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…
A welcome delicacy from the spring garden, hardy perennial asparagus grows easily from seed. How To Grow Asparagus Native to the Mediterranean and eaten by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, succulent asparagus spears are ready for harvest when most other plants in the vegetable garden are just getting started. Saving Seeds From Your Own Plants…
If you’ve ever admired a pumpkin that looked like Cinderella’s coach or a giant tomato that resembled a softball, learn how you can grow giant produce without chemicals. Giant vegetables are not the delicacies of the garden. Mammoth zucchinis are pithy, colossal tomatoes are watery, and 1200 pound pumpkins are hardly fit for carving a…
Organic gardeners who think celery is difficult to grow in the natural vegetable garden can grow healthy plants by following a few rules. When choosing seeds and plants for the organic vegetable garden, many gardeners overlook the possibility of growing celery. After all, celery is cheap at the grocery store, and the flavor difference between…
These plants are famously known as shamrocks or four leaf clovers but they are so much more. Read on for more info on this outstanding houseplant! Oxalis, known best as Shamrocks or Four Leaf Clovers, are an enduring symbol of Irish pride and can be found almost anywhere during the month of March, when St….
The Maranta family consists of 4 closely related plants. While often challenging to grow they are prized for their colorful foliage. Read on for more! Maranta is actually the name given to a group of plants, which include Calathea, Ctenanthe, Stromanthe, and yes, the Maranta.. Of all of these, only Marantas and Calatheas are widely available…
The holidays are over and the winter doldrums are setting in. To help, here’s a list of 5 fun plants for your kids to grow and care for! The holidays are over and the winter doldrums are settling in. For kids, it often means boredom and post holiday let down. For a fun and educational activity,…
Aloe, Geraniums and Cast Iron Plants-grow these plants and more, even if you think you have a black thumb! Think you’ve got a black thumb? Try these plants, which are guaranteed easy to grow: 1. Aloe No kitchen should be without one of these hardy succulents. The gel inside the long spear like leaves is…
Having to go away for days or weeks can be worrisome for houseplant lovers, but this guide will provide some simple tips on how to keep your plants heathy and happy! Vacations, holidays, family emergencies, business trips. All these things may require a lengthy absence from home. For houseplant lovers, this can be worrisome. Finding…
You can’t eat green manures, but if you know which crops to grow, where, when and how to cultivate them you will improve your soil for the benefit of future edible crops. Crops of green manures can be cultivated throughout the growing season from early spring onwards on any piece of empty ground, but most…
Every homeowner should take steps to kill crab grass in order to maintain a beautiful lawn. Herbicides are a simple way to kill the weed and prevent its recurrence. Killing crab grass (also known as “finger grass”) is an easy process if it is done properly. Left to its own devices, this unattractive weed can…
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