Tara Nolan

The front garden of my first home featured huge, gorgeous, tall bearded irises that framed both sides of the front door. The massive blooms were a deep purple hue, and you had to be careful not to brush them with your clothes as you went into the house. Sadly, that house and garden were torn down after we sold, but luckily, I had divided some irises and gifted them to my mom, who in turn gifted some to me once I moved into my current house. These beauties live on in my front garden. Every few years, they need some TLC. This article will explain how to divide irises and replant them in the garden. Irises have such unique blooms and come in an array of stunning color combinations. Even though they are a rather short-lived blo

If you often purchase arugula in those plastic containers at the supermarket, have you considered planting arugula yourself? This peppery green is easy to grow in gardens and containers. And, if you choose the right variety, it’s perennial. For a spicy summer salad option, read this guide to planting arugula. If you’ve ever read a British or Australian recipe and wondered what rocket or roquette is, well, it’s arugula. I explain more ab

If there’s any crop (and flavor) that says “spring,” it’s asparagus. Asparagus is one of the earliest vegetables you can harvest in springtime, and it only lasts about six to eight weeks. If you’re new to growing this perennial vegetable, it’s hard to know exactly when to plant asparagus. In addition to being harvested in the spring, it’s planted in the spring, as well. But timing is important. The part of the plant you have come to know as the asparagus vegetable—the spear—is actually the succulent, immature stem. The st

Repotting aloe vera becomes necessary for a few reasons, especially when your plant starts to outgrow its pot. It can also be done when you have a baby aloe plant growing alongside the original. Referred to as a pup, this wee little aloe can be separated and repotted in its own container. Aloe plants require repotting anywhere from every three to five years or so. I often will save two or three houseplants to repot at the same time while I have my soil out and the table covered. In this article, I’ll explain how to repot an aloe plant—and a pup if you have one. Aloe was among my first houseplants when I got my first apartment. Having watched aloe vera gel applied to friends’ cuts and burn

Kale is one of my favorite vegetables to grow. These versatile greens can be steamed or stir fried, chopped into soups, or baked into chips. And the young leaves are delicious in salads. It’s a perfect double-duty plant, because it adds interesting foliage in various shades of green to a garden or an ornamental container, with the added bonus of being able to harvest some of the leaves. Plus it’s super-healthy. Kale is a good source of fiber and high in vitamin C. Learning how to grow kale is pretty easy. Unfortunately its nemesis, the cabbage worm, can crush—or rather eat—all your kale-growing dreams very quickly. Here are some tips on raising healthy kale plants. Varieties of kale to grow There are many different varieties of this member of the Brassica family (Brassica olerace

Although growing thyme from seed isn’t difficult, it requires patience, since this versatile, fragrant herb takes a while to germinate and grow. However, with the right know-how, you can start your own thyme seedlings and subsequently grow them into mature plants. Plus, seed is much less expensive than established bedding plants, so you stand to save a lot of money by starting thyme seeds yourself. This article is going to cover starting seeds indoors and direct-sowing seeds once the soil warms up in spring. A member of the mint (Lamiaceae) family, thyme contains a chemical compound called thymol which contributes to its stron

One of the major benefits of gardening in a raised bed is you get to control the soil that goes into it. This is especially advantageous for gardeners with a property that has hard-packed or clay soil, issues with tree roots, or concerns about pollutants. It also comes in handy if you want to place your raised bed on a patio or driveway. Since good soil is the foundation of a healthy garden, you want to make sure you’re setting your vegetables up for success. So, what is the best soil for a raised garden bed? In this article, I’m going to share some advice on figuring out how much soil you need, what to purchase, amending a soil delivery, and more. Another raised bed benefit is that the soil will remain friable. In an in-ground garden, the soil can become hard-packed over tim

Lemon balm is one of those herbs I associate with a soothing herbal tea. A calming tea blend is what led me to start growing this fragrant member of the mint family (Lamiaceae). While lemon balm doesn’t have the sophisticated underground runner system that mint has, it does like to reseed itself. In other words, plant it once and you may never have to plant it again! In this article, I’m going to share some growing tips, as well as why growing lemon balm in pots may be a better option than planting it in the ground. Lemon balm is native to the Mediterranean region and Central Asia. Its healing history dates back to Greek mythology. And while i

It is so satisfying snipping fresh greens from a garden for a salad. And it’s fun to add flavors to different salads beyond your standard lettuce varieties. Certain greens, like mustard and arugula, can add a spicy kick to salads, sandwiches, pizzas, stir fries, and other recipes. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on growing mustard greens from seed.

Pruning raspberries the right way and at the optimal time is essential if you want a bumper crop of large, juicy berries. The tools and techniques you choose to employ in your berry patch can help to spur new and very specific types of growth, as well as prevent the spread of diseases like anthracnose and blight, among others.

When we talk about foliage superstars, coleus has to be at the top of the list. The breadth of options is vast and colorful. Depending on the garden center you’re at, you can choose from a rainbow of leaf patterns, colors, and shapes, as well as plant sizes.

I love growing interesting flavors in my garden and bringing them into the kitchen to cook with. That is why I added shiso to my seed list a couple of years ago. I first tried this fragrant herb in a restaurant in Western Canada (where I was also introduced to parsley root). It has a very distinct flavor and is very ornamental. Growing shiso from seed is pretty easy and if you let it go to seed in the fall, well, you won’t need to grow more next year.

Poinsettias are ubiquitous holiday plants. I always feel like I need at least one to complete my Christmas decorating. Some years I go for the traditional red hue, others I opt for something more unique, like variegated leaves or bright pink bracts. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America, so these tropical plants often don’t last in a home beyond the holidays. However, if they survived, it is possible to keep them for the following year and, after a period of darkness, get them to rebloom for you. So, if you’re wondering, when should I put my poinsettia in the dark, I will explain how to care for your plant throughout the year, until it’s time to display it once again for the holidays.

As a kid, I remember the magic of seeing clouds of fireflies on a warm summer night. Nowadays, I get excited if I see one or two floating around our yard. Also called lightning bugs, these special little insects are an important indicator of environmental health. And they’re also good for our gardens. So, how does a gardener support them? What do lightning bugs eat? What’s the difference between lightning bugs and fireflies? What about glow-worms? (Are those even a thing?!) It’s easy to find confusing or conflicting information about these bioluminescent marvels online. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on what these special creatures need to survive, how we can help sustain them, and why we should make the effort.

Liatris spicata is one of my favorite perennials in my front yard garden. Commonly referred to as Dense Blazing Star, Blazing Star, and Gayfeather, my appreciation for this plant native to parts of North America, is well documented. Stems surrounded by vibrant, grass-like green foliage shoot up and form long tips covered in buds. Eventually, feathery, pinkish-purple flowers emerge, attracting bees and other pollinators. Then, as the flowers dry, they look like brown, fuzzy bottle brushes. That’s one of the reasons Liatris is high on my list: four-season interest. In this article, I’m going to share tips for planting Liatris, why I consider it to be a perfect perennial, and what not to do with it in the fall.

I have stored my seeds in many ways—in jars, in plastic storage containers, in used bubble mailers, in cute “binder” gift books, in Ziploc bags. Keeping seeds organized can be a challenge, especially when you grow an extensive vegetable garden. There’s the question of how to organize and categorize. But did you know that your seed storage conditions can also affect the viability and germination rate of your seeds? In this article, I’m going to share some tips on how to keep seeds and container options for storing them.

While there are lots of shrubs that will do perfectly fine over the winter, sometimes they need a little help to make it through. And that may not be just as a result of cold temperatures. Hungry wildlife could be after some of those tender branches, too. My cedar hedges in the backyard are consistently turned into lollipops because the deer enjoy nibbling the lower branches if they pass through our yard. Winter shrub covers are a great way to protect vulnerable bushes. In this article, I’m going to share tips on choosing winter covers, and how to safely wrap your shrubs.

Between my gardening practices, the plants I dig into my garden, and structures like my pollinator palace, I’m always looking for ways to support bees and other beneficial insects on my property. While bee houses have become quite popular, they don’t always come with the information on how to use one.

I love growing squash, but there are some plants that can be rather prolific (ahem, I’m looking at you, zucchini). I don’t like anything going to waste, so learning how to freeze squash can ensure that you will enjoy this tasty vegetable well into the winter. There are different methods you can use, depending on your space and the state you’d like your squash to be in when it comes out of the freezer (i.e. cubed or puréed). And, summer squash and winter squash are require different steps. In this article, I’m going to share a few ways that I prepare squash to go into my frozen pantry—aka the freezer. This also works for squash you’ve bought at the supermarket or a farmers’ market, and don’t have time to cook right away.

The mums in my garden have been deliberately planted because of the colorful, cheery blooms they unveil in late summer and early fall. Even though they signify an end to summer, I love that they stick around through the up-and-down weather of autumn. All of my plants have come from planting the potted mums I bought for fall arrangements and then dug into the garden before winter. In this article, I’m going to talk about when to cut back mums during the growing season and whether you should prune them after the blooms fade in fall or wait until spring.

Fall is a great time of year to think ahead to a new plot, and sheet mulching can get you started on that vision. Though it can be done at any time of the year, autumn is ideal because the area will have a chance to break down over the winter. I’ve used this technique to create a garden in my backyard after digging up invasive plants, to establish pathways between raised beds, and to keep weeds out of a new area on my front lawn for galvanized raise beds. The process of sheet mulching enables you to put yard waste, like lawn clippings, fallen leaves, and wood chips, to good use. And by spring, you should have a diggable area, ready for plants.

There are a few scents that to me unequivocally evoke spring—besides the earthy fragrance of thawing soil. Hyacinth blooms fall into that category, and are among my favorite spring-blooming bulbs. They usually bloom between early spring and mid spring, and their blooms can last up to four weeks. Learning how and when to plant hyacinth bulbs will ensure you get to enjoy those luscious, fragrant flowers the following spring. Read on for timing and planting tips.

Arugula seeds are always on my “to-plant” list. I enjoy the spicy, peppery flavor of the serrated leaves, harvesting them to add to salads and stir-fries, or to put on pizza. Arugula flowers are their own delicacy, adding a unique flavor to savory dishes. In this article, I’m going to share some tips on getting the most out of your arugula harvest, what to do with the flowers, and how to save the seeds to grow more.

One of my favorite plants in my garden is a variety of Delosperma called ‘Fire Spinner’. This ground cover has spread around an otherwise exposed area of my front garden and features vibrant fuchsia and orange flowers. A succulent ground cover is a great option for a sunny, dry area of the garden. In this article, I’m going to share why succulents make good ground covers, some favorites, as well as some ideas on where to plant them and why.

As my collection of native plants grows, I’m developing various favorites. One of them is Pennsylvania sedge (Carex pensylvanica), a sweet, compact native perennial that offers a wispy texture to a garden, is a host plant for butterflies and moths, and can be used to replace a traditional lawn. In this article, I’m going to share some growing tips, as well as ideas on where to plant Pennsylvania sedge.

Plenty of gardeners will admit that growing wine cap mushrooms was their gateway to an unexpected new obsession with mushroom cultivation. Considering how rewarding growing wine cap mushrooms can be, that’s really no surprise. For me it was a shiitake mushroom kit that piqued my interest in growing other mushrooms, like wine caps. With their bright red mushroom caps and creamy white stems, the mushrooms themselves are visually striking. They’re also among the easiest mushrooms to start in outdoor garden beds, along pathways, on layers of cardboard and straw, and via many other substrates.

Basil is one of my favorite summer herbs, but I find it painful to have to buy basil to use in winter recipes when I grow it all summer. That’s why I freeze fresh herbs, so I can enjoy that fresh flavor if I don’t have an indoor herb plant at hand for my recipe. In this article, I’m going to share advice on how to freeze basil a few different ways.

Britain is known for introducing us the best of the best — think Princess Diana, Harry Potter and fish and chips. Now we can thank the UK for bringing us a fantastic sun safety idea: the 3-hour-gardening rule.