Gardening

There’s something about growing tomatoes that begs for experimentation. Rarely do we get excited about a new carrot variety or see all the green beans in a catalog and think, …

If you happened to be walking behind me last week at the garden center, I’m sure you would have clearly heard me mumbling:  I hope nobody buys this! Yeah, this …

As a kid, I always knew when we had reached the heart of winter. I’m not talking about the holidays but that long, empty stretch that comes after. It’s during …

It happens. You bought bulbs with the intention of getting them in the ground in the fall to enjoy next spring. But life got busy. Suddenly, it’s the holidays, and …

Did you know two vegetables need to be started in January each year? If you wait, it will be too late to grow them this season. Join me as I …

This past summer, a colony of bald-faced wasps took up residence right next to my garage door. Because I know how beneficial wasps are, I decided to leave it alone. …

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 …