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In the spring of 2019 in Medina, Ohio a City Council meeting was held that featured Girl Scouts who spoke on the subject of banning plastic bags. As a result, a conversation among four people who attended that meeting became focused on forming a sustainability organization. The conversation led to the formation of a nonprofit corporation called SustainEd. From April to August of 2019, with much support from a local garden center, various businesses and individuals, the Medina Community Garden and Education Center was founded....

Follow the basic rules of indoor orchid care, and you will enjoy growing healthy, happy houseplants for years to come. The Golden Rule Of Orchid Care There is one golden rule that encompasses all aspects of orchid care. It is to always replicate the plants’ natural growing conditions as closely as possible. In this guide, we delve into what this means for your orchid. Wild orchids grow in warm regions of Asia and Central and South America....

Unusual Squash to Try In the heirloom category, there are numerous rare types of squash. Many of these were once thought lost, but careful seed collection has seen these varieties come to modern light. Combine this fact with today’s breeding programs, and the wild, and wacky world of squash is a colorful, shape shifting universe. Rare Squash Varieties Many of the hard to find varieties of squash are heirlooms, and many of these were introduced for sale in the mid to late 1800s when seed catalogs flourished....

In fact a fruit tree for the home garden has actually become quite popular and, due to the shrinking size of many backyards, some can even be container-grown. Interested in a small fruit tree for your garden? Keep reading to learn about the best fruit trees for small spaces. Best Fruit Trees for Home Gardens There’s a lot that goes into producing fruit on trees. There is pruning, fertilizing, spraying and harvesting....

I don’t want to beat myself up too badly. We do compost… albeit we pay to use our city’s composting program. And while this might seem like a check in the environmentally correct box, in reality it involves big trucks using large amounts of fuel going to distances farther than my back yard. That’s not really sustainable. Sustainable Gardening Practices Do we save water? Well, we don’t collect rainwater, which really would have been a great idea this past spring with all the torrential downpours followed by triple digit temps....

If you’re feeling adventurous and are interested in palm tree planting, there are hundreds if not thousands of different types of palms, ranging from miniature to massive. You’ll need to evaluate your climate and the backyard site to determine which palm might be best. Here, I’ve rounded up the most popular types of palm trees that can be grown with great success in home landscapes. Basics for Selecting a Palm Tree There really are no hard and fast rules in gardening; I personally tend to learn by doing, but this can be costly and emotionally draining, as you watch your new plant rot from too-wet soil, dry up in the sun, or balloon out of all proportion to overwhelm your garden....

Why Plan Your Vegetable Garden Before Planting? Whenever you undertake a big venture, it’s always a good idea to have a plan and gardening is no exception. Researching various vegetable garden planning ideas will help you fine-tune the final layout. Planning ahead of planting can save you time, money and frustration. Tips for Planning a Vegetable Garden The ABCs of planning out a veggie garden layout are to choose a site, take a soil test, amend the soil as needed, choose your crops and before you plant anything, put it on paper....

Container vegetable gardening offers the flexibility of cultivating nutritious and flavorful crops without a traditional garden – whether you want to grow vegetables on the patio, on a balcony, or in a window box. Several perennial vegetables are suitable for container gardening projects. Some even perform better than when grown in the ground, as pots allow for better control over soil quality, moisture levels, and pest management. However, container-grown vegetables usually need more regular watering and fertilizing than crops grown in the ground....

What Vegetables Are Good for Elderly Gardeners? Probably the most important aspects of gardening when we’re older are safety and comfort. Any planning vegetable and fruit beds should take into consideration range of motion limits and limited maintenance levels. The choices of food to grow should also be dependent on any dietary restrictions, something that often occurs as we get older. For instance, many older folks are prey to diverticulitis, a condition that can be aggravated by seedy foods like berries, and items like nuts....

What Is a Clivia? Clivia (Clivia miniata) belongs to the lily family (Liliaceae), the same family as amaryllis. It’s easy to see the similarities between the two. Both have similarly shaped flowers clustered together to form what looks like one large head. Although clivia flowers are somewhat smaller than amaryllis both plants have long, strap-like leaves. Like amaryllis, clivia will bloom if given a 6-8 week cooling period with minimal water in the fall....

For many city dwellers and gardeners who are just starting out, a vegetable garden seems like an impossible dream. For those who don’t have large properties and oodles of space, there really is no lower 40 to plow. But container gardens – for herbs, vegetables or flowers – are possible in almost any place. And since they are portable, you can move them around to get the best of the weather during the growing season and beyond....

Fragrant Daffodils to Signal The Arrival of Spring I first obtained a small handful of Geranium daffodil bulbs, by chance, during a sale at my local garden center. At more than a 50% discount, my expectations for the bulbs were quite low. Still, I was eager to plant daffodils in my backyard for the first time ever. I soon began to research the variety online and admired the photos I was able to find that had been taken by various garden bloggers....

This species of verbena is commonly known as tall verbena, Brazilian verbena and purpletop vervain, thanks to its lofty purple blooms. Native to South America, it grows taller than all other verbenas. Purpletop vervain is an easy-care, tender perennial in milder climates, and an annual in colder regions. Quick Verbena Facts: Botanical name: Verbena bonariensisHeight: 2 to 5 feet (0.6-1.5m)Spread: 1.5 to 3 feet (0.5-0.9m)Sun exposure: Full sunSoil requirements: Moist, well-drainedHardiness zones: USDA 7-11When to plant: Spring...

Who Are Gen Z Gardeners? Gardening has long been associated with older adults. This might be because retirees have more time to take up gardening as a hobby. Older adults also often garden as a type of low-impact exercise. The new generations of gardeners include young people defined as Generation Z and Millennials and, while there is no definite consensus, the Millennial generation is usually defined as people born between 1980 and 1996, and Gen Z as those born between 1997 and 2012....

Should You Stake a Tree? There is no simple answer to the question of whether to stake a tree. Since nature doesn’t stake trees, yet produces forests, it’s clear that trees can grow without staking. But trees in the wild grow from seeds, establishing a strong root system before growing a tall trunk or a spreading canopy. Trees we purchase at the garden store have taller stems and smaller root systems than they would if grown from seeds in nature....

Description of Perennial Sweet Pea Perennial sweet pea (Lathyrus latifolius) is an herbaceous climbing vine that has been widely cultivated in North America since the early 1700’s. Over time it has become naturalized through most of the United States and Canada and can be found along roads, railroads, fields, fences, and other disturbed areas. It is deer resistant. The plant has paired leaflets along a vine that either climbs support structures or rambles along the ground....

The Nutrient Content of Chicken Manure Chicken manure is considered a complete fertilizer as it contains thirteen of the nutrients which plants require. In addition to supplying nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K), it includes these macro and micronutrients: CalciumSulfurManganeseMagnesiumCopperZincChlorineBoronIronMolybdenum Unfortunately, chicken manure also contains harmful pathogens. Safe methods of handling and applying chicken manure to the garden are essential to prevent food-borne illnesses. How Long to Compost Chicken Manure Composting chicken manure is one way to reduce harmful disease organisms....

I Needle Little Help Here! Thank goodness repotting a cactus plant isn’t necessary too often. If it were, I’d be tapping out in round one. My grandfather had a way with cacti. He was like the cactus whisperer, growing some of the most beautiful plants I’d ever seen… and some of these were quite huge. I fondly remember them during my visits to Ohio. Just in front of a large picturesque window in his basement, overlooking the backyard patio garden where I used to spend much of my childhood days plucking strawberries, sat a number of cactus plants....

Popular Instagram Plants Most people grow houseplants for the sheer pleasure of caring for them and the way they brighten up an indoor space. Another good reason is just to show off on Instagram. Instagram-worthy plants are photogenic, attractive, and often unusual. Look for plants with striking foliage or flowers that bloom regularly or profusely and that have interesting colors and textures. Choosing attractive individual plants is important, but you’ll also boost your following online with attractive arrangements....

The Secret Garden As far as I am concerned, The Secret Garden is a book for the ages. Please don’t confuse Burnett’s wonderful book for kids with a later popular book entitled My Secret Garden, written decidedly for adults. The child’s book is the one I keep rereading. If you don’t know it, pick it up and read it to any passing child, or even your inner child. It is definitely worth it....