One of the best ways to support bees and other pollinators is to plant bright flowers that provide good sources of pollen and nectar. While native perennials are always excellent choices, annual flowers that attract bees often bloom throughout the growing season, offering a steady source of food for the bees and beauty for the …
Serena Manickam
Radishes are a wonderful fast-growing crop to grow in the vegetable garden. Because they take as little as three weeks to mature, I like to tuck radishes in just about anywhere there’s a bit of extra space. By the time the other plants start getting big, the radishes can be harvested, freeing up more room …
With broad, yellowish stems radiating out from a central point like crab legs, crabgrass can be an eyesore in a well-manicured lawn, as well as in walkways and garden beds. This common weed was introduced to the United States from Europe as a potential forage crop and has since spread throughout the continent. It thrives …
A drought-tolerant garden doesn’t have to sacrifice beauty; many stunning flowers will thrive with little to no supplemental water. Native wildflowers and plants from the Mediterranean region often do well in dry conditions. To help you get started, here are 10 beautiful and hardy drought-tolerant flowers. 1. Giant hyssop (Agastache spp.) Giant hyssop, or hummingbird …
Many invasive plants began as garden plants and escaped cultivation to wreak havoc on native ecosystems. Put into numbers, 21 species officially designated as noxious weeds in the state of Oregon cost around $125 million per year in control, fire damage, and production losses, according to a 2009 study — and the amount is probably …
I recently moved into a new house with a wonderful, fully fenced-in backyard. The downside? Keeping that fence line clean! Grass and other weeds grow up from under the fence and creep into my yard from the neighboring properties. The mower can only get so close, and it’s difficult to string trim along the fence …
Last year, I bought a few broccoli starts at a local greenhouse on a whim, excited to add another of my favorite vegetables to the garden. My excitement soon turned to disappointment, however, when something(s) began devouring the little plants. Each day, new holes appeared in the foliage, and entire leaves disappeared almost overnight. I …
Blueberry bushes not only provide delicious berries but are also an attractive shrub to include in an edible landscape. Whether you are interested in boosting berry production through permaculture or interplanting with compatible plants for a beautiful garden, knowing some of the best companion plants for blueberries will help you determine where and how to …
Add striking color to your garden with stunning annual bicolor flowers. While many flowering plants produce single-color blooms, others feature a contrasting eye, striped petals, petals that fade from one hue to another, or petals or bracts of differing colors. Whatever they look like, annual multicolor flowers provide vibrancy all summer long. 1. Petunia (Petunia …
Planting a garden in a shady yard can be a frustrating experience. As we walk through a nursery or garden center looking for shade-loving plants, many of the showy flowers we gravitate toward require a sunny location. But there are plenty of beautiful flowers for shade, too! Add some bright, cheerful color to your shade …