Blackberries and Berries That Are BlackIt's impossible to walk barefoot in the yard. The brambles are everywhere. Even wearing shoes does not protect ankles from getting scratched. Ouch!
Let's Share our Favorite Soft FruitsWelcome to Soft Fruits week! Blackerries, raspberries, strawberries and more. What are you growing, and which cultivars do you think everyone else should grow?
Satay SticksI cannot imagine gardening without satay sticks or bamboo skewers. They are one of the most useful gardening tools.
Caladiums -- Classy, Colorful, and CarefreeIf you're looking for a splash of color in a shady garden area, try Caladiums. Even the beginner gardener can grow these tubers with minimal skill. Dig a two-inch hole, drop in a tuber (eyes up), give it a little water and a slow release fertilizer, and cover it up. You're on your way to success!
ATP Podcast #59: Aquaponics, and Growing Outdoor Plants IndoorsAquaponics is an exciting innovation that blends vegetable gardening with fish farming. In today's podcast we'll discuss our aquaponics system, how it works, why it works, and why we're excited about it. We'll also talk about growing outdoor plants indoors.
Under-Deck Watering SystemWe travel during the summer and need a watering system to take care of our hanging plants and small potted plants in our sunroom.
Ring of DeathWhen plants outgrow their bounds, use an empty plant pot to define their universe.
Save Those Tree ContainersHate to roll the heavy wheelbarrow out when you need a large container for clean-up work?
Sturdy Markers for Plants from the Thrift StoreAre you tired of plastic markers breaking? I had often used sturdy plastic knives to mark plants, but they didn't last long in our cold climate. I suddenly thought of all the used flatware at my local thrift store. Stopped by there and came home with a whole bag of sturdy stainless knives which work well to label my small hostas. Use a marking pen designed for the garden and they should last awhile before they need redoing.
Do Your Fingers a FavorWhen weeding a pot of cactus, use tweezers for safety.
ATP Podcast #58: Preparing for Summer, and Garden DesignWith Memorial Day behind us, summer is sort of, kind of, well, is it officially here? Let's say yes. So with summer upon us, it's time to summerize our gardens! We'll talk about our best tips on getting your garden in tip top shape for the coming hot and dry months of summer. Also, Trish will share some great tips on planning a garden design. There is a bonus video attached to the show notes, showing our tomatoes.
Reuse Those Coffee and Creamer ContainersPlastic coffee and creamer containers make good pots to plant seeds in.
Hemostat Pliers for Tiny WeedsHemostat pliers make a good tool for getting around/between Sempervivum and Sedum plants when you're weeding. You don't have to lock them. Just close and pull.
Slug NecklacePennies glued to a cardboard collar, to deter both slugs and weeds.
Photography Tip: Showing ScaleWhen small items such as seeds are being photographed, it's fairly common to place a common item near them to give a sense of their size.
Dave's Super Easy Two Person Weeding TechniqueIn a podcast episode a couple weeks ago, Dave mentioned his technique of weeding using a sharp shovel. We recently had to weed out a pretty bad bed of tall grass, and we took a video so we can demonstrate the technique for you.
Tropicals That Keep BloomingThere are so many gorgeous tropical bulbs and rhizomatous plants, it's hard to choose. I have moved away from the one-time bloomers to those that continue blooming through the warm weather.
ATP Podcast #57: Summer Bulbs WeekThis week is Summer and Tropical Bulbs Week at All Things Plants, so today we're going to talk about our own personal favorite summer bulbs. Trish will tell us how to know the difference between the different genera of elephant ears. After that, we'll talk about our usual farming adventures in East Texas and finally we'll talk about our exciting new feature on the site: The Green Pages.
Alstroemeria psittacina aka A. pulchellaAlstroemeria: beautiful or invasive and irritating?
GingersGingers, also called "ginger lilies," make great landscape or patio plants. They are tolerant of temperature extremes, will grow in poor soil, and can even grow in those wet areas where little else will grow. Most species are grown for their beautiful, fragrant flowers, but there are varieties used as condiments and varieties used as natural shampoo/conditioner in Hawaii.
Gloriosa LilyGloriosa superba is a striking plant, and the only climbing lily in existence.
Four o'ClocksMost people who have experience with these tuberous plants that thrive in the heat of summer seem to have definite opinions about Four o'Clocks. Because they are prolific re-seeders, some find them an annoyance to be yanked out of the garden asap. Others love them, as I do.
The 2014 All Things Plants Top 25 Summer Bulbs and TubersWhat a fun and diverse group of plants! Come on in and check out the report of the top 25 most active summer bulbs and tuber entries in our plants database. You will be surprised at some of the plants that made the list!
Movable Garden PathsDo you need walkways in your garden? I've been using used carpet for my pathways for years. It's easy on the knees while planting and weeding, holds moisture in the soil, reduces soil compaction, and blocks weeds
How Does Your Garden Grow?Mary, Mary, quite contrary, how does your garden grow? With silver bells and cockleshells and pretty maids all in a row. (All smiling, of course.) This old nursery rhyme leads us to believe there was an orderly garden decked out in flowers and pretty maidens lined up in a row! But, read on for a different train of thought.
