Raised Beds Why and How

The first step in building a raised bed is site selection. You want a location that has full sun; that means a minimum o

Polymer Moisture Crystals: Magic for Your Garden and Your Containers

Polymer moisture crystals are like magical little garden helpers. They mop up little puddles of water around roots so plants dont drown. They release the water back to the roots as the surroundi

Pine Needle Acidity: Myth or reality?

assured him that pine needles are not a problem as far as acidifying the soil is concerned. When he persisted, I changed the subject. I knew from past experience that this gardening myth was so

Origins of terra cotta, and using clay pots in todays garden

The most traditional of flower pots is the classic terra cotta. Its sheer earthiness makes terra cotta the natural choice to anchor any plant. Plastic and fiberglass flowerpots are increasingly p

Ordering Spring Bulbs - my fall resolutions

(Editors Note: This article was originally published on August 12, 2009. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to promptly r

Oakleaf Hydrangeas: Grow Them Successfully in Northwest Missouri

(Editors Note: This article was originally published on June 18, 2008. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to promptly re

Non-Draining Decorative Containers: Watery Tombs for Seasonal Plants

(This article was originally published on January 1, 2008. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published articles may not be able to respond to your questio

My favorite, versatile, new gardening tool is my smart phone

The sales pitch came from my husband. How could I refuse? He felt sure that my next phone upgrade should be to a "smart phone," a tool that could give me some of the functions of our co

Mums the Word

(Editors Note:This article was originally published on November 10, 2010. Your comments are welcome, but please be aware that authors of previously published may not be able to respond to your q

More Plants for Less Money 2: Dividing Your Perennials

How do you border a large backyard with flowerbeds without spending a fortune? You can start with just a few perennials, let them grow, and then divide them. Its good for the plant, costs nothing

Moles, voles, mysterious holes

Moles and voles rarely show their faces, but the evidence left of their different digging styles shows which of these garden foes is present in your yard. Raised soil ridges, excavated earth and

Managing bugs in your compost - the good, the bad, and the merely ugly

Bugs are nearly inevitable in the casual, "cold" composting that happens in a majority of backyard composts. But dont let these small, multilegged, unfurry denizens of the heap worry y

Mailbox In The Garden - A Handy Hideaway

(Editors Note: This article was originally published on September 7, 2008.) Install an old mailbox in your yard and use it for tool storage. You may have heard of this idea. I had, and it sure s

Mailbox Garden Tips

Some consider a mailbox garden to be a gauche, unnecessary decorative feature that only calls attention to an ugly utilitarian item. Others, however, are actually fond of their mailboxes and see

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let Me Sow: Plant Seeds Outside Now for Natural Cold Stratification

Whats snow got to do with it?Snow may make you want to curl up under the blankets, or bake up a storm of carb-laden goodies. Snow makes some seeds wake up and want to grow. Snow is wet and cold.

Labeling Methods for Seedlings and Garden Plants: What works, what doesnt

When we make labels for our plants, we still want to be able to read them in six weeks, or even six years. Exposure to outdoor conditions of sun and rain can fade some types of labels faster than

Keyhole Gardens: A Drought Tolerant Composting Garden

Whose Crazy Idea Was This?The keyhole gardens are the brainchild of humanitarian charities and missionaries for use in impoverished countries with poor soil, bad weather, and starving people. At

Is My Produce Safe?

Not all microbes are badAs a gardener, I love digging in the dirt. And you probably do too. First, lets clear the air about microorganisms...they are all not bad. Good microbes are everywhere, in

Investment Planting the Exotic Way

Probably one of the last things you think about when spending every single penny you have on plants like I do (dont you, too?) is what sort of investment value these accumulated plants have. For

Introduction to the Chamaedorea Palms- excellent genus for both out and indoor use

For some reason when one thinks of palms, one often overlooks these plants probably because most are small and only a few are commonly grown in larger numbers. But a few are quite popular and