Robby

Prune fall bearing raspberries back to ground level each fall or winter after the plants go dormant. This eliminates the summer crop but will give you a bigger and earlier fall crop. Earlier flowering gives the fruit plenty of time to develop and ripen. Poor weather that interferes with pollination can also result in poor … Read more

Starting Lemongrass Seeds Indoors for a Head Start on the Growing Season Lemongrass is a tropical, grassy herb that adds incredible citrus flavor to Asian dishes. While it can be grown as a perennial plant in warmer climates, starting lemongrass from seed indoors extends the growing season and provides transplants a head start before planting … Read more

Herbs are motivated to grow not just by temperature but also by day length. Basil, like its cousins in the mint family, loves long and warm days. Think “sunny and 75”, like the Joe Nichols song. Basil can take the heat and push into the summer months, even in warmer climates. When temps spike over … Read more

St John’s Bush and St John’s Wort – two herbs with remarkably similar names yet very different purposes and uses. Their names often cause confusion, so let’s break down exactly what sets these two plants apart. An Overview of St John’s Bush First, St. John’s Bush (scientifically known as Justicia pectoralis) is a flowering herb … Read more

As exciting as it is to see a flush of tiny cucumber seedlings emerge in your garden bed or container, overcrowding can spell trouble. Giving your cucumber plants adequate space is crucial for their health and productivity. Proper thinning techniques can make all the difference in raising vigorous, high-yielding cucumber vines. When to Start Thinning … Read more

There are many other people who have seen their once-happy peace lily blooms turn a sad shade of brown. A fair few Aussie plant enthusiasts find themselves scratching their heads over this, wondering what went wrong. It can be pretty gutting to watch those gorgeous flowers go drab on you. More often than not, these … Read more

With their beautiful tropical leaves and bright flowers, Bird of Paradise plants bring a touch of exotic beauty to any room, indoors or out. Giving these beautiful plants the right nutrients is important for them to grow well and reach their full potential. Because they are living things, Bird of Paradise plants need food to … Read more

When gardening, there are three types of plants you can work with: annuals, perennials, and tender perennials. Annuals are plants that reach their entire life cycle in one growing season. Perennials are plants you only need to plant once and then enjoy them coming back year after year. So, what are tender perennials?. Tearful perennials … Read more

Tree identification is a journey. You start with features that are clear, unique, and easy to spot, like the ginkgo tree’s leaves, the London planetree’s peeling bark, or the American sweetgum’s spiked seed pods. As you go along, though, it’s easy to spot groups of species—that’s a magnolia, that looks like an oak, I bet … Read more

Kalanchoes are popular succulent houseplants with long-lasting blooms. Perhaps you’ve seen one but never brought it home. That’s what I want you to do because they’re easy to grow and bloom for a long time. Here’s how to care for flowering kalanchoes and get them to bloom again. Like most succulents, these are low-maintenance plants. … Read more