Gardening Basics

Earth worms are nature's gardeners. They cultivate, aerate and fertilize, all without any effort or payment from you. Raise or buy them, then add worms to your lawn and garden and let them go to...

Several varieties make up the onion family, including the Egyptian onion that not only grows bulbs underground, but forms infant onions on its stems to replant. The best way to grow an onion is...

Keeping your soil moist is essential for plant growth. Soil harbors many bacteria and other microbes that require moisture to thrive. These miniature communities keep plant roots healthy. If the...

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...

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...

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

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...

Flowering plum trees feature beautiful green leaves, a rounded shape, light pink flowers and decadently sweet fruits. They generally reach 20 or 30 feet in height, with trunks that are 6 to...

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...

Outdoor plants in direct sunlight require plenty of water. Because of the intense heat, water can quickly evaporate before the plants have a chance to absorb it. Whether your plants are in pots or...

Both pine and cedar mulch are commonly used in gardening. Though they offer similar benefits, there are some important differences between them that home gardeners should be aware of.

The shady hosta is a very low maintenance perennial plant that does well with little attention. The plant will die back in late fall, and gardeners could allow the leaves to decompose naturally...

Mulch is an organic material that is spread over the landscape and can be composed of bark, leaves and other waste products. Some plant leaves, such as those from an oak, are more acidic than...

There are as many reasons to use raised beds as there are ways to create them. Vegetables and ornamentals alike get more air circulation in raised beds, and tend to make more efficient use of...

Container gardening is convenient for many apartment dwellers or homeowners who have poor ground soil. Many vegetables and flowers can easily be grown on a patio or even indoors in pots. While...

Preparing your shrubs for winter is as much about knowing what not to do, as about knowing how to shelter the plants. Perennial plants and shrubs protect themselves naturally in winter by going...

English ivy can be grown inside or outside in both sunny and shady areas. Outdoors, English ivy forms a deep, dense ground cover that needs little water, except during dry conditions. It likes...

Growing a garden at home is a great way to have fresh produce available. However, you need to take optimal care of your edible plants to make sure they produce a large quantity of fruit and...

Spreading mulch in your garden area provides variety of benefits for the smart gardener. Among mulches, cedar perhaps offers the best benefits, including natural insect repellent. Regrettably,...

One of the most basic garden care tasks is weeding. Weeds in a flower or vegetable garden are a problem because they compete with your plants for growing space, water and nutrients in the soil....

Heather is a robust, colorful perennial shrub that is native in cold, damp climates and can grow well in rocky, acidic soil with little to no fertilizer. Heather foliage comes in a wide range of...

You're ready to mulch the garden area of your yard and you've measured the area in feet, but the mulch bags are sold in cubic yards. It's not too complicated to determine the total amount of yard...

Cool weather brings falling leaves and the end of the growing season for annuals and perennials. Many of the plants, trees and shrubs in your landscape are entering the dormant season. Preparing...

Now that the seasons are changing, there are many ways you can start preparing for a beautiful home and yard next spring. Many of us have started gardening in the past few years, and now our...

Everyone knows how important mulch is to plants---providing a barrier against weeds, conditioning the soil, providing nutrients as it decomposes and even keeping roots cool---but how do you figure...

Applying mulch to desert plants helps protect plant roots from cold weather, provides nutrients to the soil as it decomposes, inhibits weed growth, protects seeds from animals, makes your desert...

Butterfly bushes are so named because they attract butterflies; they also attract hummingbirds. The very fragrant flowers of the butterfly bush come in vibrant shades of red, purple, pink, blue,...

Botanists have identified about 500 to 1,000 species within the allium or onion genus in both ornamental and edible varieties, according to a March 2003 PBS special. The method for transplanting...

Clay soil presents a challenge for gardeners. It holds water, compacts, and cracks when it dries. Clay soil often is fertile, but plants may have a hard time accessing nutrients because the clay...

Outdoor planters make dramatic statements near front doors, patios decks and balconies. You can plant flowers from your garden or include plants that make their own aesthetic statement. In...

Selecting the proper plants for your raingarden depends on several factors including the soil type, your growing zone, the amount of direct sun each day. You also want to make sure you arrange...

Mulch is used to keep moisture in flowerbeds, gardens and around trees, and to prevent the growth of weeds. Pine bark is one of many types of mulching materials. For best results, plant before you...

Having an apple tree, whether it be single or an orchard, can bring delight during each harvest. To keep the tree(s) healthy as well as have a high yield of fruit, you need to give it attention...

Placing a covering of mulch around the base of a live oak (Quercus virginiana) serves both an aesthetic and plant-helping purpose. A layer of organic mulch about 3 inches deep around the tree will...

Mulch is a type of ground cover put around plants. It may help to control weeds, retain moisture, provide warmth, prevent erosion and sometimes add nutrients to soil.

Earthworms are an essential part of a healthy garden. While the idea of adding these slimy, creepy crawlers to your garden might make you uneasy, it is important to note that earthworms are a part...

Fruit tree mulching is an easy and important practice for keeping your trees healthy year after year. Any fruit tree will benefit from the application of a good mulch as long as a few key points...

Clay soil causes a number of problems in the garden. It drains slowly, it takes longer to warm in the spring, and, because it compacts easily, it is difficult for the roots of a plant to...

Wrapping plants can save them from freezing, especially from the bitter freezes of 10 degrees Fahrenheit and lower. It also protects them from heavy snows. Especially susceptible to freezing...

Each clove in the garlic bulbs you see at the supermarket is capable of sprouting into a full-grown garlic plant; that is, it would if it hadn't been treated to sprout. Because of these...

Rubber mulch is somewhat controversial. It is useful and does protect plants well; however, there are some drawbacks. The expense and initial odors seem to repel some away from this landscaping...

Choose a south or east facing slope to plant your vineyard. Pick an area that has good air circulation to prevent mildew and rot, but avoid low areas where cold air pools. Grapes adapt to most...

The calla lily (Zantedeschia) is a type of flowering bulb that is native to the African continent but grown throughout North America. The plant produces large white, pink or yellow flowers and is...

Mulch is any material that is layered on the top of the ground to protect the soil. Mulching prevents water loss through evaporation, reduces weed growth, keeps the soil cool in the summer and...

It's fall time and the leaves are falling. Raking leaves and bringing them to the local compost dump can be very time consuming. Also when you need mulch it can be a pain driving to and from the...

Does the thought of starting a compost pile intimidate you? It is a little work, but well worth the effort. Your fruit and vegetables will be so much more flavorful if they have been composted. ...

Want to grow a blueberry bush at home? Growing blueberries can be tough. Blueberry bushes are extremely fussy when it comes to the soil they are planted in. Blueberry bushes can make a great...

The best way to produce healthy plants is with soil that is healthy and full of the nutrients plants need. One way to add organic matter to soil is by applying peat moss. Peat moss absorbs and...

Everbearing strawberries don't really produce fruit year-round, but they do produce fruit in the spring and early autumn. The twice-year production gives you two opportunities to enjoy fresh,...

My garden is fading quickly. Since I only use perennials, there's work to be done soon, to protect these plants from dying over the winter. I continue to water my plants (if rain is...