Gardening

I’ve always thought that people who love plants generally tend to be generous. In my neighborhood alone, there are three little free plant libraries in which you’ll find everything plant-related …

When it comes to living Christmas decorations, it’s hard to top the Christmas cactus. This perennial favorite is known and loved for its tropical blooms that show up around the …

I think you could call it a tradition by now for me to introduce our readers to weird plants in the winter months. Once the gardening season is truly at …

Over the past few years, there has been a veritable explosion in houseplant popularity. Already steadily on the rise, houseplant sales grew 50% to $1.7 billion in 2019. Then COVID-19 …

With a name like butterfly bush, it’s easy to see why Buddleja is such a popular landscaping plant. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy more of these beautiful insects in their …

Hostas are clearly the most popular plants in the shade garden. And why wouldn’t they be? They’re probably the easiest perennial to grow. They have beautiful lush foliage, in sizes …

When it comes to Christmas cactuses, there is one complaint I hear time and again: “I can never get mine to bloom.” That’s understandable, considering these plants need special care …

Christmas and other holiday cactuses are classic houseplants that, when given the right care, can live for generations. Lucky for us, that care is easy enough to give. Holiday cactuses …

We all remember making pine cone bird feeders as kids, whether it was at home or school. But did you know these easy and inexpensive feeders are actually an excellent …

Normally, if you clicked on an article with a similar title here at Rural Sprout, you would be looking at your plants for symptoms. However, we want to make gardeners …

I did not receive these raised beds for free from Vego Garden. I bought them myself because, after several weeks of research, they were the brand I liked most. I’m …

I have a couple of friends who are very much into board games. They seem to remember the rules of 15+ games by heart and juggle an impressive number of …

One of the highlights of coming back home from my late summer vacation is getting to interact and reconnect with my own garden. I did not have a gardening-free vacation, …

As the gardening season comes to an end, we’re faced with the task of clearing up before winter arrives. While the general rule for generations has been to tidy up …

Spring flowers are always a breath of fresh air after a winter of dark, dreary colors. There’s nothing more delightful than the bright yellow of daffodils, the blue-purple of grape …

Urine is an excellent natural fertilizer and among the very oldest ways to create fertile soil. After all, pee plays quite a crucial role in the earth’s nitrogen cycle. Mammals …

As the leaves change color and fall from the trees, most of us are busy closing up our gardens for the season. But don’t put your garden tools away just …

If this is your first year feeding hummingbirds, first of all, welcome to the club. They’re pretty great, right? But as summer turns to autumn, you’ve likely begun to notice …

September is often an odd month. If you’ve got school-aged children, you go from a noisy house to a silent one. At least, until they start bringing germs home from …

One of the great things about hostas is how low-maintenance they are. Of all the perennials in your garden, hostas are probably the closest thing you’ll find to a set-it-and-forget-it …

Mulching flower beds is a sure sign that warmer weather has arrived each spring. Suddenly, everywhere you look, it’s nothing but flower beds sporting a fresh layer of dark brown …

Agapanthus, often called the “African Lily,” is immediately recognizable with its stunning, spherical clusters of blue or white flowers that bloom on tall stalks above lush, green strap-like leaves. They’re …

When you think of planting perennial flowers, spring might automatically come to mind: birds creating a cacophony of noise, gusty breezes drying out the mud, and the excitement of new …

I don’t grow a garden without mulch. Period. Putting down a protective layer over the bare soil in my garden provides a multitude of benefits. Unfortunately, after three successive seasons …