Gardening Basics

Raspberries are a delicious berry that are fun to grow. They grow from shhots and expand rapidly.

Hanging ceramic flower pots along a fence or on a wall adds a new level to outdoor gardening. It's functional because the ceramic pots hold moisture for your potted plants, reducing watering...

Grafting is an advanced gardening technique frequently used by professional growers to maximize limited space and to develop desired characteristics in plants. Shrubs lend themselves well to...

Castor beans are not the typical garden bean plant since they are poisonous to eat. Ingestion of castor beans causes nausea, and death is possible if more than one is consumed. The castor bean is...

Growing bananas outside in cold climates may seem crazy, but with variety selection and some winter protection, you will soon have your own jungle.

Morning star jasmine is a beautiful, aromatic plant that makes a wonderful addition to any landscape or garden. With the trademark star-shaped blooms and sweet fragrance, you're sure to enjoy...

Hydroponics, a method for growing plants without soil, can be a challenge to sustain according to the University of Arizona College of Agriculture. Hydroponic gardening has been around since the...

Gardeners looking to cut back on water consumption, save on gardening costs and help the local environment would do well to include indigenous plants in their garden plans. Plants that are native...

Starting a garden in your very backyard can be fun and rewarding. Treat your plants with care and you’ll see them grow. Garden vegetables generally taste better than the store vegetables since...

Some plants, vegetative and flowering, will grow weary over the course of several years, or even just a summer. Any bush, tree or plant is at risk for growing limp and lifeless--with brown spots,...

If keeping bugs out of your house means a daily battle, where you arm yourself with toxic bug sprays and march with fly swatter in one hand and boric acid in the other, it could be time to get...

Beefsteak and elephant ear mushrooms are in a category of "false morels," meaning that they resemble and are often mistaken for edible morel mushrooms. Though some of them may be eaten without any...

Annuals are plants and flowers which only grow for one year. This is an important factor to keep in mind as you plant for your garden. Examples of annuals are zinnias, petunias, and pansies....

Aloe is a very good plant to grow. It has many medicinal purposes, is relatively easy to care for and can be grown both outdoors and indoors. If you like hummingbirds, this is also a plant which...

If you are planning to start your own personal garden, there are a few simple rules to follow so that your garden will thrive. Whether you plan to grow a vegetable garden or you want some sweet...

Ensete ventricosum Maurelii, commonly known as red banana, Abyssinian banana and Ethiopian banana, is a banana-like perennial with large reddish leaves that bears a dry, unpalatable fruit. These...

One of the best ways to transform a garden is to utilize perennials such as Veronica groundcover to add color and interest. Veronica groundcover is easy to care for and does well in full sun and...

Climbing plants are a unique and decorative addition to any garden, but it can be tricky to get them to grow the way you want them to. Most garden centers sell a selection of trellises to use...

You can water your plants midday and it will not harm your plants. It is not true that midday watering is bad for your plants and will scorch or burn the plant. If your plant or lawn is suffering...

One of the most elementary and amusing things to do with kids is to germinate lima bean seeds. You soaked your beans. You kept them moist, set them in a sunny window, and they split open to let a...

The Chinese Windmill Palm, also known as Trachycarpus fortunei, is a cold-hardy palm tree than can be cultivated as far north as Southern Virginia and Tennessee. This palm is known to withstand...

Fresh garlic shoots are a delicious and healthy part of many recipes. Garlic is an easy addition to any vegetable garden and is available in two varieties. Hard necked garlic is often...

Healthy soil with proper drainage is an important part of the successful home garden. The type of soil and amount of drainage will directly affect the type of plants that will thrive and grow in...

Having an encounter with poison ivy, oak, or sumac can be a terrible experience. The best way to deal with poison ivy, oak, and sumac is to be able to identify them and avoid them.

Ever wonder how to keep your tomatoes from getting black spots on the bottom? After this most problems should be resolved.

Garden games provide friendly family fun outdoors. Two indicators of a good garden game are their outdoor playability and their ability to withstand to the elements. A good garden game will remain...

Hostas' bright hues and hardiness make them a wonderful choice for any landscaper. They require very little maintenance and thrive in a variety of settings, making them versatile garden fillers....

Plant starting shelves are ideal for starting seedlings indoors long before the warmer weather of spring has hit your area. Getting a head start on your growing during the colder months will mean...

The American beech tree is found in the Eastern regions of the United States; it once flourished as far west as California. Beech trees are susceptible to 70 varieties of fungus, flooding and...

Stone wall planters along the side of a house create a beautiful landscaping focal point that adds polish to a home and artfully sets off carefully selected blooming flowers. Gardening in these...

Many of the seedlings purchased at your local gardening warehouse were started in greenhouses or under specially designed grow lights. This is how you are able to purchase seedlings that are more...

Plant holders are ideal for artfully displaying potted plants, but sometimes they can seem unstable. Placing heavy plants on top of a lightweight plant stand can invite everything to topple to the...

Smoke bush is a drought-tolerant deciduous shrub featuring light red leaves that darken through the summer and fall. The flowers of the bush resemble smoke and that is how the plant got its name....

Shade gardens feature a wide variety of plants with tone-on-tone green, purple and red foliage. Often the textures are shiny and pleasing to the eye. Converting a sun garden into a shaded area for...

Cedar fencing is ideal for general garden use because it is more resistant to rot and the elements than many other kinds of wood. Its reddish color makes it visually appealing and it is not as...

Starting seeds indoors is an ideal way to save on money usually spent on purchasing seedlings to be transplanted to your garden. Growing indoors also gives you the ability to start plants from...

Plant stands come in a variety of sizes and styles, ranging from simple two-shelf units to plant stands containing eight or more shelves for storing a large quantity of plants in a small space....

Mimosa trees are stunningly beautiful when in bloom. Gardeners are generally taken by their unique beauty, but at the same time loath the upkeep of these finicky trees. Unfortunately, not only do...

A drip irrigation system (also called micro irrigation) trickles water where you need it rather than all over. In other words, it saves you money and puts less of a strain on the local water...

Guarana is indigenous to the forests of Brazil, and is used to heavy bouts of rainfall and intense heat waves. Guarana is used commercially in many beverages that promote alertness, appetite...

Mini pine trees are most closely associated with the Christmas season, but there is absolutely no reason why you can't enjoy and grow miniature pines all year round. It's no harder to care for...

Tomato plants are easily damaged because of how tall they grow and how heavy the tomatoes weigh on the rest of the plant. If tomatoes aren't properly supported by a plant bracket, they face...

The fig tree is more commonly known as the fig bush, since it rarely develops into the recognizable shape of a tree. If you have a fig bush or if you would like to have one and you know someone...

Fig trees need to be protected during the colder winter months, depending on the climate where you live. If you do need to winterize your fig tree, here are some tips on how to do so.

Throw your garden into motion with a path of garden stepping stones. Not only does it serve a purpose of beauty but also gives direction to otherwise dull landscapes and muddy walkways. Lawn...

Any serious gardener knows how important it is to know how to identify weeds. Knowing what kind of weed is in your garden is the best way to know how to prevent it from coming back and affecting...

Starting plants from seed early in the year is an ideal way to get a jump start on the growing season. When the seedlings are transplanted into the ground in the spring, they will already have a...

Often used as an ornamental lawn decoration, the agave plant has thick, sharp, pointed teeth on its leaves and spine. Its leaf juice has been used to relieve itching because it contains steroids...

Understanding the difference between Ortho (Orthophosphate) and Poly (Polyphosphate) liquid fertilizers equates to the use of liquid fertilizer, the manufacture of them and the cost of production....

Topiaries are garden sculptures created from plants that are trimmed in a variety of shapes. Most popular topiaries are created using ivies or decorative shrubs. While topiary templates are...