Fertilizing your plants can sometimes be a bit overwhelming if you are unsure of what to use. It is essential though to use fertilizers when you are looking to get the best out of your plants, as most soils will not provide the essential long term nutrients needed for full plant potential. Whenever you see a fertilizer product, it will …
Herbs
Growing herbs is a simple way to add edible plants to your garden. Most herbs are very versatile, and grow well in the ground or in containers. They also mix nicely with either perennial or annual flowers in your garden. A few square feet given to growing herbs outside the back door or along the patio can also serve the needs …
Wave Petunia vs. the Supertunia
Always a gardeners favorite annual, petunias now come in newer varieties offering even more spectacular shows of color than ever before. The Wave Petunia and Supertunia are among those that create show stopping ground cover or hanging baskets. So how do you know which one to choose? Uses The Wave petunia is known for their ability to blanket the garden …
Container Gardening
Pots overflowing with colorful flowers and lush foliage improve any deck, patio or balcony. Container gardening allows anyone to enjoy the pleasure of growing plants. In the sun, try a fragrant pot of lavender that honey bees will love. In the shade, beautiful hostas and begonias will thrive. The secret to creating a professional looking container with full mature plants …
Zinnias
Zinnias are annuals, meaning that they go from seed to flower to seed in one growing season, so they will not come back up the following year. Zinnias like to be grown from seed right in the garden bed – but the seeds can also be started indoors 4-6 weeks before you’re ready to plant them outside. Transplant them while …
Lantana
If a hot, dry spot in your garden is a problem, then Lantana is the answer to every gardener’s prayers. It requires amazingly little care or maintenance, yet it produces colorful blooms all summer long. This hardworking plant thrives with little moisture in full, hot sun. It’s also easy to grow and extremely attractive to pollinators. It’s common to see …
Beginning to Garden
Gardening takes a lot of practice to figure out how to get the most from your plants – but it’s a lot fun and very rewarding when everything is growing and blooming! Because we live in a world where immediate gratification is overflowing, it makes it harder to develop the patience needed for growing different plants – whether we are …
Rhubarb
Rhubarb is an easy plant to grow and if you get the conditions right at the start it will be relatively trouble free for many years. It is a plant that looks fantastic in the vegetable garden with its large leaves and striking red stems but also gives you a sweet and tasty treat when there is little else to …
Annual vs. Perennial
Annuals True annuals are plants that germinate, flower, set seed and die all in one season. Their ultimate goal is to reproduce themselves (by setting seed). Once a plant has done that, then its mission has been accomplished. Until this happens though, they will flower like mad and can provide plenty of colorful enjoyment. If you decide to deadhead these …
Butterfly Bush
Butterfly bushes can be quite easy to grow, when you know a bit about their requirements and preferences. They are excellent pollinators for butterflies! Butterfly bush need full sun. They require a minimum of 6-8 hours of bright sunlight. They also need good drainage. Their roots are sensitive to rotting, and if they spend any amount of time in wet …