Prevention Ideas, Tips & Guides

Fiddle-leaf fig plants (Ficus lyrata) are loved for their large, green, glossy foliage, which makes them beautiful houseplants. However, caring for this plant can sometimes be tricky, mainly in fall and around the onset of winter when many gardeners notice their plant starts dropping leaves.

Brie Goldman 

Fungus gnats are a common pest among houseplants. These small flies tend to go unnoticed at first, slowly building their populations by laying eggs on the soil of our container plants. Their larvae feed on fungi and organic matter in our potting soil and nibble on plant roots as well. As much as we'd like, they don't go away on their own. Over time, their numbers grow, and you begin to notice the adults hovering above the soil surface when you water your houseplants.

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As fall begins, many turfgrasses show signs of common diseases. “These fungi are always present, but disease occurs when the environmental conditions are ideal for its development,” says Clint Waltz, PhD, turfgrass specialist, Turfgrass and Education Center at the University of Georgia. “That means an extended period of humidity and temperatures in the 60s to 80s.”

When the season changes, your indoor plants’ needs also transform. So, why reduce watering in fall and winter? This modification benefits your plants and helps them confront the oncoming cold and less bright days. Let’s explore the details.

Even if you aren't fortunate enough to live next to a meadow of wildflowers, you can still capture their untamed beauty in a container or garden this summer by planting cosmos. Cosmos come in various colors, from burgundy to pink to white. Mix them up for a more natural look, like a wildflower meadow. Bonus: this colorful flower, native to tropical America, attracts birds and butterflies with its cheery blooms. Because of their wildflower characteristics, cosmo flowers are considered invasive in some environments. Cosmos are prime not only for containers but for creating a mass of color in borders or backgrounds or as a filler among shrubs.

Moving into your first home or rental can be an extremely daunting task, especially if you have no prior knowledge of the ins and outs of the lease signing process. 

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Do African Violets bloom all year round? You can make them! Here are a few tips and tricks to coax your flowers to appear throughout the year, lighting up your home even on the gloomiest days!

Watering your plants has benefits that far outweigh basic hydration. Linda Vater, expert for Southern Living Plant Collection says it’s an essential factor in the life of a plant, aiding in photosynthesis, structural support, nutrient transport, disease prevention, and even temperature regulation. But give it too much water and you might find your plant is less than thriving. Here Vater, along with Laura Root, horticulturist for Jackson & Perkins, and Justin Hancock, horticulturist for Costa Farms share everything you need to know about how to avoid overwatering, plus how to set yourself back on the right course if your plant has been overindulging in H2O.

As autumn gives way to winter, it’s the perfect time to focus on the care and maintenance of your fruit trees and bushes. Proper pruning during the colder months is essential for the health and productivity of your garden. At GardenAdvice, we offer a comprehensiveAutumn -Winter Fruit Tree Pruning Service, designed to help you get the most out of your fruit trees and bushes. Alternatively sign up for aGardenAdvice one day gardening cours

Hydrocorns, also known as hydro pellets or clay pebbles, are an excellent medium used in gardening and hydroponics. These small, lightweight pellets are made from expanded clay, which is fired at high temperatures to create a porous and highly absorbent structure. The result is a versatile growing medium that retains moisture while allowing excess water to drain away effectively. Hydrocorns are often used in both indoor and outdoor gardens, making them a popular choice among gardeners and hydroponic enthusiasts alike.

When you empty your dishwasher day after day, do you ever give much thought to the way you're storing your drinking glasses in your kitchen cupboard? Given that many people store their glassware upside down in the kitchen, we've spoken with house cleaning experts to find out whether this is actually the most beneficial method or if it is indeed flawed.

Most ground-nesting wasps aresolitary and mind their own business as they pollinate plants and prey on unwelcome garden pests, such as caterpillars. But social wasps, which live in a colony with a queen, can become a problem when their nests are situated to close to your living areas.

Without those vivid-colored blooms, your Thanksgiving cactus will look dull. Don’t worry; we have excellent gardening tips to make your cactus bloom earlier, on time, and beyond.

While the summer season is full of delightful moments, like gathering with loved ones, enjoying a barbecue cookout, or relaxing by the pool, it also comes with a major drawback: wasps.

One day, your brassicas are swaying happily in the breeze, and the next, out of nowhere, you’ve been invaded by the worst—cabbage moths and worms! They sneak up on you, camouflaged and relentless. But before your harvest becomes a lost cause, here are ways to get rid of them!

If you live in the South, or anywhere with mild winters, and your garden looks like spring in Rotterdam every year, then you must know how to handle tulip bulbs correctly. If your fall-planted bulbs produced meager or no blooms, then it’s time to learn how to store tulip bulbs correctly.

If your lawn is looking a little sad or sparse this year, June bugs may be to blame. These beetles emerge from the soil in spring or early summer, earning the common name of May or June bugs. “June bugs are a type of scarab beetle, with several species found in the Southeast,” says Shimat V. Joseph, PhD, associate professor of turfgrass and ornamentals, department of entomology, at theUniversity of Georgia. “They release pheromones for mating so you’ll typically see them congregating on the side of a building, often near a light.”

If you have a large load of laundry you've been procrastinating on, I get it and let's be honest: we've all been there. But before you jump in, you may not realize some items that you should actually wash with cold water instead of hot water.

Chances are, if you have a lawn, you have crabgrass! This fast-growing weed thrives despite heat, humidity, or drought conditions. “It’s a prolific seed producer,” says Clint Waltz, PhD, turfgrass extension specialist at theUniversity of Georgia. “If you do nothing about it this year, expect a higher and more dense population of crabgrass next year.”

If you look after your roses in autumn, they will get safely through the winter, coming back healthy, vigorous and full of flowers the following year. The key autumn rose care jobs are tidying up, removing spent blooms or diseased foliage, and pruning. Watch our video guide above as Alan Titchmarsh demonstrates how to prune a rose in autumn. Autumn is also a good time to plant a rose.

Native to tropical Asia, coleus is a shade-loving annual belonging to the mint family. While it produces blooms, this plant is treasured for its spectacular foliage, which appears in numerous hues, patterns, and sizes. So, we’re here to help you make your coleus bushier!

Fall armyworms (Spodotera frugiperda) are not a welcome visitor in the Southeast. They often appear in large numbers inlate summer to early fall and make the ground appear as if it’s moving as they devour every bit of vegetation in their paths. “They will march across your lawn, just like an army,” says Clint Waltz, PhD, turfgrass extension specialist at theUniversity of Georgia. “The adult moths are not a turf issue, but they lay eggs which become voracious caterpillars that can decimate a lawn and heavily damage certain types of turfgrasses.”

How to Identify and Manage Apple Scab Fungus Venturia inaequalis

If you have a fully operational garbage disposal in your kitchen sink, you’re likely in one of two groups. The first is comprised of conscientious individuals who know exactly what they should and should not toss down to prevent those blades from grinding to a halt.

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Lighting isn't always the most intuitive part of decorating a room. But when you do it well, the whole atmosphere can change—it can even boost your home's value.

You probably don’t think about your shoelaces until they’re falling apart, but you might want to start thinking about your shoes’ most unassuming feature. Giving your shoelaces a quick refresh once in a while keeps your shoes looking sparkly clean (and your whole outfit on point).

It's a huge bummer to see a nearly-ripe melon that's fallen to the ground or one that's developed an unsightly layer of mold from resting in the dirt.

While home gardeners are often plagued with too much sunshine during the dog days of summer, downpours are another thing to be concerned about.

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When and How to Prune a Weeping Willow

Nearly the entire fruit is made up of—you guessed it—water! But too much can cause it to wilt, and too little will kill the plant. So, let’s explore these precise watering tips and techniques to enjoy a delicious and juicy watermelon harvest right in your backyard!