The Smell of Freshly Mown Grass is a Cry of Distress
The smell of freshly mown grass that many gardeners find so appealing is actually caused by volatile organic compounds (VOCs)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.
Tomatoes are Carnivorous
Did you know that the sticky hairs found on the stems of tomato plants are designed to trap small insects?Continue Reading
Why Won’t My Yucca Bloom?
Why won’t my yucca bloom? I get that question all the time from frustrated gardeners wondering what they did wrong,Continue Reading
Plant Trees Well Back From the Property Line
You intend to plant a tree? Wonderful! We need more trees in our world. But to be a good neighbor,Continue Reading
The “Just-Mow Lawn”: Making Life Easier
For a lot of people, there is only one kind of lawn, the pampered golf green turf the lawnContinue Reading
When Raspberry Canes Wilt at the Tip…
One of the most damaging insects to raspberries is the raspberry cane borer (Oberea affinis). You rarely see the insectContinue Reading
When to Harvest Herbs
For use in every day cooking, just harvest herbs as you need them. Even the leaves of herbs that haveContinue Reading
Yellow Spots on a Green Lawn
Dog owners, especially owners of female dogs, know the problem. Their grass is dotted with yellow spots 4 toContinue Reading
What to Do About Sand Wasps?
Everyone recognizes social wasps (yellow jackets and hornets), the ones that live in colonies underground or in paper nest andContinue Reading
Summer Squash: Harvest Early and Often
Summer squash such as zucchini and pattypan produce an exceptional number of fruits, enough to share with the whole neighborhood…Continue Reading