Gardening Basics

Every spring as the weather turns warm and the sun is shining bright in the sky you may decide that you need to landscape your yard. Before landscaping your yard you need to think about how to...

Clay soil holds water even when completely drained and is sticky. It is a heavy soil, containing minerals, clay, silt, sand, water and air. Clay soil is found throughout the US, but is most...

Grapes are hardy and versatile plants. There are many varieties, each one preferring different conditions, so most gardeners can find one that will grow well in their area. The vines are...

Old Bradford pear trees are popularly known for their oval shape and the beautiful and juicy pear fruits they produce. They are considered old or mature trees when they reach a height of 30 to 50...

Making a trellis out of PVC is quite easy and should take you less then 30 minutes to complete. A trellis made out of PVC will last longer than the wood trellis that you buy at the nursery and is...

Citrus trees are deciduous trees that are hardiest in warmer climates with temperatures that rarely dip below freezing. Brightly colored fruits in yellow, orange or green make for a colorful...

When considering an area for your first garden it is important to remove the grass or sod that is already there. Rather than using chemicals or tilling up the soil and disturbing the natural eco...

Zoysia grass is a common warm-weather turfgrass that creates a lush, green lawn. Keeping Zoysia grass out of a flowerbed is not easy because it spreads quickly and is difficult to control. Zoysia...

Identifying plants and flowers is an effective tool for making a list of what your would like to grow, finding out what type of native vegetation is growing in your yard and figuring out what...

Purple fountain grass is an ornamental grass known for its cascading leaves and dramatic color. Because these grasses grow as clumps, they stay within the confines of their designated growing...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Wild apple trees are different from commercial apple trees in that they are not hybrids and they are more easily grown from seed than popular apple trees often found in nurseries. If you live in a...

Honeysuckle, while pretty when growing in areas that don't need a structured appearance, can add a sloppy look to your hedges. These pushy weeds can virtually take over your hedges, stealing...

Rose bushes add romance and formality to just about any backyard garden. With their thorny stems and intricately layered buds, they are ideal for picking and placing in a vase indoors. Their...

Many greenhouses across the United States sell a wide variety of garden seeds, from vegetables, to fruits and trees. While seeds are bountiful, there may be some seeds that you can only locate...

Ponds add tasteful decorative touches to many backyard environments. Crystal-clear water with beautiful fish swimming about invites relaxation and meditation to all who visit your home. In spite...

When growing vegetables outside, your success is at the mercy of nature. It is not surprising that gardeners would wish to grow vegetables in an environment that's more controlled and not affected...

A waterfall draws attention in any garden. Most people plan their garden landscape design around the structure of the waterfall. Garden waterfalls can range from small to large, offering...

Sometimes watering your garden can be the most difficult or time-consuming aspect of gardening. To simplify this process and make your garden run easier, find a nearby stream with a constant flow...

We have all heard about the benefits of eating organic foods. Fresh produce in particular is important to eat organically because the pesticides sprayed on conventionally grown vegetables can be...

With all the media hype of late, you've probably heard of the Green Movement, and if you're like most Americans, you'd like to do something to help our planet. One of the first things you can do...

The pygmy date palm, also known as Phoenix roebelenii, is a small ornamental palm tree that is common across warmer parts of the United States and in tropical locations. It is easy to care for,...

Agave is a century plant with a rosette shape and thick, prickly leaves. It can be used as a decorative plant, or mature agave plants with stalks can be harvested for food and beverages. Because...

Greenhouses are wonderful tools that allow you to extend the growing season. Depending on where you live, it is possible to grow plants in your greenhouse nearly year-round. Whether you are...

In this article I will show you each of three steps to grown raspberries in your own garden.

Two problems are associated with magnolia leaves: they are easily blown by the wind and because they are thick, waxy, and fibrous they take substantial time to decompose into a workable mulch or...

Gardening can be tricky business, especially because so many aspects of the soil must be considered. The ph level, consistency, fertility and more are all aspects that can mean all the difference...

If your yard has a lot of shade or a mainly northern exposure, you do have limits on the type of plants that will thrive there. Fortunately, there are a number of plants that do well in a northern...

If you have ever admired native plants in the wild, you may enjoy incorporating some of them into your existing landscape. Many native plants, as well as successfully introduced species, can be...

Worm composting, or vermiculture, is an easy way to start composting. Worm composting can be done inside or outside, and if done right it has no odor. Worm composting starts with finding or making...

Bad yard drainage means oversaturation of water in the soil. When the soil becomes waterlogged, plants become susceptible to root rot or other fungal diseases. Sandy and loam soils generally do...

Compost worms, typically red wigglers or Eisenia fetida, require a hospitable habitat to flourish. The five essentials for their care are appropriate bedding, food, moisture, pH level and...

The Queen Palm is a tropical tree native to Brazil and Argentina. It's commonly seen along streets and in parks in tropical and subtropical regions, but it can also be grown indoors. The Queen...

According to the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, compost is created by the "biological decomposition of organic wastes by bacteria, fungi, worms and other...

A privet is a landscape shrub that can be moved or transplanted during the late fall or spring after the ground can be worked. The roots must be disturbed as little as possible during the process...