If you want one lotus for a backyard water garden, I’d grow a compact sacred lotus cultivar in a container. It comes in far more sizes and colors, and the dwarf types fit a patio tub. If your pond drains into a creek or lake, or you live where sacred lotus is listed as invasive, … Read more >>
Yes, you can put your ZZ plant outside for the summer, and it often grows faster out there than it does on a shelf indoors. You can move a ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) outdoors once nights stay above 55°F, as long as it sits in shade or filtered light and comes back inside before nights … Read more >>
Plant 8 pole beans per square foot, in two rows of four, along a trellis set on the north edge of the square. That spacing gives each vine about 3 inches of room at the base while the trellis carries the growth 6 to 8 feet up, where light and airflow are plentiful. I like … Read more >>
Square foot gardening tomatoes come down to one simple rule. Plant one indeterminate or cherry tomato per square and train it up a north-side trellis, or give one determinate bush tomato a 2 x 2 block of four squares with a cage. That spacing feels tight next to the 2 to 3 feet many seed … Read more >>
Plant 16 small radishes in each square of your grid, set on a 3-inch spacing, and sow them 1/2 inch deep in loose, compost-rich mix about 4 to 6 weeks before your last spring frost. Most round types are ready in 21 to 30 days. Growing radishes in a square foot garden comes down to … Read more >>
The best soil mix for square foot gardening is equal parts by volume of blended compost, peat moss or coco coir, and coarse vermiculite. I recommend it for nearly every home gardener because it drains fast, holds moisture, stays loose for years, and never needs tilling. A standard 4-by-4-foot bed filled 6 inches deep takes … Read more >>
The best soil for indoor plants holds some moisture, drains fast, and leaves room for air around the roots. It isn’t one bag for every plant. A monstera, a cactus, and a maidenhair fern each want a different balance of water and air in the pot. In this guide, I’ll explain what potting mix needs … Read more >>
For most homes, I’d pick a ZZ plant if your room is dim and you want a full, leafy shape, and a snake plant if you need height in a narrow spot or have a brighter window. Both handle dry indoor air and missed waterings. The ZZ plant copes better with low light, while the … Read more >>
The most reliable indoor plants that don’t need sun are the ZZ plant, snake plant, cast iron plant, and parlor palm, because each one keeps healthy leaves on the weak light of a north window or a spot deep in a room. Pothos, heartleaf philodendron, Chinese evergreen, peace lily, and Dracaena ‘Janet Craig’ round out … Read more >>
Lemongrass that shows purple or red is usually reacting to its surroundings. Most of the time the cause is cool nights, a reddish stalk base that’s normal for the plant, or stress from sun, dry soil, or hungry roots. In most cases, lemongrass turning purple is a harmless response to cool weather or mild stress, … Read more >>