Garden Myth: Houseplants Need a Drainage Layer
Old myths die hard and one myth that refuses to die is that houseplants need a “drainage layer.” It usedContinue Reading
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Time to Start Fertilizing Your Houseplants
Normally, in temperate regions where winter nights are very long and days very short, it’s best to stop fertilizing houseplantsContinue Reading
Heat Mats: Are They Really Necessary for Sowing Seeds?
Among the products commonly sold for starting seeds are heat mats. Just lay them underneath your tray, plug them inContinue Reading
Hairy Potatoes Make Gardening Easier
A trait found in a wild potato, Berthault’s potato (Solanum berthaultii) may make growing garden potatoes (S. tuberosum) a lotContinue Reading
Match the Birdhouse to the Bird
What gardener doesn’t like to attract birds to their garden? Both for their beauty, their song, their fascinating movements … andContinue Reading
A Petunia Just for Hummingbirds
Last summer, at the Montreal Botanical Garden, I saw a petunia that was totally new to me. With an erectContinue Reading
Aloe Gel: How to Use It Safely
Discussing toxic plants is always a bit complicated. You might think it would be cut and dry, that a plantContinue Reading
Slugs Ruining Your Garden? Get Ducks!
This is not a joke. Ducks are excellent finders and consumers of slugs and snails, plus many other insects andContinue Reading
What Is a Lucky Bamboo?
You see lucky bamboos everywhere: supermarkets, florist shops, box stores, convenience stores, garden centers, etc. But this plant is notContinue Reading
Garden Myth: Toads Give Warts
Decidedly, old misconceptions have a long life! I thought the myth that touching a toad will give you warts wasContinue Reading