Manure in the garden has been a common culture for thousands of years. Using manure in the garden is an excellent fertilizer and soil conditioner. However, don’t apply fresh manure to the soil in your fruit or vegetable garden. Even…
Plants are a powerhouse of wellness for your home. They’ll provide you with a host of benefits, and they’ll make your house look great while doing it. I’ll admit, I’ve been kind of obsessed with this idea lately, and I…
With the hit show on PBS called Victoria (Queen Victoria of England), Victorian style is receiving a renewed interest now in our homes and landscaping. The Victorians were the first house plant enthusiasts, but their plants had to be hardy…
Want a houseplant that flowers every month without too much light? Focus on a flowering maple (Abutilon). There are many of these broad leaf species. The leaves for this plant are a small maple type dark green (some variegated), and…
An indoor herb garden makes fresh flavor convenient throughout the winter. Deep in January and February, between the snow, ice, cold temperatures and grey days, it can feel like spring will never come. To help brighten the long days, there…
In late fall, with beds full of worn out perennials and annuals, sad but resolute gardeners often bid farewell to their color-filled gardens and turn their attention to the fall clean-up. The talk turns to the beautiful autumnal leaves, while…
Perennial Sunflower Helianthus Probably one of the most-loved flower, sunflower is a long-time favorite for borders and for bouquets because of their huge blossoms. While not quite as large as its annual cousin, the perennial sunflower makes up for what…
Everyone has their opinion of what makes something a joy to the eye. In winter everything is finely edited by our cold weather and killing frosts and further focused when snowfall covers the landscape, but that only means we have…
Today my quest is for a natural pest control method to deter deer from devouring my gardens, preferably without sophisticated fencing or expensive pest control services. Or by enrolling in a weaponry class. I jest. Sort of. The first time…
Marigold has an old variety called Victorian (spun orange) marigold. It is an extra-large, attractive, super-double flowers with tubular petals. The color is a pleasing, clear orange rather than the harsh orange-brown so often seen in African marigolds. Plants are…
3 years ago, I planted 10 raspberries around 3 feet apart. About 3 months after I planted them they were all mowed down by deer Fortunately, they were hardy beasts and the next year I was pleasantly surprised to see…
If your plants’ leaves have a white or gray dust on them, powdery mildew is probably attacking your garden. It’s a common disease, and different strains of powdery mildew attack a wide range of plants. This problem usually occurs toward…
Most people think about trying to control their dandelions in the spring when they see them in bloom. However, this is not the best time to try to control them, particularly if they plan to use a broadleaf herbicide to…
Cosmos are freely flowering annual plants that are ridiculously easy to grow. If you’re looking for a flower that will stay in bloom for months and can be grown by simply scattering seeds, cosmos is a great choice. The flowers…
Your yard is an important part of your home; you use it for hosting parties, spending a quiet evening after work and even for attracting wildlife. In any case, most homeowners like to maintain backyard and front yard privacy. So…