The Laidback Lettuce
Most gardeners know that head lettuce (Lactuca sativa capitata) is hard to grow well (true enough!), so they usually grow leaf lettuce (L.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.
When Tomatoes See Red
For reasons still somewhat unclear, certain colors can help stimulate the growth of tomatoes… and that includes the color red.Continue Reading
Green Stars in the Shade
One of my favorite perennials, the hacquetia (Hacquetia epipactis), is blooming right now in my shade garden… and what a flower!Continue Reading
The Scarlet Runner Bean: Both Beautiful and Delicious!
The scarlet runner bean (Phaseolus coccineus) is a vigorous climbing bean you find in most seed catalogs… in the annual flower section.Continue Reading
The Laidback Gardener’s Worst Enemy
Call this one a rant rather than a blog, but I’d fed up with lawns! In many ways, the lawnContinue Reading
Dude, Who Switched My Rose Bush?
That’s odd: you planted a hybrid tea rose with big double red flowers and the next year, up came a rose withContinue Reading
A Strawberry Jar That Really Works
You’ve certainly seen a strawberry jar (also called a strawberry planter or strawberry pot) before. It’s that upright urn withContinue Reading
The Tall and the Short of Beans
There are two main types of garden bean (which you may also know as green bean, wax bean, string bean, or snapContinue Reading
The Perfect Tool for Asparagus
Asparagus is harvested by breaking or cutting the stalk just below the ground. Some people do this using a sharp knife,Continue Reading
Seeds to Sow in Mid-May
The growing season is picking up speed! Nights are generally still cool, although warming up… and frost is far from impossible inContinue Reading