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Serena Manickam

Serena Manickam is a freelance editor and writer and sustainable market gardener in rural Virginia. She holds a BA in environmental science and runs Fairydiddle Farm, a small market garden in which she grows no-spray produce and herbs to sell at a local farmer’s market.

I often find gardening to be a grounding, relaxing activity. But even as it soothes and centers the mind, it can cause pain in the body, especially for individuals with arthritis. Fortunately, many companies have developed ergonomic gardening tools for people with arthritis, making it possible to continue caring for your plants with minimal pain. …

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No space for a sprawling melon plant? Good news! If you have a five-gallon pot and a sunny place to put it, you can still grow cantaloupe. This may seem like an odd plant for a container garden, but we’ll help you get started with tips on how to grow cantaloupe in containers, from choosing …

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Will those strawberry hanging baskets at the local nursery really produce sweet, juicy berries? With the right care, they might! Read our tips below on how to grow strawberries in containers and learn the simple steps to enjoying a sweet harvest. How to Grow Strawberries in Containers As with any plant, growing strawberries in pots …

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Today’s English cottage garden features a charming jumble of closely planted perennials, annuals, and bulbs. Although English cottage garden flowers are now chosen mostly for ornamental purposes, the traditional cottage garden had a more practical approach. Historically, an English cottage garden would include a mix of vegetables, fruit, and even bees and livestock alongside edible …

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Potatoes are a surprisingly easy and nutrient-rich addition to container gardens. Here’s how to grow potatoes in containers, so you can enjoy them even when you don’t have a lot of garden space.  These Peruvian vegetables provide healthy amounts of iron, potassium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C, according to the United States Potato Board, and …

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Tomatoes are one of the easiest and most popular vegetables to grow in containers. Once you learn how to grow tomatoes in containers, you can harvest the plump red fruit from the convenience of your porch, balcony, or patio. How to Grow Tomatoes in Containers Growing tomatoes in containers requires choosing the right soil, container, …

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Although plants take center stage in any garden, the importance of edging should not be overlooked. Garden edging serves both a functional and aesthetic purpose. It creates clean lines to keep grass out of mulch and mulch out of the grass, as well as to enhance curb appeal. In this article, we’ve compiled a wide …

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Terra-cotta garden gnomes have decorated front lawns and gardens since the mid-1800s. More recently, cute Christmas gnomes have become increasingly popular in the U.S. as holiday decorations both indoors and out. Cute Christmas Gnomes Before they became a whimsical garden accessory, gnomes were mythological creatures in traditions throughout northern Europe. The appearance of these creatures …

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In addition to bringing a bit of cheerful greenery inside, houseplants also offer many other benefits, including purifying the air. While all plants perform this task on some level, choose from the best indoor house plants for clean air to achieve the greatest effect. 10 Best Indoor House Plants for Clean Air In 1989, NASA …

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