Gardening Basics

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...

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...

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.

Elephant Ears, with their brightly hued foliage, add year-round color to your garden. They grow well in either full or partial sunlight, but are not hardy enough to survive the colder winter...

Most people assume winter is the end of the gardening season, unless you are willing to invest in a greenhouse. One task that can continue in the winter is composting. Composting is largely a...

Composting is a wonderful way to do your part for the environment by cutting down on organic waste that typically gets sent off to the landfill and takes up valuable space on our planet. With...

After spending a summer meticulously caring for your tender plants, the last thing you want is to see them suffer under the harsh conditions of winter. Potting plants and bringing them indoors...

Greenhouses offer the ultimate season extension device for home and market gardeners. A passive greenhouse or hoop house provides enough plant protection to stretch early spring and fall...

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...

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...

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...

Fall garden clean up is essential to maintain a healthy garden year round. In the garden, winter is the time when insect larvae hibernates on spent plants. By cleaning up dead plants, spent...

Winter is coming. Outside gardening is coming to an end for the season, but there are still gardening-related projects you can do over wintertime. Plan the projects prudently.

If you're not ready to plant, it's easy to store potted and bare-root trees, shrubs and perennials by heeling them into a trench to winter-over. The expression "to heel in" is derived from the...

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...

Hanging baskets filled with plants or flowers are a great way to make the most of limited outdoor space. However, storing these baskets during cold winter months can be a challenge. If left...

Grafting is the uniting of the bottom and top portion of two different trees. This is a common practice when propagating fruit trees. The bottom part is called the rootstock and the top part is...

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...

Many home gardeners make a great effort to tend to their lawn and gardens during the more temperate months of the year. Come winter, however, it is all too easy to slack off. By taking some late...

Fall is a great season for working on your lawn and garden. It is a season of harvest and a season of preparation. In the fall I collect the figs from my fig tree, enjoy the last of the flowers...

Above ground, trees look inactive during the winter. However, below ground, trees are still working hard to gather nutrients and grow roots. It is important to keep your trees watered during the...

Because most fruits, vegetables and colorful, showy blossoms appear in warmer months, spring and summer are usually a gardener's time to shine. The turning of the leaves in fall brings its own...

A cold frame is essentially the smallest of greenhouses and is one of the most common do-it-yourself gardening projects. It provides a simple way to grow plants throughout the winter months by...

As fall creeps up on us, the garden will slowly come to a rest for the winter. It will not be long before it is time to start getting it ready for spring again. How you prepare your garden in the...

As fall creeps up on us, the garden will slowly come to a rest for the winter. It will not be long before it is time to start getting it ready for spring again. How you prepare your garden in the...

Pruning outdoor plants every year is a great way to encourage new growth for the following growing season. Prune back one-third of a plant each winter or early spring with helpful information from...

We've worked in our gardens all summer long now, and in some parts of the country fall is not far away. Our outdoor plants are absolutely gorgeous by now. Our bushes, shrubs, flowers, and trees...

Getting your garden ready for Winter will make your garden easier to plant next spring. It will also be nearly pest free.

Growing a garden is rewarding work. In addition to the usual spring planting, you might have tried planting in summer to have a late harvest or attempted successive plantings of rapidly maturing...

You can start a vegetable garden any time of the year, even if you live in an area with cold winters. If you are fortunate enough to live where the growing season is longer, then you have more...

Cutting or pruning plants is important for several reasons, from removing damaged stems to controlling shape and size to inducing bloom. Some plants require pruning to perform optimally, such as...

Winter gardens are more rare than summer gardens, but they provide fresh, nutritious meals with very little maintenance. Check your climate zone for varieties that work best in your location and...

It's never too early to start planning for your winter garden landscape. There's no reason you can't have a great looking garden during the winter months when flowers are dormant and gardening...

Garden tools can be cleaned and stored for the winter using a wire brush and a little oil to prevent rusting. Clean and store gardening tools for the winter with tips from a landscaper in this...

Pear trees are dormant in the winter, and thus the winter is the best time of year to prune them. Prune pear trees by getting rid of damaged, diseased or dead-looking branches with help from a...

When mowing the lawn after winter is over, start by cutting the grass at a shorter height than normal for a few times, and then mow it at the desired height. Avoid shocking grass after the winter...

The palette of the garden shifts in winter from the shy green and pastels of spring, the exuberant colors of summer and the vivid hues of fall to a more somber and subtle display. You can add to...

Pampas grass and other ornamental grasses look best when they get an annual pruning in mid to late winter. Trimming them back removes the brown blades and allows the new grass to come out looking...

Whether you have sunshine or snow, warm temperatures or cold, you can still get a good workout by gardening in the winter months. Here are some tips on how get some exercise for mind and body...

The last roses of summer bloom at different times depending on where they grow and their pedigrees. Most roses that grow in the northern parts of the United States benefit from some winter...

When scheduling fruit tree maintenance, use the winter time to eliminate dead branches, prune back overgrowth and spray down the tree with oil to kill any bugs. Maintain a fruit tree through the...

Refrigerating bulbs is sometimes necessary in climates that do not experience a cold enough winter to provide the dormant period necessary for a bulb's development. Place bulbs in a paper bag, and...

For many years, winter has been considered a dead season for gardens and gardeners alike. However, with careful landscaping, you can enjoy a beautiful garden in all four seasons, even in the...

As the weather cools, ponds and pond life goes to sleep for the winter. This is true for natural ponds and man-made ones alike. If you have a pond, you will want to make sure yours is all ready...

If you have acquired a nice selection of clay pots over the years you know the importance of keeping them clean and ready for the next use. The price of clay pots has really increased in recent...

As winter weather makes outdoor gardening less feasible in many areas of the country, you can focus on some other fun and useful aspects of gardening. Here are some suggestions on how to work on...

With the summer winding down to a close and Autumn's chill in the air, it is time to start getting your garden ready for the winter! Here are the steps you need to take to winterize your yard.

Fall is the time to prepare your gardens for a long winter's nap. When the gardens awaken in spring, you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor. Massachusetts gardening expert Ed Albino offers tips for...

Winter water feature preparation will vary depending on the severity of your winters. But unless you live in a fully frost free climate, there will be some work to do to take your water feature...

Autumn is the time when most gardens are going into dormancy. There are ways to help settle you garden in for its winter sleep. Some areas of the country are warm enough to use the autumn to...