How to Hand Pollinate Corn

Are you a celery fan? Done right, it’s satisfyingly flavorful with a pleasing texture that leaves you wanting more.But it can be difficult for the home gardener to achie

The first time I ever tried rhubarb, it was a squishy mess inside a pie at a chain restaurant somewhere. I never wanted to eat it again.That all changed the summer I m

The best part of living somewhere cold and snowy is that the wildflowers that bloom after winter bring me a sense of delight I can’t quite describe.Here in Alaska, it’s the wild roses, bluebel

Are you growing your own aloe plant at home? If not, this is your chance to add an attractive ornamental succulent to your houseplant collection that offers tons of utility as well, as part of your homegrown medicine cabinet.Those of us who spend a lot of t

Bleeding hearts were meant for cool weather. The herbaceous perennial plants, that is.With its feathery leaves, fleshy stems,

Garlic is a stinky, pungent bulb. For this reason, it’s logical to assume that most pests will leave it alone.It’s even used as a pest deter

Some say the plants in this genus are commonly called the peace lilies because the white spathe of their flowers looks like a flag of surrender.I think the combination of columnar central spadix an

When I first moved to southern California from Montana to attend university, I was amazed by the diverse array of stunning plants: the pink sprays of bougainvillea, the purple flush of jacaranda trees, the orange-tufted, sharp-beaked birds of paradise.It’s uncanny how much this flower resem

Johnny-jump-ups are one of my favorite flowers because they pop up everywhere, placing them among the easiest blooms to grow. They’re determined to flourish.Here’s an example: One year, I grew a container of t

I admit it: I haven’t always loved beets (Beta vulgaris).But that all changed the day

Those of us in cold USDA Hardiness Zones 2 through 5 seem to have the gardening odds stacked against us.We must meticulously plan our gardens because ou

If you’ve fallen in love with bird of paradise plants but live in a cold climate, you can grow these tropical beauties indoors as houseplants.Given enough sunlight and the righ