Marigolds always hog the spotlight when it comes to tomato companion plants. Unfortunately, most of their tomato-protecting traits are severely over-hyped, yet they continue to be the gold standard when …
Bleeding hearts (Lamprocapnos spectabilis) are some of the most magical springtime perennials in the garden. With their large, feathery leaves that dance on the spring breeze and their dramatic arches …
It’s mid-March, and the soft magnolia buds are getting plumper and plumper. Any minute now, the fuzzy shells will no longer be able to contain them, and every single velvety …
One of my biggest pet peeves with kale is the long, hard stem that runs up the center of the leaf. It’s the most bitter part of the leaf, and …
This past weekend, I found myself dangerously close to buying a bucket of dahlias. I didn’t realize dahlias came by the bucket. It only took a couple of strolls down …
I love the steadfast nature of perennials. After another winter of cold, harsh weather, my plants yawn and stretch each spring, as they wake for another season of beautiful blooms, …
Zinnias are such dependable flowers, yet I didn’t think I could grow them for longer than I care to admit. I may have been a bit biased against them because …
Every spring, gardeners across the Northern hemisphere receive the same back-o’-the-seed-packet advice: “Sow as soon as the soil can be worked.” Okay, that’s cryptically vague. Workable how? I have a …
By the time daylight saving time begins, I am done with winter. I’m dealing with major cabin fever, and I am ready to get outside and get gardening! This year, …
As soon as spring rolls around, you’d think I’m running a plant nursery out of my suburban back yard. Surprisingly, I’m not. (I’ve never sold plants, but did my fair …
If you spend any amount of time in the gardenverse on social media, you’ve probably seen the AI-generated videos using egg cartons as an easy hack to plant bulbs. Like …
Spring is always the busiest time of the year in my yard. If you garden, it’s probably the same for you. There’s so much to do to get flowers and …
It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been gardening; there’s always something new to learn. After having written my fair share of gardening articles (in the hundreds by now), I want …
There comes a point every winter when I’m just done. I’m done with putting on seven layers and fifteen pounds worth of clothing just to stay warm. I’m done with …
As the editor for Rural Sprout, I handle all of the emails that come in asking for gardening and houseplant advice. And it never fails that every October, I start …
I am endlessly fascinated by the power that scent can have on our mood. A well-chosen fragrance can help us feel calm, relaxed, joyful or pensive. It can unlock memories …
You’ve probably seen this popular hack on social media recently. You save the rice water from rinsing and soaking rice and water plants with it. (You do soak your rice, …
Winter is slowly, gradually, loosening its grip on my garden and on my mood. I was thinking the other day how I always complain about how “this winter feels like …
If you’re tired of skimpy, leggy tomato seedlings that get knocked over by the tiniest breeze and take forever to harden off, or your tomato seedlings get stuck after you …
There are some pretty great reasons to grow perennial vegetables. For one, having access to things like fresh asparagus and rhubarb, you’ll always have better quality than what you can …
One of the constant limitations of my gardening plans is a lack of space. I’m confident enough by this point in my gardening experience that I can prune, propagate and …
We live in a day and age where one can procure blueberries at the supermarket any time of the year. That doesn’t mean they will taste great or be picked …
Hydrangeas have to be one of the most beloved and popular ornamental shrubs, don’t you think? You don’t even need to be a gardener to know a hydrangea when you …
The ideas behind companion planting have been around for millennia. Grow plant X next to Plant Y and receive these benefits. If you’re serious about growing tomatoes, chances are you’ve …
As much as I love the joy of starting seeds indoors, I’m less joyful when it comes time to haul them all out to the garden to plant them. Thankfully, …