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Plants, Trees & Shrubs
Another new virus is killing roses throughout much of the United States. Learn how to spot the symptoms and project your roses against this deadly disease.Continue reading
No impatiens? What shall I plant instead?
This year impatiens will be scarce or non-existent in garden centers due to a serious fungal disease. Downy mildew largely wiped out this go-to annual flower for shade in at least 35 states. What to plant instead? Here are 8 reliable annuals for shady spots.Continue reading
Grow yummy fruits in pots and small gardens
Gardeners who have limited space can now grow blueberries and raspberries thanks to plant breeders who have introduced dwarf versions of blueberry and raspberry plants.Continue reading
Blooming new plants for the landscape
Check out the new lineup of flowering shrubs debuting in garden centers and nurseries this year, including reblooming hydrangeas and weigelas and a native wisteria.Continue reading
Fall-blooming perennials add color to the autumn scene
At a time when most plants are preparing for winter, these easy-to-grow perennials add glorious, long-blooming, and colorful flowers in the fall landscape, extending the gardening season through Autumn.Continue reading
Some houseplants can be toxic to pets
There are some everyday houseplants that may be hazardous to dogs and cats. Some symptoms are mild and don’t cause long-term damage to a pet’s health. Others, though, can be deadly. The key is knowing which are dangerous and which are not.Continue reading
Downy mildew strikes down impatiens
Wondering why your impatiens are dying? A deadly new strain of downy mildew disease is wiping out impatiens in many parts of the United States this summer. In 2012 it has spread quickly throughout much of the North and East, and also parts of the Southeast. Read on to find out more about the disease, what to watch for and what you should do in your garden.Continue reading
25 tips for peak veggie harvest
Vegetables are at their tastiest and most nutritious when they’re picked at the peak of ripeness. Here’s a tip list for harvesting 25 of the most common home-garden vegetable crops.Continue reading
A sample of shrubs for the shade
Planting in the shade has consisted of the most familiar evergreen flowering shrubs. Here are options for shrubs that tolerate low light.Continue reading
You could keep paying $3 or more for a packet or pot of fresh herbs at the grocery store or you could start growing your own herbs for pennies – even fresher and almost at arm’s reach whenever you need a sprig for dinner. Culinary herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow.Continue reading
Learn the proper way to start your own water garden and select the proper plants for it.Continue reading
Are those misbehaving plants giving you a headache? Take control of your garden with these tips.Continue reading
Tired of the same old mums, black-eyed Susans, and orange daylilies? Plant breeders have been hard at work developing lots of new perennial flowers that bloom longer, come in new colors, and grow sturdier than past versions.Continue reading
Get a jump on cool season veggies
Prepare your vegetable garden for the cool season. Know which crops to plant and what won't work. Cool-season plants include: broccoli, onions, peas and more.Continue reading
Start spring gardening on the right note
What gardeners do in the early spring landscape will have a big impact on the rest of the season. Here is a comprehensive guide to help you start your garden on the right path this spring.Continue reading
If you grow vegetables or garden organically, you'll want to learn how organic Preen Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer can keep your garden free of weeds for up to four weeks per application.Continue reading
Best bulb practices and tips for planting, care, weed control and where to plant your bulbs.Continue reading
How to prepare your plants and pots for the Fall and Winter seasons with the right container and plants.Continue reading
Two of the best known and possibly the most over-used conifers for landscapes are arborvitae and yews. Take a look at some of these commendable alternatives.Continue reading
Unlike most vegetables, garlic is planted in fall and is one of the most rewarding, easiest, and least troublesome edibles to grow in a home vegetable garden. Here is how to select and grow the right kind for your garden.Continue reading
Saving tomato seeds? Save the best breed
Tomatoes are America’s favorite veggie to grow, and the right varieties are easy to start from saved seeds year after year. It’s important to first know whether the variety you plan to save is hybrid, fruiting unreliably, or open-pollinated, fruiting reliably. Here are a few tips to get you started.Continue reading
Cool that burn with your own Aloe
Besides being useful for burns, studies have shown Aloe vera sap to aid the healing of minor wounds and mild skin infections. It is the most common of the aloes in U.S. garden centers and makes an easy-to-grow houseplant. Here are some tips to get some Aloe of your own going.Continue reading
Much of the flower world is called a daisy. But what is a daisy, really? Daisies include a dozen or more different genera, many with numerous species and cultivars.Continue reading
Freshen up the garden with fragrant plants
New plant varieties are usually bred for longer bloom time, new colors, compact size, pest and disease resistance, or improved cold hardiness. These are attractive qualities many gardeners gravitate toward during plant selection. An often overlooked trait, however, is fragrance.Continue reading
Proper pruning spurs blooms, won't harm plants
Pruning is an important and necessary task both for the health and appearance of most woody plants. Many gardeners are reluctant to cut into a healthy tree or shrub, fearful that improper technique will harm or even kill it. Neglect, though, can be worse than incorrect pruning.Continue reading
Many plants have preferences about where they make their home. Before you venture to the garden center, weigh your ideas against the space you expect to plant in. The successful plant will suit the environment your home and landscape offer.Continue reading
Growing potatoes in five steps
Potatoes are among the world’s oldest and most widely grown edibles, dating back in cultivation as early as 5000 B.C. in its native South America. Follow these simple tips and guidelines to savor fresh-from-the-ground potatoes at their best.Continue reading
New 2011 shrubs boast blooms, pest resistance
One way to cut work in the garden is to plant low-maintenance, pest-resistant shrubs that need little to no pruning. Three excellent new flowering shrubs are debuting in spring 2011 that fill all three of those bills. Check out these at the garden center.Continue reading
Spring fever? Start seeds outdoors early
Most gardeners know about the two main ways to start seeds: either plant them directly into the soil, or start them early indoors to and transplant later. Much less familiar is “winter sowing” – starting seeds early outdoors with just enough protection to allow germination.Continue reading
Plants with colorful fall fruits are often underused. Fall-fruiting plants offer more than just color, though.Continue reading
Best indoor plants thrive with low light and less water
As you begin spending more time indoors, houseplants are a great way to purify the air and add a touch of hominess to the atmosphere. It takes a tough plant to survive indoors.Continue reading
Avoid pruning shrubs before they're dormant
With fall clean up comes a natural urge to prune the shrubs. But cutting back shrubs this of year might do more harm than good.Continue reading
Water plants well in fall to prepare them for winter
At the end of summer, we give little thought to keeping the plants watered. Yet several deep soakings in fall will help trees, shrubs and perennials survive winter and flourish next spring.Continue reading
How to reduce watering duties in the veggie garden
Tips for efficient water use to maximize food production in vegetable gardens.Continue reading
Keep rabbits from eating the landscape
Protect your food and ornamentals from those pesky (but cute!) cottontails with these helpful tips.Continue reading
Ready to walk on the wild side in your garden? All you need are plants that provide food and shelter and a source of water. Continue reading
Heirloom tomatoes: Ready for taste tests
If you are looking for some good tasting tomatoes from the summer garden, start with heirlooms. Continue reading
Save a bundle on plants this season by taking a crack at starting your own seeds inside Continue reading
Houseplants: Gardening's double agents
If you don't mind some repotting and moving plants inside and out, then 'houseplants' you buy now can double as pot centerpeices this summer -and maybe for years to come. Continue reading
Cold tolerant annuals carry color into fall
You don't have to give up color in the landscape just because the temperatures start to drop. Here are three annuals that are tolerant of cooler weather and will keep going into winter. Continue reading
Clean the air, get a house plant
Fifiteen to 18 six- to eight-inch diameter pots will improve the air quality in a 1,800 sq ft home. Here are five tips for growing houseplants successfully. Continue reading
Rejuvenate annuals and perennials
Summer heat can take a toll on annuals and perennials, especially if we've been conserving water or forgot to fertilize. Here are some tips to rejuvenate your plants. Continue reading
Small, tough shrubs perfect for containers or landscapes
Shrubs add size and mass to the container collection and, in large pots, will likely survive two or three years in cold climates. Continue reading
Vegetable gardening on the rise
Concerns about contaminated produce and the desire for good-tasting, locally grown food has prompted more of us to grow our own vegetables. Continue reading
Plant annuals for easy summer color
Annuals are about the least expensive way to try something new in the summer garden. Many annuals are easy to grow from seed, or for instant good looks you can buy transplants at garden centers. Continue reading
Rock gardens and other landscape spots with shallow, sandy or fast-draining soil need plants that can tolerate those challenging conditions. Continue reading
Colorful house plants brighten indoor scene
House plants are an easy way to add color to dreary days. Here's a sampler... Continue reading
Check houseplants for creepy crawlers
If your house plants have yellow leaves, scraggily growth or other unhealthy symptoms, you might inspect for mealy bugs or fungus gnats. These are two common house plant pests, and here’s what you can do to control them. Continue reading
2007 Perennial of the Year has scent and long-lasting flowers
Catmint, an aromatice plant with gray-green foliage and beautiful lavender blue flowers, was named Perennial of the Year by the Perennial Plant Association. Catmint is low maintenance, long-blooming and disease and insect resistent. Continue reading
Try growing these super simple, tasty peppers - inside or outside. Continue reading
Peppers' colorful flavors spice up summer meals
Whether we call them mango peppers, sweet peppers, jalapenos or habaneros, these colorful, easy-to-grow, tasty - and sometimes spicy - vegetables perk up the summer menu. Continue reading
Three plants that can take the heat without a lot of water
Hot, dry summers can be hard on plants. Be a water-wise gardener with these three heat-tolerant plants. Continue reading
Savory herbs flavor summer fare
Summer herbs offer the perfect seasoning for garden-fresh tomatoes, green beans, salads and other favorite summer fare. Continue reading
Fall clean-up reduces insects and diseases in the garden
Fall is the ideal time to clean-up the beds and prep them for winter. Removing plant debris exposes the soil surface to sun and cold terperatures, which help destroy any insects or diseases that may spend the winter harbored in leaves or fallen fruit. Continue reading
Plant bulbs in the fall for beautiful spring flowers
Tulips, daffodils, hyacinths and many other spring flowers get their start as bulbs planted in the fall - for enjoyment next year. Continue reading
Easy-to-grow indoor blooms to beat the winter blues
There are houseplants that produce beautiful flowers with very little care. Continue reading
How to care for houseplants and troubleshoot problems
Houseplants brighten indoor living while they purify the air, but they need to stay healthy to work their magic. Continue reading
The best houseplants for clearing the air
Breathe a little easier indoors this winter by using houseplants to clean the air. Continue reading
Tasty spring lettuce mix easy to grow and nutritious
Those yummy high-priced spring greens are as easy to grow as they are colorful and nutritious. Continue reading
Top performer Geranium 'Rozanne' 2008 Perennial of the Year
A hardy geranium named 'Rozanne' has been named the 2008 Perennial of the Year and has won dozens of rave reviews from professional landscapers, gardeners and plant groups. Continue reading
Getting ready to hit the road? Here are some simple steps to take to make sure you don't come home to a jungle of plants and a garden of weeds. Continue reading
Aromatic rosemary perfect for a pot
Rosemary is a heat loving, aromatic and delicious herb that is easy to grow in a pot. Continue reading
Three no fail annuals to take the heat
As temperatures rise, some plants flag, requiring more water to keep blooming or they go dormant. Not so with three sun-loving annuals that take the heat and keep on blooming all summer long long with very little work. Continue reading
Divide now to conquer desire for more perennials
One of the easiest ways to get new plants is to divide the ones you already have. Continue reading
Evergreen perennials — color all year long
Most of us think of evergreens as trees and shrubs, but there also are evergreen perennials to brighten the winter landscape. Continue reading
