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Gardening Advice
Wish you could do less mowing? Tired of suffering through the hassle of keeping your grass green? Hardy, low-growing ground covers are an increasingly popular alternative to grass. Before you throw down more grass seed, discover 12 lawn alternatives鈥攆rom a carpet of moss to stepable ground covers.Grass has its place, but it鈥檚 also a resource-heavy plant, requiring constant irrigation, mowing鈥
There is no magic bullet for keeping your garden and indoor plants free from insect pests. Some tricks I have learned over the years provide ways to cope with bugs without resorting to nasty chemicals. Here are my tips for pest control, including homemade insecticidal sprays (soap sprays) and organic pesticides.Pest Control Starts With YouBefore resorting to using pesticides (even鈥
Animal manure has long been used as a fertilizer in gardens and on farm fields, creating nutrient-rich, moisture-retaining soil for your plants. See the best type of manure for your garden and the best time to apply鈥攁s well as a few things to consider first.All manure is not created equal. Depending on the kind of animal, its age and health, its food, what鈥
Gardeners are often given the advice to sprinkle diatomaceous earth (DE) around plants to deter pests. Unsurprisingly, we鈥檙e often asked, 鈥淲hat is diatomaceous earth, exactly?鈥 Well, here鈥檚 your answer!What Is Diatomaceous Earth? Diatomaceous earth (DE) is the fossilized skeletons of microscopic single-celled aquatic organisms called diatoms. Their skeletons are made of a鈥
When we talk about beneficials for the garden, don鈥檛 forget about frogs and toads. Both are total carnivores, eating grasshoppers, beetles, cutworms, flies, slugs, and all kinds of insects. They will not eat your plants! See how to attract these 鈥済ood guys鈥 to the garden.All toads are frogs but not all frogs are toads. There are 3 types of frogs:Toads are frogs with dry thick skin鈥
A quintessential summer flower, the sunflower has so many amazing uses鈥攆rom cooking to crafts! Not only are sunflowers pretty, they鈥檙e also entirely edible! See lots of great ways to make the most of sunflowers.Sunflowers: A Pretty Native American PlantHonored as the state flower in both Kansas and Nebraska, there are about 70 species of sunflowers. Most are native to the Great鈥
A few years ago, I was given a beautiful bonsai container and decided to try my hand at growing a compact plant that would fit. I had an old azalea growing in a pot that was too small, and I thought it would be perfect for my experiment. Here鈥檚 what I learned about bonsai鈥攁 living art form鈥攁nd how to start and grow a bonsai tree.
I envisioned my pretty pink azalea looking something鈥
We always seem to have extra herbs on hand. Here鈥檚 an idea: Dry some of those leaves and use them for tea! We鈥檒l show you how to dry herbs and make a full-bodied cup of tea.Grow Your Own Herbs for TeaI really enjoying grow herbs, especially what I call 鈥渃alming herbs,鈥 which help with stress and anxiety. So, it makes perfect sense to use these calming herbs in teas. Chamomile鈥
Hello, 鈥済ourd-geous鈥! You can find all sorts of funky gourds 鈥 so what鈥檚 with these bumpy, weird-looking squash? See different types of gourds鈥攆rom bottle gourds to snake gourds to luffas鈥攁nd learn how to grow, harvest, and cure them yourself!What Are Gourds? Gourds (Cucurbitaceae) are among the oldest cultivated plants. They were the early water bottles of the Egyptians (2200鈥
Feed your plants鈥攚ith other plants! It may sound strange, but you can use your own weeds and grass to make homemade fertilizer tea that鈥檚 100% organic. It鈥檚 a great boost for your plants in midsummer when soil fertility is running low. Here鈥檚 how to make fertilizer tea at home.Yes, garden plants appreciate a spot of tea now and then, too鈥攋ust like I do鈥攁s a pick-me-up. No expensive Earl鈥
We all know that trees and plants help offset pollution and clean toxins in the air. So, would indoor plants do the same with indoor air? Let鈥檚 explore how plants purify the air鈥攁nd we鈥檒l list the 10 best air-purifying houseplants for your homeAbout Indoor AirToday, Americans spend up to 90% of their time indoors, often in places with little or no ventilation. The air inside our super-鈥
If you鈥檙e going to grow and eat healthy vegetables, why not consider which ones are nutrient-dense? So, which veggies are the nutritional stars? Here are the top 10 healthiest vegetables and fruits that you can grow at home鈥攑lus advice for growing a healthier garden.We all want to provide our families with the freshest, most nutritious meals we can, and if you are growing your own鈥
