Tag: gardening

Gardening gift ideas that are perfect for plant lovers

Find gifts for gardeners.

The holidays will be here before you know it. That means it’s time to start brainstorming present ideas. For your hiking buddies, a nice new daypack or thick socks can do the trick. For dad, you can’t go wrong with a cozy hammock or new camping gear And for your friend who recently got into birdwatching? Well, they’ll be delighted to unwrap a new pair of binoculars.

But what about the plant-loving gardeners in your life? Do you know what to get them? If the mere thought of figuring out which planters and trowels to buy sends you into a panic, this guide is for you. These 12 gardening gift ideas will help you find the right present for all of your green-thumbed loved ones.

Keep your garden alive by bringing these 8 plants inside for winter

Protect your plants from the frost.

Winter can wreak havoc on a garden. Many plants simply aren’t hardy enough to withstand dropping temperatures and a layer of frost. So, what is a home gardener to do? Well, while your peonies and coneflowers can probably remain safely in the ground through the cold months, other species will require extra attention.

Wondering which plants to bring inside for winter? See the list below for a round-up of eight species that will need to overwinter indoors. Plus, find helpful tips for how to handle the transfer process. In general, you’ll want to start bringing plants inside once temperatures start reaching 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night. Before lugging all of your potted plants inside, you’ll also want to weed out any pests lingering on the leaves.

Find more tips below, and read up on which bugs to watch out for with this guide.

8 hard-to-kill outdoor plants for every kind of garden

Enjoy these low-maintenance plants.

Not everyone can have a green thumb. For some gardeners, keeping plants healthy and happy is an uphill battle. If that sounds like you, don’t worry. Caring for your outdoor plants doesn’t have to be that way. With a little planning, you can have a stress-free and low-maintenance garden.

The trick is choosing hardy plants. Different plants thrive in different climates, but there are a few species known far and wide for being extremely resilient. These hard-to-kill outdoor plants include everything from flowering beauties to reliable ground cover. Find a few to add to your garden with the photo guide below.

Keep your garden safe by weeding out these pesky bugs

Bugs begone!

Almost every home gardener experiences it at some point. One day, your plants look healthy and strong. The next, they’re being infested by creepy crawly bugs. While not all insects are harmful, some can wreak havoc if left unaddressed. If the wrong kind of critter makes a home in your garden, you can expect to see problems ranging from stunted plant growth to plant diseases.

So, what is a home gardener to do in the face of these pests? The first step is identification. You’ve got to understand your problem before you can tackle it. Check out this list of eight bugs you don’t want in your garden. Plus, find some helpful tips for getting rid of them.

Stop and smell the roses at this free park in California

See LA’s secret garden.

A field of fresh, blooming roses awaits visitors who know where to go in Los Angeles. Away from all the concrete and city smog, people can enjoy a free nature experience at the Exposition Park Rose Garden.

Surrounded by the California Science Center, African American Museum, and Natural History Museum, Exposition Park offers hours of fun for both tourists and LA locals. Outside of these big-name attractions lies a spot that even some lifelong LA inhabitants don’t know. That spot is the Exposition Park Rose Garden.

Stop and smell the roses during the blooming season from March to November. While maintenance season (January to March) and the rare storm close the garden to visitors, the area is open most of the year. Learn more about the Exposition Park Rose Garden with this virtual tour.

Build a rain garden with these 7 plants

Great plants for a rainy day.

When storms roll in, every home gardener will want a rain garden. What is a rain garden? Here’s what the United States Environmental Protection Agency has to say.

“A rain garden is a depressed area in the landscape that collects rain water from a roof, driveway or street and allows it to soak into the ground.”

When water collects in these spaces, specially selected plants help filter and absorb the rain. Rain garden plants must be able to tolerate a lot of moisture. Home gardeners will also want to consider the region they live in before planting any new species. Doing so helps homeowners avoid planting invasive species or blooms that will wither in unsuitable weather.

Start your rain garden by checking out this list of moisture-tolerant plants.

The 8 best flowering trees for landscaping and gardens

Liven up your landscapes.

Flowers can help make almost any yard look vibrant and inviting. If you don’t like or already have flower beds planted, consider incorporating flowering trees into your landscaping.

Homeowners can expect several benefits from planting a flowering tree. With the addition of just one plant, your yard will gain shade and visual appeal. For families, these advantages can make a major difference in how they use an outdoor space. With flowering trees, kids can play outside in the shade, and parents can appreciate some charming scenery.

When planning your next landscaping project, do yourself a favor and consider planting these eight flowering trees.

Elevate your vegetable garden with these companion planting options

These veggies grow stronger together.

Everyone is stronger when they have support. The same goes for plants. So, how can home gardeners apply this to their crops? For a healthy and thriving vegetable garden, consider companion planting.

What is companion planting? Put simply, companion planting is when specific plants are grown together for mutual benefits. This practice helps keep soil healthy, deter pests, and prevent disease. Gardeners with limited space will also appreciate how companion planting saves soil space.

Get started with companion planting by checking out this list of plant pairings below. These suggestions focus on options for vegetable gardens but also include some fruits and herbs for variety.

Grow your own tea garden with these 10 plants

Have your garden and drink it, too.

Growing your own tea might be easier than you think. If you’re the type of gardener who enjoys a freshly brewed cup of tea after working in the yard, try building a tea garden.

What is a tea garden? Everything you need to know is right in the name. A tea garden is simply a garden full of plants that can be harvested to make tea. While growing tea may seem intimidating at first, there are many easy-to-cultivate plants to start with. Start with plants like chamomile and mint, or peruse the list below for even more species you can include in your tea garden.

Grow your garden with these 8 easy-to-propagate plants

Develop your green thumb.

For plant lovers looking for affordable ways to expand their gardens, there’s no better trick than propagation. Plant propagation is the process of creating new plants. While people can propagate plants in several ways, home gardeners are likely most familiar with propagating plants with cuttings. Here’s how the process works, plus a few easy-to-propagate plants you can grow at home.

A cutting is, as the name implies, a cut piece of a plant. Hobbyist gardeners will likely want to start their propagation journey by using root or leaf cuttings. For pothos plants, propagation is as easy as cutting off a leafy stalk of the plant, placing it in water, waiting for roots to grow, then planting it in soil.

Try propagating for yourself with the tips below! This guide shares eight plants that are easy to propagate and helpful info to make the process simple.