Gardening

Wait, wait … Don’t prune it!  My other half often jokes about me having a panel show in the style of Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me! Except it would …

Most of us treat fall as the end of the gardening year. The tomatoes have all been picked, we tidy (or don’t tidy) our garden beds, and we’ve got at …

So many gardeners are missing out on one of the coolest experiences of gardening – planting and growing a winter garden. Oh sure, we all like to grow a handful …

New gardeners or forgetful gardeners (hi, friends) who want a fall garden have already missed the boat by the time true fall rolls around. So, if you’re dreaming of Brussels …

For the most part, knowing when a vegetable is ready to harvest is pretty easy. Tomatoes turn red, beans fill out and lengthen, lettuce becomes full and glossy. But for …

I have the following phrase written down in my gardening journal for this coming weekend:  Decide what to do with BES!  What the helianthus does that even mean, Mickey?  Who’s …

It’s happening, folks. The cinnamon-scented brooms have taken up position in front of every grocery store in America. Store shelves are lined with orange packages that have the words “pumpkin …

It’s September, and I have marvelous marigolds on my mind. Of course I do: they’re right there as I open the living room window, looking back at me every morning …

Garlic is one of the most recognizable food scents and flavors on the planet. The moment it hits a hot pan, the kitchen is filled with its unmistakable aroma. And …

Let me clear the autumnal air here and get one thing on the record: I love mums! Their curvy shape. Their warm colors when everything else in the garden is …

Once you begin growing tomatoes, it’s only a short time before you find yourself wondering how hard it would be to save your own tomato seeds. Oh, my friend, it’s …

Walk into any garden center, and you’ll invariably find rolls of brown and black landscape fabric. It’s cheap, it’s easy to get your hands on, and it definitely does a …

Aside from pumpkins, there’s no more popular fall décor than potted hardy chrysanthemums. Their gorgeous colors shout autumn is here with every jewel- or fire-colored bloom. And with retailers stocking …

I know very few gardeners who don’t grow tomatoes. Actually, now that I stop and think of it, I can’t think of anyone I know who gardens, but doesn’t grow …

Many of my articles are inspired by real-life conversations I have with gardeners, and this one is no different.  I found myself in a … ahem … let’s call it …

Few things are as infuriating as eagerly awaiting your first tomatoes of the season, watching them color up and ripen, only to find the tell-tale dark blotch of blossom end …

We love our hydrangeas around here. And judging by the popularity of our articles on this topic, we think you might be just as infatuated with these magnificent shrubs as …

We’ve all heard the jokes about zucchini and how productive they are. Goodness knows I’ve made quite a few right here on Rural Sprout. So, it can be a real …

As we’re burrowing deeper into the thick of this crazy summer weather, I can’t help but feel that this is the true test of the garden. Everything I’ve been working …

The inspiration for this article on hydrangea plant pairings came to me courtesy of golden hour. I was sitting on a bench next to a pink mountain hydrangea that looked …

Even if you’ve been growing tomatoes for years, you may have never heard about trusses or a ‘king fruit.’ That’s because it’s the lingo commercial greenhouse gardeners use to describe …

Bush beans are an easy-to-grow favorite of many gardeners. However, if you garden in a small space, then you know they can eat up garden real estate quickly, especially if …

With extreme heat warnings becoming a regular part of the summer landscape, it’s important to understand how intense temperatures affect the most important thing growing in your garden – pollen. …

Aside from being prolific, zucchini should also get an award for Best Garden Colonizer. They always start as a tidy little seedling, politely existing in its spot in the garden. …