Five Soil Types

It’s raining heavily today, so there’s no point even trying to go outside into the garden, but if there’s a plus point to such dreadful weather then it does – at least temporarily – make people aware of what’s under their feet. Soil tends to be forgotten until it turns into mud, or you squelch along through sodden grass, or watch priceless fertility washed down the drain. Weather like this shows us the importance of winter soil care, particularly keeping soil covered (even if all you have is weeds!) so that plant roots can hold it all together for you.

Most vegetable gardeners lucky enough to have the use of a greenhouse use it for raising seeds early in the year, extending the season into the autumn, and of course growing tomatoes and cucumbers in the height of the summer. If you’d like to find something a little more exciting when you open the greenhouse door, these unusual crops will appreciate the extra heat.

I love growing unusual edible plants – not only are they potentially useful and easy to grow (because the pests and diseases they suffer from are not widespread), but they can be beautiful too.

The sun has finally made an appearance, and it’s time to start hardening off all of those plants that will soon be living outside. I won’t be growing courgettes this summer, but I bought some the other day on a whim and then had to figure out something to do with them.

Header image: Ella and Nicki at the Mars Desert Research Station. Provided by the author.

Emma White, University of Surrey and Sarah Golding, University of Surrey

Header image: Phil Sellens, CC BY

A great indoor and patio plant, the elephant ears look not only great but also invite warm tropical vibes to the place where it is grown. Here are some of the best Types of Alocasias you can grow!

Unlike their close cousins’ Calathea, there aren’t many Types of Stromanthe available. To make it a little easy for you, we have included the best ones in the article!

Ornamental grasses have become exceedingly popular with home gardeners and landscapers, and for good reason. There are over 10,000 species that add movement and drama, all while giving a naturalized look to the landscape. Most grasses will stay self contained, but there are some species that are quite invasive. While ornamental grasses are highly sought after, you do want to avoid invasive ornamental grass varieties. So which ornamental grasses are invasive?

With leathery, lance-shaped leaves, the Beautiful Cordyline Varieties add a dimension to any space and brings a riot of colors. You can easily grow this plant indoors or outdoors in a semi-shade location.

There are Types of Mints for everything: For fragrance, grow Eau de Cologne and for cooking, plant Spearmint or Vietnamese mint. If you want to garnish your desserts with fruit-scented herbs, strawberry and apple mints are perfect. Grow peppermint for teas and horsemint for medicinal uses and if you have cats, don’t skip catmint!