What are air plants? Before we discuss air plant care, let’s take a quick look at what air plants actually are. When you know a little more about how and where these plants naturally grow, the following air plant care tips make a lot more sense. Air plants are members of the bromeliad family. They’re a large group of plants in the genus Tillandsia, of which there are hundreds of different species....
I know several gardeners who garden successfully despite the local deer. Both Niki and Jessica have taken measures to deer-proof their gardens. My mom and dad’s front garden is full of deer-resistant perennials because they live across from a conservation area. But a fortress of fencing surrounds their backyard garden—a place where my mom can plant anything she likes. Adding deer-resistant perennials to your garden I have gathered a list of plants the deer aren’t supposed to like....
Since then, I’ve discovered both innovative pre-fabricated planters and kits, and clever DIY options. I thought I would share some of them here, as well as the benefits, in case you want to add one to your collection of raised beds and planters, or if you’re a first timer who is keen to test out their green thumb. Personally, I love the idea of less watering! The benefits of a self watering raised bed Just like growing in regular raised beds, self watering setups have a multitude of benefits—and some added advantages....
Jessica – Cantaloupe pie (Note from Niki – What? I have to try this one!) I love growing melons in the garden and buying them at the farmers market, but there’s only so much fresh melon a person can eat. About ten years ago, while searching for recipes that used cooked melon, I came across this awesome cantaloupe pie recipe in an issue of Kitchen Garden magazine. I’ve made a few of them every summer since then, and I’ve loved every bite!...
Sweet potato or yam? There’s been some confusion about yams and sweet potatoes, so let’s set the record straight. Yams are a tropical crop grown mainly in the Caribbean and Africa. The yams I see in my local supermarket generally have brown, bark-like skin and white flesh that is starchy, like a white potato, when cooked. The roots vary in size and color, with some yams growing small and others getting several feet in length....
Exotic invasive insects pose one of the greatest threats to Earth’s ecosystems. Global trade and the movement of people and goods have caused massive shifts in insect populations, introducing insect species to areas where they have no natural predators. Without predators, parasites, and pathogens to keep them in check, invasive insect populations increase unimpeded. When insects travel from continent to continent, this natural system of “checks-and-balances” (you know, the one they co-evolved with for tens of thousands of years) seldom comes along for the ride....
Darryl’s book is a comprehensive guide into all aspects of indoor plant care such as watering, fertilizing, soil, pests, propagation, and light. And it’s providing adequate light that is often the biggest challenge for indoor gardeners. The following excerpt from The New Plant Parent, used with permission from Abrams Image, explores the importance of understanding light and offers advice on how to better gauge light in your indoor living spaces....
Identifying four lined plant bugs This true bug measures a quarter-inch in length at maturity, and both looks and acts like a little speed demon. Four, black longitudinal “racing stripes” grace the otherwise electric yellow-green wing covers of the adults (see feature photo). And with the ability to scuttle beneath foliage in a flash, these little buggers are difficult to spot and nearly impossible to capture. Four lined plant bugs overwinter as eggs inserted into plant stems....
Why grow your own herbal teas? While true teas, like black, green, and oolong teas, contain caffeine and come from the tropically grown evergreen shrub Camellia sinensis, herbal teas are caffeine-free and are made from a variety of other plant materials, many of which are easily grown in almost any backyard. If you love herbal teas and are interested in growing your own, planting a spring herb garden for homegrown herbal teas is a perfect project for you....
What is a grub worm? No matter what you call them, grub worms aren’t actually worms at all. They are the larval life-stage of several different species of beetles in the scarab family. They are a creamy-white color with a rusty orange head and six legs at the front of their body. Grubs are C-shaped and their bodies appear slick and shiny. While most people think all lawn grubs are the larvae of Japanese beetles, there are actually several species of beetles that are called grub worms in their larval stage....
Choosing hummingbird flowers for your garden A great place to start when choosing hummingbird flowers is to look for red tubular blooms. This is because a hummingbird’s retinas cause them to see more red and yellow tones. However, according to the National Audubon Society, the quality of the flowers is what really matters. So while red and yellow flowers can attract these magical little birds to your garden, once there, they’re not picky when there is a variety of other nectar-rich blooms to offer lots of sustenance....
The best Rudbeckias for sunny gardens Rudbeckia laciniata, the tall coneflower, cut leaf coneflower, or green-headed coneflower, is one of the tallest Rudbeckias. Topping out between three and twelve feet, cut leaf coneflower has divided leaves and four-inch wide flowers that have green, cone-shaped centers and yellow, downward curved petals. It is native to nearly all of North America. I grow mine in the back of my perennial border where it can stand watch over all the other plants I have growing there....
Part-shade annuals vs full-shade annuals Annual flowers for shade New Guinea impatiens (Impatiens hawkeri) Browallia Fuchsia Sweet Alyssum (Lobularia maritima) Begonias Viola
What is red veined sorrel Red veined sorrel, also called bloody dock or bloody sorrel is a member of the buckwheat family and grown for its edible leaves. There are many types of sorrel including garden sorrel, French sorrel, and common sorrel but I prefer the beauty and vigor of red-veined sorrel. It’s a reliable perennial in zones 5 to 8, but often overwinters in zone 4, particularly if there is ample snow cover....
Learn how to pick the best vegetables to grow in winter: Learning the best vegetables to grow in winter, from November through March, starts with a little background in winter harvesting. I’ve got plenty of details in my book Growing Under Cover: Techniques for a More Productive, Weather-Resistant, Pest-Free Vegetable Garden. If you’re new to winter vegetable gardening, start with just a few crops and a cold frame or mini hoop tunnel, experimenting with what works best in your region....
If you’re like me, gathering fistfuls of ripe seed as you pick tomatoes or pull weeds, you’ll tell yourself that you’ll remember which seeds are in which pocket. Ha ha.. I have wonderful intentions, but I rarely remember if my left pocket had the red lettuce or the green lettuce? Or did I put the black nasturtiums or the Empress of India nasturtiums in my sweater pocket. Oops! There are plenty of great books on seed saving....
Types of peas Before I can talk about when to harvest peas (Pisum sativum), I need to point out that there are several types of peas you can grow in your vegetable garden with each type having its own ideal harvest time. The three types are snow peas, shell peas, and snap peas. Shell peas – Unlike snow and snap varieties, the pods of shell peas are fibrous. Technically they’re edible, but they’re tough to eat and have little flavor....
What is an herb spiral? An herb spiral is a raised garden built in the shape of a spiral. It’s taller in the middle and circles down to ground level. It can be made from a variety of materials like stone or wood, and offers different growing conditions within the same bed. Herb spirals are popular in permaculture design and constructed from materials found on site. You can make a spiral herb garden as large as you want, but most are around six feet in diameter and two to three feet tall....
Planning a Cottage Garden: A traditional English cottage garden may look natural, but it’s really organized chaos and requires a little planning. Here are a few tips on planning and planting the perfect cottage garden. Start small – A cottage garden isn’t a no-maintenance space. Once planted, you’ll need to make sure plants are supported, beds are weeded, and spent blooms are deadheaded. Therefore, it pays to start small. Begin with a bed or two, expanding as you’re able....
What is a Cissus discolor plant? Cissus discolor is the botanical name for a lovely tropical vine known as the rex begonia vine or the tapestry vine. Through this plant is completely unrelated to actual rex begonias, the leaves are multi-colored and have an appearance very similar to a rex begonia, hence the common name. A native of Southeast Asia, including Java and Cambodia, this vining plant is more closely related to a grape plant than it is to a begonia (it’s in the Vitaceae family)....
