Prickly Pear Encounters: Removing Glochids
A typical prickly pear cactus (Opuntia dillenii). The wicked-looking long spines are not all you have to worry about! Photo:Continue Reading
Author: Larry Hodgson
Garden writer and blogger, author of 65 gardening books, lecturer and communicator, the Laidback Gardener, Larry Hodgson, passed away in October 2022. Known for his great generosity, his thoroughness and his sense of humor, he reached several generations of amateur and professional gardeners over his 40-year career.
Thanks to his son, Mathieu Hodgson, and a team of contributors, laidbackgardener.blog will continue its mission of demystifying gardening and making it more accessible to all.
No Need for a Wheelbarrow When You Have a Tarp
Using a tarp to collect fall leaves makes that garden task simpler. Photo: improvementscatalog.com Not that wheelbarrows aren’t handy forContinue Reading
The Mini-Monstera: Attractive and Easy to Grow
Mini-monstera (Rhaphidophora tetrasperma). Photo: greeneryunlimited.co Yes, it’s being called mini-monstera, but it really isn’t a monstera, that is, a memberContinue Reading
Learning to Let Go
Sometimes you just have to say sayonara to a bug-infested plant, even an orchid. Photo: pngegg.com & pngtree.com Question: I haveContinue Reading
What’s Wrong With My Fern?
Fern frond with sori underneath. Photo: Lise Roy Question: There’s something wrong with my fern. There’s a large cluster of strangeContinue Reading
When Poinsettias Lose Their Leaves
There are many reasons why poinsettias start to lose leaves. Photo: .gardeningwithsurgicalprecision.com I’ve received several emails recently from gardeners struggling withContinue Reading
How to Tell a Fir From a Spruce
When looking for the perfect Christmas tree, it can be helpful to know the difference between a spruce and aContinue Reading
Why Must We Start Houseplants in Small Pots?
Traditionally, we start plants in small pots, then move them up over time rather than planting them directly in largeContinue Reading
Yet Another Bogus Fungus Gnat Treatment
Spraying your plants with rubbing alcohol is more likely to cause eye irritation than to kill any fungus gnats. Photo:Continue Reading
Poinsettias: Disease-Ridden, But Beautiful!
Poinsettias are normally large tropical shrubs or small trees, but disease turned them into a houseplant. Photo: countrylife.co.uk The poinsettiaContinue Reading