Have you struggled with your succulents and you’re not sure why they’re not thriving? The answer could easily be the soil, especially if you’re not sure what the best soil for succulents is in the first place as general-purpose potting soil usually won’t work without amendments. Succulents require different soil to do well, and indoors
Potting soil has several benefits for your plants in the fact that it contains a higher nutrient content than you’ll find in the soil and it retains moisture. However, various plants need a specific pH range so it can accommodate their growth patterns, and this is where acidic potting soil comes in. This pH should
As any gardener knows, good, healthy earth is the foundation of a healthy, productive garden. One of the main benefits of creating a raised bed garden is that it enables you to fully control the quality of your growing medium. This is ideal if your garden earth is poor, filled with thick tree roots or
It’s a known fact that you should make a point to regularly fertilize your garden, but many people aren’t sure how to go about it without using chemical fertilizers. We’re going to outline exactly how to accomplish this task using worm castings, touch on how they help your garden, how to apply them, how to
Growing plants takes work, dedication, effort, and the best potting soil available. No matter if you have indoor or outdoor plants, the best potting soil for your plant type can help give them the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. There are dozens of different types available from reputable companies that it’s challenging to
How do you make a gritty, well-draining cactus mix for cheap? After I bought my first cactus, I fell into a black hole of researching everything I could to keep my new cactus plant happy and thriving. This research very quickly took me on a journey that looked like this: buy a new cactus plant,
The sun is not the only factor in choosing full sun perennials. It is important to understand that there is no list of full sun perennials that would be suitable for any garden. Of course, the plants that are right for your garden will depend on where you live. The climate is important. And the
Succulents like Chicks and Hens and cacti are different from your traditional plants. They have different care needs, including having a specialized succulent soil. In their natural habitat, these plants typically face drought, and this means that they store moisture in their leaves or stems. The soil in which they grow is also very different,
Are you having issues knowing when it’s time to water your houseplants or the plants outside? If you are, you’re not alone. Having a soil moisture sensor on hand is one way to combat this issue, and you can quickly and easily tell at a glance whether or not you have to water your plants.
If you’re someone who has uneven ground outside of your home that is prone to eroding, you’ve probably already thought of a few retaining wall ideas. A well-built retaining wall can help keep the soil on one side of the wall while allowing for a lower floor level on the opposite side. Traditionally, most retaining
If you’ve ever tried gardening in heavy clay soil, you know what a challenge it is. Digging is back-breaking work, and you might end up with plants that don’t grow very big or just struggle and die. This doesn’t mean that clay soil is the worst thing ever. Clay actually has some benefits that are
Getting the correct balance of nutrients in your garden soil is key to helping your vegetables, plants, and flowers thrive and grow all season long. However, your soil’s nutrients can fluctuate depending on the environment, the soil itself, and whether or not you add things like fertilizer in. This is why it’s important to have
Here’s everything you need to know about how to make soil acidic using natural methods. Use a soil test kit to determine how acidic or alkaline your soil currently is. You can have the best soil in the world and give your plants the right amount of sunlight and water, but if they don’t have
Retaining walls have come a long way in the past couple of decades, going from simple cinder block or concrete one-dimensional structures to elaborately engineered, multi-dimensional hardscapes with style options to fit every aesthetic. While the need to cover up unsightly walls may not exist like it used to, training plants to cascade over walls
Nothing is more refreshing than a slice of freshly picked juicy watermelon on a hot summer day. It tastes even better when the fruit is one that you have grown yourself. If you like growing your own watermelons but have no idea when to pick these delicious fruits, this handy guide will explain everything you
If you are looking for something a little different to add to your herb garden, look no further than chocolate mint. A hybrid plant produced by crossing peppermint with Mentha Citrata or orange mint, this is an attractive cultivar that tastes of orange and smells of chocolate. Chocolate mint is a fragrant hybrid plant. Menthe
Hanging baskets are a great way to fill your patio, balcony or even doorway with long-lasting, colorful floral displays that don’t take up too much space. But what flowers are suitable for your hanging basket? It can be difficult to know what flower combinations to plant. This guide to hanging basket flowers will take you
A popular houseplant, the Swiss cheese vine (Monstera adansonii), is so called because its large, heart-shaped leaves develop holes, similar to Swiss cheese, as the plant ages. This process, known as fenestration, gives the plant a distinctive appearance that helps it to stand out in any houseplant collection. Despite its show-stopping appearance, Monstera adansonii is
Succulents have exploded in popularity and have become a massive planting trend. What plant enthusiast doesn’t love these fascinating, fleshy forms of flora? The more unusual, the better, right? Unique and rare succulents are distinguished by their specific adaptive features and scarcity. These succulents are often easily identifiable because they generally have non-typical growth or
Are you ready to brighten up those shady corners of your home or garden? Look no further! In this article, we’ll introduce you to 30 remarkable plants that don’t need sun to survive. Yes, you heard it right – these botanical wonders have adapted to lower light conditions and will add a touch of greenery
Transforming your outdoor space from a green desert to a bustling oasis of wildflowers is relatively straightforward to achieve, and the change you make has a significant impact on the environment surrounding you. The focus is shifting away from traditional garden flowers toward pollinator-friendly blooms with medicinal properties, such as echinacea and plantain. Your wildflower
At first glance conifer trees can all look the same. However, each variety of conifer has its own growing preferences and requirements. They also bring different benefits to your garden. Learning the skill of pine tree identification, as well as being able to identify the other types of conifer, can have numerous benefits for both
If you are looking to add an attractive evergreen tree to your garden, look no further than the macadamia nut tree. This majestic glossy broadleaf specimen, the foliage of which is similar to that of the holly bush, is an increasingly popular garden design choice. A versatile choice, these specimens can be used in a
Who doesn’t dream of a lush, green lawn? Despite what you may believe this is easy to achieve without resorting to synthetic chemical or even artificial grass solutions. Top dressing your lawn helps to enrich the soil with nutrients, creating thick, healthy grass that not only looks great but is also beneficial for your garden’s
Trellising can form a vital part of the garden, providing a secure way to train and support large or vining plants. As well as helping your plants to thrive, supports can be particularly useful in smaller gardens where they can be used to elevate plants and free up more growing space. Used correctly, even a
Two tropical fruits that are similar in appearance, when it comes to choosing between durian vs jackfruit, you can be forgiven for struggling to tell the two apart. However, there are some key differences between these two tropical fruits. Once you learn how to spot these differences you will be able to tell them apart
A raised bed vegetable garden is a great growing solution for many people. Ideal for a range of growing environments, planting a 4×8 raised bed vegetable garden provides a good way to grow your own food if your soil is poor. This growing solution not only enables you to make the most of limited space,
One of the easiest garden projects, growing pea sprouts provides a quick and easy way to enjoy your own microgreens. A low maintenance crop that is suitable for growing both indoors and outside, this is a reliable, year round crop that is suitable for gardeners of all abilities. Rich in flavor, pea sprouts are also
Succulents provide an attractive, low maintenance way to grow plants. Ideal for cultivation as houseplants, succulents are resilient plants that tolerate a little neglect. This has helped to make them a popular choice for people who may not otherwise have the time to care for other types of houseplant. One of the most attractive types
Are you looking for a houseplant that is a little different? A plant that stands out from the crowd. If so, the distinctive lace aloe may be the plant for you. Visually arresting, the lace aloe is a stemless flowering succulent that produces soft lanceolate white-spotted leaves in a rosette pattern. This attractive plant not
One of the most useful herbs, learning how to grow lemongrass can also add visual interest to your garden. Its long leaves sway gently in the summer breeze filling your outdoor space with color, interest and movement. As summer turns to fall the leaves turn from light green to pleasing shades of red or burgundy
There is nothing like the taste of a home grown, freshly picked tomato. If you want to enjoy this taste but worry that you don’t have the space, growing small tomatoes is the ideal solution. Taking up surprisingly little space, small tomatoes can be grown in pots, planters, hanging baskets and even on kitchen windowsills.
When it comes to planning your garden’s planting scheme, foliage is often neglected. Considered simply the backdrop against which spectacular floral displays are showcased. However, for many plants, it is the foliage that is actually the star of the show. Selecting shrubs that have colorful, textured or unusually shaped foliage enables you to create year
A popular ornamental spring flower, did you know that there are over 300 different types of iris? These different varieties come in a range of different shapes and colors, from large border filling specimens to smaller container plants. Part of the Iridaceae plant family the iris is not only visually attractive it is also easy
There are many drought-tolerant plants available, including vines, trees, shrubs, and flowers that can look great and thrive, even if you go weeks without rainfall. These plants will help you minimize the money and time you have to spend on watering your yard or garden. Some even prefer to thrive planted in poor soil, so
Photinia is a broadleaf evergreen shrub that can come with striking red coloring on the new leaves. As the shrub matures, the foliage takes on a deep, leathery green appearance. Many people choose to use this plant as a privacy screen or hedge due to the dense growth habit. However, fungal leaf spot can quickly
Are you new to the pepper world? Shishito peppers are one of the best pepper plants you can start with. Not only do they have very simple growing requirements, but they have a mild flavor profile that blends well with dozens of recipes. They also have an earlier harvest, so you’ll have mountains of peppers
The weeping blue atlas cedar is a very majestic ornamental specimen to have as part of your landscape design. The sculptural form of lightly cascading branches make a very eye-catching display, and the bluish-gray coloring on the foliage is also very unique. It’s a perfect specimen plant to add a dramatic focal point to your
Grown as a shrub or the loquat tree, this fruiting plant is very interesting. It’s a relative to the rose, and it produces small fruits that taste like a mixture of mango, citrus, and peaches, and many people claim it has a honey note. However, most people have never tasted this fruit and know virtually
Many people don’t have access to large plots of land to grow a garden, and a lot of people have to make do with a balcony or porch. However, if you don’t have a lot of space and you still want to experience picking fresh fruits and vegetables from a garden, you can try growing
Liatris, also called gayfeather or blazing star, is a perennial wildflower that has a long blooming period and is native to the eastern part of North America. It’s a member of the bigger, Asteraceae family, but it doesn’t have the daisy-like blooms most plants in this family produce. Instead, you get very unusual flower heads
The snake plant (Sansevieria) is a hardy low maintenance houseplant. Tolerant of a range of conditions and even a little neglect, the snake plant is one of the easiest plants to care for. However snake plant problems are all too common. Being able to quickly identify any problems helps you to solve the issue quickly,
A popular member of the vegetable garden, crunchy cucumbers freshly harvested from the garden are one of the joys of summer. If you don’t like eating these nutritious fruits, you can also use them to flavor water or as part of your skincare regime. As the summer draws to a close, excess fruit can be
Once considered an exotic delicacy today the banana is one of the world’s most popular fruits. This popularity is largely due to the fruit’s delicious flavor and creamy texture. They are also packed with nutrients such as potassium and vitamin C. A popular choice at the grocery store, but did you know you can also
Kalanchoe Daigremontiana is a visually unique houseplant. Further adding to its popularity is the fact that it is pleasingly easy to care for. Best described as a forgiving plant, Kalanchoe Daigremontiana is an ideal choice for inexperienced and nervous plant parents. In return for just a little care it produces lots of rich, green serrated
A gorgeous addition to the home, the lyre-shaped leaves of the Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata) have helped to make it one of the most popular houseplants. Its glossy, lyre or violin shaped green leaves make it a great addition to a room. Taller varieties, which can grow up to 6 ft tall, can also
One of the most popular members of the vegetable garden, lots of people, myself included, love growing tomatoes. As many gardeners will tell you, once you have tasted a homegrown tomato freshly picked from the garden, store bought types will never taste as good again. While many people buy young plants or transplants from garden
One of the most popular flowers in the garden, peonies are popular for their large, showy blooms. While the peony flower is not one of the longest lasting blooms, they are certainly one of the showiest flowers, providing your garden with lots of colorful, frilly interest. Surprisingly easy to grow, particularly as a cut flower,
One of the most exotic plants you can add to the garden, turmeric has a range of benefits. In addition to its large, green leaves providing you with lots of visual interest, the plant can be used to add flavor to dishes such as curries. This useful herb also has a range of health benefits.
Hostas are popular ornamental plants, their lush green leaves are an ideal choice to fill a difficult space in the garden. Once established the hosta provides long lasting interest. A resilient, shade perennial, the hosta is versatile enough to work in a range of planting schemes. Providing further interest, the plants are also available in