The Golden Rule of Watering
So many gardeners complain they have a hard time correctly watering their houseplants. Yet it can be so simple! JustContinue 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.
2016: The Year of the Carrot
Each year the National Garden Bureau declares a “year of” that features four plants: one vegetable, one perennial, one annual, andContinue Reading
Seeds to Sow in Early January
The New Year that has barely begun marks the beginning of a new gardening season too. Already the days in the NorthernContinue Reading
New Years Resolutions for Laidback Gardeners
On this eve of a new year, why not look at a few resolutions you might want to make forContinue Reading
Vegetable Cooking Water Can Fertilize Plants
The water from cooking vegetables, fruits and eggs contains minerals that plants can use for their growth. You can useContinue Reading
When Thrips Attack
Thrips are tiny insects that are mainly active at night. As a result, you typically see the damage they doContinue Reading
Can Gardeners Trust Hardiness Zones?
In 2002, I bought a beautiful coreopsis with red flowers, ‘Limerock Ruby’ (Coreopsis ‘Limerock Ruby’). It was the first timeContinue Reading
How the Christmas Cactus Came to Be
There is a beautiful legend about the origins of the Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera russelliana). The story is said to be from Brazil,Continue Reading
Houseplant Fertilizer: Not So Essential
I’ve received a lot of questions lately about how to fertilize houseplants. My correspondents all seem convinced that fertilization isContinue Reading
Save Money: Grow Your Own Aloe
You could have knocked me over with a feather: my local supermarket now sells leaves of aloe vera (Aloe vera)Continue Reading