Croton: With Leaves Like These, There’s No Need for Flowers
It’s not always easy to keep flowering plants in the normal conditions of our homes: it’s too hot, too dark,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.
Dishwashing Liquid as a Pesticide: Think Twice!
Many gardeners regularly use dishwashing liquids (or other soaps) to treat insects and spider mites on their plants. And thisContinue Reading
The Golden Rule of Watering
So many gardeners complain they have a hard time correctly watering their houseplants. Yet it is so easy! Just remember theContinue Reading
If I’m So Laidback, Why Don’t I Have More Time?
It’s been 10 years now since I finally dared to admit what had been obvious for a very long time:Continue Reading
Your Poinsettia is Sick… But That’s a Good Thing!
The poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) has not always been the compact plant we know today. It is actually a large shrubContinue Reading
The Orchid Primer
Orchids belong to a very large family, the Orchidaceae, which includes between 15,000 and 20,000 species and over 100,000 hybrids:Continue Reading
The Christmas Plant that Came In from the Cold
Traditionally potted Christmas plants, such as poinsettias, Christmas cactus, and Christmas kalanchoes, have always been tropical or subtropical plants. InContinue Reading
When Water Droplets Form on Leaves
Sometimes you’ll see water droplets form on the edge, tip, or the underside of leaves. This is not dew, whichContinue Reading
Voles Beware!
If there’s one animal that seems harmless, it’s the field mouse, or rather, the eastern meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), aContinue Reading
Homegrown Tea in Your Teapot?
The tea plant (Camellia sinensis) is a tree native to subtropical Asia. Tea is grown commercially in many countries, includingContinue Reading