame (Glycine max) is the name given to the young pods of the soybean plant. They’re also called green soybeans. The pods are inedible, but the beans within have a creamy texture and pea-like flavor. Edamame is a legume and related to lima beans, peas, and snap beans. There are a lot of reasons for growing edamame in your garden. For me, the biggest one is ease of cultivation....

Before you get started with these indoor food garden ideas, a word about light Before I dive into my favourite indoor food garden ideas, I wanted to take a moment to talk about light. Providing adequate light is the biggest challenge when growing food indoors. A sunny, south-facing window is generally fine for growing garlic shoots, re-growing scallions, or starting microgreens. To grow edible plants like strawberries or hot peppers, however, especially in winter where the days are short and the light is low, adding a growlight can make all the difference....

4 Tactics for deer proof gardens As the white-tailed deer population in the east and the mule deer population in the west expand, and suburbia continues to encroach on their territory, deer have become more and more problematic for gardeners. Each herd eats differently, so gardening with deer requires patience and experimentation. But most of all, it requires a willingness to be flexible in your plant choices and deer management techniques....

Why try different types of basil? Why grow so many different types of basil? For me, there are several reasons. First, I love the variety of flavors. Sweet basil has that classic spicy clove flavor that is essential to so many dishes, including pesto. But, Thai basil is also delicious and adds a burst of licorice or anise to curries and stir-fries, and lemon or lime basil has a fresh citrus fragrance and mild lemony flavor so good in tea, marinades, and salad dressings....

Ideal conditions for growing blueberries Before we talk specifics about blueberry fertilization, I’d like to touch on the importance of locating your blueberry bushes in ideal conditions for optimum growth and production. If your plants are sited properly and they receive enough sunlight and water, the need for fertilization won’t be as critical. And perhaps most importantly, if you don’t provide them with the right conditions, even if you properly fertilize, the plants won’t perform their best....

6 seed catalogue shopping tips Consider what plants you might want to buy: My gardens usually contain a mix of plants I’ve grown from seed myself or plants that I purchase from a variety of sources, like plant sales, nurseries, etc. Sometimes it’s nice to grab something that’s had more of a head start in a greenhouse. And on the other hand, I like grabbing interesting heirlooms that have been recommended by other people....

Why it’s important to harvest pumpkins at the right time Recognizing when a pumpkin is ripe is an important skill for gardeners to learn, particularly those who wish to store their pumpkins for cold season cooking and baking. Who doesn’t love pumpkin pie? A pumpkin harvested immature generally rots within a few weeks, if not sooner. On the other hand, pumpkins left in the garden too long, especially if they’re exposed to frost and cold temperatures, also rot....

Planting fast growing vegetables Fast growing vegetables are perfect for spring, summer, and fall succession planting. Succession planting is simply following one vegetable with another so that you can grow as much food as possible. Bonus – keeping the garden productive means less space for weeds to grow. So, after early crops like peas and spinach are harvested in the May and June garden, they’re followed up with new sowings of quick growing vegetables like bush beans, baby beets, and summer lettuce....

Why low growing shrubs for the front of the house are best Dwarf shrubs for the front of the house are a wise choice for several reasons. Aside from their minimal pruning requirements, many of these compact shrubs for front yards are evergreen and provide year-round interest to the landscape, while others produce beautiful blooms. Some even have interesting bark. Plus, many of these low growing shrubs for the front yard produce flowers that support bees and other pollinators....

What are rainbow carrots? While orange carrots are now the norm, historically carrots had roots that were white, purple, or yellow. Carrots likely originated around Afghanistan and by the early 1400’s, we start to see orange carrots enter the historical record. It’s hard to say why orange carrots because so popular, but for a long time orange varieties were the only carrots available through seed catalogs. Recently however there has been a demand for rainbow carrots and gardeners can now choose from five main colors: orange, purple, white, red, and yellow....

What is a fishbone cactus? While fishbone cactus is the most-used common name, this plant does have others, including the ric rac cactus and the zig zag cactus. As soon as you look at the leaves (which are actually flattened stems), you’ll know how the plant came to earn these common names. Some growers also call it the orchid cactus, a name which makes a whole lot of sense when the plant is in bloom....

Depending on the type of winter squash you plant, you can expect anywhere from one to ten fruits per plant. Small-fruited types like Sweet Dumpling yield up to ten fruits per vine, while large-fruited Blue Hubbard often produces just one to two fruits per plant. Small space or urban gardeners often shy away from growing winter squash which has a well-earned reputation for being a space hog in the garden. That said, there are some outstanding bush-type squash that can be grown in the smallest of spaces or in containers like fabric bags and still yield a respectable harvest....