Simple ways to save money while you garden
A potato can look flawless on the outside, only to reveal a strange empty pocket when the knife reaches the middle. Gardeners call this condition hollow heart, and it can turn a perfectly ordinary spud into a potato with what looks suspiciously like a tiny underground cave. The good news is that the hollow spot…
Late summer can bring an unexpected gardening opportunity: cheaper soil amendments. Garden centers often start clearing seasonal inventory as summer winds down, which can put compost, organic fertilizers, peat products, and other soil helpers into the bargain bin. That does not mean every discounted bag deserves a place in the garden shed. Some amendments improve…
Winter squash has a funny way of making gardeners second-guess themselves. One week the vines look like they could drink an entire bathtub, and the next week the leaves start yellowing while those hefty squash sit there looking suspiciously finished. The right time to stop watering winter squash generally comes when the fruit approaches full…
Strawberry plants can look a little rough after they finish producing berries, with tired-looking leaves, brown edges, and the general appearance of a plant that has clocked out for the season. That often leaves gardeners wondering whether those old leaves should go or whether the scissors should stay firmly in the shed. The answer depends…
Summer flowers know how to make an entrance. By August, however, some of those dazzling blooms start looking a little tired, leaving gaps where all that glorious color once stood. The good news is that a garden does not need to become a collection of floppy stems and fading petals once summer reaches the home…
Believe it or not, mint can take a surprisingly serious haircut without disappearing from the garden forever. In fact, cutting back an overgrown mint plant can encourage fresh shoots, improve its shape, and give gardeners another pile of fragrant leaves for tea, cooking, or drying. The trick involves knowing the difference between a confident pruning…
The humble dandelion has spent decades getting blamed for ruining perfectly manicured lawns, yet more gardeners now look at those bright yellow flowers and see lunch instead of lawn trouble. The change makes sense because dandelions offer something many garden crops cannot: food that appears without a seed packet, greenhouse, or carefully negotiated relationship with…
The calendar may still insist that summer has plenty of life left, but the garden already knows better. As daylight fades a little earlier each evening, plants begin shifting gears, even when afternoons still feel hot enough for lemonade and a shady hammock. That quiet seasonal change affects everything from flowering to vegetable production, making…
Every spring, garden centers fill with familiar favorites like tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. Yet a growing number of gardeners skip the usual lineup and hunt for plants that filled dinner tables long ago. Skirret, good king henry, scorzonera, and other forgotten edibles have started making a surprising comeback because they offer unique flavors, fascinating history,…