Must Know Plant Care Tips: Violets will grow in sun but do prefer light shade, and will require less water when planted there. They are good self-seeders, but are not particularly invasive, unless they’re the wild violet variety. Plant Problem Solver: Violets make great bedding plants or ground cover, and also do […]
Gardening TIps and Tricks
9 Beautiful Perennials to Start from Seed
Perennial flowers are just about the best thing ever for your yard. Instead of breaking your back to plant new things every year, you can plant perennials once and count on them to come back year after year. And especially if you start them from seed, you can fill up your landscape with gorgeous […]
Plant Encyclopedia: Rock Cress
Must Know Plant Care Tips: Care is pretty minimal. Rock cress will do well in fair soil, as long as it has good drainage and is slightly acidic. Pine needle mulch will help increase acidity and reduce moisture loss. High nitrogen fertilizer is recommended with planting, and a phosphorus fertilizer is a good […]
Indoor Trees That Are Guaranteed to Liven Up Any Space
Even if you’re not much into traditional house plants, you still have options to bring some of the outdoors in. Why not buy or cut a bouquet of flowers? Pick up a few small cactus plants for your windowsill. And while you’re at it, look for some indoor trees. There are many variety of […]
Plant Encylopedia: Russian Sage
Must Know Plant Care Tips: Provide a very dry location for Russian sage. You may see your plants sprawl if you grow them in shady locations. You should plant new Russian sage in early spring, leaving 2 to 3 feet of space between each plant. Water them occasionally until well established. You can apply […]
How to Grow Bulbs in Containers
Most often, gardeners and homeowners plant bulbs straight into the ground. Maybe we want to tiptoe through the tulips. Perhaps we want a row of tall iris right in front of the porch. These are great ideas, but there’s certainly nothing wrong with planting your bulbs in containers. Wouldn’t a large pot of […]
Plant Encyclopedia: Ajuga
Must Know Plant Care Tips: Ajuga is a low-maintenance plant. It grows vigorously by sending out plenty of horizontal roots, or stolons, that grow outward from the main plant. Each one will take root and form another crown, making a nice little colony. The leaves are short and close together, and the stolons grow […]
Plant Encyclopedia: Lady’s Mantle
Must Know Plant Care Tips: Lady’s mantle is easy to grow from seed, plants, or division. Sow seeds outdoors in early spring or in autumn, or indoors 6 to 8 weeks prior to last frost. Keep them moist and move them outside at about 4 inches tall. Space your transplants about 12 […]
Plant Encylopedia: Potentilla
Must Know Plant Care Tips: Purchase potentilla from your local nursery and plant in the spring to early fall. It requires well-drained soil, preferably amended with quality compost. Space your plants 3 to 6 feet apart. When newly planted, water and mulch your plants well. Use fertilizer in spring for the best flowering. Prune […]
When to Prune Your Plants
To be successful, every gardener needs to know about proper pruning. Knowing how — and when — to prune your plants, shrubs, and trees is essential to keeping your yard and garden healthy. If you’re not entirely sure what you should be pruning and when, here are some helpful tips. 1. When You See […]