Tag: gardening

Christmas cactus is a very popular houseplant—and for good reason! When they bloom, they produce colorful, tubular flowers in pink or lilac colors. Their beautiful flowers, long bloom time, and easy care requirements make them a wonderful plant.  Unlike many other cacti, Christmas cacti and their relatives don’t live...

The aloe vera plant is an easy, attractive succulent that makes for a great indoor companion. Aloe vera plants are useful, too, as the juice from their leaves can be used to relieve pain from scrapes and burns when applied topically. Here’s how to grow and care for aloe vera plants in...

Ready to plant and grow roses in your garden? Our Growing Guide for Roses will get you started—with advice on how to take care of roses and prune them too. Rose bushes come in a variety of forms, from climbing roses to miniature rose plants, blooming mainly in early summer and...

Sweet cherries are the variety most often found in markets. They have a thick, rich, and almost plumb-like texture. Sweet cherries grow in hardiness zones 5 to 7; they are self-sterile and best for an orchard or a large garden. You’ll need at least two or three trees, as they’ll need to pollinate each...

Pears are easy to fit into small yard spaces, and attractive, and require very little care once established. Growing pears is generally easier than growing apples, as they have less pest and disease issues. Two cultivars are generally needed for successful pollination and fruit set. Most pear trees are...

Homegrown strawberries are far more flavorful than what you’ll ever find in a grocery store. Why? The sugar in berries converts to starch soon after it’s picked. Plus, strawberries are probably the easiest of the fruits to grow! The good news is that strawberries are relatively easy to grow...

Figs are a delicious treat that thrive in warm climates, but can also be grown in more temperate regions with a bit of extra care. Figs thrive in areas with long and hot summers (Zones 8 and warmer), though they can also be grown in colder zones if grown...

Nature has wired us to feel protective of babies, with their oversize, floppy heads. The big, round leaves of a fiddle leaf fig tree make it the houseplant equivalent of a newborn—and the “it” accessory for a generation of interior designers. On its home turf—which happens to be West...

Bromeliads spend their lives as houseplants in places that aren’t as warm as the tropical climates they call home. Their brightly colored bracts (which we think of as their flowers) can last for months, brightening a dark corner. One of the most cold hardy is matchstick bromeliad (Aechmea gamosepala), an ornamental...

The croton, also called “garden croton,” is an easy-to-grow houseplant known for its variegated foliage covered in green, scarlet, orange, and yellow splotches. Here’s how to care for a croton in your home or garden. They are native to the tropical forests of southeast Asia and Oceania. In the...