Mickey Gast

Do you like conducting experiments? Are you intrigued by the idea that underwear has something to do with gardening? I was, too, my friend. Keep reading. I wasn’t a big …

I first came across the term “edimental” when I was looking up whether I could eat this mesmerizing little plant that I had bought on impulse. It’s called purple Shiso …

Up until a few years ago, I used to think of bare-root planting as an advanced gardening skill. Something that I felt slightly intimidated by. Surely a skill that I …

I love planting perennials.  Above all, I love the fact that there’s a perennial for every garden. For every type of soil. For every type of shade. In any color …

I’ve never been a big fan of super tidy gardens with nary a leaf out of place. I like looking at them and walking through them, but I’ve never been …

I’m curious if this ever happens to you. You think that something you know is so obvious that everyone else knows it too. When, in fact, they absolutely don’t. It’s …

After a thorough inspection of my garden notes and photo albums from previous years, I’ve now calculated that my hydrangeas will start blooming in exactly eighty-seven days and six hours. …

I’ve spent the past couple of months (basically since the end of the holiday season) counting down the days until I could do outdoor jobs again. But once the weather …

It’s already March and I have bulbs on my mind. And not just the spring bulbs that greet me every morning as I take my customary garden stroll, coffee mug …

I’m a big believer in the fact that plants are excellent communicators. Not in a weird “I talk to my houseplants every morning” kind of way; more in a “I …

Perhaps the main reason why I love houseplants is because they can make any house feel like a home. Bring a houseplant into a room and it will instantly create …

I write a lot about saving plants, fixing plants and solving plant problems. I love plants and hate waste, so whenever one of my green babes is going through a …

If you asked me to think of a smell I associated with plants, my first thoughts would fly to scented garden darlings such as jasmine, honeysuckle and fragrant roses. It …

I’m always nervous when I have to repot a cactus. I despair. Then I prepare. Then I collect everything that could ever be of use to transplant my cacti safely.  …

Would you like to see a really cool plant? Because I would very much like to show you the coolest-looking plant I found. It’s definitely the weirdest plant I’ve bought …

I often see peace lilies make it to the top of lists of houseplants that thrive on neglect. I believe – and you can disagree – that no plant thrives …

If you’ve been gardening in the United States, you’ve probably consulted the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map at least once. The PHZM or, as gardeners lovingly call it, the USDA …

We’ve had a very warm October this year, so I’ve postponed the task of planting spring bulbs from one Saturday to another until November rolled around.  On the one hand, …

Many years ago, when I first discovered that a surefire way to get free houseplants was to bring some in from the garden, you would have thought I’d hit the …

If you were to walk past my garden and do a bit of eavesdropping at the height of summer, you would no doubt think you happened upon a scene from …

Can you think of a plant that, upon hearing how low maintenance it is, you just roll your eyes? Because how can it be low maintenance when you’ve managed to …

When I first started gardening in earnest, my learning zeal was as high as the leggy tomatoes I was growing. I was humble enough to know that I didn’t know …

As an overly-protective gardener, I’m equally excited and anxious about my vacation plans for this summer. I’m more than ready for a change of scenery, and the anticipation that comes …

Note: This article was first published on January 25th 2023 and included ten plants. It proved incredibly popular and has now been updated to include fifteen plants that need a …