4 Reasons To Stop Using Peat Moss & 7 Sustainable Alternatives
In the world of horticulture, peat moss possesses many qualities we want in a growing medium. Peat moss has a lightweight and spongy texture. It has the uncanny ability to …
In the world of horticulture, peat moss possesses many qualities we want in a growing medium. Peat moss has a lightweight and spongy texture. It has the uncanny ability to …
Rhubarb is an easy to grow vegetable that’s right at home in the perennial food garden. Plant it once and it will produce for decades, growing nicely alongside other forever …
Exuding that telltale sweet piny fragrance, rosemary is an easy plant to grow that demands very little from the home gardener. And because a single plant can grow at least …
Nature really is a mad scientist. Take the litchi tomato as a prime example of a smattering of weird and wonderful traits, all in one plant. With its deeply lobed …
Widely cultivated as an herb, spice, and vegetable, parsley (Petroselinum crispum) is so much more than a decorative garnish. Native to the Mediterranean region, its name is derived from Greek …
Native to the Mediterranean, rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) is a woody perennial herb in the mint family. The plant’s genus, ros marinus, is derived from Latin and means “dew of the …
Learning how to propagate your plants is easily one of the most rewarding (and cheap!) ways to multiply your collection. Dividing, grafting, layering, and cutting are among the horticultural skills …
Powdery mildew starts out as small whitish spots or splotches. As it grows and reproduces, the fuzzy patches increase in size and coalesce to completely cover leaves, stems, and buds. …
Frequently relegated to garnish status, parsley is often overlooked as an herbal seasoning. Adding a brightness, freshness, and piquancy to foods, the flat-leaf variety is so flavorful that it can …
Although the gardener grows plants as a source of food and beauty, it’s easy to forget that the plant’s sole purpose in life is to reproduce. Bolting – or going …
Hover flies are truly unsung heroes in the garden. Operating like undercover agents, hover flies are easily mistaken for bees or wasps. When at rest on a flower, it’s nearly …
Just as you might be congratulating yourself on your green thumbedness – after all, your tomato plants are big and healthy and strong – you notice dark lesions on the …
Some plants are easy. All they need is a bit of sunshine, a sprinkling of compost, and the occasional watering to put out a captivating display of flowers and foliage. …
In the natural world, the decomposition of plant and animal matter into rich and fertile topsoil is a very, very slow process. Somewhere along the way, at least as far …
Apple, cherry, plum, and other fruit trees are always a splendid addition to the edible landscape. Gorgeous in every season, fruit trees put out a mesmerizing display of fragrant blooms …
Operating under the cover of darkness, slugs and snails can do massive damage to garden plants in a very short period of time. Each evening, they leave their cool …
Succession gardening covers an array of planting methods that can double or triple your vegetable yields – all by using the same plot of land in a single growing season. …
As the garden slowly wakes up after a long winter slumber, the excitement for a whole new gardening season is palpable. The sights and sounds and smells of spring are …
Rainwater harvesting is the ancient practice of collecting and storing precipitation for later use. This technology can be traced back some 12,000 years in human history, and it makes just …
Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo var. cylindrica) is a popular mainstay in the home garden. And it’s no wonder why – sow only one or two plants and you shall receive copious …
The tomatillo is a tart and bright and citrusy fruit – the perfect complement to hot and spicy fare. Although tomatillos are most famous as a key ingredient in salsa …
Lovage (Levisticum officinale) is a hardy perennial herb native to the Mediterranean. As part of the Apiacaea family, it is closely related to carrot, celery, and parsley. This culinary and …
Herbs are savory and aromatic plants, grown for flavoring, fragrance, and medicine. About as easygoing as can be, most herbs will thrive with very little intervention from the gardener. They …
You’ve built yourself a raised bed (or maybe you’ve put together one of these ready made kits), you’ve avoided all the common raised bed mistakes, but now it’s time to …