First off we need to come clean. The image above is a mock up and isn’t possible. But fruit cocktail trees are real. This post explains what they are and how you might be able to grow your own. Many gardeners wish that they could grow different varieties of fruit on the same tree because … Read more
The elderberry is a fast-growing, nitrogen-loving shrub, indigenous to North America and Europe, that prefers forested areas, farms, or rural areas with lots of organic waste. They’re often used as hedges in Europe because they are easily shaped and spread quickly. It’s related to the honeysuckle and its creamy white and yellow flowers emit a … Read more
On many market trip occasions I have purchased a variety of brands for sugar substitutes. Faced with the decision between flavor and nutrition, I became happily accustomed to stevia, an alternative to sugar derived from the plant species Stevia rebaudiana. Stevia has gained a great deal of popularity as current health concerns drive food companies to … Read more
Summer has gone and the autumn sun isn’t warming up the soil enough for my outdoor gardens and container plants to thrive much longer. The annuals are pretty much finished, and the perennials are beginning to go to sleep. As I move some of my plants indoors for the winter, this is the time to … Read more
While they are both creepy crawly insects, centipedes and millipedes are not the same creatures, although many get these two types of long, many-legged bugs mixed up and it can be hard to tell the difference. Knowing the difference between these arthropods can mean the difference between walking away from an encounter unscathed and needing … Read more
We each create gardens for different reasons. For some, it’s a pure love of growing plants and flowers. For others, it’s about creating beautiful outdoor spaces live in. If all you are about is growing plants and flower then let’s be clear. Ants are your friends. They work hard tunneling through the soil and redistribute nutrients. … Read more
Flowers always make a great gift… But how do you keep them fresh and alive for longer No matter how big or small the arrangement, anyone who gets them is always grateful for a chance to have a little bit of nature for their office or home. Some luxurious arrangements can be expensive, especially if they … Read more
Are you tired of looking at the worn out and baron area of landscaping around the trees in your yard? I know that I get a tinge of sadness every time that I look out into my yard to the disappointing view of my bare rooted tree or at the unruly weeds and grass that … Read more
Every gardener needs to know the difference between Annuals and Perennials. So what is an annual? What is a perennial? The short answer is: It’s the lifespan of the plant that determines if it’s an annual or a perennial plant. As Webster’s dictionary remind us, annuals live out their entire lives in about one year. Perennials, in … Read more
After years of being bathed in a market of pharmaceutical medications from seemingly every source of media, many people have turned back to the old ways of treating ailments with herbal powders, teas, and tinctures instead. Unfortunately, some herbs are hard to find, or they are too costly to purchase, which is why there has … Read more