Tag: gardening

Secrets for How to Grow an Edible Garden Just About Anywhere

Wish you could grow an edible garden but you just don’t have any place to do that? I’ve got good news. Even if you rent and your landlord won’t allow you to dig up part of the property, no problem. You don’t need acreage, a big yard, or “perfect” conditions. In fact, you really don’t…


On Gardening: Persian Shield Is Beautifully Exotic

By Norman Winter From Tribune News Service Recently I stumbled across a plant recipe called “This is the Life.” Not only was it a collection of some of my favorite plants, it was a wake-up call to an old favorite: the Persian Shield. Known botanically as Strobilanthes dyerianus, it is native to Myanmar and has…


Potato Seeds or Seed Potatoes

Q: I saw a sign in the store that said potato seeds, but it appeared that the boxes for sale had potatoes in them. I have never seen potato seeds. Can I buy potato seeds? A: Both potato seeds and seed potatoes are real, but it is unlikely that you will be able to buy…


Real-Life Tarzan: Plant-Lover Spends Over $26,000 Turning Home Into Jungle

A plant-lover has spent 20,000 pounds ($26,000) on turning his home into an indoor jungle complete with 3,000 plants. Jonny Balchandani, 34, has slowly been transforming his home for the last decade after falling in love with nature and plants. His five-bed home in Castlemorton, Malvern, England, has been taken over by indoor plants, with over…


10 Gardening Ideas to Steal From the French

Turn your backyard into a French paradise France is known for its beautiful dichotomy between architectural and natural beauty. Building wise, obvious standouts are the Eiffel Tower, the Arc de Triumph and the Notre-Dame Cathedral, but the real beauty of France is what surrounds these iconic structures. The Palace of Versailles for example, a beautiful…


Vibrant Violets

Thanks to Valentine’s Day, February is known as the month for love; and so, you might guess that roses are the dominant floral gifts during this shortest month of the year. However, long before the lovers’ holiday, and even before St. Valentine himself, another flower had a history in both myth and everyday life—violets. Characteristics…


All About The Poppy Flower

Poppy Flower or “Coquelicot” The poppy flower, or “coquelicot” in French, has been named one of the most symbolic flowers in the entire world. There are few other flowers that have played as important of a role in religion, medicine, politics, and mythology. Whether found in grazing fields, your favorite foods, or decorative storefronts, this…


Why Are My Plants Turning Yellow?

Are the leaves of one of your favorite plants turning yellow, but you can’t tell why? There are several possible causes for the discoloring of foliage. Here’s an infographic created by Safer Brand to help you figure out what might be happening to make your greenery go yellow, and how you can go about fixing it. The…


Where to Get Your Garden Soil Tested (State-by-State U.S.)

Garden soil testing, especially in vegetable gardens, should be done periodically. Because you’re growing plants that demand more than their fair share of resources to produce food, your soil may at some point become less fertile and produce stunted plants, low yields, or other problems. But the only way to know for sure if the problem…


The Seed Whisperer of Blackberry Farm: John Coykendall Is Saving the Seeds of the Past, for the Future

Many luxury resorts have a master chef in their restaurant kitchen, but how about an on-site master gardener and seed savior? At Blackberry Farm in Walland, Tennessee, at the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, John Coykendall has filled that role since 1999. An internationally renowned horticulturalist—and a classically trained artist—Coykendall oversees four acres of…