Usually, the presence of a white, cottony residue on leaves, stems, or crevices of the plant is an indication of mealybugs in your plants. These tiny insects are a widespread problem for most indoor and outdoor gardeners and can weaken your plants, stunt their growth, and even lead to plant…
It is also referred to as English ivy and is one of the most common evergreen glossy ground cover plants and climbers. It is highly adaptable and pervasive; however, its invasive nature continues to pose both a threat to trees and other natural ecosystems. When unchecked, once established, uncontrolled growth…
Ornamental grasses are popular today for adding texture, movement, and architectural interest to the garden, and the number of enthusiasts has mushroomed. Rather than choosing an exotic species, natives can provide just as dramatic a show, yet they have all the added benefits of being local to the environment and…
Chrysanthemums are some of the most colorful and varied fall flowers. Their bright colors and profuse blooms help gardens shine as the growing season winds down. Many gardeners think of mums as annuals, discarding them each year, but with the right care, they can be overwintered successfully to return year…
Vermicomposting is an extremely efficient technique of recycling organic waste using composting worms. The worms, feeding on decaying organic matter, break down the matter into rich, nutrient-dense vermicompost. This approach helps not only reduce the quantum of waste that would reach landfills but results in an excellent fertilizer for gardens,…
Chicken manure is packed with nutrients, arguably one of the richest organic fertilizers you can look forward to using in your garden. Chicken manure contains high amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium-the N-P-K-so important to the development of your plants for healthy and quality soil. On the flip side, chicken…
They’re important to our ecosystem in that they allow many plant species to reproduce, a necessary process for the survival of a particular plant. Whereas bees are among the most common of these unsung heroes, they are by no means the only ones: butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and even bats…
Houseplants inject into our own environments some life approximation, making them more beautiful while supporting better being health with air purifying. Their continual health can, however, be jeopardized by attack from pests or disease and can be stressed by environmental factors. The identification of the symptoms of such problems and…
The Spider Plant is one of the most popular and versatile houseplants, greatly admired for its beautiful look and miniscule amount of care required. Spider plants are very decoratively done with green-and-white-striped arching leaves and small white flowers. As a seasoned or beginning gardener, you can’t go wrong with a…
This tall, stately plant with its distinctive brown seed head is a staple of wetland ecosystems. Although it thrives in marshy situations, it can be grown quite easily in containers. If you do not have the space for a natural pond or wetland area, consider using cattails with container growing…
One of the best ways of recycling organic waste and increasing fertility in soils is composting, consequently reducing your environmental footprint. Still, most experienced composters continue to make these twelve common mistakes that slow down this process and give less-than-perfect results. Here are twelve common composting mistakes and how to…
Even though some of the causes of developing brown spots or entirely brown leaves can be due to the low-maintenance nature of the aloe plant or even its air-purifying characteristics and soothing gel inside the leaves, one should know that despite being tagged as an easy-to-maintain plant, an aloe plant…
Generally, a raised bed is considered to be an excellent medium for raising plants because it provides very significant advantages in terms of good drainage, minimized compaction, and easier weed control. If there is one most critical factor that would greatly determine the success of a raised bed garden, then…
