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Gardening Advice
One of the most frequently asked questions by houseplant lovers is, 鈥淲hy are my plant鈥檚 leaves turning yellow?鈥 To determine what is ailing your plant, take a close look at those yellowing leaves.
The simple answer is that there is no simple answer. Houseplant leaves turning yellow can be caused by several things.
Random leaves that are yellow or have yellow patches on the window-鈥
Garden pots need a thorough scrubbing at the end of the growing season. It鈥檚 essential to clean any pots that you are reusing to rid them of disease spores, salt deposits, and pest eggs. Take those extra few minutes to do it right! Here鈥檚 how to quickly clean and disinfect your pots.Used pots will harbor lingering bug eggs and disease spores that you can鈥檛 always see. Salt deposits also鈥
The folklore of winter weather is fascinating. You鈥檒l surely know some of these weather sayings passed down by generations living close to the land and nature. Which ones do you know?Winter is the harshest season. The natural world鈥攃louds, birds, animals, and plants鈥攁ll provided cues to predict what the winter will bring! Generations of hunters, farmers, and fishermen relied upon this鈥
My two cats, Fred and Ginger, often chew on the leaves of my favorite houseplants, so I try to make sure that nothing within their reach is toxic. If your feline friends are also inquisitive (aren鈥檛 they all?), here鈥檚 a list of plants that are safe for cats.I am both a gardener and a cat lover. Unfortunately, there are a decent number of houseplants that are toxic to cats, causing鈥
Find out how to keep mums alive over the winter, including which types of mums can survive winter. Learn how to winterize hardy mums in the ground or inside in pots, depending on your growing zone.What is the Hardy Variety of Chrysanthemums?Which mums are NOT perennials: Those greenhouse-raised florist mums have been pampered, pinched, and pruned into tightly packed balls full of buds鈥
Many gardeners think you can鈥檛 use pine needles as mulch because they are too acidic. This old wives鈥 tale has been debunked many times! If you have access to free pine needles, by all means, rake them up and use them liberally in your garden. They not only make great mulch but are an excellent addition to the compost pile as well.Pine Needle Mulch: It鈥檚 All GoodPine needles are light鈥
The earliest spring bulbs are emerging, sometimes popping their heads out of the snow. These dainty flowers provide early food for pollinators! See seven flowers that bloom in February and March. Snowdrops (Galanthus)January鈥檚 birth flower, snowdrops, are the first to appear in my yard, even though they have to push the top crust of snow up and away as they reach for the late winter鈥
Keep your precious pets safe around the holidays! We have two new kittens at our house鈥擣red and Ginger鈥攁nd they seem to be doubly curious about everything! If you face similar challenges, here is a naughty list from the ASPCA of toxic holiday plants that could be harmful to your cat or dog.
Fred & Ginger take a well-deserved rest from attacking the houseplants.
My new kittens egg each鈥
Did mushrooms pop up in your lawn overnight? Not to worry! They are actually a sign of lawn health. But learn more about how and why mushrooms grow and if you should get rid of them鈥攐r, not!Why Do You Have Mushrooms in Your Lawn?Mushrooms often show up after rainfall, especially in areas with high moisture and low light. The first thing to know is: This beneficial fungi is a鈥
Some gardeners swear by Epsom salts as a gardening hack. We鈥檙e here to tell you that Epsom salts are good for neither plants such as tomatoes or roses鈥攏or the soil. Yes, it鈥檚 one of those gardening myths. Learn more鈥攁nd let鈥檚 talk about alternatives.Most gardeners love a reliable home remedy and are eager to embrace a magic bullet. This is the case with Epsom salts. They are supposed to鈥
I confess to being a lazy cook. For example, the idea of peeling, coring, and slicing apples makes me a reluctant pie maker. But the right tools get your apples ready to bake in a pie鈥攐r, your fruit and tomatoes strained for sauce鈥攊n no time. See three of my favorite kitchen tools. Processing Apples, Tomatoes, and PearsIn past years, after spending a few of the most鈥
Is soil alive? Yes! In fact, over half of the known species on Earth live in the soil. And all of life depends on the hidden world that exists beneath our feet. Let鈥檚 stop treating soil like dirt. Here are five tips.From microbes to mammals, soil is home to more than 59% of life on Earth; soil is as biodiverse a habitat as a rainforest! And like the rainforests, soil is subject to damage鈥