Welcome to our blog’s advice on growing plants. Here you’ll find tips to green your thumb, whether you’re new to gardening or want to take your skills up a notch.
We dish practical guidance from planting to harvest. Learn how to start seeds, deal with pests safely, and reap abundant veggies and blooms.
Our farming experts break information down into simple steps. Follow their instructions to grow thriving container or raised bed gardens that fit your space.
Stop by regularly as we add new posts to help your garden thrive! We want to see you succeed at urban farming right at home.
Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are the major ingredients in garden fertilizers. Many elements including nutrients are present in soil and needed for plant growth. What does “N P K” have to do with gardening? Healthy, robust lawns, gardens and houseplants depend on a number of factors including soil characteristics, location in the U.S., nutrients present…
Gardeners need to be aware of the negative effects of above-average rainfall on plants, and how they can prevent and treat damage to the garden. Most gardens cannot survive without rain, but is it possible to have too much of a good thing? While above-average rainfall can have a positive impact on drought conditions, it…
Sometimes runoff water from impervious surfaces will concentrate and cause erosion problems. Rain gardens harvest this water, filter pollutants, and prevent erosion. Properly designed, rain gardens intercept the natural water flow and slow it down, allowing it to gradually infiltrate into the ground. Rain Gardens are Functional Sustainable gardeners appreciate how rain gardens work to…
Pruning mistakes may result in misshapen and weak ornamental trees. Shearing and topping are two of the most widespread and injurious pruning methods. Shearing and topping are two methods of pruning flowering ornamental trees often used instead of more beneficial methods. Reasons for using shearing and topping may include: Lack of knowledge about tree growth…
Low-maintenance small evergreen shrubs are first-rate selections for DIY landscape foundation plantings. They enrich the looks of shady front yard landscapes. Plant breeders continue to introduce shrubs that save maintenance time, effort, and money. These introductions are smaller than their normal-sized relatives and often labeled as dwarfs. They are relatively disease and pest resistant. Both…
Rain gardens use run-off from roofs, driveways, other impervious surfaces. Rainwater is used by native plants rather than running to the storm sewer or ditch. A rain garden is just that – a garden that utilizes the rain. It can be a personal contribution to cleaner water and an improved environment in a backyard and…
Low impact development (LID) includes means to reduce the effects of increased stormwater runoff due to urbanization. Rain gardens are an important tool for this. The increase in impervious area—buildings, driveways, and streets—results in more stormwater being discharged rather than infiltrating into the ground. Urbanization in all its forms, including dense urban centers, suburban sprawl,…
Rain barrels are a great way for homeowners and gardeners to benefit both the environment and their wallets. Using a ran barrel is simple. Rain barrels are a popular way to collect excess water for use around the house and in the garden. There are many benefits to installing a rain barrel for residential water…
Although most gardeners are ready for a break as winter approaches, the garden does not have to be lackluster during the winter months. Simple ideas can add interest. Landscaping in a winter garden is a bonus. If the space is “unlevel”, then low stone walls will accommodate creeping plants in the summer months and eye…
The raised bed gardening method is an intensive way to garden in the city with more work required at the start resulting in a higher yield. Urban gardening is a movement quickly gaining momentum as more city dwellers are turning to their own yards as a place to grow food. One way to produce a…
Attractive options are available even in gardens in shady conditions. Mosses are easy to grow and are low maintenance. Proper preparation will ensure planting success. Gardeners often consider moss in their lawns as weeds. Rather than scorn their presence, embrace it. Mosses add interest and dimension to a garden and provide texture. Mosses are non-vascular…
This is your one-stop online orchid guide, with brief descriptions and links to a series of farmfoodfamily articles on the basics of orchid cultivation. This collection of Orchid Care Articles will help you easily find all of the basic information you’ll need to begin to successfully grow and bloom orchids. It’s not nearly as difficult…
The amount of light an orchid needs depends on the type of plant, but here are general guidelines that will help optimize the health of your plant and coax it to flower. Light is necessary for all life, but plants have the unique talent of being able to harness sunlight energy and turn it into…
With Spring here and Summer just around the corner it’s time to get your houseplants ready for a new growing season. Here’s a quick guide to show you how! The days are getting longer and warmer, and that means it’s time for houseplants to come out of dormancy and begin putting forth lots of new…
Lilies, castor beans, cycad palms, rhododendrons, azaleas, laurels, yews, crocuses, foxgloves and oleanders are among the most common poisonous plants for cats and dogs. Many of the plants kept in homes and gardens contain substances which can be extremely toxic when ingested by pets. Some of the most poisonous varieties can cause severe illness and…
Keep an organic vegetable garden using herbs as companion plants. They attract beneficial insects that repel pests from hybridized bedding plants, and supply the kitchen. Herbs do their work effectively in containers, traditional vegetable patches, and raised bed gardens. It’s important to maintain a variety, because different herbs offend different pests, and attract specific beneficial insects….
There is room in almost every home for a garden planted in containers – planters, window boxes, or flower pots! Children will be thrilled to grow a planter of flowers. Spring is here and container gardening is a simple and delightful way to introduce children to the joys of gardening. It can be accomplished in…
Flagstone paths or gravel ones, stone containers or terra cotta pots – learn how to choose the right design elements for your garden style. Whether it’s the ancient rock walls of an English country garden or the gravel paths and terra cotta pots of a classic Tuscan courtyard, the world’s great gardens are designed to welcome visitors with…
Gardeners can make high-grade natural compost with ordinary kitchen waste, resulting in a rich soil amendment and lightening the load at landfill sites. Keeping a compost heap not only frees the landfill sites of otherwise useful material, but the compost itself enriches the soil in the garden. It loosens it and offers the plants all…
Despite a houseplant lover’s best efforts, diseases can still strike. Fungal diseases are among the most common. Here’s a quick guide to help spot and treat them. Fungal diseases are common in plants. Some, like blight, are confined to outdoor plants, especially tomatoes. Others hit houseplants of all kinds. The causes are varied. Overwatering is the biggest…
Overwatering is the most common cause of plant death. Luckily not only is it preventable, in many cases an overwatered plant can be saved. Keep reading to find out how. Here are 5 steps to take to help an overwatered houseplant: Step 1 The first thing to do if a plant has been over watered…
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