One of my friends, a professional engineer but amateur gardener, once said: clematis are high-output machines with terrible cooling systems. She started talking about root-zone thermoregulation and nutrient density; all I heard was blah blah blah… What I do know from growing them is this: keep their roots cool, water them deeply, feed them like…
Every spring, the internet collective decides a handful of magnesium sulfate cures everything from pests to a bad marriage. It won’t… Epsom salt is a cheap compound, not a miracle powder handed down by Demeter herself! And yet, nine plant groups can actually benefit from it if you apply it the way the gods of…
My garden is currently a multi-generational daycare. I brought home a fresh baby lavender this year, already full of flowers. Then there are the two teens from two years ago, hitting their awkward growth-spurt phase. Finally, I have the gnarled senior lavenders I married into. They kept me quite busy last weekend, so if this…
We turned apex predators into neurotic four-legged roommates who ignore us, so it only follows that we treat the flower bed with equal confidence. Grab the pellets and let the spring bribery begin. With that said, these are the flowers I’ve noticed bloom better when I give them a little help in spring. Time to…
Nature spares no mercy for beginners, yet zinnias are on your side. They want to live, bloom and outshine just about everything else you’ve planted. I’m sharing the eight tips that’ll make your neighbors wonder what kind of flower wizardry you’re pulling off. Here’s a bonus tip: stop overthinking it. Tip 1: Variety Selection Most…
I suppose the bulb growers have already done their part once those tulips land in your cart, and your local garden center probably feels the same once they hand you the receipt. But I do care what happens next. Let others treat tulip bulbs like a one-season fling. If you want to give yours the…