How to Grow Beardtongue (Penstemon)

There is no way to sugarcoat the challenges many of us in the Mid-Atlantic region have faced this summer. The inconsistency of rainfall and the extreme high temperatures have greatly impacted our efforts to garden successfully. Even with valiant efforts to apply supplemental irrigation, I have witnessed a wide range of plant material showing signs of drought stress that I have rarely witnessed in my 15-plus years of gardening in this region. To say it is cause for concern would be an understatement. As a result, in the last few months I have been repeatedly asked how we can prepare our beloved gardens to reduce heat and moisture stress for future growing seasons. One answer to this conundrum is to add organic matter to the soil in the form of compost.

How to Grow and Care for Lupines Lupinus spp.

Flanking our waterways in great mops of silver green, the willow is the most poetic and mysterious of trees. In many cultures – including ancient Egypt and ancient Greece – it was associated with immortality, death, and the underworld; old English folklore states that if you sit beside a willow and shed tears, the tree will cry with you. In China, where the weeping willow hails from, it represents strength and resilience, reflecting the instruction in the Tao Te Ching to have a flexible attitude: 'A tree that won't bend, breaks easily in storms.' Being pliant and strong, willow is used for weaving, and its light weight and hardness make it the best wood for cricket bats.

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.

Ohio straddles the line between a continental climate in the north and a subtropical climate in the south. According to the region, it experiences all four seasons in wavering levels of intensity: cold, frosty winters, hot and humid summers, and a wholesome spring and fall. We share the best fruit trees to grow in Ohio across its climes and soil types!

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!

Geranium macrorrhizum, or big root geranium, is one of my all-time favorite perennials for its ease of cultivation, attractive foliage, pretty summer blooms, and incredible vigor. It’s perfect at the front of a perennial or shrub bed, along a pathway, or as a groundcover under shrubs. Big root geranium spreads and forms a dense carpet of foliage, but it’s not so aggressive that it becomes invasive. In this article you’ll learn all about planting, growing, and caring for this stunning plant. Get to know Geranium macrorrhizum Also called big root cranesbill, Geranium macrorrhizum is a perennial plant hardy

Even though pineapples are considered a fruit (and a fruit generally comes from trees—unless it’s a berry), pineapples actually grow on a plant close to the ground. Each pineapple plant bears exactly one pineapple. So where did pineapple come from in the first place?

Most gardeners are familiar with the USDA plant hardiness zone map, which represents cold hardiness. But cold hardiness only indicates one aspect of a plant’s preferred conditions. Its ability to tolerate heat is equally important. You might have seen heat zones listed along with hardiness zones on your plant labels, but what do they mean? The following info will help you better understand and use this valuable gardening tool.

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

How to Grow Broccoli in Containers

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