Bag Your Houseplants Before You Leave
Watering houseplants when you’re away is always a problem. Even if you ask a friend or relative to water themContinue 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.
Why Do Plant Names Change?
Question: You mentioned in a recent blog that the coleus had a new botanical name. Who decides these name changes? Why has theContinue Reading
Crop Rotation Confuses Plant Pests
When planning your garden, remember that insects have great difficulty locating their favorite plant when you move them around every year.Continue Reading
Celebrate St. Joseph’s Day with Petunias
Where I live in French Canada, everybody knows what day March 19th is: St. Joseph’s Day. And what do youContinue Reading
Just Say No to Tree Topping!
Who hasn’t seen a tree pruned drastically, with all the branches cut back to the same length? This is called topping orContinue Reading
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
This is actually one of the best bits of gardening advice anyone will ever give you, and it couldn’t beContinue Reading
Growing Healthy Basil: Not So Easy to Do!
Basil or sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) is one of the most popular herbs in our summer gardens, but in recent years,Continue Reading
Brand New Perennial for your Summer Garden
It’s not every day that a truly new perennial arrives on the market, but that will be the case in 2015.Continue Reading
When You Can’t Repot, Top-Dress
When a houseplant remains too long in the same pot, the soil it grows in becomes contaminated with mineral salts. You can seeContinue Reading
Peat Pots for Fragile Roots
In this season where so many gardeners are starting their flowers and vegetables indoors, here are some thoughts on peat potsContinue Reading