Plants, Flowers & Herbs

Bare root roses look dead when they come from the nursery with their brown roots and dormant stem, but if you want an easy and fast way of planting roses without the concern of transplant shock,...

While roses mainly need sun and water, here are a few more points to consider when planting your roses.

Nothing is more important for a rose bush's survival and performance than water. Roses absolutely love water. Here are a few tips to ensure you quench the thirst of the loveliest plants in your...

If you have been vegetable gardening for some time then you are more than likely already aware of the “zones”. These are the classifications of areas of the country of temperature ranges and...

You are thinking of a garden full of flowers. You can see the flowers blooming in your head that will last til Winter. Wrong! First, you start little. Take paper & write down these things....

Blueberries are a popular plant for home growers because of their hardy nature, tasty fruit, and attractive foliage. Although blueberries can be picky about soil alkalinity, sun, and their...

Sometimes it is necessary to uproot our beloved fruit trees and replant them in a different location. Replanting a fruit tree is a delicate operation. Leaving the tree's roots exposed to air could...

The black-eyed Susan vine, Thunbergia, is a native of the tropics of Africa, Malaysia and Madagascar. Fast-growing and covered with bright, cheery flowers, the plant is used as an ornamental...

The tree peony is a prized, woody shrub that produces fantastically large, fluffy flowers up to 10 inches in diameter. After starting a tree peony, it may take up to three years before it produces...

The apricot is an early ripening stone fruit similar to the peach and nectarine, though smaller in size. With pale orange to reddish-orange skin and pale orange flesh, the apricot tastes sweet and...

Ornamental grasses have become very popular in home landscaping. They can be used as fillers mixed with other plants or can stand alone in containers. Smaller ones make a handsome border and...

Those cold winter days and nights can wreak havoc on your garden. When frost sets in, it can damage your plants beyond repair and ruin your flowers and crops. Winter is a harsh time for outdoor...

Native to Japan, northeast China and Korea, the Japanese maple has been cultured intensively for over 300 years. The tree is revered in Japan for its leaves and breathtaking branch structure...

Its smooth leaves and adaptability to the indoors makes jade one of our most popular houseplants. Flowers arrive just in time to brighten winter holidays. But Crassula ovata is more than just a...

Muskmelon vines depend on prolific insects for their pollination even more than other plants. In some locations, a shortage of honeybees has caused a decrease in melon yields, requiring the grower...

Eggplants are fleshy vegetables which probably originated in India, although varieties grow wild and are cultivated all over the temperate and tropical world. Relatives of the pepper and tomato...

Apple crops can be ruined by an infection of fungus or rot. Learn the warning signs and prevention techniques to protect your apple harvest.

Do you enjoy the satisfaction of eating vegetables from your own garden? Why not try saving your own seed? Many vegetables typically grown at home will produce seed you can collect and use the...

Honeysuckle is a fast-growing and low-maintenance plant with both shrub and vine varieties. With over 180 species in the honeysuckle family, you'll find their fragrant flowers in shades of white,...

The inkberry shrub is a type of holly plant that is popular in the United States and Canada. Inkberry is a versatile plant, hardy in zones 4 to 10, rarely plagued by pests and suitable for...

Lemon balm is a perennial herb with many culinary uses. Adding lemon balm to an herb garden will provide a gardener with a bountiful fresh lemon balm harvest several times over an entire growing...

Tomatoes are a warm-climate plant, which makes them highly suitable for Zone 8, where it rarely freezes. As with most spring planting, tomatoes should be planted when all danger of frost has...

The penstemon (pronounced pen-stay-mon) is native to parts of North America and is a member of the snapdragon family. It is sometimes called beardtongue, for the fuzzy "beard" inside each flower.

The colorful poinsettias that bring a bright note to gray winter days have been a holiday tradition since they were first introduced in 1825. They were brought into the United States by the first...

Houseplants are perhaps the most ubiquitous and desirable form of interior decoration. There are enough different species to match any decor; they can be fragrant or flowery, bushy or delicate....

Rose hips are the swollen ovaries of the rose, which contain rose seeds. Rose hips are sold in health food stores, usually in capsule form, as they are very high in vitamin C. When collecting rose...

Chili peppers bring zest to many dishes. So it's no surprise peppers are a popular plant in the home garden. Because the plant is native to a region with a temperate climate, chili peppers can be...

Roses are one of the most popular flowering shrubs in the world. With over 100 species and just as many colors, roses add a timeless beauty aesthetic to any garden, regardless of how many bushes...

Hemlock is a poisonous plant. It is tall with white flowers and many branches. Wintergreen is an aromatic, wintergreen plant that ripens in the fall, producing red berries.

You've heard that people are growing fresh produce year round in their hydroponic gardens, and fresh from the vine tomatoes sound like a great snack in January, but where do you start? You could...

Thyme is commonly grown for use in cooking, especially in Mediterranean cuisine. It is a hardy, attractive ground cover and attracts bees. The essential oil has been used medicinally for a variety...

During the winter months, homeowners are concerned about protecting their outside plants from the effects of the cold. Protecting gardens from frost damage takes time and consideration. It is best...

February Daphne is a deciduous shrub that grows 3 to 5 feet high and about 4 feet wide. Intensely fragrant, lilac to rosy purple flowers appear in groups of two to three on leafless stems in late...

The Hawaii State flower, the yellow hibiscus (also called Ma'o Hau Hele, or Hibiscus brackenridgei) and the Noni (Morinda citrifolia) are two of the best-known of the many hundreds of plants...

Whether you're a novice gardener or a green thumb master, climbing perennials are a beautiful addition to your yard that require minimal care. One such beauty for warmer climates is Pink Bower...

Oriental or Asian lilies are beautiful plants that grow from bulbs and require only minimal care. When they bloom, their star-shaped petals display many colors, and they can add striking beauty to...

The National Sustainable Agriculture Service notes that peaches are a difficult fruit to grow under an organic program, particularly when grown in the humid Eastern U.S. where fungal diseases and...

Lilies are a garden favorite of many homeowners. The hardy plant produces big, bright blooms that come in a variety of colors. Lilies are extremely easy to grow and make a great addition to any...

Shrubs are usually not damaged by cold itself during a freeze, but by a lack of water or water loss during freezes. Water in plants and the soil is very important, even during winter, as water...

The popular aloe vera plant is easy to keep and grow indoors. Sometimes called the burn plant, the succulent's spiky, plump leaves contain a transparent gel that has been used for thousands of...

Japanese pine trees are very similar to the European and American varieties. All have year-round needle-shaped leaves. They also have clusters of five to nine needles protected by a papery sheath...

Mamey plants are tropical trees that produce large brown fruits with sweet, orange flesh. These trees produce broad white flowers during pollination, needing male and female or hermaphrodite...

The cutleaf buckthorn is a shrub native to North America featuring glossy drupes that resemble berries and small, shiny leaves. This plant is invasive in many parts of New England and Canada, and...

Cocoa trees produce the fruit that is responsible for making chocolate. They are known to grow naturally within 15 degrees of the equator all around the world. Growing the cocoa plant is very...

Chickweed is a fast-growing perennial herb with broad, round leaves and tiny white flowers. It is named for chickens' love of it seeds, although other animals also consume chickweed in large...

Rosemary is a beautiful herb with a wonderful fragrance and many uses in the kitchen, as well as aromatherapy. It's evergreen-like appearance and pleasing aroma makes it a fantastic addition to...

Scientists believe plants evolved from green algae during four periods, beginning with nonvascular plants about 460 million years ago. Vascular plants appeared about 350 million years ago,...

All varieties of cherry trees sprout an abundance of pink flowers in the spring and most varieties produce round, red fruit later in the growing season. As much as people like this fruit, pests...

Growing your own vegetables is highly gratifying, especially if your garden includes the ever-popular tomato. They are easy to cultivate and, depending on the variety, require little maintenance...

Planting a lush garden with many blooms and colors is a dream for many gardeners. Precise planning and layout are usually the key components in an orderly and naturally gorgeous flower bed....