In this article, I will cover everything you need to know to cultivate calico aster in your landscape. Symphyotrichum lateriflorum Calico aster, Symphyotrichum lateriflorum, formerly Aster lateriflorus, is a native perennial flower that blooms from midsummer to mid-fall. It rejuvenates fall gardens with masses of tiny white blossoms, with striking reddish-purple to rosy pink centers. Suitable for gardeners in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 8, this plant readily naturalizes, especially in moist woodland locales, where it is virtually maintenance free....

Heck, as I was putting this together I realized our readers don’t need a growing guide for Sansevieria. Sansevieria Trifasciata (aka Mother-in-Law’s Tongue) Ever wonder why you never see artificial snake plants? It’s because you don’t need artificial versions. The real thing is pretty much unkillable and survives in almost any growing condition. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

While this beautiful woody shrub’s native range stretches from central Florida and Texas and up through New York State and Maine, you can grow it just about anywhere if you live in USDA Hardiness Zones 3 to 9. Ilex verticillata I grew up enjoying snowy winters every year in Montana, so when I moved to southern California for college, I missed the snow. A lot. But then came graduate school in Vermont, where not only did it snow every winter, but plants I hadn’t seen before in Montana popped up along with the snow and cold....

But sometimes even the varieties that have been bred to produce fruits with the highest sugar content need extra help to yield the sweetest harvest. No one will ever mistake a garden fruit for a candy bar. But flavorful, homegrown tomatoes that taste sweet are a treat in their own right. Numerous varieties are able to claim the nickname “garden candy.” They’re naturally full of healthy vitamins and minerals, too....

Growth slows to a crawl, or even a standstill in the coldest and darkest months of December through February. Tasty, nutritious, and prolific with beautiful savoyed leaves and crisp, colorful stalks, Swiss chard is a garden stalwart that gives gardeners an extra-long growing season and multiple harvests. Both heat and cold tolerant, it thrives in the cool temperatures of spring and fall, but it’s also productive during the hot months of summer – only slowing down a bit when temperatures rise into the mid-80s and above....

But it’s no good when those leaves start looking a bit shabby. I’m not sure about the name, as I have somewhat of an aversion to arachnids, but I know spider plants themselves are stellar. Their strappy, often striped mounds of leaves are different from so many other houseplants. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

In our guide to growing cauliflower, we discuss all you need to know to cultivate this nutritious vegetable. Cauliflower, Brassica oleracea var. botrytis, is a brassica, or cruciferous vegetable in the cabbage family. It grows best in cool temperatures in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 to 11. Companion plants are those that share similar cultural requirements for sunlight, soil, and water, and that can live together in a non-competitive, harmonious environment....

Many heirloom types have a long history of cultivation, with seeds saved each year from family plots, and passed from one generation to the next. Others are hybrids, carefully selected and bred for disease resistance and high yields. Collard greens, Brassica oleracea var. acephala, are a standby of Southern cooking, sauteed with bacon or a ham hock, and maybe served alongside a tasty bowlful of black-eyed peas. Or perhaps you’ve tried them raw, in place of a tortilla to hold your favorite fillings in a vegan wrap....

These easy-to-grow cuttings are perfect for filling up your own home, and they make excellent gifts for people who need a little more green in their households. My home is filled with houseplants, and about 30 percent of those are some variety of dracaena. This is in part because of my (infamous) tendency to favor fuss-free houseplants, but another factor at work is how dang easy it is to propagate dracaena from cuttings....

The problem may be due to other factors, like the amount of moisture available in the soil and the state of the roots. You may be all too familiar with this scenario. You have lovingly tended your tomato plants and watched the first delectable fruits of your labor develop…only to see them ruined by ugly brown patches on the blossom end. This is the dreaded and misnamed blossom-end rot. Why misnamed?...

In this article, we share all you need to know to grow amaryllis outdoors in the garden or containers, in areas where the weather is conducive to their perennial cultivation. Hippeastrum x hybridum For large, showy spring flowers in USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 11, you can’t beat the hand-sized, lily-like blooms of amaryllis, Hippeastrum x hybridum. These tropical beauties can also be forced to bloom indoors during the winter holidays in all growing zones, and then guided through dormancy for blooms in successive years....

How do you know when they are ready to pick? Read on to learn how to harvest, store, and prepare homegrown kohlrabi. Kohlrabi is a cole family plant with large, juicy bulbs that form above ground, emerging from a central stalk. Gaining in popularity, these crispy bulbs are easy to grow, and are delicious both raw and cooked. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

But, being underground bulbs, there can be some understandable confusion about exactly when they’re ready to harvest. Without x-ray vision, you can’t tell when they’ve reached that perfect stage of plump maturity! Garlic is beloved in the kitchen as a flavor intensive in a wide range of dishes. With a delightfully pungent taste and fantastic aroma, regular consumption of the stinking rose also has numerous health benefits. Plus, cultivating your own is easy....

Us veggie gardeners can also sample any number of seed-grown varieties that aren’t available at any store, or even at the farmer’s market. What do people, pills, and lettuce have in common? When they are bitter, they’re the worst. Maybe that’s a bad joke, but I tell it to remind you to take all the necessary precautions to assure your Lactuca sativa is tender and mild, not bitter, like some grumpy friends I could mention…...

These Homemade Plant Food for Orchids are easy to make and will help you to keep these beauties thriving with beautiful colors! Check out our article for making DIY orchid potting mix recipes here Homemade Plant Food for Orchids 1. Water Soluble Fertilizer This fertilizer is an excellent nitrogen source and can be used as an alternative for regular watering once every month. Have a look below: Recipe: Pour leftover black coffee or tea into a jug, mix four times water, and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar....

The best pillows can make a major difference to how well you sleep. Something as simple as new pillows can bring immediate relief if you’re uncomfortable in the night. Sleep experts recommend investing in new pillows every year, so if your pillow has been clumping, falling flat, causing you to overheat at night, or most importantly, causing pain and discomfort, it’s time to find some replacements. According to The Sleep Council, a pillow that is too soft will cause your head to flop and a pillow that is too hard will cause neck pain and stiffness....

So what is celeriac, exactly? Is it just the root of the type of celery you might grow in the garden, or is it an entirely different plant? How do you grow it, and how do you eat it? Apium graveolens var. rapaceum If you love both celery and root vegetables, you’ll adore this versatile veggie that’s like a two-in-one combo. The bulbous root known as celeriac, or Apium graveolens var....

Nasturtiums are also excellent garden companions and can be used to repel or trap pests as desired. Tropaeolum spp. Bright, bold, and cheerful, nasturtiums are among the easiest flowers to grow. With only a hint of care and attention, these fast-spreading plants put on a vibrant summer-long show. The intensely colored, trumpet-like flowers seem to float in a sea of green thanks to the ample supply of lush, rounded leaves....

To keep you and your neighborhood critters from such chagrin, I’ve compiled my top tips for growing a native wildflower landscape. And I’m going to share those tips with you here. Infusing your garden with some native wildflowers is a wonderful way to make it more sustainable while creating a unique sense of place. But in order to reap these benefits, both planning and planting right are key! Growing wildflowers involves a bit more than simply opening up a seed packet and throwing the seeds into the grass, with fingers crossed that in a few months you will find a beautiful mix of flowers bobbing in the breeze....

Calathea is a beautiful perennial with stunning bold patterns and upright oblong leaves that come in a range of colors! When it comes to maintenance, this tropical plant can be a bit fussy about temperature, light, and humidity requirements. Read the article and find out about Calathea Care in the right way! Check out our article on watermelon peperomia care here! Calathea Varieties Calathea is available in a range of varieties, with unique markings and leaf structures!...