“Koke” is Japanese for “moss.” And “dama” is possibly the translation for “ball,” or it could be “tama” and maybe mean “marble.” Even though there may be something lost in translation, “kokedama” is now considered to mean “moss ball.” In Japan, it has been a popular gardening style, similar to bonsai, and it is becoming…
Spring Garden Pest Control
As spring arrives, it is time to start scouting for signs of diseases, insects, and weeds. Once a pest is found that may result in significant damage, a control measure must be found to produce an economical reduction of the pest population. The control must also be minimally disruptive to the natural controls of the…
The Fleeting Beauty of Spring Ephemerals
Spring is moving north. One way we know that is to look at the early spring ephemeral wildflowers. These flowers are designed to leaf out, bloom, produce seeds, and then go dormant before the landscape becomes too shady. Some of them keep their leaves all summer, and some go dormant as the summer heat comes….
Easter Lilies and Early Tomatoes
Last year at this time, around Easter, most areas had lockdowns. Most churches weren’t able to have in-person services and weren’t buying Easter lilies. I wrote about how many independent garden centers that sold Easter lilies, annual flowers, and vegetable plants were having a hard time financially. But as people stayed home from work and…
Rose Care and Privacy Plants
Q: Last year, I planted six roses. Over the winter, the stems have turned brown except for the very bottom. Rabbits have begun eating some of them. Is there something I can do to protect them? A: Late winter is a hard time of year for many animals. New sprouts have not yet started their…
New Books for New Gardeners
As we talked about last week, many people became gardeners in the past few years, especially last year. Gardeners have always turned to books to help them learn. Here are new books that are going to deserve a special place on the gardener’s bookshelf. For the people who are new to houseplants, there is a…
The Best Lighting for Houseplants
A lot more people are growing houseplants because they are staying home and want a prettier house. Unfortunately, many homes don’t have enough good-quality light for plants that need bright light. Obviously, lights can be added to those dark corners, but what kind of light should you get? Not every lightbulb, or the quantity and…
How to Care for Fiddle Leaf Figs
Let’s start today’s article with a one-question quiz. When it is growing in nature, is the common houseplant fiddle leaf fig, Ficus lyrata, A) a tropical tree; B) an epiphyte that grows on the branches of another tree; C) a killer plant that strangles other plants; or D) all of the above? The answer is…
How to Care for a Rubber Tree Plant
You may not remember the 1959 Oscar-award-winning song titled “High Hopes” and sung by Frank Sinatra, but I do. Don’t worry; I won’t sing any of it. But here are some of the lyrics: “Just what makes that little old ant think he’ll move that rubber tree plant. / Anyone knows an ant can’t—move a…
How to Test Saved Garden Seeds
Q: I saved seeds from several of my garden plants last year, including pumpkins, peppers, and peas. I want to store more again this fall, but I wanted to start with a few and see how they worked. Besides just planting them and seeing what comes up, how can I be sure the seeds are…
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