Oh Those Amaryllis — Just like the poinsettia, amaryllis is a bulb that seems to spring up in garden centers around Christmas time. And like the poinsettia, the bulb is native to South America. But unlike the poinsettia, you can get your bulb to …
Caladiums Provide Color For Shady Container Gardens — Since shade gardens get so little light, they need lots of color to brighten up. When it’s hot in your shade garden, you might be stumped for something to plant in a container other than impatiens. During times like this, …
Lilly-Of-The-Nile — A Warm Season Lily Bulb — As the summer days stretch out and the heat seems never ending, Lilies-of-the-Nile (Agapanthus sp.) spring into bloom, bringing cool blue, purple or white color to your container garden. The plants look unusual in containers, with long, strap-shaped leaves that …
Herbs That Make Great Teas — Yesterday I wrote about how to use herbs from your own container garden in order to make tea. Here are some herbs and flowers that are good to grow for tea: Mint: Almost all of the mint family is good …
Automated Watering Kits — Yesterday I wrote about the need to carefully monitor your containers and make sure that they get enough water. For many container gardeners, this means checking potted plants daily and watering them with a garden hose. But if you have …
An exotic Container Flower: Passiflora Incarnata – The Passion Fruit Vine — One of the more unusual vines that I’ve started to grow this year is the passion fruit vine, also known as Passaflora Incarnata. The flowers of the Passion fruit vine look like something that came off of an alien spaceship. …
Vacation Watering Solutions: Wick Watering and Drip Bottles –Now that June is here, vacation is imminent for many readers. One of the major dilemmas that people with potted plants and balcony gardens face during vacation times is how to keep plants hydrated while on vacation. Earlier this week, …
Weeds, or Herbs? — I hope I’m not harping, but I wanted to write a little today about weeds that are actually herbs. This is a topic that snuck up on me while I was doing research last week for my series on plants …
Self-Contained Patio Gardening: The Earth Box — The gardening market is saturated with hundreds of gadgets that are supposed to make life better. One that’s recently caught my eye – but that I haven’t had the chance to try, is the EarthBox. These products are self-contained containers …
Phalaenopsis – Surprisingly Easy to Grow — Orchids have a reputation for being fussy. Most home owners who don’t think twice about growing a peace lily or spider plant will steer clear of orchids out of fear of killing the plant. But the phalaenopsis is one of …
Succulents – Low Maintenance Container Plants — As I write this, I am vacationing in Sante Fe. While I drove across Texas and Oklahoma yesterday, I was reminded that a large portion of the country is in the grips of a drought. (one tends to lose sight …
Temperature, Humidity and Fertilzer for African Violets — All this week, I’ve focused on the care of African Violets. For the wrap-up of my week on African Violets, I wanted to cover the rest of the basics. Temperature and Humidity African Violets prefer a temperature range between 65 …
Dealing with African Violet Pests and Problems –Overwatering is the most common problem associated with African violets. The plants will develop crown rot if given too much water. To avoid this, water plants from the bottom by placing them in a bowl of water whenever the soil …
Container Plants: Gorgeous, Garish Coleus — Now that we’ve moved past the last yearly frost date for my area, I am starting to see summer annuals sprout in my local garden center. A longtime-favorite in the south is Coleus. Coleus is actually a perennial tropical plant …
Great Plants for Minigardens — One of the major reasons that apartment dwellers choose not to garden is a lack of yard space. But lack of yard is no excuse. Even if your gardening space is limited to a windowsill, you can still grow fresh …
Hydrangeas: Natural Chamelions — I’ve previously written about how to keep potted Easter Lilies and azaleas alive. Another popular gift plant around Mother’s Day is a potted Hydrangea. Where I live in the South, the most common hydrangeas are peegee and mophead hydrangeas. Almost …
Warm Season Annuals: Petunias — The weather is heating up and some of the pansies in my front porch containers are looking a little worse for wear. I’m considering replacing them with petunias. The older varieties of petunias (which were known as grandiflora) had a …
Valerian (Valeriana officinalis): Herb, Sleep Aide, Kitty Pot — This article is dedicated to a pair of friends who have 4 cats. My friend takes an herbal supplement that contains Valerian (valeriana officinalis) (which smells a lot like feet). One day, when my friend dropped one of her tablets, her cats pounced on it. They batted the tablet around the room and rubbed on it as if it was catnip…
Marvelous Mint — Mint is known for two things. It is a flavoring for cooking and tea, and it is a highly invasive plant. If you are considering growing mint, you also better be considering a container to keep this fast growing plant …
When is a Geranium Not a Geranium? When it’s a Pelargonium — Even if a plant is labeled “geranium,” it may not actually be a geranium. The annual that many gardeners buy in big-box garden centers and greenhouses each summer is really a member of the Pelargonium genius of plants. The word …
My Sad Stick Plumeria — When my husband and I were married, we honeymooned in Hawaii. One of the souvenirs that we brought back was a cutting of a plumeria tree. Although the plant produces new leaves each spring, mine has yet to blossom. Partially …
Shade Container Gardens: You Can’t Go Wrong with Hostas — I love hostas because there is such as wide variety. These foliage plants, which are distant cousins to lilies, may be found in almost any shape and size from 6 inch diameter miniatures to giant plants with leaves that are …
Grow Bags – An Easy Container Solution — If you look in gardening centers right now, you will see all kind of grow bags. Everything from the hanging upside down tomato bags made of nylon fabric to the “tater totes,” bags made of landscape fabric and used to grow potatoes…
Caring For Your Potted Easter Lilly (Lilium Longiflorum) — Easter is just behind us, and many people received a potted lily (lilium longiflorum) during March or April for the holiday. Although you could let that potted plant wilt and die, you can also preserve it with proper care. Lilies …
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i found your article in Mature Living about using straw bales as raised beds; i CANNOT find ammonium sulfate!!!!!!!!!! what is it for and what can i use for a substitute?????
please help!! growing season is about to begin! thank you!!
You won’t be able to find it In a big box garden center. The government restricts the sale of it because some people have made bombs out of it. Try your local farmer’s cooperative or greenhouse. You can also contact your county extension agent. He or she can give you some idea aS to where specifically in your area you can go to look. Failing that, you can purchase online at http://www.dixondalefarms.com/category/fertilizers
Very cute new friends! We tried to grow toeatoms last summer but the tomato blight that swept New England got our poor little guys too. I think I’ll try herbs this summer. Gorgeous photos!
Make sure when you buy seeds they are not Monsanto genetically modieifd poison seeds. Try to get organic or heirloom seeds not from Seminis. Be careful Monsanto owns 25% of the world vegtable seeds according to Bank of America.