The term “home gardener” encompasses a wide array of folks from those with 40 acres (and the proverbial mule?) to a few pots on the patio. In the quiet, post-holiday weeks of winter, nothing livens up a gardener with cabin fever like a fresh-off-the-presses, colorful and enticing seed catalog. This time-honored resource has its roots in antiquity. The British Agricultural Historical Society (BHS) archives describe a burgeoning seed trade in the late 1200s....

A beautiful lawn is something many homeowners all over America try to achieve each summer. A dense, green layer of grass makes everything else look so much better. While few of us have that perfectly green turf, there are some simple things we can do to achieve that nice layer of grass! From seeding to mowing and watering, read on for some great lawn tips! Seeding Seeding should be done in a cool time of the year....

If you need a refresher on how to grow camellias, check out care guide. In this article, we will cover why your plants may fail to bloom and what you can do about it. Winter and early spring can be terrible for the gardener. Everything is dormant in many regions, and while the quiet, cold months can be beautiful in their own way, thank goodness for the winter bloomers like camellias....

That’s why when anything happens to make the flowers look odd, it’s extra disappointing. A deformed poppy might be annoying, but not the end of the world. A distorted rose? Time to freak out. Broadly speaking, roses aren’t one of those types of plants that you can put in the ground and forget about. On the contrary, us gardeners generally spend a lot of time pruning, deadheading, spraying, and otherwise coddling our shrubs....

Since this shrub grows wild in so many different locations, it probably won’t surprise you that it’s also exceptionally easy to grow in backyard gardens. Actaea spp. Its berries might be toxic, but its beauty is anything but. Baneberry is a plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae, that’s worthy of a spot in your woodland garden. The common name for many species of plants in the Actaea genus, this plant is aptly named....

Let’s learn more about this incredible addition to your garden, and the benefits of growing a plant that does double duty as both an edible and an ornamental! Passiflora spp. Passionflower is arguably one of the most unique specimens of flora on the planet. Blooms of this vine are flamboyant and complicated, with a large crown of corona filaments reaching from the stamen that make identification easy. This genus also includes a whopping selection of more than 500 species separated into three main types: purple, yellow, and granadilla (red)....

Without further ado, let’s get into what Cleome is all about, and what you can do with it in your landscape. Cleome hassleriana I’ll admit that I didn’t think I liked Cleome at first, but it quickly moved up my dance card as my go-to option whenever conditions allowed it in my landscaping work. It’s an attractive plant with unique characteristics. It’s tall but not too tall, has unusual flowers without being showy about it, and requires very little (if any) care during the growing season....

This tropical perennial herb is treasured for its use in the cuisines of India, the Middle East, and surprisingly, Sweden. Elettaria cardamomum Spicy, citrusy, minty… it’s difficult to describe the flavor of cardamom, other than to say it’s delicious! We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. What is Cardamom? Cardamom is a spice made from the seeds of two different species in the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the family Zingiberaceae....

Read on for all you need to know to grow and harvest your own crop, plus some info on varieties and useful cooking tips! Abelmoschus esculentus Okra, referred to by the botanical name Abelmoschus esculentus or sometimes Hibiscus esculentus, is a member of the Malvaceae, or mallow family, that includes cotton, hibiscus, and hollyhocks. It is thought to have origins in ancient Egypt and Ethiopia, and grows as an annual in all USDA Hardiness Zones....

On top of that, seeing ants indicates that there is something else going on with your plants, because their presence goes hand-in-hand with aphids. If you’re finding ants on your camellias, chances are high that aphids are feeding on them, too. When it comes to dangerous creepy crawlies, most types of ants aren’t high on the list. They won’t kill your camellia plant. But that certainly doesn’t mean we want them hanging around....

With beautiful lush fronds that bring a tropical look indoors, palm plants look truly amazing with every decor. Have a look at Indoor Palm Benefits Proven in Studies that will make you add them to your rooms! Here are the best indoor dwarf palms you can grow Indoor Palm Benefits Proven in Studies 1. Removes Carbon Dioxide and Carbon Monoxide Proven in this research, indoor palm varieties like areca palm and bamboo palm can effectively reduce CO2 and carbon monoxide from the air....

In our guide to growing forsythia we talk about how to cultivate this shrub in the home landscape. Forsythia is a deciduous woody shrub that thrives in full sun and average, well-draining soil. It’s an iconic harbinger of spring in USDA Hardiness Zones 5-8, where its masses of yellow blooms make for a dramatic yearly display. This shrub is appreciated for being a hardy, fast grower that requires little maintenance. However, it’s not invincible, and sometimes less than favorable conditions pose a serious threat to its well-being....

Rather than heat-treating and robbing the stalks of their crunch after harvest, this article will teach you how to apply a gardening technique to your crops that will improve texture and flavor. Are you a celery fan? Done right, it’s satisfyingly flavorful with a pleasing texture that leaves you wanting more. But it can be difficult for the home gardener to achieve this without applying a little extra attentive care....

But the real motivating factor for me and many other gardeners is that starting tomato seeds at home opens up a dizzying selection of varieties for us to choose from – including less common cultivars we’re unlikely to find as transplants at our local plant nurseries. It’s pretty easy and convenient to pick up a pack of tomato seedlings from your local garden center and plug them into the soil....

Whiteflies are notorious pests, with a taste for a wide variety of plants including common vegetables and ornamentals. Aleyrodidae As you walk through your garden, admiring the bright flowers and productive vegetables, a cloud of white insects flutters up from the leaves of a plant as you brush past. Upon taking a closer look, you notice the leaves are speckled or turning yellow, and the plant looks like it’s shedding some leaves....

Lemon verbena (Aloysia citriodora) is highly aromatic because the plant’s glandular trichomes, where the essential oils live, are located on the external parts of the herb. The tasty citrus flavor and gentle character of this abundant and easy-to-grow herb make lemon verbena perfect for the entire family to enjoy as an infusion. Kids and elders alike can benefit from the bright personality of this cheerful plant. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products....

More aromatic than the sweet variety, the large, shiny leaves are a distinct almond shape with a sweet, peppery flavor and notes of anise, cloves, and mint. Ocimum basilicum ‘Genovese’ Fragrant, fast-growing, and a delight in the kitchen, ‘Genovese’ basil is an easily cultivated and rewarding herb for the gardener and cook alike! It’s the traditional Italian herb used to create the very best pesto. This preferred variety has large, sweet leaves, is slow to bolt in extreme heat, and does not become bitter with age....

You know what? Either way, you’ll be growing your own food and enjoying a fall favorite. And either approach delivers the nutritional benefits of this superfood, including fiber and healthy fats. There are two ways to approach saving seeds to eat from homegrown pumpkins. With the first, you focus on the seeds themselves, and do all you can to grow the Cucurbita pepo, C. moschata, or C. maxima.varieties that produce the best seed harvest for roasting....

Here are our Top 9 picks for full sun plants for Southern gardens: It takes a very special plant to withstand the brutality of the South. Oppressive, sustained heat, punishing sun, lack of rain – it’s a wonder anything can stand up to these conditions. But fear not, for Mother Nature provides. She has given the Southern gardener a plethora of spectacular landscape choices that withstand brutal conditions in sparkling fashion....

Here are some of the Best Indoor Plants for Dining Room that will do well in indirect light, need less attention, and are also easy to maintain! Check out our article on which plant for which room here Best Indoor Plants for Dining Room 1. Air Plants Suggested For: Tabletop decor Style your dining table with gorgeous airplants, grow them in a trendy glass terrarium. Check the best DIY closed terrarium ideas here....