Some of my favorite childhood memories involve digging into the earthy ground with my mom and telling our plants to “grow well” as we gave them a drink of water and patted the soil down. My sisters and I would wait anxiously to see the product of our labor and harvest our fresh summer strawberries, eating them straight off the plant with the warm, sticky juice dripping down our chins.
If you are anything like me, there is nothing more enjoyable to you than sitting on your patio in the warm twilight air, sipping a cup of tea and watching the birds and insects trill around your garden. You don’t have to live in the heart of the country to enjoy this vision, either. Even if you are in an urban area, there are ways that you can, and should, be encouraging wildlife to find sanctuary in your yard. Here are a few tips and tricks to make your garden a natural paradise…no matter where you are.
You are ready, shovel in hand and your tree beside you. If you have already read our tree shopping guide, you are indeed ready to plant. Here are a few basic guidelines that will contribute to the long-term health and growth of your tree.
Experienced gardeners are all across the board regarding annuals, and it can often be challenging to sort through all the noise and figure out just when these temporary plants should have a place in your shopping cart. Here are a few dos and don’ts when it comes to the alluring (yet fleeting) eye-candy of the garden.
What comes to mind when you think of the term “seed bombing?” Perhaps it conjures up mental pictures of masked vigilantes sending floral explosives into barren landscapes. In fact, this vivid descriptor isn’t too far from the truth. This practice of “guerilla gardening” has begun to transform ugly urban plots into forces of nature. Read on to find out exactly what seed bombs are and how they can revolutionize spontaneous gardening.
These bright, fragrant flowers, are an excellent way to add a burst of color to any porch, patio, terrace, backyard garden or window box. As summer approaches, you may want to consider planting these warm-season bloomers around your outdoor living areas to enjoy their cheery influence and alluring perfume. Before you do, however, here are 7 intriguing facts about geraniums you probably didn’t know.
It may seem strange to cultivate a list of flowers you should avoid planting in your garden, however it is vital to be aware of some eye-catching beauties that are more trouble than they’re worth. These plants are either toxic, invasive or could potentially cause damage to your other healthy flowers. It is best to avoid growing these 9 plants in your garden, no matter how enticing they may be.
When you think of bees, it probably isn’t your first instinct to want to attract more of them to your yard. These striped insects often get a bad rap due to their rather painful natural defense mechanism and are often shoed away from the garden by harsh insect repellents and pesticides.
When planting your vegetable garden, it can be challenging to keep all the advice straight, “build a raised bed,” “make sure that you try companion planting,” “always use fertilizer,” “never use fertilizer.” Eventually, the overwhelming words of well-meaning fellow gardeners go in one ear and out the other, and you usually end up winging it. That works for a time, and usually, you will see a harvest, but here are a few essential things that you should be doing differently to maximize yield and encourage healthy growth.
There is just something so refreshing and energizing about a vase of beautiful cut flowers. Their aroma fills a room and no matter what the weather, brings joy to any space. I always have a vase of fresh cut flowers in several places in my house.
Plants are the new people. They seem to have definite preferences when it comes to the company they keep and even exhibit noticeable aversion to certain members of their society. Not very surprising after all, since had successfully colonized the earth, long before we came along and started ‘civilizing’ them.
Susan has been nurturing her gardening tips and advice for over 00 years, it’s fair to say she knows her beans. She’ll be sharing her knowledge from tried and tested methods.
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