Plant Basics

Even the healthiest, most vigorous and cold-hardy plant will be shocked by the move from a warm, sunlight room to an outdoor, unheated greenhouse. The temperatures will be colder, especially at...

Campanula alpina is a biennial plant that takes its name from the bell-shaped flowers it produces. A biennial plant takes two years to grow from the seed to full bloom before dying. Biennials last...

Many gardeners grow their own bedding plants, starting them indoors in the late winter. Tiny seeds are usually started in a seeding flat and then transplanted into packs after they germinate....

If you have the gardening space, growing pumpkins can be very rewarding. Pumpkins are a large, versatile squash that can be used in many savory dishes, soups, puddings, sweets and baked goods. If...

Pale yellow, almost perfectly round fruits with a flavor somewhere between and apple and a pear, Asian pears have a light, crispy texture that delights the palate. For the gourmet gardener,...

Lobelia siphilitica, also known as Great Blue Lobelia, is a flowering perennial that produces impressive blue blooms that attract hummingbirds. This plant also has a rich tradition among Native...

Ornamental grasses include a wide variety of plants that suit a wide variety of needs in the garden. From small accents to large privacy screens, these plants are utilized in almost every fashion...

Growing seedlings in potting soil indoors is an ideal way to get a jump start on your garden's growing season. Plants such as tomatoes, peppers and broccoli will give you an earlier harvest when...

Starting plants from seed gives you access to a greater variety of both vegetables and flowers as well as saving money over buying nursery grown seedlings. Seeds come in all sizes, ranging from...

Ranging from tall and sweeping to dwarf and compact, irises are among some of the most popular gardening plants. The lacy iris blooms come in a variety of colors and patterns. Propagating iris by...

Most hibiscus plants are hybrids--human-altered plants created by mixing pollen and seeds from different parents. While it's possible to gather seeds from your hibiscus plant and grow new plants,...

Barley is a plant belonging to the grass family. Barley is widely used to make cereals, beer, whiskey and ale. It is also used to feed farm animals. Barley proves itself a tolerant plant in its...

What do plants require to grow? It would be better if you begin to nurture the plants which are easy to manage common plants like fenugreek, coriander, beans and lentils. These invariably sprout...

A native North American perennial plant, coneflower plants are easy to grow, low maintenance and attractive. The most popular variety grown is the purple coneflower, and it can be started from...

Gibberellic acid was discovered by plant pathologists in Japan who were studying a disease that caused rice seedlings to grow too much and die.

There are several varieties of cineraria, from the beautiful, flower-laden houseplant to the silver leaf dusty miller (Centaurea cineraria) found in many landscapes. There is even a cineraria that...

There are 2 types of squash -- summer squash and winter squash. Summer squash is a favorite among many people as it has a soft skin and tender flesh, unlike its winter counterpart with its hard...

Desert roses are a type of succulent that originated in Africa. These plants feature a thick, swollen caudex, bright green leaves and under ideal conditions are capable of producing an abundance...

Sometimes the best outdoor gardens begin indoors. Many gardeners start their vegetable seeds indoors several weeks before planting time, to get them off to a good start. This is especially true...

I start seeds indoors in early Spring for my vegetable garden. This is cheaper than buying plants, and you can get a wider variety of the vegetables you like. Plus, I like to get my hands in...

Starting seeds indoors not only gives you a chance to garden when its too cold outside, but it lets you get a jump on the season when spring rolls around. It's a lot less expensive way to get a...

At the first sign of spring, gardening centers stock their shelves with row after row of seedlings in the early stages of development. When many sizes and choices become available, it’s...