Elsa 
Short on ground space but still want fresh herbs, greens and tomatoes? Growing up instead of out is the simplest fix I know. These vertical garden ideas use walls, fences, railings and stairs-style shelving to fit more plants into less room. I’ll walk you through the setups that hold up in real backyards and balconies. … Read more >>
A balcony herb garden is one of the easiest ways to cook with fresh flavor every day, even without a yard. A few pots of basil, thyme, and mint can turn a small outdoor space into a working kitchen garden. My advice is to start small, match your herbs to your light, and build from … Read more >>
Space oyster plants 12 to 18 inches apart, measured from the center of one plant to the center of the next. Use 12 inches when you want a solid groundcover fast, and 18 inches when you want each rosette to keep its shape and get better airflow. That small range covers almost every bed, border, … Read more >>
No, oyster plants don’t need a lot of water. I water mine only when the top inch of soil feels dry, which works out to about once a week in warm months and every 10 to 14 days in winter for most indoor pots. The oyster plant (Tradescantia spathacea) stores moisture in its thick leaves, … Read more >>
Yes, oyster plants like humidity, but they don’t demand much of it. Oyster plants grow best at 40% to 60% relative humidity, and the average American home usually sits close enough to that range that you won’t need special gear most of the year. Very dry air, especially during winter heating, is what causes trouble, … Read more >>
Most of the time, a few yellow lotus leaves are just old pads wearing out, and the plant is fine. When lotus leaves turn yellow, the most common causes are normal dieback of old floating leaves, hunger from too little fertilizer in midsummer, hot or low water, too little sun, and the natural slide into … Read more >>
Brown or black lotus leaves almost always point to something in the plant’s surroundings: hot sun on young leaves, a dropping water level, fertilizer placed too close to the tuber, cold nights, or plain old age. When you see lotus leaves turning brown, check the pattern first: crispy edges mean heat or dry pots, spreading … Read more >>
Strong hydroponic seedlings are the base of every good indoor harvest. If your starts are weak, leggy or waterlogged, your system will struggle no matter how good your pump or lights are. The good news is that starting seeds without soil isn’t hard. You need a clean medium, steady moisture, the right light, and a … Read more >>
A lotus that suddenly looks half-dead is a scary sight, especially after you’ve waited weeks for those big leaves to show up. The good news is that the part of the plant that matters most, the tuber, often stays alive long after the leaves look terrible. Most of the time, a dying lotus plant has … Read more >>
Companion planting in a square foot bed comes down to a short list of proven neighbors. The pairings that work best are tomatoes with basil, carrots with onions, radishes with lettuce, and a few squares of marigolds, dill, or cilantro near cabbage-family crops, each kept in its own square with tall plants on the north … Read more >>