Seeds Ideas, Tips & Guides

I’ve designed, installed, and continue to manage two meadow lawns to date. Through these gardens, as well as my own study in nature and research in references, I’ve learned a lot about what makes an effective meadow garden over the last few years.

How to Grow and Care for Weigela Shrubs Weigela spp.

How to Propagate Ginkgo Trees from Stem Cuttings

Have you ever wondered how often you should water your vegetable garden? Watering may seem straightforward, but there are some important considerations to think about before you get out your watering can or the garden hose. The way you water your plants is essential for them to grow and thrive. “Just like the sun, water is a key component to having a successful veggie garden,” says Nicole Shah, gardener and co-founder of Garden Girls, a garden design company in Houston, Texas.

Add more color to your shade garden and containers with the wishbone flower (Torenia). The unique flowers resemble a single snapdragon bloom and have stamens that meet in the center, resembling a wishbone, giving the plant its common name. There are two types of wishbone flowers: one that trails and one that is upright and compact.

How to Propagate Hibiscus

As temperatures rise and summer sets in, it pays to give your container plants, and especially bedding plants, a little time and care so that they keep on flowering and looking their best, right into autumn. The secret, as Alan Titchmarsh explains above, is to water, feed and deadhead them regularly, and choose the right location – here’s how.

You can grow wildflowers in a border, a pot and a window box as well as in a meadow.

I’ve designed, installed, and continue to manage two meadow lawns to date. Through these gardens, as well as my own study in nature and research in references, I’ve learned a lot about what makes an effective meadow garden over the last few years.

The topic of fruiting quince came up the other day when a friend shared just how productive his tree was shaping up to be this year. Everyone present enthusiastically chimed in with our own quince experiences, memories, and recipes. We all appeared to have had a grandmother with a quince growing in her garden, who would use the fall-gathered fruit for cooking, jellies, jams, to add oomph to apple pies and ciders, and for medicinal—sometimes even alcoholic—purposes! Though most varieties of quince need to be cooked to be enjoyed in our particular climate zone and are firm and astringent at harvest time, this fruit has an avid fan club and is adored for many reasons.

Autumn is a magical time in the landscape. Leaves sparkle on tree limbs like gemstones and flowering plants gear up for their season finale. The cool nights and crisp clear days of fall rejuvenate flowering annuals and perennials that may have languished in the heat of summer. The result is a riot of blooms that gives the trees a run for their money. Among the spectacle are gorgeous annuals for the fall garden that bloom well into autumn.

Who wouldn’t want an endless supply of versatile cut flowers right at home for decoration? But a bouquet a day from the supermarket will surely drive you to bankruptcy! Hence, we show you how to grow your own cut flower garden straight from seeds—the cheapest and most consistent way to enjoy beautiful blooms inside your home!

When walking through my woods this time of year, I’m looking for cranefly orchids (Tipularia discolor) in bloom. It is a delicate perennial, terrestrial orchid that grows in deciduous woods. Cranefly orchids are found growing in decaying organic matter, and they grow best in moist, well-drained soil. It is the only Tipularia species that is native to the southeastern US and grows in USDA planting zones 6A to 9B.

What is giant hogweed?

Got pests? Encourage native ladybugs to inhabit your garden instead of buying wild-harvested ladybugs to manage unwanted insects. Purchased ladybugs are expensive and potentially disease-carrying, threatening native bug species already living in your garden and the surrounding area. Your best bet is to attract and encourage native ladybugs to thrive and flourish, which will responsibly deter unwanted pests.

Happy Monday GPODers!

How to Grow and Care for Lupines Lupinus spp.

Zinnias are mostly annual plants, popular because of the colourful, daisy-like flowers. Native to Mexico, there are 18 species and hundreds of cultivated forms, which are grown as annual bedding plants. Flowers come in vivid colours from red, orange and deep pink to green, with a lovely long flowering season from summer to the first frosts. Zinnias are perfect for filling gaps in the border and also work well in container displays. Long stemmed varieties make great cut flowers.

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.”

It is indeed painful to find unwanted plants taking over your carefully curated vegetation. While not all weeds are garden enemies, the ones on this list surely are! Learn to recognize the most common and persistent weeds found in the states, and save your garden from invasion now.

How to Propagate Apple Trees

I think it’s time we have a talk about cilantro. This popular herb is quite possibly the most misunderstood crop in the vegetable garden. If you’ve ever said something akin to: “I can’t grow cilantro. Whenever I try, it bolts right away!”, you’re not alone. Many people have a hard time growing cilantro and some have given up entirely. But all is not lost. With a little bit of planning, it’s possible to harvest perfect cilantro from the garden virtually any time of year. 

Having a shed in your yard is great because it provides extra storage for things that you reach for often while you're outside gardening, playing yard games, and more. However, keeping some of these items in your shed actually might be doing more harm than good.

There are three main types of potato to grow, named according to when you plant and harvest them: first earlies, second earlies and maincrop. First early or ‘new’ potatoes are so-called because they are the earliest to crop, in June and July. Second earlies (also called ‘new’ potatoes) are hot on their heels, taking a few more weeks to mature. They are ready from July.

Maybe you want to grow zinnias from seeds for volume, cuttings for cloning your favorite pick, or division for your container garden! Whatever your reason, we list down the choicest ways to propagate zinnias!

This small woody shrub belonging to the mint family is grown for its fragrant, edible, and medicinal leaves and flowers. Growing hyssop has a host of health benefits and is also useful in maintaining a thriving, pest-free garden. Let’s dig in!

Found everywhere on earth, this elegant flower is one of the most coveted houseplants for beauty. But how do you get started with orchids? Producing some of the tiniest seeds ever, that too mostly dormant, growing orchid seedlings is no walk in the park!

Amy Cox remembers the first time she learned she could grow a lawn out of clover. «Where has this been all my life?» she mused. «Why is this a secret?»

Cunila origanoides

Gardening can sometimes be quite heavy on the pockets! So, if you love growing plants but are not well financially, don’t sweat it! Here’s how to save money without compromising on leafy friends. Check out these cheap and affordable garden and backyard ideas if you’re on a budget.

How to Propagate Dahlias from Seed

13 of the Best Varieties of Mustard Greens to Grow in Your Garden

Plant Your Salad Greens Early: Tips for Growing Lettuce and Microgreens

How to Grow Broccoli in Containers

11 of the Best Fall Annuals for the South

How to Plant and Grow ‘Costoluto Genovese’ Tomatoes Solanum lycopersicum ‘Costoluto Genovese’