So, when I’m formulating my vegetable garden plan each year, potatoes are pretty much universally on my list of crops. Are they a staple of yours, too? Let’s talk about the top five creative ways to grow potatoes in containers, as well as the benefits of using this method, and what’s required. When I think about my favorite way to enjoy homegrown potatoes, I’d have to say that mine is au gratin style, but a hot, buttery baked potato can’t be beat either....

Unfortunately, hydrangeas can be one of its victims, and bigleaf hydrangeas – Hydrangea macrophylla – are particularly susceptible. Colletotrichum gloeosporioides Hydrangeas can be lush, carefree plants, but they are also vulnerable to a number of different fungal infections that can sully the leaves – and in some cases, the flowers. You know that old saying, “There’s a fungus among us?” There is some truth to that. A fungus called anthracnose can infect a large number of tropical and temperate plants, and it is widespread throughout the world....

Not only is jade easy to propagate, each specimen has massive potential since all it takes is one leaf to start a new plant. Jade plants are succulent stunners, sporting thick, round, deep green jewels for leaves. Described botanically as Crassula ovata, this species is also known as the money plant. Now, money doesn’t grow on trees, but if money did grow on C. ovata, you’d be hitting the jackpot by reading this article....

Here’s what’s ahead in this growing guide: One of my favorite garden gifts to eat during the cold season is winter squash. Easily stored in a root cellar or colder room of the home, it can sustain a family with a variety of vitamins and minerals, via its tasty and versatile flesh. Growing squash is an involved process, but it’s not difficult. Grocery stores tend to offer many types for up to about three dollars a pound as fresh produce....

Here’s what I’ll cover: Bellis perennis Bellis perennis, the original daisy chain flower, can be quite common in lawns, especially in cool, moist climates. And thanks to the work of plant breeders, there are a variety of colorful, full and double cultivars of the English daisy that you can grow in your garden. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission....

Now, having sung the praises of this gem, I’ve noticed that it isn’t always grown to its fullest potential. I totally get why monsteras are so popular. Who wouldn’t totally fall for a plant that isn’t going to disappoint you, by gradually turning into a limp heap of foliage in a pot? But minimal care requirements alone don’t quite cut it. You also have to be beautiful to make it in the houseplant world....

Species of Taxus are pretty tolerant of the cold in general, with some that are hardy all the way north as far as USDA Zone 2. Winter can be a challenging time for fauna and flora alike. In the animal kingdom, critters such as moose and weasels can have a hard time finding food, while creatures such as myself can hardly say no to multiple helpings of warm soups and stews....

You probably don’t have a massive tree growing inside your house, but that’s okay! If asked to picture a houseplant, what comes to mind first is likely a specimen potted up in a pretty container filled with soil. But there is an entirely different category of houseplants available to you that can be grown on driftwood, shells, lava rocks, and pieces of wood. These plants are called epiphytes, and they grow on other plants in the wild, usually trees....

Our guide to growing hydrangeas covers how to cultivate these beauties in your landscape. There is something quite magical about hydrangeas in full bloom. Bursting with dramatic colorful flowers and bold green foliage, it’s no wonder they are commonly seen planted in yards and gardens. While most home gardeners purchase a shrub from a plant nursery, or take cuttings from existing plants for propagation, you can also choose to grow them from seed....

Your best bet to prevent the onset of disease is to plant varieties that are resistant to the major pathogens in your area. If you’ve ever seen apple trees growing in the wild, you may already know they are privy to a wide range of diseases. But what about homegrown apples? An apple enjoyed fresh off the tree is delectable, but you may have to work hard for your shiny piece of fruit....

In this guide, we’ll cover how to diagnose an infection on your plants and take the appropriate action to prevent the disease from spreading. While hellebores typically have a reputation for being trouble free, they can occasionally fall prey to disease. In our guide to growing hellebores, we cover everything you need to know to cultivate these early-blooming beauties in your garden. There are three main problems that can affect hellebores, each caused by a different pathogen....

In this article you will learn more about what a tree guild is, as well as how to create a cherry tree guild that improves fruit production, protects against disease, reduces long-term maintenance needs, and creates a beautiful focal point in the garden. Mimicking conditions of the natural environment in your design is a great way to encourage a home garden to thrive. Plants don’t grow in neat rows in the wild....

In this roundup, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite butterfly bush varieties and where possible, have provided links to our trusted affiliates. The butterflies and other pollinators this plant attracts provide ample motivation to plant a row of Buddleia. But they offer more: sweet smelling, colorful, arching blooms that demand little from you as the gardener to maintain. There are over 160 cultivars of butterfly bush, in nearly every color of the rainbow....

Hoses matter, they really do. And I never realized it more than when I bit the bullet, spent the bucks, and bought a really good one. I can hear you thinking: “A whole article on hoses? It’s just a hose, for heaven’s sake!” So, let me tell about all those times when I bought a cheap one off the shelf at my local big box garden center. When, about the third time I turned it on, it split and soaked me, or started to leak like a sieve when I was in the midst of a big project, so I had to take my muddy, wet, dirty self back to the garden center to buy a new one....

Ficus elastica You’ll be shocked to learn that it’s a real, living plant, and even more astounded as you discover more about its growth habits and historical uses. Have you ever seen a plant that was so incredible that you had to touch it to convince yourself that it wasn’t artificial? That’s the rubber tree. Its gorgeous, uniformly large, waxy leaves and amazing colors – variegated green and white, burgundy, nearly black – will beckon you to touch them....

Not only are dandelions good sources of food for birds and bees, but most of the plant is edible for humans (that’s us!) too. Taraxacum officinale I refuse to pull dandelions from my yard during the first bloom. I don’t even let my husband mow. Those cheerful drops of sunshine are not only pretty to me, but as a beekeeper, I know they are a good food source for pollinators during the gaps between blooms of other essential spring plants....

Let’s start with the fact that up in PA, this plant is considered an annual. But down here, our verbenas totally tough it out through our brutal, maybe-one-freeze-a-season winters. Verbena is a genus containing about 250 species, many of which also simply go by “verbena” in common parlance, or if we’re lucky, something like the highly specific “purple verbena.” When I saw that my colleague here at Gardener’s Path had written a guide to growing verbena, one of my favorite ground covers, I eagerly clicked over to his article....

You could base your choice on looks, how quickly it matures, or its flavor. Sampling the first crisp, sweet radish from your own garden is pure delight. I would argue that it’s the top springtime taste sensation for the vegetable gardener. But the best radish variety to enjoy for that spring ritual? You’ll get no argument from me there. Nor will I quibble if you prefer a type known as a “winter” radish....

All species thrive in USDA Hardiness Zones 10-12, and sometimes in parts of Zone 9 if you keep them warm in the winter months. You can grow them in colder zones as indoor plants, or as outdoor plants in the summer, and indoors in the winter. With their tufted heads and uncanny beaks, all the different types of bird of paradise flowers (Strelitzia spp.) are showstoppers in their own right....

These are strong and beautiful trees, providing ample shade and visual appeal to any place where they set their roots. Quercus spp. Oak trees ought to be a staple on every property that can support them. We link to vendors to help you find relevant products. If you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. Quercus species are, in a few words, one of the best investments you can make in designing your landscape, and growing them is hardly rocket science....