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The energy used to heat a traditional greenhouse accounts for the third largest cost in such systems when using electricity. Some gardeners defray the expense by installing solar panels and harvesting natural energy. Another way to minimize cost is by using geothermal greenhouse heating. Commercial growers using this method estimate they save 80 percent of operating fuel costs. That is a significant savings and contributes to the conservation of resources....

Height: 24-48 in. (61-122 cm.) Spread: 3-6 ft. (1-1.8 m.) Sun exposure: Bright, indirect light Soil requirements: Well-draining Hardiness zones: USDA Zones 10-11 When to plant: Spring, fall Caring for Heliconia Angusta Heliconia angusta are more commonly referred to as Christmas heliconia. As their namesake would imply, you can expect plants to begin blooming in winter, just in time for the holiday season. Houseplants are especially attractive throughout winter, blooming well indoors....

Common tomato pests, these greedy caterpillars can quickly strip the foliage of tomato plants as well as peppers, eggplants, and potatoes. You will need to act fast to get rid of hornworms, as they can get through a vegetable plot in record time. Tomato hornworms are larvae of the five-spotted hawkmoth (Manduca quinquemaculata), and are more prevalent in northern states, while tobacco hornworms are larvae of the Carolina sphinx moth (Manduca sexta) and are more common in the South....

Using native plants and wildflowers in the garden is a sure fire way of achieving a low maintenance landscape that is used to the existing soil, light, water, and other conditions. Georgia native plants will tolerate the sandy to red clay soils of the region, while plants native to Florida are well suited to the mostly sandy and commonly salinated soils. Most of these states contain extreme diversity of habitat from salty marshes, coastal dunes, and mountain ranges to highland meadows and deep forests....

Many diseases left unchecked can ruin blooms, often for several years, leaving a major gap in the spring garden. But learning how to identify, prevent, and treat common peony diseases, will ensure you have happy, healthy plants full of blooms for many years to come. Common Peony Diseases Like other ornamental plant issues, peony problems emerge when growing conditions are less than ideal. This includes adequate plant spacing, sunlight, as well as drainage....

What Are the Social Benefits of Gardening? Studies of children who participate in school gardens show that they are more accepting of people different from them, have better interpersonal skills, and are better at working cooperatively than their peers. These social benefits of community gardens extend to any individual who gets involved, both children and adults. These shared spaces bring people together to increase understanding and decrease loneliness. People who garden also experience benefits to mental health: reduced stress, improved confidence and self-esteem, and a sense of purpose....

Fungus That Grows on Trees Fungus is used as a synonym for mushrooms, but mushrooms are actually the fruiting structures of the fungi. Most gardeners have observed mushrooms growing on trees. Is this dangerous? It can be, especially when it is widespread. If your tree has fungal fruiting structures on several limbs, you will want to consider removing the tree if it’s in a location where property damage may occur or where people or pets could be struck by falling limbs or the falling tree....

Choosing the Best Native Blue Flowers Blue native flower choices are exceptionally popular. Native species will perform best as they are likely to be well-adapted to growing conditions within the region. A few can be some of the longest flowering perennials you can grow. Many natives also demonstrate increased tolerance or resistance to pests and disease. Here are some of the most common blue-flowering native plants, suitable for landscape and container growing....

Whether you’re eager to extend the summer harvest or excited to grow cool-weather crops, there are plenty of vegetables to plant in September that can keep your garden productive for many months to come. Most of our recommended vegetables to plant in August can also be started in September, so this article delves into some further staple and less obvious crops to plant this month. In milder USDA growing zones, the possibilities are particularly abundant....

Identifying Insect and Animal Foraging on Squash The signs are unmistakable. Scratch marks, strangely shaped bites, and even tunneling in our squash. In the plant itself, often the leaves are skeletonized or simply completely gone. Something other than the gardener has been enjoying the fruits of their labor. In the early days of a plant’s growth, it is common to find seedlings entirely cut off, the likely work of cutworms, but as the plant matures the fruit is also often attacked by larger consumers....

But with a little planning, you can have a late-season garden, and in some zones a winter garden. Second crops – also known as succession crops or follow-on crops – can be planted after your main crop has finished. Using crop rotation succession planting techniques you can remove your fading tomato plants and replace them with late-season crops. This enables you to maximize your existing space and enjoy an almost continual harvest....

About Bad Landscaping Landscaping at its best not only beautifies your surroundings, but is sustainable, nontoxic, pollinator friendly, low maintenance, and provides much needed habitat for pollinators and birds. Unfortunately, there are too many of us out there with bad landscaping. Bad landscaping can not only cause problems for local wildlife, but may introduce invasive species, contaminate water and soil, and waste money and time on the gardeners’ part. Top Three Gardening Mistakes Garden mistakes are made by the best gardener with the best intentions....

If you want to see a healthy, green lawn next growing season, then don’t neglect these essential fall lawn care chores. Starting now will avoid placing too much stress on your grass before the frost sets in. 1. Manage Leaves Fall colors are beautiful, but once the leaves drop, they can harm your turf grass. Leaves left on the lawn block essential sunlight, which grass needs to trap and store energy for later growth....

Without pollinators, humans would have many fewer species of plants to feed us. In fact, it is not an exaggeration to say that the human race requires pollinators if we are to survive. And for pollinators to survive, they need plants. As gardeners in the West, we can facilitate this important relationship by devoting space in our gardens for California native pollinator plants. Nothing will please California native pollinators more than the presence of these familiar plants....

The Southern Perennial Garden Southern perennial gardens are very unique. While plants in southern gardens will often need to be able to withstand brief periods of cold during the winter, the true test of their hardiness comes in the form of tolerance to heat and ability to grow through prolonged periods of drought. Though this may seem demanding, there are actually quite a few ornamental perennial flowers from which to choose....

Quick Facts about Black Swallow Wort: Botanical name - Cynanchum louiseaeHeight - 6 feet (1.8 m)Spread - NASun exposure - Sun to shadeSoil requirements - All typesHardiness zones - 4 to 8When to plant - NA The Problem with Black Swallow Wort Black swallow wort vine has been declared invasive in much of the Midwest and Northeast U.S. Check with your local extension office to find out if it is a problem in your area....

Best Time for Splitting Mums Determining when to divide and transplant mums is key. Though it may be tempting to divide store-bought mums in the fall just as they slip into dormancy, most experts suggest waiting. Early spring is the ideal time in which the plant can be divided, because that’s when the plant and its root system are more visible. This emerging growth makes it easier to make cuts and separate each segment....

Making your own succulent plant food is as simple as opening the kitchen cupboards. These ingredients will be non-toxic, easy to formulate, and accessible to any gardener. Our favorite “recipes” for DIY succulent fertilizers are effective, often dual-purpose, and quick to whip up, while checking the box on organic. When to Fertilize Succulents Succulents enter a dormant state when light levels decline and temperatures cool. In this state, they need much less water and no supplemental feeding....

There are many studies on mental health gardening benefits, including its stress busting abilities. The benefits of gardening for mental health are greater even than the physical advantages, and can help reduce reliance on pharmaceutical drugs and unhealthy methods of alleviating mental strain. How Gardening and Soil Help Mental Health The mechanisms by which gardening achieves such positive outcomes can be difficult to spell out. However, Mycobacterium vaccae, a natural microbe in soil, triggers the release of serotonin in the brain when we contact and inhale particles from soil....

See All of Our Gardening Gift Guides Looking for DIY Gift Ideas? Maybe you’re more of a do-it-yourself gift giver. If you’re the type who prefers to create a gift rather than buy it, we have stuff just for you too! Click here to download 13 of our favorite fall and winter DIY projects straight from the garden.