Seeds Ideas, Tips & Guides

In the arc of an Irish gardening year, May is the month of magical things. The first rose. The first swallow. The first properly hot day. The first beech tree in full leaf. The first sighting of wisteria in magnificent lilac bloom, draping itself languidly against a high, sunny wall. As nature flashes its brilliant feathers, it’s also our last real opportunity before summer finally arrives to make a substantial difference to our gardens or allotments, whether that’s filling them with fast-growing annuals to provide plenty of homegrown produce for the months ahead, planting up spectacular summer containers, or fine-tuning flower borders for maximum impact. With all of this in mind, here’s a handy little to-do list to help you stay on course.

How to Propagate Impatiens Flowers

The summer gardening season is here, and whether you're growing your first patch of flowers or are a seasoned pro, now is the time to prepare.

With the first official day of summer only a few weeks away, the editors at BHG have been gathering warm-weather essentials in anticipation for the months ahead—and we're sharing them with you! Prep for summer entertaining with suggestions from our home and food editors, including a genius charcuterie board that comes with compartments for all your favorite meats and cheeses. Spruce up your summer tablescape with checkered linen napkins, or take the party on-the-go with a padded cooler bag that's perfect for picnics.

Foliage plants are fine but it is the flowers we all want! And if we get them sooner, like without waiting for too long after planting would be great, right? Well, you are in for a treat!

How to Propagate Fuchsia Plants from Stem Cuttings

If you’re like me as soon as you plant your seed potatoes you’re already anticipating the harvest of tender tubers. However, potatoes are a long season crop and you’ll have to practice patience. So how long does it take for potatoes to grow? Generally the potato growing season is three to four months, but there are a few strategies you can do to encourage an early harvest. In this article you’ll learn about the different types of potatoes, which ones grow the fastest, and discover six ways to speed up the homegrown harvest. Types of potatoes Potatoes are categorized according to the length of their growing season. To ensure the longest season of homeg

Cucumbers are among the most popular crops for home gardeners. They’re easy to grow and just a handful of vines can provide enough cucumbers for fresh eating from mid-summer through late fall. But proper cucumber plant spacing can mean the difference between healthy, productive plants and disease ridden, low yielding ones. Let’s take a look at how far apart to plant cucumbers based on your growing technique and the method you use to plant them. Why properly spacing cucumber plants matters Before we dive into the details on proper plant spacing for cucumbers, let’s take a

Planting grass is more than just scattering seeds on soil; it's an art, a delicate dance with nature's rhythms. The key to a lush, vibrant lawn lies in timing. Understanding the nuances of the seasons is crucial. Spring brings warmth and rejuvenation, making it an ideal time for sowing grass. As the earth awakens from its winter slumber, seeds eagerly germinate, taking root in the fertile soil. With ample sunlight and moisture, the young grasslings flourish, setting the stage for a verdant carpet.

Have you ever seen or thought about getting an Avocado Tattoo? These trendy little fruits aren’t just delicious or healthy; they make surprisingly creative inks. See for yourself.

As much as we love a beautiful garden full of lush greenery, it’s hard to deny that starting a garden and buying plants can start adding up in price.

How to Plant and Grow Parris Island Cos Lettuce Lactuca sativa ‘Parris Island Cos’

May is National Hypertension Awareness Month and American Stroke Month, two conditions that are intricately linked to cardiovascular health. While many fad diets tend to come and go, one dietary pattern has stood the test of time and remains one of our world’s healthiest.

There’s no need to wait months to enjoy the delicious flavor of homegrown peas as you can grow pea sprouts and shoots year-round inside your home. These nutrient dense foods are quick and easy to grow and you don’t need fancy equipment to produce a bumper crop of sweet, tender pea sprouts and shoots. In this article you’ll learn the difference between sprouts and shoots, discover how to plant each type, get growing tips, and find out when to harvest. Pea sprouts and pea shoots You may have noticed there are a lot of terms used for describing immature pea plants: sprouts, microg

The popping of the seed pods in the plants is in response to a stimulus that acts as a trigger, such as touch or environmental factors. This mechanism aids in the dispersal of seeds and ensures the plant’s propagation in its natural habitat.

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

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Discover the Best Cruciferous Vegetables, offering a unique blend of nutrition and flavor to elevate your meals and promote a healthier lifestyle.

We’re always excited to learn about trendy gardening styles and techniques, and recently, one piqued my interest. With a name like “chaos gardening,” how can you not be instantly curious?

How to Plant and Grow Scarlet Runner Beans Phaseolus coccineus

For years, Foxglove (Digitalis species) has been a quintessential cottage garden flower. It is native to Europe and is a member of the plantain (Plantaginaceae) family. Foxglove adds height and color to the garden. Grow foxglove with other perennials along a fence or in front of large evergreen shrubs. Plant a large group for an eye-catching display.

There are some veggies out there that you can use to grow many palnts from! This means, more specimens, more harvest!

Shallots are a gourmet member of the onion family and while they can be pricy to buy at the supermarket, growing shallots is actually quite easy.Depending on the type shallot bulbs come in a range of shapes, sizes, colors, and flavors, with all adding a rich sweetness to your cooking. Boost your success by learning three ways to plant shallots, the best timing, and how to care for them to ensure healthy plants and lots of delicious bulbs. Why you should be growing shallots Shallots (Allium cepa var. aggregatum) are a cool season vegetable in the onion family

With basils, we always think about a stubby plant that’s growing in a small pot on a sunny windowsill. What if we tell you that it can be trained to grow like a 4-6 feet tall specimen? Sounds impossible? Well, it’s not!

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

How to Plant and Grow Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum) Pycnanthemum spp.

May growing with Cel

May growing with Rachel

Both Sempervivum and Echeverias are famous as hens and chicks, and when these succulents flower, it can be quite a sight to behold! However, most are not sure what to do when these plants bloom, and this is where this article comes in!

How to Water Watermelons

If you’ve ever wondered how to grow peanuts or why the average home gardener would even want to, you’re in the right place—and you’re in for a treat. Peanuts are easy to grow, tasty, and protein-packed. What’s more, they’re not only good for you, but they’re also good for your soil. Much more than a garden novelty, peanuts are practical and prolific. They can be eaten fresh out of the pod, pounded into peanut butter, or otherwise preserved for the long haul. Best of all, individual plants can yield as many as 40 to 50 pods each. In this article you’ll learn all about how to grow peanuts. Meet the peanut Hailing from South America, the peanut (Arachis hypogaea) isn’t technically a nut like pecan

Derived from the seeds of Azadirachta indica, neem oil can be beneficial in a lot of ways to keep the trees safe from various pests and diseases issues, which can ultimately help it flower and fruit better. 

Thinning seedlings is the best way to promote better growth and allowing the healthier and fitter ones to survive. Lets learn about this art in detail below!

How to Propagate Passionflower Vines

We are all familiar with stress coping mechanisms like deep breathing, exercise, and quality sleep. But did you know that eating habits can have an impact on stress and anxiety as well? Research shows that there are some foods that can help lower cortisol levels, which is the hormone in our bodies that is predominantly responsible for feelings of stress. Below, we’ll go over some foods that can help us manage stress and anxiety in a healthy way when consumed as part of a varied diet.

The less common Allium ‘Mount Everest’