Posts

Sansevieria ballyi, or dwarf sansevieria, is a perfect addition to your succulent garden or indoor houseplant collection. A close cousin to the classic mother in law’s tongue, it’s just as easy to care for…so let’s get started! Table of Contents Recommended Products Espoma Organic Cactus MixEspoma Organic Succulent Fertilizer Quick Care Guide Native to southern Kenya and Tanzania like many Sansevierias, Sansevieria ballyi is also known by its common name of the dwarf snake plant....

If your plants in your vegetable garden keep dropping leaves, turning odd colors, and generally failing to thrive, it might not be your gardening techniques that are at fault. Table of Contents There could be an imbalance in your soil structure that’s killing your garden plants. In such instances, improving your soil fertility might simultaneously improve your chances at having a successful garden. However, it’s always a good idea to test the pH levels and the soil acidity in your garden before you start applying fertilizer....

Who wouldn’t want to be able to grow your own chocolate? When you grow a cacao tree, you can get many of the cocoa products you see in stores today. Theobroma cacao is definitely a true tropical tree. Like other tropical plants, cocoa likes humidity, heat, and all the things that most climates in the continental US just don’t have. But that doesn’t mean it’s entirely impossible to grow it here....

It may seem a stretch to tackle growing a jasmine plant – indoor growing is easy! Growing indoors has many benefits, as plants aren’t subject to the elements. They’re less likely to encounter pests. Therefore, you can grow healthy jasmine plants and enjoy the sweet aroma of jasmine flowers year-round. Table of Contents What is required for growing jasmine plants inside, as opposed to outside? Are there any special requirements? And how do you help an indoor jasmine plant thrive despite less access to sun and rainwater?...

Roses are red, violets are blue, lisianthus is red, blue, purple, pink, orange, yellow, and even lime green shades, too! Pardon my poetry, but the wide array of colors lisianthus plants come in deserves some appreciation. What other flower looks like a rose but can naturally be lime green? Table of Contents Lisianthus plants are often used in floral arrangements due to its resemblance to a rose and its longevity. They have a long vase life and can last up to two weeks when they’re cut and put into water, and maybe a little longer if you give them flower food....

One of the things landscapers and garden professionals tout time and again is mulch. There are many different types of mulch, such as leaves, grass clippings, or straw mulches like Garden Straw. But one widely used and sometimes controversial material is wood chip mulch. Table of Contents Adding mulch along with compost is great for your plants. Still, there are debates as to which organic matter options are best for soil....

As twilight ebbs into darkness, are you peering out into a pitch-black yard? If you don’t want to use a flashlight (or worse, your cell phone) to navigate the yard at night, you need the best outdoor solar lights to guide your way. Table of Contents But which are the best ones, and what makes them the best? More importantly, how do you decide which ones are best for your specific garden layout?...

A delicious summer staple, corn is the backbone of so much of what we eat in the United States. Whether it’s eaten as fresh sweet corn or dried to make cornbread or tortillas, we rely so much on this wonderful plant. But getting the timing right on when to harvest corn can be a little tricky. With its kernels hidden from view, how can we tell when our corn is ready to harvest and time to enjoy the sweet fruits of our labor?...

Borage is one of the most enjoyable and easiest annuals to grow, and a must-have for anyone interested in natural, cottage, or potager style gardening. I have been growing borage for more years than I can remember, but I have only ever sown it once! This beautiful herb with its vibrant blue flowers repays me every year with an abundance of self-seeded borage plants to grow for another year. They are a clear signal that spring has arrived and summer is on its way....

Here are just a few reasons why you should be growing rosemary in your garden. Firstly, it is delicious! It adds beautiful flavor and aromas to everything from bread to chicken; is simple to use and available to harvest all year round. Table of Contents Secondly, it smells amazing! Add rosemary stems to bouquets, wreaths, potpourri, or use essential oils around the house to make it smell fabulously fresh. Thirdly, it looks great in the garden!...

Table of Contents If you were to Google the words “elephant ear,” you would find a range of images, from the delicious, doughy staple of fried fair fare to those enormous pachyderms in all their gray, wrinkly glory. As a gardener you will zoom in on pictures of large, green leaves that so cleverly resemble those flappy elephant ears on the real animal. After scanning perhaps hundreds of pictures of elephant ear plants, you may find yourself filled with a burning desire to add these tropical beauties to your own garden....

Here are five ways you can do a better job taking care of the birds in your garden. Don’t Feed Them Household Scraps One thing bird experts agree on is that you avoid feeding garden bird’s household scraps such as bread. Doing this hurts the little guys by weighing them down and making it difficult for them to fly. As well as this, bread has been proven to fill the birds up without providing them with the nutritional value that they crave – similarly to fast food for humans!...

If you garden, chances are that you have wondered whether you can grow plants in your home even with poor lighting. I’ve been in the same position before, and I was frustrated by the lack of resources that were available to help me make my decision. Table of Contents Don’t worry- you won’t have to go through the same struggle! I’ve compiled a list of the 14 best indoor shade plants that require minimal lighting and maintenance....

As gardeners, we’re connected to the earth in ways that other people simply aren’t. Naturally, we’re interested in other types of sustainable and Earth-friendly pursuits…I know I am! Table of Contents I’ve been reading about alternative housing ideas for a while now and decided to put together a list of the coolest alternative housing options that I could find. I hope you enjoy these concepts as much as I have. There are so many different cool variations out there to bring ecologically-minded, long-term solutions for housing....

The painted daisy, Tanacetum coccineum, has an interesting story. With vibrant colors of red, violet, pink, yellow and white, it’s cheerful and bright. But it’s useful too! While it’s grown most commonly for its flowers, it’s also a natural insecticide source. Today, we’re delving deep into the world of the pyrethrum daisy. Also called Persian pellitory or Persian insect flower, painted daisies are big bloomers. Coming from the Caucasus and western and central Asia, they’re sure to be a highlight in your garden....

Have you ever measured the pH of the soil in your garden? If not, you should, especially if you have added amendments with the hope of changing pH. Testing is the only way to know for certain what the soil pH is. Gardeners have often been advised to put wood ash and other neutralizing compounds in the soil regardless of testing. Reading through this article, you will learn more about why pH matters, how to lower soil pH, and if needed how to raise soil pH....

There is nothing quite as wonderful as a veggie garden. Sure, flowering plants smell nice, but can you eat your roses or lilies? Only when you plant veggies can you eat the results of your labors. Veggies do not always look pretty, and they are A LOT more work than flowers, herbs, or a well landscaped backyard, but the results are always worth it. Being able to put fresh leafy greens, cabbages, lettuce, carrots, turnips, and tomatoes on your dinner table can give you such a rewarding feeling, so it’s definitely worth the investment of time–and money–that goes into growing your own veggie garden....

Many of our world’s ancient civilizations were created along the banks of rivers. This is not a coincidence because rivers offered strategic resources. The ancient Chinese had the Yellow River, the Sumerians built along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, the Indus river gave rise to the ancient Indian civilization and the name “India”, and the ancient Egyptians worshipped the Nile. These people thrived due to their access to abundant drinking water, ample irrigation, efficient transportation, and fertile, silty soil....

When starting seeds — no matter if you’re starting them for hydroponics or otherwise — it’s important to provide them the perfect germination conditions. Each type of seed has different conditions. But as a general rule, most seeds like to be in a growing medium that’s warm. Table of Contents Because most of us are starting seeds indoors, either in preparation for the coming season or to grow them indoors, we don’t have the luxury of warm soil....

If you’re an avid tomato grower like me, you most likely have had to deal with tomato suckers at some point or another. They’re tricky little things, and I really struggled to figure out whether or not I should leave them be or cut them off. Table of Contents Lucky for you, I’m going to give you some tips and tricks that will help to prevent you from going through this same confusing experience....