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…
Houseplants are available in grocery stores, dollar stores, hardware stores, big box stores, garden centers, and even on the internet! Here’s a guide to buying the best. The very best place to buy houseplants is a nursery or garden center, where there are people knowledgeable about the plants and their care and where the plant…
Apply organic gardening methods in the greenhouse to control pests, and enjoy fresh flowers, herbs, and vegetables all year. If the atmosphere in a well-managed greenhouse provides the perfect environment for plants, many pests and diseases find it just as cozy. Organic gardeners must stay vigilant to keep greenhouse problems under control. Select and Site…
Squirrels are tenacious rodent pests, and it’s reasonable for gardeners to expect control rather than eradication from their efforts. It’s one thing to battle with a squirrel who insists on hogging the garden birdfeeder. It’s another matter when squirrels, not the gardener, enjoy summer’s first tomato from the vegetable patch. Squirrel Facts Like them or…
Greenhouses are great, but if your budget doesn’t permit that just yet, try a hoop house. You can start your spring garden and begin your harvest early. Gardens are increasingly popular as families try to stretch budgets. Extending the growing season, even if just by a couple of weeks, can mean more delicious salads and…
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