getting ready to stash the tender plants, with marianne willburn

In the summer of 1863, a world-famous English botanist was pondering why the shoots of climbing plants twirl around as they grow. In this episode, join Emma the Space Gardener as she explores the fascinating world of plant movement, and what that has to do with the first plants that ever flew on NASA’s space shuttle.

Several times a year a visitor to our garden is shocked to find a rogue steak knife pierced downward in one of the beds, as if it were an escapee from our kitchen knife block. I’m always quick to tell them that it’s indeed where I meant to place it, and that I haven’t found any tool as great as a serrated knife when it comes to removing grass or root systems. It’s perfect for edging small areas or pulling up entire sheets of grass; all I have to do is start on one side and pull up as I carefully saw back and forth. It can be a cheap purchase from a thrift store—or in my case, the way I finally convinced my husband that we needed a new set of kitchen knives.

WHEN YOU SHOP for food—whether produce or meat or eggs—and see a label that says “organic,” what do you think that means? At its most fundamental level, I guess I always thought it meant vegetables grown on the fields of an organic farm—like, in the soil, or animals raised in its pastures.

It’s a tentative start. We crack open wet soil, slot the roots of a small birch tree into the gap and firm it in. The blessings of Mother Earth on you, little tree. The birch is a bare slip of a thing barely anchored in the ground. One down, 23,999 to go.

Landscaping a colourful flower border, growing your own veggies or creating a diverse allotment in your garden area requires organisation. Whether a seasoned horticulturist or just starting your green-fingered journey, gardening tools are essential for lending a hand. 

Christopher Testani/REAL SIMPLE

We’re back for a second day of enjoying the beauty of late summer and early fall in Maxine Brisport’s Rotterdam, New York, garden.

Today we’re in Rotterdam, New York, visiting with Maxine Brisport.

Invite the exotic allure of the tropics right in your own backyard by growing the Red Ginger Plant, a striking beauty known for its fiery red blooms and lush, green foliage. Keep scrolling to know the secrets of growing and caring for this tropical marvel, ensuring that your garden becomes the lush oasis you’ve always dreamed of.

Are you struggling with an ant infestation in your potted plants? This article will show you how to get rid of ants in plant pots, with ten easy, natural methods you can try.

Traditionally, greenhouses can be quite energy and water intensive, running on fossil fuels which are detrimental to the environment. This is why more and more UK homeowners and gardening enthusiasts are designing their greenhouses with sustainability in mind. In this article, we’ll talk you through the different areas where you can consider improving the sustainability of your greenhouse and how these could benefit you – so that you can garden with a green conscience as well as a green thumb.

Today we’re in Raleigh, North Carolina, visiting with John Matthews.