For daily wit & wisdom, sign up for the Almanac Daily newsletter.
Gardening Advice
Considered the Holy Grail of the garden, no color is more challenging to find in the plant world than true blue. Supposedly, only 10% of all the flowers on Earth are blue! Here are 20 beautiful blue flowers—with pictures to gaze upon!Many plants marketed as blue are actually closer to purple. Petunias are a prime example. True blue is a pure blue hue that isn’t shaded with black, white, or…
You have probably noticed the little white chunks in commercial potting soil and wondered what they were and why they were there. They are often mistaken for pieces of Styrofoam, but are much harder. Actually, it is perlite, a natural stone that is added to the soil mix to improve drainage. Keep reading to learn about perlite and tips for using it in your garden!What is Perlite?Perlite…
When summer arrives, so do the biting bugs! Can plants alone really repel mosquitoes and other nuisance insects in the garden? Here’s what the science says as well as a list of plants with actual insect-repellent properties.Mosquitoes are more than a nuisance, as there are many mosquito-borne diseases out there, including viruses such as West Nile, Eastern Equine Encephalitis, and Dengue.…
Which are the most beneficial insects? We’re talking about bugs that are good for your garden because they eat plant pests! Find out which plants and flowers attract pollinators and other beneficial insects.What Are Beneficial Insects?The average backyard is home to thousands of insects, but you may be surprised to learn that only about a tenth of these are destructive. In fact, most…
Have you ever struggled with keeping a plant happy? Maybe your soil is too heavy and suffocating its roots, or perhaps it drains too quickly and dries out before your plant can thrive. If so, then vermiculite might be the answer you’ve been looking for! So, grab your gardening tools and learn how this mineral can help your plants flourish. What is Vermiculite?Vermiculite is made…
Are you bothered by bugs? Here are four recipes for natural bug repellents—using witch hazel and other ingredients right from the pantry. All effectively repel mosquitos, flies, and other insects that “bug” you—without chemicals soaking into your skin!What Bugs Are Bugging You?As soon as we step outside, bugs have a way of finding us. Some use the carbon dioxide we exhale to locate us;…
When do you plant flowers in the garden? It depends! Is it a perennial flower, annual flower, or bulb? Is it frost-sensitive or not? As with vegetables, there’s a right and a wrong time to plant your beloved blooms. Here’s when to start seeds and when to transplant young plants outdoors.Different plants need a different amount of lead time before they are ready to transplant into the garden…
We usually treat evergreen trees as background plants, quietly doing their work offstage where they offer cover and food for wild animals, provide shade, block the wind, or mark a boundary line. Cue the dwarfs! Like the Munchkins in Oz, these small evergreen trees will steal the show!What are Dwarf Evergreens?Like large evergreens, the smaller “dwarf” evergreens hold their green needle-…
Row covers not only are great for protecting your garden from frost but also they form an excellent, chemical-free barrier for excluding many insects that threaten crops. We cover almost everything in our garden at first for one reason or another. See the different types of fabric row covers and their many benefits.Row covers are fabric that protects your plants from cold…
How do you know which is best to use in your garden—perlite or vermiculite? Some people think they are the same and used for similar purposes, but that’s not the whole story. Let’s look at the similarities and the differences and help you to pick the best one.What is Perlite?
Perlite being added to a potting mix / Credit: RESTOCK Photos
Perlite is made from volcanic rock that has been…
What is hügelkultur, anyway? When I first heard the word, I thought it must be a new kind of yogurt, but, no—it’s a type of raised garden bed! Hügelkultur can be translated as “mound culture”—in which plants or crops are grown on raised beds with a mounded shape and form. Many swear that this method takes raised beds to the next level. Find out why …What Are Hügelkultur Beds?…
Go for a walk in the woods to see the first wildflowers! Called “spring ephemerals,” these tiny flowers emerge in early spring and disappear when the tree canopies fill out! They have descriptive names: trillium, bloodroot, Dutchman’s breeches, and Virginia bluebells, to name a few. Learn more …A sure sign of spring in my area is when the bloodroot blooms. Like other spring-blooming…
