Read on to learn more about whether you can regrow parsnips from the tops. Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could regrow all of your veggies from scraps? It’s an intriguing idea, which might explain why it is discussed so much in various corners of the internet. It is true that growing some leafy veggies such as lettuce from leftover scraps can yield a new, albeit small, edible crop. But what about root veggies like parsnips?...

But it’s an opportunity for you to get out there in nature and experience the feel of the dirt beneath your feet, the ornamental grasses tickling your nether regions, the shade of a tall tree on your bare back, grazing past the vines and veggies in your carefully planted rows without a spot of clothes on in between. Have you tried nude gardening? World Naked Gardening Day rolls around every year on the first Saturday in May, and this international outdoor holiday is not for the bashful....

Most important, this shrub buddy is there when times get tough. In warm climates, it can survive and thrive despite various challenges, from blistering heat to drought and high humidity. Nerium oleander We all have that friend who is perfect in many ways, but conversations about them always end with, “But….” Nerium oleander is like that. It has many wonderful traits, the kind you would seek in a friend. It’s an evergreen – always there for you – and needs almost no maintenance (never clingy!...

These lovely, thorny shrubs actually flower before – or at the same time – as they produce leaves, and all buds bloom on old wood. Chaenomeles spp. If you’ve ever walked down a sidewalk during a mushy, gray, late-February day and seen, to your great surprise, a pop of color already blooming on a woody shrub, you might have glimpsed a flowering quince. These woody, perennial shrubs aren’t the same thing as quince fruit trees....

Suited to outdoor cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12, Schlumbergera makes an easy-care houseplant in all regions. Christmas cactus, Schlumbergera spp., is a Brazilian rainforest plant that grows in the dappled sunlight that penetrates the tree canopy. It is an epiphyte that needs something to cling to for physical support, like a tree or rock. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

A Feast for the Eyes Succulents come in an extensive variety of textures, colors, shapes, and sizes. The succulent is one of nature’s most efficient plants, and one of the easiest to propagate. It’s a type of “xerophyte,” a shallow-rooted wonder that thrives in dry climates and stores water in fat, fleshy leaves and stems. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Their flight behavior is also unusual, in that they can hover with a rotational movement, rather like a helicopter. This motion uses a great deal of energy, and requires a daily food consumption between one hundred and two hundred percent of their body weight. Getting a good look at hummingbirds isn’t easy – unless you can attract them and convince them to stick around for a while. One of the best ways to do this is with a feeder made especially for them....

While they are similar to other types of pansies and violas, the winter variety, Viola hiemalis, are popular for their hardiness in cold weather and eagerness to bloom throughout a mild winter. Viola hiemalis Even though I’m devoted to late-summer bloomers, nothing perks me up quite as much as early-spring flowers. It’s the unexpected surprise and joy upon spotting those splashes of intense and wild color that feeds this affection....

But first, it pays to know about all the possibilities, at least in general terms. There may be a super-helpful trait you’re not aware of, or a whole group that would not do well for you at all. Don’t you just love win-win situations? Choosing which type of cucumber plant to grow in your garden is one of those times when it’s hard to go wrong. Each category of Cucumis sativus, as these vegetables are known botanically, offers an abundance of rewards and benefits....

Some herbs, like chives and dill, are herbaceous. They have soft stems that die to the ground with the first frost. Unlike tender annuals, cold-hardy herbs live beyond the growing season, going dormant in the winter and returning again in spring. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Others, like lavender, are woody and drop their leaves but retain a winter “skeleton,”unless they are pruned at season’s end....

Here’s the lineup: The Forsythia genus contains 11 species best known for putting on a spectacular display of bright yellow blossoms in early spring, when many other plants have yet to awaken from their winter dormancy. For instructions on how to cultivate this easy-to-grow, vigorous, woody shrub in your garden, be sure to consult our guide to growing forsythia. In this article, we discuss seven common reasons why plants may fail to bloom, and how you can avoid them....

As you consider which blower to purchase, you’ll want to think about your work style and your landscape. If you have a property the size of Yosemite or you are simply fed up with raking autumn leaves, you might be thinking about adding a leaf blower to your arsenal of fall cleanup implements. In addition to clearing up leaves, a leaf blower can also help you remove grass clippings, other garden debris, and clean out gutters....

To that end, we’re going to look at the most common diseases, how to treat them, and what to do to prevent them. Here’s what we’ll focus on: There are few veggies that stand out in the garden quite like Swiss chard can. Those neon stems are so striking that it’s merely a bonus that they also happen to be fabulously tasty as well. When disease strikes, not only can it deprive you of your dinner, but it can turn those beautiful plants into a mushy mess – and nobody wants that....

Spaghetti squash is a variety of winter squash that can be grown in USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 11. Cucurbita pepo ssp. pepo Spaghetti There’s nothing like eating warm spaghetti squash on a cold winter night. In fact, spaghetti noodles are where the spaghetti squash got its name. The flesh of the fruit looks a lot like stringy pasta and it is regarded as a healthy and gluten-free alternative to pasta made with wheat....

In addition, the developing fruit may be stunted and fail to ripen properly. If you’re growing pumpkins in your garden, you may have seen white spots appearing on the leaves and vines. What’s up with that? It’s likely that your plants are infected with a fungal disease called powdery mildew. This disease is very common and in many cases can be treated successfully. However, if it is allowed to spread, in severe cases the plants may drop their leaves and expose the fruit to sunscald....

In our guide to growing celery, we discuss all you need to know to cultivate a crop of your own. The world of edible plants often reminds me of paintings from the Renaissance era, when the most artworthy models were full-figured and had alabaster skin. Who wouldn’t want a lustrous and shapely eggplant, or a voluptuous juicy pear? But lots of luck to the blemished tomato, the yam with the wireworm tunnels, and thin types, like me....

While I still cooked and enjoyed them, I was disappointed by the lack of development. Last spring, I dutifully watered my carrots and got overly excited as the seeds began to germinate. The tops grew to an impressive size and looked picture perfect. Everything seemed to be going well – until I pulled them up and found only teeny-tiny roots. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

In this article, we discuss how to recognize, manage, and inhibit cold damage to forsythia. Forsythia is one of the earliest spring-blooming shrubs in USDA Hardiness Zones 5 to 8. It’s a tough bush that usually sails through winter unscathed. However, sometimes a year comes along with record-setting chills and frequent snow and ice storms, often surprising us with a last blast in early spring, when the buds are awakening....

But a hothouse is more than just a structure. It also creates a miniature ecosystem, one that you’ll have to maintain at a certain temperature in order to keep the plants within alive. Sometimes this means lowering the temperature, other times raising it. A greenhouse serves as a fantastic option to grow plants in locations or seasons where they wouldn’t fare well by themselves due to the local weather conditions and climate....

Frequently chosen by urban landscapers, this large shrub is planted widely and is a popular choice for gardens in those areas. Although its toxic berries aren’t safe for human consumption, they are beautiful to look at and birds love them. Photinia x fraseri Red tip photinia is an easy to grow ornamental shrub that’s prized for its dense red and green foliage. Also known as Fraser (or Fraser’s) photinia or red top photinia, its leaves start off red, then turn a deep green over a period of several weeks....