If there is one houseplant that is intolerant of neglect, it’s the poinsettia. I have often wondered if this is a marketing ploy. After all, it’s hard to enter any store during the holiday season and not be immediately accosted by a poinsettia display. Although I consider myself in possession of two green thumbs, the

I love to decorate the house for Christmas and adorning a tree with lights and ornaments is one of the highlights of the season. Many years ago, we would go and cut down our own tree, but our more enlightened selves wanted a more sustainable option. That’s when I discovered Norfolk pine holiday plants. Norfolk

During the coldest months of the year, activity in the garden has come to a complete standstill. Without the bright summer sunshine, some may feel at a loss. Often, I find myself counting the days until I am once again able to work the soil outdoors. Fortunately, for those of us who are eager to

For those who celebrate the holiday, Christmas is a time of festivity and togetherness. As the snow continues to fall in many places, any thought of gardening is frequently moved to the back of the priority list. This does not mean, however, that holiday celebrations cannot be brightened through the use of indoor flower arrangements

Poinsettia flowers are the quintessential Christmas plant. Coincidentally, they also happen to be my favorite. That wasn’t always the case, however. There was a time when I would cringe whenever well-meaning family and friends presented me with a holiday poinsettia as a gift. Gifting Holiday Plants Poinsettias are the natural choice when it comes to

I’m a gardener, but I also like to make things. So, if I can take something from nature and create a usable work of art, I’ll do that too. Ornaments are no different. My Christmas tree is filled with all manner of ornaments I’ve accumulated over the years, from my childhood creations to those of

I don’t think that I am the only one who finds these times we live in particularly difficult. Though every year has its problems, the past months have brought us face to face with many stressful situations over which we seem to have little control. So many people are hurting, so many animals and plants

As an adult, I lived in big cities for years, perhaps to balance out a childhood in a small town in central Alaska. I went to Berkeley for law school, San Francisco to take the California Bar, and never really went back to rural life for many years. I traveled a lot and, when I

Giving is a process that benefits both the giver and the receiver. It really is a two-way street that affords opportunities for both sides. Community gardens are open to those who apply and can be a way for those with no land or outdoor space to grow their own food. Often called pea patches, community

Craftiness is happiness, but you don’t have to be particularly “crafty” to bring happiness to others. I’m not artsy or imaginative, but I’m crafty and always have at least one project in the works. I’m restless, and sitting still to watch TV is almost impossible if I don’t have something to occupy my hands. Tales

I was once upon a time a chef. The cooking world is hard on the body and often lacks a sense of appreciation for all the toil that goes into making a lovely meal. Since I no longer do that, I have a greater love and gratitude for the cooking process. And nothing is more

I read some months ago that gratitude is good for your health – that if you take time every day to be grateful, you are less likely to get sick and more likely to flourish. Now I’m about as eager to flourish as anyone I know, and I take my health seriously, but I have

I love to garden, but it’s been years since I had a vegetable garden (other than tomatoes in pots). I’d rather grow wildflowers and other native plants that deer don’t bother. I try to co-exist with the deer, but sometimes it’s a major challenge. So, I don’t do a lot of cooking with plants from

Gardening has long been celebrated for its potential to alter mood, improve health, and ease at growers closer to nature. Though these attributes are considered true by many; this does not mean, however, that the growing process is without trial, stress, and disappointment. It wasn’t until I began exploring the “larger picture” in my own

Planning is often one of the most anticipated parts of creating a beautiful and dynamic garden space. I know I’m not alone in saying that I can easily spend hours browsing through the plants offered at my local plant nursery. While many plants in my yard have been ordered online, I’m consistently surprised by the

What does gratitude mean to a gardener like me? Being out in my garden makes me feel grateful. One definition of grateful is ‘pleasing to the mind or senses.’ My gratitude encompasses all five senses. What Represents Gratefulness I love the feel of the sun on my shoulders, the smell of fresh mown grass, the

My mother loved to cook and holidays were her shining glory. Until a few years before her death, she continued to put on a Thanksgiving feast that paralleled none. My sister and I have both tried our hands at making her secret holiday recipes, but it’s not the same. So we opted for a new

Almost everyone looks forward to Thanksgiving dinner. Sure, it’s your loved ones that make the day special, but how about the food! The feast differs from family to family and region to region, but there are a few general staples that feature in almost everyone’s meal – turkey side dishes that I grow every year.

You don’t have to live in the American South to love pecans, which are commonly featured around Thanksgiving time with a traditional pecan pie. There are many culinary uses for pecans, ranging from sweet to savory, but there are other pecan uses as well. We have compiled some unique ways to incorporate this tasty nut

By Thanksgiving, my Michigan is fully dormant. However, I have the fruits of that garden and from my local farm. I always make these a part of whatever dish I bring to the family dinner. And using materials from the garden is a great way to decorate for the holiday. Dried Herbs for Thanksgiving The

Nothing that I do in the garden is on a small scale, and my summer pots are no exception. On any given year, I’ll have upwards of 60-70 containers, or more, scattered around our property. Everything from single pots with geraniums to much larger pots full of hibiscus, bananas, elephant ears and other tropical plants.

After the vivid pallet of a summer garden and the fiery fall displays of autumn, a winter garden can feel bleak. But it doesn’t have to. If you select some shrubs for the backyard specifically for their winter interest, from shiny berries to bright stems or even flowers, your garden will light up this time

When we first bought our house, I wasn’t very impressed with the enclosed front porch. Not only did it lack heat or air conditioning, it had never been made into usable living space. The shared wall between the house and porch was the original wood siding. The other three walls contained discolored aluminum windows, neither

I come from people who grew up on farms. My paternal grandparents, especially, were both farm kids and brought their love of gardening into their urban setting. Their garden was lush, diverse, and included a few chickens. But it seems to be a family failing in that we never take care of garden tools. After

Growing edibles in a worthwhile endeavor for the home gardener. Growing them indoors in containers can be a bit of a challenge but, with the right lighting, you can harvest crops throughout the winter. Some edibles are even attractive as houseplants. I’ve grown all sorts of edibles indoors over winter, some with luck and others

I detest lawn weeds, but not for the reason one might think. Like many homeowners, I admit I enjoy having a sea of green grass along with the yellow flowers of dandelions and the leafy protrusions of other weeds. The real reason I detest lawn weeds, however, is because they die in the winter, leaving

Gardening is my hobby but I’m as passionate about it as if I was painting a masterpiece. Of course, that doesn’t mean I enjoy every aspect of gardening. You might think that a typical chore like weeding would be a gardening task I detest, but you would be wrong. I actually love to weed. Weeding

How can a school garden survive this pandemic? It takes courageous educators, some determined parents and a lot of community support. Here’s an inner-city school garden that just keeps on giving, despite the blocks and hurdles that the COVID-19 pandemic has imposed on our schools.  The Garden Club at Daniel A. Grout Elementary School in

Gardening is a lot of hard work, but it should also be fun. Growing beautiful flowers or harvesting delicious, healthy edibles is satisfying, but most importantly, gardening offers us an opportunity to slough off the worries of the day, to get our hands in the dirt, and to enjoy working in partnership with Mother Nature.

Gardening can be expensive, and it’s a lot of actual work. But there are ways to make growing a beautiful garden easier and cheaper. It has been a lot of trial and error over the years, but I’ve found some ingenious gardening hacks to simplify this hobby. Creating Inexpensive Gardens Creating a gorgeous garden takes

I practice natural and organic gardening as much as possible. Even with the best pest remedies though, you often get flare ups that can’t be controlled. We used to reach for a can of commercial pesticide if these natural pest remedies failed, but not anymore! There is a better way and it uses just one

I’m not sure what it is exactly, but there’s something about 1950 that strikes a chord in me – and I wasn’t even around yet. Heck, I even wrote an article on creating a 1950’s garden – at least how I’d like to anyway. Perhaps, it’s knowing that 50 has special meaning to me this

When I was a child, I remember my mother giving me ginger ale as a home remedy for stomachaches and diarrhea. Not only was this folk medicine handed down through the generations, but doctors also recommend ginger ale to patients with an upset stomach. I was recently disappointed to find out this is a myth.

Our mission at Gardening Know How is simple: to help you garden happier. We understand that during a trying spring and summer, millions of you turned to gardening for a little bit of peace, joy, and calm. And because we’re gardeners just like you are, we know that gardening not only brought you all of

With the change of the season, all of us here at Gardening Know How are beyond excited to release our latest eBook, “Bring Your Garden Indoors: 13 DIY Projects for the Fall and Winter.” For us, there’s just something about the fall and winter seasons and the holidays that invites gardeners to get creative even

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.” Margaret Atwood I don’t have any garden wisdom to impart or at least none that I can discern. I’m a bit of a haphazard gardener, even lazy. Yes, there is a plan, but the plan probably only makes sense in my

I love to find new ways of doing things, especially when they make life easier. This is especially true in the garden, where I’ve turned to a number of gardening hacks that are often not only easier but less expensive than methods I’ve used previously. Try These Gardening Tips and Tricks Here are the top

I have some crafty friends who are always working on one cool DIY project or another. I admire and am jealous of them, but never seem to be able to emulate them. As a writer and a gardener, I either read, write, or tend to my plants in downtime. I’m a hard-core fan of Mother

What else can a gardener do in winter but dream of and plan for spring? Get crafty in the garden, of course. Winter Crafting Ideas I love to take what I find in the garden in fall and winter and put it to use as indoor decorations. It helps me make it through the cold,

Winter can be a tough time for gardeners, and anyone who prefers green and growth to gray and cold. But as an enthusiastic gardener, I still find ways to cultivate and grow plants even in the depths of winter. When the winter months seem to go on forever, try creating a terrarium, a little tropical

When you tackle a DIY project, the feeling you are hoping for is some pride in your work. But it’s easy to forget that the first time you try something, you are very likely to make some mistakes. As a new gardener in San Francisco, I was reminded of this forcefully when I tried to

I’m gearing up for winter. That means placing orders for yarn, finding patterns, getting some cross-stitch kits, fabric for new RV seat covers, and acquiring new paint and canvas. Since I’m not haunting the yarn or craft places, this will be a slow winter for me. In other years, I might be making candles or

As a long-time 4-H advisor, working with youth required a bit of craftiness along the way. My favorite craft projects for kids were those inspired by nature. These types of kid craft projects opened the doorway to teach the next generation about plants, the environment and how to be stewards of our planet. My Fondest

I love to garden and I’m passionate about nature, so in my home I like to bring a little bit of the outdoors inside. While I’m no Monet, I have tried my hand at some simple crafts and the one I like the best (it’s easy!) is pressing flowers. A hundred million years ago when

I love Halloween and all the fun, spooky things that go along with it. I love getting dressed up in crazy costumes, and I like to watch the kids out trick-or-treating. But once this time of year rolls around and all the fun ends, the plant dormancy period in the garden begins – at least

For many brides, one of the most exciting aspects of wedding planning is choosing which flowers will be included in bouquets, centerpieces, and tablescapes. Flower color, texture, and quantity can set the tone of the wedding and create an atmosphere which ranges from comfortable casual to ultra-elegant. Though floral arrangements in modern times exist mostly

Do you love gardening? So do we. As Senior Editor for Gardening Know How, I’ve been asked a number of times why it is I enjoy gardening so much. There are lots of reasons to love gardening, but everyone’s story is different. What I love about gardening and how that passion came to light may

It can be disheartening to see your beautiful peonies stop producing flowers due to unforeseen challenges. That’s why it is the goal of Gardening Know How to help avoid these issues, or at the very least amend them, by providing the best information possible so your peonies will flourish and bloom for many years to

Go organic or go home. These are words to live by, especially when considering mulch. Inorganic mulch can have several adverse effects. Among them, they don’t break down or, if they do, they leave toxic residue in the landscape. They can limit the amount of moisture and nutrients that reach plant roots, and inorganic mulches

Interest in heirloom plants has blossomed in recent years, and you may be interested in trying your hand at growing heirlooms in your own garden. But first, exactly what is an heirloom plant and what makes a plant an heirloom? The answer isn’t as simple as you may think, but the following information should help.