Kurapia ground cover is an interesting plant. Known as either Lippia nodiflora L. ‘Kurapia’ or Phyla nodiflora, its origins are in Japan where it’s a common evergreen ground cover. However, kurapia ground cover performs extremely well in drought-stricken areas of the United States as well as in areas where it gets ample amounts of water and does not suffer from over-irrigation, making it a surprisingly good choice for a lawn alternative....
Tomatoes are the quintessential garden crop…but they can also be one of the most confusing! With determinate and indeterminate varieties, there’s no absolute right formula for tomato plant spacing. Table of Contents Your selection of tomato variety along with your garden soil, light, and growing conditions all give clues to answer the question, “How far apart do you plant tomatoes?” Good Products for Maximizing Tomato Spacing: Vertex Tomato CageTomato Support ClipsElastic Cord (for vertical trellising) Listen to this post on the Epic Gardening Podcast...
The herb savory is exactly as its name suggests, full of flavor, delicious, and tasty. This salty, spicy herb has been used in cooking and medicine since Roman times when it was used as a salt substitute to flavor food. It was also believed to be a potent aphrodisiac! Known by the Romans as the ‘Herb of Love’, its powers were believed to be so strong that monasteries in Europe banned growing savory, for fear the monks would become bewitched by its pungent aroma....
One particular type of allium bulb is an essential component to many European dishes – shallots. How to grow them is usually not the first thought on anyone’s mind, but the minute they see the price for them at the market, growing shallot bulbs suddenly becomes a whole lot more important. Table of Contents So today we’re going to talk about Allium cepa, previously known as Allium ascalonicum. This onion produces a large bulb that looks like any old onion until its outer skin is removed, at which point it suddenly resembles garlic with large cloves....
The long-lived, hungry wireworm can wreak havoc on the agricultural sector. With a diverse choice of common crops as their target, these larvae of click beetles seek out and chew through the roots of plants. Table of Contents These pests are notoriously hard to kill off. Many chemical alternatives don’t seem to have much effect. Don’t let this scare you, though! Today we learn what a wireworm is. We’ll also go over the adult form, click beetles....
Marjoram is in my top five favorite culinary herbs to grow at home. I’ve been growing marjoram in patio pots for years and have discovered that sweet marjoram can take a simple dish from good to delicious! Table of Contents Popular in Italian and Greek cooking, marjoram is a versatile herb that can be used fresh or dried in salads, sauces, dressings, and in a multitude of meat dishes. Its flavor is delicate with aromatic tones of sweet woody pine and citrus....
With raised garden beds becoming the preferred format for many gardeners, the topic of how to fill a short raised garden bed is paramount. Choosing the right garden soil and the appropriate amendments are important. The organic material you choose determines how your entire season progresses. Table of Contents You may have a thriving compost pile to help you fill your raised bed. Perhaps you want to try filling raised beds with a garden bed soil mix, or maybe you want to build your own with a regenerative technique that relies on a supply of organic matter....
If you’re looking for a ground cover that produces tiny star-shaped flowers, look no further than the Irish moss plant. It’s a great addition to a shady rock garden, the spaces between stepping stones, and next to water features. Irish moss (Sagina subulata) can even be a lawn substitute in some areas. Table of Contents Its creeping stems tolerate light foot traffic, and as it grows it creates a dense mat that is not only pleasing to the eye but soft on feet....
Ponytail palms, also known as elephant foot, are fantastic and cute indoor houseplants, as their caudex makes for a striking appearance… Table of Contents But growing a ponytail palm outdoors is actually more common, believe it or not! You get to take advantage of the full spring, summer, fall, and winter growth cycle of this incredible plant. Without further ado, read on for tips to make your elephant foot plant grow tall and love growing outdoors....
If you’re hesitant about growing microgreens, we have the perfect place to start. Radish microgreens are one of the easiest and fastest to grow. They require very little preparation and the time to harvest is less than 10 days! This, and much more, makes them ideal for new microgreen growers. Table of Contents So why would you want to grow radish microgreens in the first place? First of all, as we mentioned, the time to harvest is considerably shorter....
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....
As hydroponic gardeners, we face all sorts of challenges when it comes to getting our plants to grow how we want them to, but none is more annoying than the dreaded overheating reservoir. While there are many different ways you can combat this problem, this article will give you an in-depth look at the best water chillers for hydroponics. Table of Contents We’ll look at the three most popular brands, plus two alternative options that I’ve tested:...
Learning how to harvest mint is essential if you’re a mint-lover! Table of Contents Cool, aromatic, and refreshing, mint is one of the most popular herbs in the world. From delicious sauces to desserts, cocktails, curries, and mint tea, mint can be used in many recipes. It even finds uses beyond the kitchen. For example, it is a common ingredient in beauty products. You can also find it in toothpaste, mouthwash, chewing gums, etc....
If you’re like me and are avoiding supermarkets right now, you’ll be happy to know one trick that I use to stay at home. I’m sure you’ve heard that you can regrow green onions from just a tiny nub-end before. But did you know that you can also turn half-rotten sprouted onions into brand new full-sized onion plants? I use green onions so often that I’m always running short. They don’t last in the refrigerator for long, their greens starting to wilt away within a matter of days....
The sorghum plant might be one of the most common and useful cereal crops that many gardeners have never heard of! Believed to be first domesticated in the Niger River Valley of West Africa, this drought-tolerant plant became an important crop for cultures all over Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Table of Contents From its humble origins as an ancient grain, sorghum is now grown commercially for a wide range of uses including livestock feed, sorghum syrup (similar to molasses), weaving material, floral arrangements, and even industrial processes like ethanol production....
Columnar trees add beautiful color and power to a landscape. They have their own spire-like beauty that provides a wonderful contrast against wide-spreading plants. These narrow trees look formal and crisp in appearance. Their slender shape often makes them appear well-pruned and neat, even though they may not have been pruned in a while. Instantly, they add a bit of beauty and grace to a landscape. Table of Contents But what exactly are columnar trees?...
The name candytuft elicits all sorts of cutesy references for me! When I first heard it, my mind immediately went to something straight out of a cartoon. I expected it to be vividly pink, maybe resembling cotton candy. Table of Contents In reality, this decorative sub-shrub produces a dense flush of white flowers twice a year. And while my hopes of a Dr. Seussian-style plant may have been dashed, I do love candytuft nonetheless....
With a bevy of delicious squashes to choose from, one that stands out is the wonderful delicata squash. A cream-colored fruit with beautiful green stripes and orange flesh, the delicata squash, or Cucurbita pepo, is a rare winter squash that has edible skin when roasted! Able to store for several months as well, gardeners growing delicata squash certainly hit the jackpot with this wonderful plant! Table of Contents Like all squash, delicata originates in North and Central America....
Ah, grannyvine! Or Mexican morning glory, or just morning glory. No matter what you like to call it, Ipomoea tricolor is a garden stunner. This annual climbing vine produces trumpet-like blue, pink, or white flowers. Table of Contents If you’re looking for a fast-growing plant to trellis, this is a great choice. It will rapidly clamber upwards and fill in all available space. Trained up over an arch, or encouraged to cover a pergola, it makes for a beautiful display of flowers....
Much like aphids, whiteflies are a scourge in the garden. These tiny pale pests fly around sucking plant juices and spreading diseases. Worse yet, they’re so minuscule that they can fit through a lot of mesh screening. Because of this, the whitefly is also a major problem in greenhouses and indoor growing spaces. Table of Contents But don’t panic, you can eliminate these white insects from your greenhouse or garden. Let’s talk about whiteflies, how they multiply, and how to get rid of them!...
