Advice, tips, and tricks for new gardeners.
11 worst gardening mistakes beginners make
Learn from other people's mishaps to avoid this list of worst gardening mistakes beginners often make. By necessity, being new to something means you're going to make mistakes. That's how you improve! The same is
How long do seeds last? Seed longevity and storage guide…
Trying to figure out how long a certain seed will last? Want your seeds to last for as many years as possible? Find all the answers to your questions in this article! Seeds are the closest thing to magic we know of… It’s hard to believe those tiny little specks you’re holding in the palm of your hand are not only alive and metabolizing (albeit very slowly), but they also contain all the genetic and epigenetic information needed to grow an entire plant. These tiny specks are alive and have all the genetic information they need to grow into kale plants. Then at a certain point in their life cycle, they’ll produce countless new seeds containing small bits of new information that will help them grow better in the particular environment the parent seed experienced. And the process starts anew. Watching a seed sprout to life and grow into a mature plant is a wonder-filled experience for both kids and adults. If you’re a gardener, you have the opportunity to be an integral part of this magical process many times throughout the year.
Top 18 garden herbs to attract pollinators
In the kitchen, herbs add flavor and depth to nearly any dish. But aside from adding unique flavors to your food and beauty in your garden, herbs can also serve other essential roles in your garden such as: attracting pollinators who will also pollinate your other food plants (flower pollen provides fat and protein and nectar provides a sugar-rich carbohydrate), serving as host plants for pollinators’ offspring, and attracting predatory insects to help control pest insect populations. Most herbs are also fairly easy to grow, especially long-lived perennial herbs that get larger and stronger from year to year. (If you’ve ever seen a giant 10+ year old rosemary plant, you get the idea.) The same intense flavors and smells that make herbs useful as a spice for humans are also good olfactory defenses against insects that might otherwise eat them. Just like you, an insect might enjoy a taste of rosemary, but not a meal full. You just need to make sure you know basic care instructions for the particular herb you want to grow AND are certain that it can grow in your climate zone. The other important thing to know is that there are various stages of an herb’s life cycle. During the period in which it’s putting on vegetative growth, pollinators will have no reason to forage the plant (although they may be a host plant for pollinator caterpillars at that stage). However, once your herbs start flowering, expect to see a diversity of pollinators foraging from dawn to dusk. Now, are you ready to grow herbs for both your kitchen and your pollinators?
The 5 Funniest Online Plant Scams with Real Garden Alternatives
There are lots of online plant scams intended to prey on unsuspecting or uneducated gardeners. Here are five of the funniest Amazon.com plant scams we've seen over the years... We love Amazon.com marketplace (and the
Winter Gardening Tips from Master Gardener and Permaculturist Eliza Lord
I'm often asked for winter gardening tips or how to get started with a cold season garden. My answer? It depends on where you're located, what you like eating, and when you want to harvest your
How to work with insects to grow an amazing garden
95% of insects are beneficial or benign. Insects are necessary for a healthy, productive garden, and they play an essential role in nature. Learn to work with insects to become a better organic gardener. Updated: May
How to turn fall leaves into garden soil
Learn how to turn fall leaves into garden soil to have your healthiest, most productive gardens ever — while reducing waste! Dead leaves are nature's fertilizer It’s never the wrong season to improve your garden