Gardening Basics

Hydroseeding is the common term used to describe hydraulic mulch seeding. It is a fast and effective plant process that utilizes a slurry of seed and mulch to seed a large area and encourage...

Canes of bamboo grow from rhizomes, a sort of underground stem. Propagating cloned bamboo by planting harvested pieces of rhizomes with buds is a fast, easy, and inexpensive way to fill the...

Compost is one of the best things you can add to the soil in your garden. Made up of decomposed plants and plant material, compost contains beneficial bacteria, micro-nutrients, potassium,...

Ladybugs, or ladybirds as they are known in some places, are among the most well-known and well-liked insects. These red or orange beetles with black spots prey on aphids, helping gardeners and...

Getting ready for winter means bringing in the lawn furniture, putting up storm windows and maybe preparing firewood. It also means protecting young plants that may not have had time to root...

Using compost in the garden helps fertilize and condition the soil. Most people mix the compost into the soil, but you can also just spread it on top as either an additive that's then covered by...

Compost is an excellent organic material which can fertilize, condition and enhance the quality of your garden soil greatly. Often referred to as black gold by gardeners, compost is very dark in...

Certain types of grapes are found growing wild throughout the state of Florida, particularly in the humid regions. Muscadines are the most commonly found grape in the state, while other grapes...

Hibiscus plants are popular in gardens across the country. This bush produces showy flowers in colors ranging from yellow to red in the springtime, and can be easily maintained with little pruning...

A weeping willow tree is a lovely addition to any home lawn or garden. Planting a weeping willow near a septic area in your lawn is not a problem, as the weeping willow does very well in moist...

Fruit trees are broadleaf and usually deciduous, meaning they lose their leaves annually in the fall. Knowing what types of fruit trees occur naturally will narrow the list of possibilities when...

Flowers bring sunshine into your home even on the rainiest of days. Their vibrant color and fresh aroma are enough to brighten any house. Knowing when and how to pick your flowers is the first...

Do you need manure in compost? The short answer is no. You can make perfectly good compost without manure. While farm animal manure is a very good source of nitrogen (one of the primary elements...

The Venus flytrap (Dionaea muscipula) is a carnivorous plant native to North Carolina. This plant has adapted to low-nutrient conditions by evolving its leaves to attract, trap and digest animal...

Ivy is a lush plant that can be found around the world. It's naturally a climber, which means it's quick to cover both the ground and the walls it grows near. But when green ivy is tamed, it can...

One of the best gardening secrets has always been soil additives. Some gardeners have their own formulas for creating the best gardens using mulch, compost and fertilizers. However, there are some...

Love spaghetti or pizza? Growing tomatoes will give you plenty of one of the main ingredient for these dishes.

Squirrels can devastate pecan trees in just a matter of weeks and even days. This article will give you step by step instructions for keeping squirrels out of pecan trees and any tree for that...

Having a beautiful patio garden can be a wonderful way to create a relaxing place to enjoy a cup of tea on a pleasant evening. Incorporating lights to illuminate your patio plants is not only...

Gardening can be one of the most relaxing activities. You can grow almost anything depending on your climate. Maybe you want to grow some vegetables in your garden, or maybe you wish to plant a...

Privet hedges are easy to grow. They will quickly fill in and give you a thick hedge of greenery. Some countries such as Australia have outlawed growing privet hedges because they grow like weeds....

I know that most of us are too busy shopping and getting ready for Christmas that we try to ignore and forget about our gardens. But our gardens are still there and need a little attention. It...

Once believed to be a delicacy reserved for special occasions, asparagus has become as commonly grown throughout Australia as peas and carrots. Exports of Australian asparagus are sold in...

Water softeners use either sodium chloride or potassium chloride to remove minerals from hard water. Because they leave very little trace of sodium or potassium behind, it's OK to water a garden...

Shucking pecans without gloves allows the yellow sap to oxidize on hands and turn them dark brown or black. Unfortunately while you can lighten the the shade of the stain by using an abrasive like...

Want to make those houseplants grow twice as fast? Try these all-natural and cheap homemade fertilizers, all made from items you already have in your home.

Evergreens provide color, windbreak and privacy to the landscape year-round. They are a food source and habitat for wildlife as well. Sometimes in the dead of winter, however, a little greenery...

The hose-end fertilizer application method is the easiest fertilizer application method available. The fertilizer used in hose-end applicators is water soluble, which is one of the reasons it is...

Growing a new plant without planting seeds first may seem impossible, however, it is one of the most common means of plant reproduction. Cloning, as gardeners refer to it, is the method of...

While pecan trees offer shade and edible nuts, they are high-maintenance trees that need space, proper irrigation and fertilization to reach their full height of at least 70 feet. Along with...

Growing your own tomatoes allows you to have delicious, healthy food straight from your own backyard. While tomato plants do not require too much work to pollinate, you may notice your plants are...

One way to plan and visualize a garden before you go outside with your shovel is to use an online garden layout application. This is a way to experiment with different options and get a sense of...

Trees enhance home landscapes. A thorough knowledge of appropriate species, proper timing and the correct tools to use will improve homeowners' success in transplanting trees into their landscapes.

Wood chips make an ideal mulch for use in planting beds, around trees, and in decorative gardens. They also aid in maintaining adequate soil moisture and preventing weed infiltration. The...

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...

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....

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...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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.