Sylvia Dekker

Native to the Canadian province I grew up in, and every province I’ve lived in since, candle anemone is one of those seemingly unexceptional plants that I would recognize everywhere but never took much notice of beyond that.My siblings and I used the seed fluff to line the beds o

Strangely beautiful and intricately designed, lace bugs are fascinating little plant pests.Not to be confused with the similarly named

Just in case there weren’t enough white waxy insects for you to tell apart already, such as scales and mealybugs, here is another fluffy type.Now introducing the shrub- and tree-loving woolly ap

Japanese maples always catch my eye. The foliage, the colors, the stature – everything about them is unique and they make beautiful additions to the garden.So it’s extra disappointing when they’re plagu

As I waded through bright-leaved hydrangeas that were taller than I was, I came face to face with a plant covered in leaves notched with half-moon chew marks.I dove in, inspecting the foliage for clues about who h

I had to memorize a lengthy list of invasive pests’ Latin names in my pest identification class, and to help me remember, I imagined the trees groaning out a silent mantra of despair when they realized a generation of the defoliating caterpillars of Lymantria dispar were emerging.The name has stuck in my head ever since.Though the moths

As you walk through your garden, admiring the bright flowers and productive vegetables, a cloud of white insects flutters up from the leaves of a plant as you brush past.Upon taking a closer look, you notice the leav

Like tiny pieces of bright blue sky dropped into your garden, forget-me-nots are one of the few true-blue flowers available to gardeners.These plants are steeped in history and symbolism, and are eas

There is nothing like a big slab of juicy, tasty, meaty… tomato? That’s right, beefsteak tomato plants grow hefty fruits with pink, red, or orange flesh that taste great fresh, and fit perfectly on burgers or sandwiches.While growing beefsteak tomatoes is si

Wood hyacinth, aka Spanish bluebell, is a flowering perennial bulb that’s suitable for cultivation in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-8.These versatile spring bloomers provide a riot of blue-lavender, pink, or whit

Gentlemen’s breeches or old ladies’ bonnets. Wait, are we talking about old fashioned clothing on a gardening website?Eastern bluebell, Virginia cowslip, or Roanoke bells. Phew,

Propagating garlic is very straightforward. Where I get hung up usually has to do with deciding how many cloves to spare from the kitchen knife to plant back out.And I love these tasty flavor bomb

There is nothing quite like picking a ripe blueberry or two, popping a warm berry into your mouth, and enjoying the moment when it bursts onto your tongue with that distinct, sweet, sun-ripened, homegrown flavor.Maybe your mouth is watering while

Us gardeners tend not to like sharing our fruits and vegetables, especially not with wriggling maggots, and least of all when we find them in one of our favorite types of produce: apples.Unfortunately, flies like Rhagoletis pomonella don’t ask be

I absolutely love thin chocolate mints. I mean, I love sweet things in general, but those cool mint patties coated in thin layers of dark chocolate are on a whole new level of deliciousness.The first time I heard about chocolate mint (the plant) was in the groce

Sure, you can purchase new seeds each year at the nursery. But saving them is a simple process, and one that’s easy to master when you want to fill your garden with more cosmos.I began my seed-harvesting journe

Here are two things I love: wildflowers, and collecting seeds from my garden to save for next year.It only makes sense to combine the two into

When I used to scout greenhouse plants for pests for a living, I carried a chart designed to be filled out easily as I counted and walked the crops.We link to vendors to help you find relevant pro

The crimson anthurium I bought for my mom was the only plant I took home from the university greenhouse that didn’t harbor a pest ready to take advantage of her houseplant collection.We link to vendors to help you find rele

Dahlias have got to be one of the most stunning types of flowers out there.Okay, I might say that about most flow

Generally, succulents are problem-free plants that seem to thrive on neglect. Don’t over- or underwater, and you’ll be able to keep these thick leafed, eye-catching beauties thriving in your home or garden.We link to vendors to help you find relevant

It takes some work and patience to grow a perfect crop of straight, beautifully orange, smooth skinned, crisp and delicious carrots.The soil needs to be crumbly and deep, they need wat

Easy to grow and care for overall, sporting stunning blooms, and complete with their own prickly characters, cactus plants are perfect house and garden additions, and they’re very popular these days.We link to vendors to help

Once you begin looking into edible flowers, you realize there is an amazingly abundant variety of perfectly palatable blooms.I’m no cook, but I’ve been

Now that I’ve moved and have my own yard and garden again, I can’t wait to establish a foxglove patch in my front yard.Not only are these pretty flowers de

Bellis perennis, the original daisy chain flower, can be quite common in lawns, especially in cool, moist climates.And thanks to the work of plant breeders, there are a

You might see certain terms on the tag of a raspberry plant you’re eyeing at your local nursery. Fall bearing. Or everbearing.Perhaps a little confused, you move on, and come across a bla

Have you ever left a banana peel in the garbage or a kitchen cloth unwashed for a little too long, and clouds of irritating flies appear, seemingly out of nowhere?Or, have you been all excited for a fall raspberry harvest only t

You’ve waited all season to stain your fingers purple with delicious homegrown blueberry juice. A flock of hungry birds descends, a

Have you ever noticed that you just can’t keep the bugs off certain types of plants in your garden?In the same way that Goldfish crackers look more appe

Picking up a ripe watermelon from the bin at the grocery store is easy. But when you have to decide on your own whether the big, beautiful fruit you’ve been cultivating is ready to be eaten, it can be a difficult decision.Unlike many fruits, waterme

Herbs are the stars of the kitchen garden, adding strong tastes, aromas, potential health benefits, and overall zing to your cooking, homemade tea blends, and more.They make good companion plants for your vege

One minute you’ve got a happy, healthy succulent and the next you notice a clump of white fluff or some small, odd looking insects wedged in a crevice of your precious plant. They seem to appear from out of nowhere.When a sudden infestation of mealybugs occurred o

The last thing you want to find when it’s time to pull your carrots is that a bunch of grubs beat you to the anticipated carrot crunching.Those sweet, crisp roots were supposed to feed you and your fam

Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are the life of the garden party, bringing sweet fragrance, height, bold splashes of color, and unique bloom shapes.We link to vendors to help you

A certain carrot-chomping cartoon character, and many children’s books, may have you convinced that rabbits are your carrot patch’s greatest enemy.If only it were that simple.We

Calendula: the ultimate garden charmer.Pretty, medicinal, tasty as tea, and easy to grow, you may have grab