The Masked Marauder Strikes Again!
By Larry Hodgson The raccoon (Procyon lotor), the nocturnal masked bandit, is not only a problem for gardeners: it generallyContinue 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.
Variegated Plants: So Much to Discover!
By Larry Hodgson Variegated plants are very popular in our gardens. But what is variegation? And why does it attractContinue Reading
Why Didn’t My Turnips Produce a Bulb?
By Larry Hodgson Question: This is my second gardening experience, but this year, my turnips didn’t produce a bulb, only aContinue Reading
Leaf Galls: Surprising, But Rarely Harmful
By Larry Hodgson As a gardener, or even just an observant hiker, you’ll often come across plants bearing abnormal growths. They’reContinue Reading
Ginseng Ficus: The July 2021 Houseplant of the Month
By Larry Hodgson The ginseng ficus—or pot-bellied ficus—is a most unusual houseplant. With its fat, multi-stemmed “trunk” and numerous smallContinue Reading
A Tomato for the Fourth of July
By Larry Hodgson On this Fourth of July, I thought my American readers might be interested to know there isContinue Reading
Repairing a Headless Conifer
By Larry Hodgson Many conifers have a naturally pyramidal shape. This is the case of, among others, firs (Abies), sprucesContinue Reading
Can You Produce Your Own Pyrethrum?
By Larry Hodgson Following the article published on June 30, 2021, about the origin of the insecticide pyrethrum, I receivedContinue Reading
An Asparagus That Climbs? Who’d a Thunk?
By Larry Hodgson CLIMBING ASPARAGUS Botanical name:Asparagus verticillatusFamily: AsparagaceaeHeight: 12 feet (4 m)Width: 3 feet (1 m)Exposure: sun, partial shadeSoil: well drainedFlowering: late springHardiness zones: 3 toContinue Reading
Where does pyrethrum come from?
Scientists are looking at ways to make more of this natural pesticide By Susan Fisk If you’re a gardener, youContinue Reading