Posts

If you live in California or Nevada, you’ll want to look at drought tolerant shrubs for the western United States. Here are a few of our favorites. Western Shrubs What do western gardeners look for when it comes to shrubs? Given the continuing lack of sufficient rainfall, drought tolerance is an important quality. In addition, many homeowners like to bring in native shrubs that are known to be low-maintenance. Some California bushes and Nevada shrubs provide habitat or nurture for wildlife, and these are always popular....

Tilling garden soil is an old agricultural practice, but it has been reconsidered in recent years with a no-till garden trend. The no-till movement has taken off for field crops, but home gardeners are getting in on the practice too. Find out why it’s better not to till and some alternatives to tilling that you can use at home. About No-Till Practices Tilling has traditionally been used to break up soil for planting and to mix in organic matter, like compost....

What Is an Open Terrarium? The original terrarium was a completely sealed glass jar. Today, people experiment with varying degrees of openness in terrarium containers. An open terrarium is not sealed shut and usually has an actual opening that allows for some ventilation. This is different from a standard container or planting pot. An open terrarium provides some closure with high sides but still has an open spot for ventilation. An example would be a jar without a lid or a glass fishbowl....

Permeable vs. Traditional Pavement Permeable pavement uses hardscaping materials which allow water to penetrate through it. While both permeable and traditional pavements armor the land surface to carry the weight of vehicular or foot traffic, traditional materials like blacktop and concrete are impermeable to water. Rainwater and snow melt on traditional pavement surfaces will puddle in low spots or become runoff. Runoff from impermeable surfaces can contain salts and deicing chemicals as well as trace amounts of fluids from automobiles....

Though Thanksgiving cactus care is generally easy, even the most established plants will require occasional maintenance. Repotting a Thanksgiving cactus is a vital aspect, and can help to revitalize growth and even promote bloom. The Thanksgiving cactus is one of the most popular holiday cactus varieties and is closely related to the Christmas cactus. Both plants have similar care and repotting requirements but bloom at slightly different times. When to Repot a Thanksgiving Cactus On average, Thanksgiving cactus plants require repotting once every 3-5 years....

What Is an Ecosystem? Components of Ecosystems The components of any ecosystem can be divided into two types: biotic and abiotic. Biotic components are living organisms and include plants, fungi, microorganisms, and a variety of animals. They can be primary producers, herbivores or carnivores, omnivores, or detritivores, which are organisms that eat decaying organic matter, like earthworms. Abiotic components of an ecosystem include water, sunlight, minerals, oxygen, and temperature. Soil is often a mixture of biotic and abiotic components....

Sustainable Holiday Traditions Holiday sustainability begins with many cherished traditions that aren’t always so good for the environment. You don’t have to make drastic changes or sacrifice these beloved customs to make a difference. Read on for some tips on how to make the holiday more sustainable. 1. Try a Fresh Cut Tree An artificial tree made of plastic and other substances will take hundreds of years to break down in a landfill, so if you buy an artificial Christmas tree, keep it for as long as possible....

Gather lush foliage, vibrant berries, seasonal flowers, seed heads, nuts, and fruit and vegetables from your yard – or forage for them on autumn walks. There are so many opportunities to get creative with natural Thanksgiving decor, from DIY craft projects to Thanksgiving flower decor, or just displaying simple foliage. A Thanksgiving centerpiece from the garden is a great place to start, and will set the scene for dinner guests....

Elaborate landscaping in the front yard looks great, but it can be costly and require a lot of regular maintenance. Get more for your time and money by choosing low-maintenance plants for front yards that pack a punch. These are some great options, but check plants are compatible with your USDA hardiness zone, soil type, and light levels, such as full sun, full shade, or partial shade. 1. American Arborvitae What looks better than a tidy, pyramid-shaped evergreen?...

For Love of Hydrangeas I happen to love hydrangeas. They are truly workhorse shrubs in the garden, and there are so many varieties that you never get tired of them. I first met and fell in love with mopheads (Hydrangea macrophylla) in France, where they are known as hortensias. Their snowball-shaped flower clusters can be as big as grapefruit. After that, I transferred my affection to the lacecap variation of the bigleaf....

At the height of summer, and in times of drought, these beneficial insects are in desperate need of a safe water supply. However, most bodies of water present a drowning risk. Adding a bee water station, such as bee cups, to the garden is an easy, inexpensive solution – and a fantastic way to support local wildlife. When done in tandem with planting a pollinator garden filled with colorful native flowers, you will be helping to nurture a healthy biodiversity, and taking a step towards turning your yard into a wildlife habitat....

What is a Botanical Garden? The world’s oldest academic botanical garden was created in Padua, Italy in 1545 by the Venetian Republic. Orto Botanico di Padova is listed on UNESCO’s world heritage site and still fulfills its original mission representing the birth of botanical science: the fostering of scientific exchanges while fostering an understanding between nature and culture. This and other botanical gardens are a collection of plant resources devoted to the conservation and study of plants while educating people on the diversity of plant species....

The Problem with Full Sun Hillsides Hillsides face a number of issues in the landscape. They require plants that are tolerant of soil moisture and low nutrient availability. Plants that establish quickly and easily with little care are the best options for hillside ground cover. Grasses have often been the go-to for full sun hillsides, but the chore of mowing on an angled slope is considerable. Native grasses are a better idea and will add movement as well as permanence to the hillside....

Can I Grow Acai Berry Plants at Home? As a tropical species, the acai berry USDA growing zones are limited to 10 and 11 in the continental US. In these zones, growing acai berries from seed or purchasing potted acai palm seedlings are the typical way to acquire new plants. These forest-floor plants prefer a shady location and moist, compost-rich soil. But learning how to grow acai palms at home is possible, even if you live outside the traditional acai berry growing zones....

My Favorite Flowers At the height of any given summer growing season, visitors to my garden are likely to find only five or six different types of flowers. While I often daydream of flower beds filled with a wide variety of plant species, the simple truth remains that I rely heavily on several “core” types instead. These types have proven themselves to be dependable, repeat bloomers with excellent vigor and long vase lives....

If you live in the West and are looking for easy to grow plants that require very little irrigation, you cannot do better than native California and Nevada plants. Bulletproof Plants in California Are you looking to plant low maintenance, drought tolerant plants in California? Native California plants are your best bet. But be sure you pick low maintenance, drought tolerant plants that thrive in your particular ecosystem. For even more guarantees, select native plants termed “bulletproof....

urban gardening Gardening in a city environment. This term typically refers to gardening indoors, on a balcony or in a allotment garden. variegated When the leaves of a plant have multiple colors on the same leaf. variety A variation of a species of plant. vermiculite The material that results from mica being heated. The mica expands and becomes lightweight and will retain water and air, making it an excellent soil additive....

Benefits of Planting Tomatoes in Trenches Traditionally, when gardeners transplant seedlings into the garden, they dig a hole and insert the root ball and stem of the plant vertically. This method works well for many types of garden crops including peppers and members of the brassica family. To avoid root rot, it’s generally recommended to only plant these crops about an inch or two (2.5-5 cm) deeper than the top of their root ball....

Choosing Native Flowering Shrubs for Pollinators Pollinator-friendly native flowering shrubs are a must in a garden designed to attract beneficial bees, flies, butterflies and other pollinators. For anyone keen on gardening with native plants, the good news is that there are several options that are easy to grow. Check with your local extension office for advice on the best pollinator shrubs for your particular area. But here are some examples of stunning shrubs for pollinators which grow natively in North America....

What is Hanami? In Japanese, hanami translates to “flower” and “to look,” in other words flower viewing. It is an annual tradition dating back more than 1,000 years. Hanami is the time when people in Japan celebrate the beautiful but short-lived blossoms of the country’s many cherry trees. The history of hanami goes back at least to the Nara period, between approximately A.D. 710 and 794. During that time, people celebrated the spring blooming of a tree called “ume....