Categories
Growing Fruits & Berries

How to Grow Tropical Fruit Plants in Any Zone

I don’t know about you, but when I think about tropical fruit plants, my home in western Massachusetts isn’t the place that comes to mind. Not even close. I bet it’s not what you picture either. For me, the imagination goes to a lush, warm paradise with gorgeous trees abundant with mangoes, figs, and pineapples. Or maybe papayas, kumquats, and bananas.

Categories
Vegetable Gardening

The Wonderful World of Cal Wonder Peppers

If you’ve ever found yourself staring lovingly at a shiny, blocky, perfectly red bell pepper in your harvest basket and whispering, “You complete me,” then friend, you might already be acquainted with the California Wonder Pepper—also known in gardening circles as the “Cal Wonder.” As an avid food gardener with more trowels than teaspoons in […]

Categories
Gardening Humor

What’s It Like to Be Mike McGrath?

You can learn a lot about a person just by reading what they write. Some folks come off kind, others terse, some brilliant, and some—well, a bit outrageous. But Mike McGrath? He’s a category all his own. Outrageously kind, comically smart, enthusiastically chaotic, and definitely not stoopid. No sir, not our Mike. Reading Mike’s work […]

Categories
Container Gardening

How to Clean Terracotta Pots of Algae, Minerals, and Disease

Plants don’t just absorb nutrients from their environment; they actually filter them out too! That’s why we’re able to grow plants using manure, for instance. If you’ve inherited old pots from previous owners, you may be wondering what was used inside them before they were yours. Plastic—which certainly has its own risks—can be washed down […]

Categories
Watering & Irrigation

How to Identify an Overwatered Plant

I’ll be the first to admit that I have an overwatered plant or two in my garden every year. It’s not so bad now, but my indoor plants used to try their best to run away when they saw me coming with the watering can. Spoiler alert: They didn’t get very far.

Categories
Healing Gardens

A Story About the Healing Power of Gardens

In a world that seems bent on moving faster and faster, it’s easy to overlook and forget about the healing power of gardens. I probably don’t need to remind you of this. After all, you’re here reading these beautiful stories about gardening. What you might find interesting, however, is that the restorative and health benefits […]

Categories
Watering & Irrigation

How to Drill Drainage Holes in Any Kind of Planter

I found the most adorable bowl in the shape of an elephant at a local pottery studio and knew I wanted to use it as a planter in my indoor herb garden. I bought Ellie (that’s what I named her) and took her home where she sat on my counter for three weeks while I […]

Categories
Pests & Diseases

How Does Lettuce Get E. coli and How to Prevent it in a Home Garden

I love lettuce. It’s so easy to grow, it’s ready to harvest pretty quickly, and the multitude of varieties have so many different qualities. Who can deny the appeal of crunchy, slightly sweet lettuce on a sandwich? I also admit there’s something that bugs me: How does lettuce get E. coli?

Categories
Joy of Gardening

It’s Nothing Short of a Plant Obsession

Do you have a little dirt under your nails? Maybe you have a bit of green on your hands from pulling weeds? Do you keep a stack of seed catalogs on your bedside table? Do you dream of seedlings and flower buds? Do you have what could only be called a plant obsession? You, my […]

Categories
Indoor Gardening

Why Hydroponic Franchises Appeal to Gardeners in Drought-Stricken States

Growing large amounts of edible plants using water-based nutrient solutions efficiently is more important than ever, as climate change is extending dry spells and turning areas with arable land into deserts. Adopting it is easier because of franchising. Discover what hydroponic gardeners are, the advantages of hydroponic gardening and the benefits of working with a […]

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