Gardening news and tips

My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~H. Fred Ale

2009-06-23T11:08:00.023-07:00

�They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.� ~ Tom Boddett, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

Meet some of my latest rose blooms. After adding a picket fence to my front yard, it was quickly followed with the addition of some pretty pink roses.

I'll share photos with the fence soon too.

Dividing Perennial Plants

2009-06-23T11:08:00.021-07:00

The idea of dividing perennials can scare new gardeners. Division of perennials is an easily mastered gardening technique that is good for the plants and your garden. Most perennial flowers will need to be divided to remain vigorous and continue blooming season after season.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Gerber Daisies, Transvaal Daisy, African Daisy - Gerbera jamesonii

2009-06-23T11:08:00.019-07:00

Gerbera jamesonii (Gerber Daisy)

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Winter Rose Care

2009-06-23T11:08:00.017-07:00

All rose plants need some attention going into winter. Winter weather can really challenge rose bushes, particularly the hybrid teas. You will need to discourage new growth and make sure the rose plants in your garden are well water and well mulched. Look out for overwintering garden pests and diseases too.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Coral Bells - Heuchera

2009-06-23T11:08:00.015-07:00

Heuchera (Coral Bells)

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Garden Magzines - Top Picks

2009-06-23T11:08:00.013-07:00

Gardening magazines are monthly garden inspiration. They tell us about new plants, garden design ideas and gardening techniques. Gardening books are like old friends. Garden magazines offer endless new gardening possibilities. Here are my picks for the top gardening magazines.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Iris

2009-06-23T11:08:00.011-07:00

Iris (Bearded Iris)

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Carpet Phlox, a great groundcover

2009-06-23T11:08:00.009-07:00

When this blog started I really liked Ice Plant and it was my favorite groundcover. Not anymore. As much as I liked ice plant for it’s drought invulnerability and it’s nonstop all summer long flowers, it is only marginally hardy here and I had problems keeping it coming back.
I planted some carpet phlox way back [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Growing Okra

2009-06-23T11:08:00.007-07:00

Okra is grow for its long, pointed seed pods, which are used in gumbos and soups. Okra is a warm season vegetable that can easily be grown in home vegetable gardens. Its flowers resemble hibiscus and okra makes a nice ornamental plant as well.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Whitefly

2009-06-23T11:08:00.005-07:00

Whitefly

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Container Garden Plants

2009-06-23T11:08:00.003-07:00

Container gardens offer the advantage of changing your garden with every season. The choice of plant material is limited only by your climate and your imagination. Keep in mind the scale of the container and how aggressively the plant grows. While you want your container garden to look full, fast growers will quickly outgrow their pots.

The following choices should get you thinking.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Saving Tomato Seeds

2009-06-23T11:08:00.001-07:00

Seed saving is the only way to make sure you have seeds of your favorite plants to grow each year. Tomato seeds need special handling to ensure good germination. Here's how to begin saving tomato seeds.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Rose Growing Problems

2009-06-23T11:07:00.071-07:00

Choosing the right type of rose and giving it the care that it needs are common sense approaches to carefree plants. Planting your roses in combination with other plants, rather than in an exclusively rose garden, can further cut down on problems. However we are often drawn to the beautiful prima donas in the rose world and these will require more attention. The best remedy for rose problems is a good defense.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Scale Insects

2009-06-23T11:07:00.069-07:00

Scale are tiny parasitic insects that adhere to plants and live off the plant�s sap. They look like bumps on the plant�s stem and are often mistaken for a disease. There are some 7,000 species of scale insect, varying in color and size.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Cucumber Bacterial Wilt

2009-06-23T11:07:00.067-07:00

Cucumber vines that mysteriously wilt and die off are probably infected with bacterial wilt. Cucumber bacterial wilt is transmitted by the cucumber beetle. There�s not much you can do once the vines are infected with cucumber bacterial wilt, but you can take some measures early in the season to protect your young cucumber plants. Here�s help for cucumber bacterial wilt.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Earwig Control in the Garden

2009-06-23T11:07:00.065-07:00

How to get rid of earwigs in your garden. While earwigs do feed on plants, the amount of damage they do shouldn’t present a major problem in most gardens. In fact, earwigs even eat aphids, snails and some types of larvae, so it might be a plus that they are there. However, there are times when earwigs can be considered a pest. When that happens,

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

No Deadhead Perennials

2009-06-23T11:07:00.063-07:00

Some perennial plants require no deadheading to remain attractive all season. These perennial flowers won't bloom again, so no deadheading is needed. There's less effort on your part, but just as much enjoyment.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

How to Protect a Row of Seedlings from a Late Freeze

2009-06-23T11:07:00.061-07:00

I live in Michigan, we are not blessed with the longest growing season known to man. So we try to stretch that, and to stretch it we need to be able to protect plants from late frosts or Freezes as late as late May if we’re really unlucky.
You can put in a hoophouse or something [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Garden Maintenance

2009-06-23T11:07:00.059-07:00

Flower gardens require constant maintenance to look their best. Common garden chores like pruning, pinching and deadheading are easy to master, as show here in this step-by-step photo tutorial.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Roses from Cuttings

2009-06-23T11:07:00.057-07:00

Ever wonder if you could root and grow branches from your favorite rose bush? With a little care, roses root very easily. You won't always get exactly what you started with, but it's fun trying. And here's how.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Groundhogs How Can One Animal Eat So Much?

2009-06-23T11:07:00.055-07:00

Truth be told, I think groundhogs are adorable looking creatures. But much like Bambi, when groundhogs are in your garden, they're going to need more than a cute face to escape a gardener's wrath. Unlike Bambi and her kin, it seems groundhogs have never met a plant they didn't find tasty. They can wipe out a garden overnight and bring a grown gardener to tears.

Many people will tell you there is no solution for groundhogs except trapping them. Even that is only a temporary cure, since new groundhogs will find the old burrows and tunnels and move right in. Of course, first you have to identify the perpetrator as a groundhog, since you won't often catch them in the act. David Beaulieu can help with that, as well as offering some other Options for Groundhog Control.

Photo: Tim Boyle / Getty Images News

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Hydrangea Colors

2009-06-23T11:07:00.053-07:00

Hydrangeas have a reputation for being chamaeleons, but not all hydrangeas change color. Generally you will need to grow Big Leaf Hydrangeas, Hydrangea macrophylla, to get the pink or blue color you are seeking. You needn�t become a chemist, but you will need to understand why your hydrangeas change color. Here's why.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

#10 -There are Many Bellflowers, but Campanula persicifolia Makes the Cut

2009-06-23T11:07:00.051-07:00

Peach Leaved Bellflower

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Backyard Frog Pond

2009-06-23T11:07:00.049-07:00

Backyard Frog Pond

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Fall Bloomers

2009-06-23T11:07:00.047-07:00

Perennial gardens change with the seasons and the fall garden is one of the most colorful seasons in the garden. Many fall blooming perennial flowers display jewel tone blossoms that complement the fall foliage display of trees and shrubs. The choice of fall blooming perennial plants keeps growing.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Spittlebug

2009-06-23T11:07:00.045-07:00

Spittlebugs are so named because the nymph can whip up a frothy covering to protect itself. All you are likely to see of spittlebugs is the foam on a plant leaf or stem joint. Spittlebugs look unsightly, but they don�t really do much damage. To control spittle bugs,

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Cabbage & Kale

2009-06-23T11:07:00.043-07:00

Cabbage and kale are among the hardiest and most nutritious vegetables a home gardener can grow. They are also very easy to grow, especially for home vegetable gardeners in cooler climates. Beautiful, in shades of pale yellow to wrinkled steel blue and ranging in flavor from sweet and crisp to tangy, cabbage and kale are versatile vegetables and there�s a variety suited to almost every garden.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Pictures of My Front Yard

2009-06-23T11:07:00.041-07:00

My front yard is looking really good this year, and I thought I would share a picture. Here it is circa May 23rd 2009.

Click the picture to see it bigger. The two smaller beds are brand new, I’ve got two dwarf apples and a paw paw tree planted in them, as well as some vegetables. [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

How to Stake a Tree

2009-06-23T11:07:00.039-07:00

Short answer, don’t. Most trees that are staked do not need to be. In fact I would venture that most trees you, the individual homeowner, plant do not need to be staked. Yes, any tree small enough to be handled by one person really doesn’t need to be staked. Trees only need to be steaked [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Recycle Nursery Pots, Grow Potatoes

2009-06-23T11:07:00.037-07:00

What do you do with the big mammajamma containers that trees or large shrubs are delivered in from the nursery? Well you could recycle them if they’re made of #2 plastic, but many are made of #5 or something and unable to be recycled (at least at our recycling center) and in anycase reuse is [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Ripening Green Tomatoes

2009-06-23T11:07:00.035-07:00

There are always green tomatoes left on the vine in the fall. Deciding whether to pick green tomatoes is a tough call. And then there�s the problem of how to get green tomatoes to ripen. Here are some tips to keep your tomato plants healthy into the fall season and for getting those green tomatoes to ripen on the vine or how to salvage the obstinate green tomatoes you actually have to pick while still green.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Dividing Bearded Iris

2009-06-23T11:07:00.033-07:00

Bearded Iris are tall, elegant additions to the flower border, but they are also relatively high maintenance. You can help cut down on the incidence of soft rot and borer damage through regular division of the iris rhizomes, every 2-3 years. This will also keep bearded iris performing and blooming at its best. Dividing iris isn't hard. Start by carefully digging and lifting the rhizomes, as shown here.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Container Ornamental Grasses

2009-06-23T11:07:00.031-07:00

Growing ornamental grasses in containers is a great way to feature grasses without the worry of them spreading or taking over the garden. The downside is that when growing grasses in containers, their hardiness is raised by about 2 zones. An ornamental grass hardy to Zone 5, when planted in the ground, will only survive to Zone 7 in a pot. However, you can always grow container grasses as annuals. Here are my top ten picks for ornamental grasses grown in containers.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Video: How to Build a Raised Island Bed with Retaining Wall Bricks

2009-06-23T11:07:00.029-07:00

I’m doing videos now, this is the first one I’ve posted (though the fourth I’ve filmed). Some notes.
1. Expect to spend around $5 a linear foot for a 2 brick above ground (3 rows total) retaining wall as in the video. This assumes $1.50 per brick.
2. Use high quality soil for back filling. I used [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

How to Grow Rudbeckia

2009-06-23T11:07:00.027-07:00

Rudbeckia are easy to establish, naturalize well and require little maintenance other than deadheading. Black-eyed Susan's come in a rich array of yellows, golds, oranges and russets. For a dependable, long season bloomer that brings a smile to faces, you can�t go wrong with Rudbeckia. Here are some tips for choosing and growing Black-eyed Susans, Brown-eyed Susans and all the Gloriosa Daisies in between.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Growing Rhubarb

2009-06-23T11:07:00.025-07:00

Is rhubarb a vegetable? A fruit? An ornamental plant? It�s a very ornamental vegetable that is usually prepared and eaten much like a fruit. All that and it�s perennial in many areas. Rhubarb is a cool season crop that is grown for its fibrous leaf stalks, which are a wonderful sweet-tart treat. These tips should help you get your rhubarb started right and growing well.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Top Cut Flowers

2009-06-23T11:07:00.023-07:00

Repeat blooming annuals are favored for cutting gardens, but many perennial flowers do wonderfully well as cut flowers. What makes for a good cut flower is a stem that is long enough and sturdy enough to hold the flower in an arrangement and a flower that lasts and looks good for several days. That gives the gardener a wide choice for choosing flowers to grow in a cutting garden. The following lists offer suggestions for great cut flowers.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

More Plants From Cuttings

2009-06-23T11:07:00.021-07:00

Increase the plants in your home and garden by taking cuttings from existing plants and rooting them to make more plants.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Growing Hot Peppers

2009-06-23T11:07:00.019-07:00

Chili peppers have the distinction of being welcome I both vegetable gardens and flower borders. While hot peppers may seem exotic, they are very easy to grow almost anywhere, even indoors. The assortment of hot peppers, whether Jalapeno, Serrano, Cayenne, Habanero or Thai, offers something for every garden and every pallette.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

How to Protect Plants from Frost, and Building Microclimates

2009-06-23T11:07:00.017-07:00

So, bad knews. I thought last weekend was the end. I allowed myself to say “Wow, no late frosts this year, awesome!” Boy was that stupid. Now, tonight, they’re predicting a late frost.
I bought some hardy kiwi vines in 2004 and they have grown quite a bit. Had I known in advance I would have [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Growing Lettuce in Summer

2009-06-23T11:07:00.015-07:00

Summer is thought of as a cool season crop, bolting with the first hint of heat. There are a few tricks to prolong the lettuce harvest throughout the summer season.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Fall Perennial Pruning

2009-06-23T11:07:00.013-07:00

It can be nice to leave some perennials standing for winter interest. But many perennial plants don�t survive rough weather well. Many plants have recurrent problems with pests and diseases, which will over winter in their fallen foliage and surface in the spring. The following list of perennial flowers survive and thrive better if pruned or cut down in the fall.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Using Pressure Treated Lumber in Raised Garden Beds

2009-06-23T11:07:00.011-07:00

I am a man of science. I don�t believe in anecdotes, and having an analytical mind and having been exposed to rigorous scientific study in college when I was a research assistant in a lab, as well as of course the academic work in college, I�ve always looked at things scientifically, and today I�m going [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Controlling Japanese Beetles

2009-06-23T11:07:00.009-07:00

p]Japanese beetles can create havoc in a garden by feeding on the leaves of a number of different plants, skeletonizing the leaves and eventually defoliating the plants. An individual Japanese beetle doesn�t do that much damage while feeding on a plant, but they tend to congregate in large numbers and can easily defoliate shrubs and trees. If the problem beomes severe, try one of these control suggestions.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Black Foliage Shrubs

2009-06-23T11:07:00.007-07:00

Shrubs add four season stucture to a garden. They are considered the bones of a garden's design. Elderberries (Sambucus) have long been garden favorites because so many shrubs in the species Sambucus offer great foliage, fall color and wonderful berries. Sambucus Black Beauty (Sambucus nigra �Gerda� PP12305, Canadian BRAF) and Sambucus Black Lace (Sambucus nigra �Eva� ppaf) are two recent introductions that add depth and interest to any garden with their deep purple, almost black foliage.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Staking Perennials

2009-06-23T11:07:00.005-07:00

Many perennial flowers need to be staked or supported as they grow, to keep from flopping. Staking should be done before the plant is full grown and before it sets flower buds. Early spring plant staking will provide a more natural look and not disturb flower production or growing roots.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Dealing with Leaf Galls

2009-06-23T11:07:00.003-07:00

Leaf gall, those alarming bumps that appear to be something suddenly infesting plant leaves, are actually the plant�s defensive response to insects or mites that have been feeding on its foliage. Leaf galls are far less harmful to the tree than their appearance would suggest.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Growing Plants from Seed

2009-06-23T11:07:00.001-07:00

Starting plants from seed isn't rocket science, but there are several seed starting tips that will help your success rate with seed germination and give your seedlings a healthy start. Here's how to start seeds indoors and the seed starting supplies you'll need to grow plants from seed.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

#8 -One of the Best Repeat Blooming Spiky Blues

2009-06-23T11:06:00.003-07:00

Liatris spicata (Gay Feather, Dense Blazing Star) 'Kobold'

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Gaillardia, Blanket Flower

2009-06-23T11:06:00.001-07:00

Gaillardia, Blanket Flower Photo

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

They've Cancelled the Gardener Guy and We're Not Going to Take it Any More!

2009-04-07T07:59:00.047-07:00

About a year ago, I wrote how annoyed I was that there were no real gardening shows on the air except "Gardening by the Yard". Well, it seems there...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Japanese Irises are Better than Bearded Irises

2009-04-07T07:59:00.045-07:00

There can be no discussion, the Japanese iris is superior, in fact, I think I hate bearded irises now, and they used to be my favorite flower.
Bearded Irises, Falling Down on the Job
So, seriously, what kind of slob falls down on the job? The bearded iris, thats who! These beautiful flowers used to be my [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Gardening Question of the Week: Is Lime Good for Tomatoes?

2009-04-07T07:59:00.043-07:00

Someone on the About Gardening Forum was discussing using lime in her vegetable garden to improve her tomatoes. This led to a discussion on blossom end rot. Blossom...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Featured Plant - Pulmonaria (Lungwort)Far More Charming that its Name Would Imply

2009-04-07T07:59:00.041-07:00

Long before most perennial plants can be bothered putting in an appearance in the spring, Pulmonaria is putting on a show. Pulmonaria are low growers and they love shade,...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Tomato Plant Problems

2009-04-07T07:59:00.039-07:00

Growing tomatoes are subject to a lot of diseases. Many tomato problems don't show themselves until the fruit starts to ripen? With blossom end rot, green shoulders and tomato cracking, what can be done to save the ripening tomatoes? How can these problems be reduced with future tomatoes?

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

The Money Garden

2009-04-07T07:59:00.037-07:00

Starting a home vegetable garden can be a great way to save money. Home grown vegetables cost a fraction of what you would pay in a grocery store. By choosing vegetables that are easy to grow, you�ll have fresh vegetable flavor and save money.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Kudos to Stark Bros

2009-04-07T07:59:00.035-07:00

My first plant of the year has arrived, a ‘Goldcot’ Apricot Dwarf from Stark Bros, and I need to sing their praises.
I’ve talked up Stark Bros before, mentioning them as my favorite place to get fruit trees, but they beat themselves in quality this time. This dwarf apricot was around 4 feet tall, and nicely [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Asparagus Feature

2009-04-07T07:59:00.033-07:00

Asparagus is one of the few perennial vegetable crops for the home garden. Plant it once and it keeps on gorwing. There is some up front work to be done, before you can enjoy the harvest, but a well-established asparagus bed can produce for decades. Here�s how to grow great asparagus.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Pumonaria

2009-04-07T07:59:00.031-07:00

Pulmonaria, or Lungwort, is far more charming than its name would imply. Blooming when few other perennials have even emerged after winter, Pulmoniaria offers distintive speckled and splashed foliage and small, but profuse and vivid flowers in blues, pinks, corals and whites. There is a Pulmonaria for almost any garden and they are profiled here.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

When to Plant Summer Bulbs

2009-04-07T07:59:00.029-07:00

Summer flowering bulbs need to be replanted each spring, once the ground warms. Caring for summer blooming bulbs is very easy and they will reward you with color and texture all summer long.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

2009-04-07T07:59:00.027-07:00

Summersweet (Clethra alnifolia)

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Eggplant

2009-04-07T07:59:00.025-07:00

Eggplants are sun and heat loving vegetables, in the same family as tomatoes, peppers and potatoes. Eggplant actually does come in a small, white egg-shaped variety. Most Americans have never seen one, so the name seems inappropriate. There is actually a great variety of eggplants, many much easier to grow in the home vegetable garden than the large, oblong, purple varieties we are used to.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Raised Garden Beds

2009-04-07T07:59:00.023-07:00

Raised beds are a good gardening technique for areas that have soil problems like poor drainage, too many rocks or plain old poor soil. Gardening in a raised bed allows you to bring in the best gardening soil. You can create raised beds simply by piling soil. However if you want something more permanent and sturdy, you’ll want to frame your raised beds. Here are several options for creating raised beds, from building it yourself to having it delivered to your yard.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Save Paul James, Gardening by the Yard Cancelled, HGTV == Bad

2009-04-07T07:59:00.021-07:00

I’m angry.
Scripps Networks, owners of HGTV, are canning Gardening by the Yard and other gardening shows.
I want to swear and curse them out, I consider myself sailor quality in those activities, but this is a family blog so I’ll leave it to your imagination.
HGTV has forgotten the second letter in their name. As [...]

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[Source: Backyard Gardening Blog]

Petunia Varieties

2009-04-07T07:59:00.019-07:00

Petunias have done a 180 in recent years. They are much more tolerant of rain and many don't need any deadheading at all. They mound, they trail and they bloom their hearts out. How do you know what type of petunia to buy? Here's a petunia 101 on which types of petunias are best for your garden, hanging baskets and groundcovers.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Epsom Salts and Plants

2009-04-07T07:59:00.017-07:00

Gardeners have been using Epsom salts as a plant fertilizer for generations. There is little research to prove conclusively that Epsom salts have any effect on plants, but many seasoned gardeners cite their own gardens as proof that Epsom salts help certain plants grow stronger and produce better. If you�d like to try experimenting on your own, here are some tips for using Epsom salts in your gardens.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

April in the Garden

2009-04-07T07:59:00.015-07:00

A regional �To Do� list of jobs to get done in the garden. Spring in the garden is full of tasks that need doing early, to have a great garden later in the season. Here�s a breakdown of what you can get done in the garden in April, throughout the U.S.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Companion Plants for Tomatoes

2009-04-07T07:59:00.013-07:00

Companion planting for tomatoes can improve the tomatoes growth and flavor and repel insects and diseases. Choosing companion plants for your tomatoes should be easy because companion plants for tomatoes include many of these popular garden vegetables.

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Newsletter Alert!

2009-04-07T07:59:00.011-07:00

If you subscribe to the About Gardening newsletter, or some of my fellow Guides' newsletters, you may have recently received spam that appeared to come from About.com. These messages...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Blossom End Rot

2009-04-07T07:59:00.009-07:00

Ripening tomatoes that turn black and soft on their side not attached to the stem are affected with blossom end rot. As with so many tomato problems, water is a key factor here. Is there any saving the rotting tomatoes?

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[Source: About.com Gardening: Most Popular Articles]

Dividing Perennial Plants

2009-04-07T07:59:00.007-07:00

"April prepares her green traffic light and the world thinks Go."

2009-04-07T07:59:00.005-07:00

~Christopher Morley, John Mistletoe

I'm dedicating this entry to my blogging friend Sylvia. When she talks about flowers that she loves, it seems that hydrangeas rank the highest.

Please check out her blog,"Sylvia Cook Photography" for some of the most gorgeous floral images you will ever see. If you click the title, you will taken directly to her blog, or you can cut and paste this blog address.

http://sylviacookphotography.blogspot.com/

These photos were taken at Roger's Garden, in Orange County, California. This store is a gardener's dream. and it feels like Disneyland for gardeners. They have displays like no one else. Their spring arrangements were stunning, as they included gorgeous birds nests with colorful eggs.

And of course, their fuchsia hanging baskets were simply irresistible.

Enjoy springtime. Everything is certainly blooming in Southern California now.

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[Source: Simply Flowers]

Time to Plant Summer Bulbs?

2009-04-07T07:59:00.003-07:00

I was pulling my canna bulbs out of storage the other day and I found a bag of paperwhites I had bought last winter. Oops. I completely forgot...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Why do tomatoes crack

2009-04-07T07:59:00.001-07:00

A common tomato growing problem is fruit that cracks or splits open as the tomato ripens. How can you prevent future tomatoes from cracking and is the cracked fruit still edible?

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Lilies - Keeping Your Easter Lily Blooming and Planting a Garden of these Fragrant Charmers

2009-04-07T07:58:00.009-07:00

Easter season means potted lily season. All lilies are beautiful, but the simple purity of the white Easter Lily is captivating. Choose a lily plant that will bloom...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Growing Bamboo: Fear and Longing

2009-04-07T07:58:00.007-07:00

Bamboo. We see it in all the garden design magazines. Bamboo looks so elegant and graceful, how harmful can it be? Can bamboo be safely grown in home gardens? Yes...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

How to Harden Off Plants

2009-04-07T07:58:00.005-07:00

Young, pampered seedlings will need a period to adjust and acclimate to outdoor conditions, prior to planting in the garden. This transition period is called "hardening off". Hardening off plants gradually exposes the tender plants to wind, sun and rain and toughens them up. There are 3 approaches to hardening off plants.

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Tough Love Time to Harden Off Your Seedlings

2009-04-07T07:58:00.003-07:00

It's getting to be time to start moving your pampered seedlings outdoors. These seedlings are used to all the luxuries of life under lights or in a greenhouse: ...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Companion Planting Vegetables

2009-04-07T07:58:00.001-07:00

Companion Planing in the Vegetable Garden

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Consider A Cutting Garden

2009-03-24T13:13:00.041-07:00

Cutting gardens or cut flower gardens are a great way to bring your garden indoors. Well planned cutting gardens can grow enough flowers to create bouquets for the entire growing season. Cutting gardens can include long flowering annuals, seasonal perennials and colorful foliage. Here are some plant ideas for your cutting garden.

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When to Divide Your Perennial Plants

2009-03-24T13:13:00.039-07:00

As much as I look forward to spring, there is some comfort in knowing that all I have to do during the winter is dream and plan. Now I...

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Tulips as Cut Flowers

2009-03-24T13:13:00.037-07:00

Tulips just don't seem to behave as cut flowers. They bend and bow and contort. How do you deal with tulips in a vase?

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Edible Flowers

2009-03-24T13:13:00.035-07:00

Edible flowers aren't a new phenomenon, but garnishes of fresh flowers tend to intimidate diners. No one is really sure if the flowers are there for decoration or to be eaten. It's hard to find edible flowers to purchase, but quite easy to grow most of them in your garden. Since flowers are best when eaten soon after harvest, growing your own edible flowers makes even more sense. Here are some tips.

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Saving Tomato Seeds

2009-03-24T13:13:00.033-07:00

Many plant seeds can be saved simply by collecting them as they dry. Tomatoes take a bit more work. The tomato seeds are enclosed in a gel like sack that contains growth inhibitors, preventing the seeds from sprouting inside the tomato. The best way to remove this gel covering is to allow the fruits to rot and ferment. In nature this happens when the fruit falls off the plant. For seed savers, we're going to speed up the process.

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�Memory is the greatest of artists, and effaces from your mind what is

2009-03-24T13:13:00.031-07:00

�Memory is the greatest of artists, and effaces from your mind what is unnecessary.�, originally uploaded by Abby Lanes.

~ Maruice Barning

Happy First Day of Spring! I took my camera and headed down to the beach, where there were lovely blooming wildflowers. Theses lovely yellow flowers are likely in the Asteraceae family. It was rather foggy, but it was perfectly peaceful.

Designing Herb Gardens

2009-03-24T13:13:00.029-07:00

Herbs don�t need to be grown in a garden of their own, but a designated herb garden is a luxury for all the senses and working in an herb garden is as much pleasure as it is toil. Whether you want an iconic four-square herb garden, a scented herb border or a few kitchen herbs on the windowsill, here are some tips for creating an herb garden to enjoy.

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Growing Caladiums

2009-03-24T13:13:00.027-07:00

Caladiums are tropical perennials grown for their spectacularly colorful foliage. Who needs flowers when the leaves are splotched and speckled with rose, cream, burgundy and flame red? Caladiums are heat lovers, but they can easily grow in cooler climates in summer and even make great houseplants. Learn the in and outs for caring for your colorful Caladiums.

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Garden Photo Gallery

2009-03-24T13:13:00.025-07:00

Garden photos submitted by visitors to the Gardening site at About.com.
Gardeners regularly exchange photos of their gardens and landscapes.

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Growing Sweet Potatoes

2009-03-24T13:13:00.023-07:00

Can you grow sweet potatoes at home? Except for being a long season crop, sweet potatoes are very easy to grow. Even the sweet potato leaves are edible. If you have a small garden, bush sweet potatoes might be a better choice for you. Here are some tips for growing sweet potatoes in any home garden.

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Growing Blueberries

2009-03-24T13:13:00.021-07:00

Blueberry Growing Tips: Blueberries are popular to grow in home gardens because they can grow in a small space, even in containers, and have very few problems. There are three main types of blueberries: highbush, rabbiteye, and southern highbush, with different varieties doing better or worse in various areas. Here are some tips for growing your own blueberries.

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A Colorful Garden All Season

2009-03-24T13:13:00.019-07:00

There are several ways to keep you flower gardening in colorful bloom all season long. Knowing how to prune, what to feed and a couple of ways to fool the eye will give you a garden of abundant flowers throughout the summer. Here are some tips to keep your garden in color all season.

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Red Mulch for Tomatoes

2009-03-24T13:13:00.017-07:00

If you�re a die-hard tomato grower, you�ve probably heard about using red plastic mulch to improve your tomato yield and get your tomatoes to ripen earlier. Some early testing did show a considerable benefit from mulching tomato plants with a specific shade of red plastic. But like all things scientific in the garden, there are still a lot of variables that prevent the results from being conclusive.

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Bugleweed - Ajuga

2009-03-24T13:13:00.015-07:00

Ajuga is a fast growing groundcover that can take over, if you're not careful. However, when it is in bloom in the spring, there's nothing to top it. If you have the space to let it roam, it's well worth growing.

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Garden Focal Points

2009-03-24T13:13:00.013-07:00

The purpose of a garden focal point is to bring the garden into focus. What may start out as just a grouping of plants is given definition by a focal point. Viewers instantly know where to bring their attention. We'll demonstrate some techniques in the following photos, but placing a focal point, like garden design in general, is largely a matter of trial and error. The more you do it, the better trained your eye will become.

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Container Gardening - Good Garden Design

2009-03-24T13:13:00.011-07:00

The basics of good garden design can be used effectively in container gardens.

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Garden Design Clinic Lauren's Back Corner Border

2009-03-24T13:13:00.009-07:00

We got so many wonderful recommendations for the last Garden Re-Design Clinic of the front walkway garden. Lauren Vicker submitted some photos of a garden bed that she created...

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Cutting Back Ornamental Grass

2009-03-24T13:13:00.007-07:00

If you don't cut back your ornamental grasses in the fall, they can provide winter interest well into the spring. But eventually you will have to cut back those ornamental grasses and it can be a messy proposition. Here's a quick and easy way to cut back your ornamental grasses without having them spill all over the garden.

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Achillea

2009-03-24T13:13:00.005-07:00

Achillea often get taken for granted because they are such a dependable, low maintenance perennial plant. There are many varieties of Yarrow and there is sure to be one or two suited to growing in your garden.

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Featured Plant: Lettuce, a Foliage Plant?

2009-03-24T13:13:00.003-07:00

Well when you think about it, what ornamental is more attractive than a head of 'Merlot' lettuce. If we're going to get all excited every time they come out...

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[Source: About.com Gardening]

Shade Gardening

2009-03-24T13:13:00.001-07:00

Shade gardening offers the opportunity to work with a diverse variety of plants and to garden in a cool spot both the gardener and the plants will appreciate. There are shade plants suitable to the different degrees of shade. It is possible to create a shade garden with color and interest, if you choose appropriate shade garden plants. Here are some tips and suggestions for making the most of your shade garden.

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