Gardening Ideas, Tips & Guides

Dealing with green algae on outdoor surfaces can be a persistent nuisance, particularly in damp climates. This unwelcome growth of algae not only detracts aesthetically but can also become dangerously slippery. Fortunately, several methods are available to effectively remove green algae and restore your outdoor space to its pristine condition.

GardenAdvice one-day gardening course for beginners

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos

“April is the Kindest Month. April gets you out of your head and out working in the garden.” ~Marty Rubin~

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos

Q: My garden is suffering very badly from snail and slug damage this spring after all the wet weather. Are there any plants that they don’t like to eat that you could recommend?

Growing parsnips in a home garden takes some planning, but the reward is nutritious root vegetables ready for harvest when the rest of the garden is slowing down in the fall and winter or before it has gotten started again in the spring. In fact, after parsnips greens are kissed with a frost or two in the fall the roots are even tastier. If you’re not able to harvest them right away, these hardy root vegetables can overwinter in the garden. Parsnips (Pastinaca sativa) are a bit more finicky to grow than other vegetables in the carrot family, but they’re absolutely worth planting in a home garden. This article will give you the details you need to create the perfect conditions for growing parsnips as well as a caution about parsnip-plant lookalikes. Why you should be growing parsnips Besides their delicious flavor, there are several reasons why you might want to grow parsnips:

Today’s photos are from Lee:

When you’re growing plants in containers, whether indoors or outside, knowing how much water a plant needs can be a challenge but self-watering planters and pots take a lot of that pressure away. The amount of water a plant requires can depend on the species, the time of year and growing conditions. In hot, dry summers they may need watering every couple of days, but in winter they may need it only every few weeks. Designed to allow plants to draw up water when they need it, self-watering planters are a convenient option to prevent overwatering, look after plants when you go away or simply provide a little peace of mind. Most importantly though, they provide plants with a consistent supply of water, reducing plant stress and helping to produce healthy, vigorous growth.

With the harsh days of winter behind us, you might be looking out at your yard and realizing your lawn needs some major TLC. You’re certainly not alone—now is the perfect time to shift your focus on bringing your yard back to life.

As we continue to declutter our closets, wardrobes, and dressers in favor of swapping out our winter wear, you've likely come across your fair share of garments you no longer need.

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos

We have had a few days away visiting my Mum, and although I wouldn’t usually choose to leave the garden at this time of year it was a case of needs must. Fortunately, one of our neighbours can be relied on to water everything in the greenhouse in our absence, my main concern, and this is where I hot-footed it to on our return. Not only were the seedlings still thriving, but they looked increasingly sturdy and bursting with health, necessitating several hours in the last couple of days potting them on.

If finding gifts for birthdays and holidays like Mother's Day strikes a little fear into your heart, I can empathize. Some parents never want anything or are quick to say that the best gift is you, their child.

How to Grow and Harvest Pea Shoots

It’s tulip time, those fleeting weeks of the year when Irish gardens are filled with the graceful, brilliantly colourful flowers of what must be one of the world’s best-loved spring flowering bulbs.

Coco, Olive and Regina George—yes, the latter has a Mean Girls streak—give me the eye as I step into their space. It’s not surprising: I’d protect my coop if I were a chicken pecking my way around Rosie Daykin’s ridiculously stylish backyard on Vancouver’s west side.

<use xlink:href="#trending-icon" xmlns:xlink=«http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink»> Trending Videos

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

Due to their size and expense, gardeners tend to put a lot more thought into the trees they ultimately buy for their landscape. While a perennial might only live for 6 or 7 years, a tree might grace your garden for 50 years or more—outliving the person who so carefully selected it, in fact. Here at Fine Gardening, we feel strongly that trees should look good in more than one season (for all of the reasons above AND because they take up a lot of real estate). Therefore, on today’s episode, we may be highlighting our favorite flowering trees for every season, but these choices have more going for them than just some fleeting blooms. Listen to hear about which trees we’re willing to sacrifice a chunk of our paycheck on and why.    

R: NBCUniversal / Getty Images. Left: Clockwise. Penguin Randomhouse, Adam Albright, Brie Goldman.

Perennials are the heart of so many gardens, coming back year after year to fill our spaces with beautiful flowers and foliage. But because they don’t usually bloom as long as annuals, and change through the seasons, they can sometimes be difficult to use effectively in a garden design—but not for the gardens we visit today in our look back at some of favorite perennial gardens featured on the GPOD.

There are many Flowers that Start with C, and if you’re a gardener who loves expanding their knowledge, this article is for you!

For keen gardeners, a verdant, emerald lawn is a cherished asset. To achieve and uphold this, it's vital to regularly provide your lawn with nutrients. Organic fertilisers offer an excellent solution, not only because they stimulate growth but also because they enhance soil structure and are eco-friendly. In this article, we'll delve into how and when to best use organic fertilisers to ensure your lawn flourishes, and we'll demonstrate how a fertiliser spreader can be beneficial.

April is Earth Month, which means there’s never been a better time to brainstorm ways to reduce household waste and live more sustainably. Recycling everyday household items like plastic is an easy way to make a difference in your everyday life. Plus, finding creative uses for plastic items that would’ve otherwise hit the landfill can save you money on your grocery bill in the long run.

As springtime approaches, many homeowners start thinking about ways to spruce up their property and enhance kerb appeal.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without dahlias. Their beautiful flowers come in almost every colour imaginable, from pale pastels to hot, vibrant shades. They come in a range of flower shapes, from small tight balls to lily-like blooms the size of dinner plates. They’re perfect for adding late summer colour to borders from July to October and look good in any style of garden, from a cottage-style border to a jungle or exotic scheme. They look especially good with cosmos, grasses, Verbena bonariensis or cannas.

Pothos Vs Philodendron has always been a hot topic of discussion, and we are going to list out all the pointers that set these plants apart!

Martha Stewart is the queen of many things: cooking, baking, decorating, aging with style, being best friends with Snoop Dogg, and, of course, gardening. She has written books on gardening and consistently notes that April is a great month for getting to work on your vegetable garden.

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

An effective approach to weed removal begins with accurately detecting and identifying various types of unwanted plants in your garden. From dandelions to thistles, each weed requires a specific approach. Take the time to familiarise yourself with the characteristics of weeds growing in your area. This enables you to apply targeted strategies and prevent them from further spreading.

We get to see tons of beautiful plants on the GPOD, but almost nothing gets people quite as excited as beautiful displays of roses. So today we’re celebrating some of the most beautiful rose-centric posts we’ve had on the GPOD.

Sea hollies (Eryngium) have spiky leaves and thistle-like flowers in colours ranging from grey to intense cobalt blue, surrounded by a characteristic ‘ruff’. They make striking garden plants and have excellent wildlife value, particularly for pollinators. There are over 250 species of Eryngium, including plenty of cultivated varieties. As their name suggests, they grow well in coastal areas. They look wonderful in gravel gardens or mixed herbaceous borders.

Why you need to grow a marigold? Why it has attained the status of the flower to have in your garden? Well, we are going to answer all of it and will give you many more reasons to grow it!

Introducing Roots, Shoots, and Share: A Green Revolution for Gardeners