Home & Garden category, Page 7

Question: Please help! I just noticed that my wild plum tree in my backyard has some sort of fungus growing on it. Is there anything I can do, or is it diseased beyond repair? It was healthy this summer with many blooms. It has been in my yard for at...

It’s been nearly a decade that I’ve been making the trek to Baltimore for the annual Mid-Atlantic Nursery Trade Show. It can be overwhelming with more than 1,500 booths, filled with everything you could imagine for gardening. There are new plant introductions, products and nursery stock everywhere for garden centers...

Gogi berries (Lycium barbarum) are the latest super fruits. They’re high in antioxidants and nutrients, and several cultures dry the berries and use them for medicinal purposes as well. They are said to support immune function and regulate blood pressure. Nightshade- family cousins of the tomato, pepper and eggplant, goji berries...

Question: Several of my jade plants have developed black spots as well as places on the edge or middle of the leaf that totally dry up. I’ve never encountered anything like this and feel it must be some kind of weird virus. I’ve been spraying with a biofungicide and also...

Bright afternoon sun streams in the dining room window, backlighting a tall ‘Genovese’ basil plant. The herb is flanked by rosemary, thyme, tarragon, parsley and dill. The dill has bitten the dust, but the others are doing well on the windowsill. They will never grow with the vigor of outdoor...

It’s “all systems go” as Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens prepares for takeoff to a new galaxy of gardens that are truly “Out of This World” in its annual Orchid and Tropical Bonsai Show opening Jan. 18. Phipps’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” (the show’s designers) include Jordyn Melino, associate director...

If you’d like to try something new in your fruit and vegetable garden this year, how about growing alpine strawberries? These little jewels are so much sweeter and more flavorful than large-fruited strawberry species. Plus, they’re easy to grow and require less space. Alpine strawberries (Fragaria vesca) are small in...

Gardeners in 2020 will veer from the beaten path, opting for unconventional varieties and eco-conscious surroundings, according to a plant trends study by horticulturalists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). Their forecast is based largely on market observations and feedback from people seeking information...

Question: Our spring vegetable garden is filled with lettuce, arugula, spinach and many other salad greens, but by the time summer rolls around, they always go to seed and leave us without salads for the rest of the season. Can you recommend some edible salad greens we can grow in...

The bounty of the garden often translates into tasty dishes in the kitchen. We meet a few gardeners and learn their secrets. Hot pepper man Dave Taiclet is pouring a dark red “elixir” out of a huge plastic jar into smaller containers. Hot peppers hang from strings all around the...

Grafting is a centuries-old craft in which a person takes pieces from two or more different plants and grafts them together so they grow as one plant. The grafting process is performed because it brings multiple positive traits from separate plants into a single plant. It’s a technique that can...

Among the most popular houseplants today is the fairy washboard (Haworthia limifolia). This compact succulent plant stays small, making it a great choice for a windowsill, desk or bedside table. The plant reaches about 4 inches in height and width. Its ease of care is another endearing factor, along with...

Another growing season is building momentum with the arrival of the 2020 seed catalogs, and gardeners are drafting plans for new harvests. There’s such a thing as being too enthusiastic, though, especially among novices. Beginners can achieve their best planting results by thinking small. “Starting too large is the most...

What is a gardener to do during the gray days of winter? For many of us, it’s all about planning. This is the perfect time to scout around for plants that provide winter interest to the landscape. Put them on your list of things to get in the ground this...

Question: Help! I have a fiddle leaf fig in my front window that I adore. It has tiny bumps all over the stems and the floor beneath the plant is sticky. I did an internet search, and I believe I have an issue with scale insects. What can be done...

Have you ever eaten a fiddlehead fern before? They’re really a gourmet delight. Among the earliest edible items you can forage from a forest (or better still, from your backyard), fiddleheads have become a popular seasonal ingredient among chefs and those who enjoy eating unique foods. In fact, they’ve become...

Every year we see new and interesting plants introduced. It’s exciting to see what gardening professionals are interested in growing this season. Cultivate ’19 is a trade show spanning eight acres at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. During a visit to Cultivate over the summer, those pros showed some exciting...

Question: We had so many mosquitoes in our yard last summer. I’d like to know if there’s anything we can do in advance of the coming season to keep them away. I see there are companies that spray, but I don’t know what they spray and I’m sure that whatever...

I know spring seems so far away, but now is a great time to start planning your veggie garden for the coming season. Before you know it, March will be here and it will be time to plant cool-season crops such as peas, lettuce, radish and greens. Today, I’d like...

Daffodils sitting on a windowsill against a backdrop of white snow make a fragrant and pretty midwinter scene. This picture, with bulbs “forced” for early bloom, takes planning that should start now. Choose plump, fresh-looking bulbs from those now on display at garden centers, hardware stores and supermarkets. Prep the...

Question: I’d like to grow some herbs on my windowsill in my kitchen this winter. Can I use any herbs, or do they have to be a special type for growing indoors? Any tips for success? Answer: Herbs are some of the easiest plants to grow in containers and many...

There was a time when poinsettias, paperwhites and amaryllis were the only three traditional plants being offered for the holidays. The details of growing and enjoying those plants are covered below, but there are some other interesting things to grow indoors for this festive season. There’s nothing wrong with the...

If you’re looking to increase the number of trees and shrubs on your property and you’re up for a challenge, now is a great time to start new trees and shrubs from seeds. Yes, it’s an exercise in patience, but it brings big rewards for generations to come. Winter sowing...

Question: We are looking for some ground covers that stay green all winter long. We have a steep slope behind the garage that currently is filled with clumps of daylilies. We like them, but they die back in the winter. We’d like to plant some type of evergreen ground cover...