A sunny kitchen window and a few pots can only take you so far. In my Zone 6 backyard, I still love growing vegetables in the soil, but I set up a small indoor hydroponic garden every winter when the beds are frozen solid. My favorite starter setup sits on a utility shelf near a … Read more >>
A Dieffenbachia can look perfectly happy on Monday, then suddenly appear dusty, faded, and tired by Friday. I have seen it happen most often during winter, when a big dumb cane sits near a warm vent in a dry living room. The leaves lose their shine, tiny pale dots spread across the surface, and fine … Read more >>
You walk past your Dieffenbachia in the morning and notice clear droplets hanging from the leaf tips. At first glance, it looks as if someone misted the plant overnight—or as if the plant is crying on your kitchen counter. I have seen this happen most often after a thorough watering, especially when a big dumb … Read more >>
The first hydroponic herbs I grew sat on a sunny kitchen counter after my outdoor basil got battered by a week of hard summer rain. I loved seeing the roots in water, but I also learned quickly that plain water and a pretty jar do not keep plants growing for long. A hydroponic pot gives … Read more >>
A plant that looked almost unchanged last Monday can suddenly tower over its neighbors by Friday. I see it every summer in my backyard vegetable patch, especially when the cucumbers hit warm weather, and the tomatoes finally settle into their raised bed. But growth is rarely steady. A basil plant may add an inch in … Read more >>
A mature Podocarpus hedge can get expensive fast, especially when you need several plants to fill a bare fence line. I learned that after planting a small backyard privacy screen and realizing I wanted another dozen plants to match the ones already growing. The good news is that Podocarpus roots reliably from stem cuttings when … Read more >>
A backyard vegetable patch is wonderful until a week of hard rain compacts the soil, slugs chew the lettuce, and a surprise heat wave makes your spinach bolt. I still grow plenty in beds, but I love having a small hydroponic setup indoors where I can pick crisp greens even when my Zone 6 garden … Read more >>
A backyard vegetable bed teaches you patience fast. One week your peppers look perfect, and the next week a heat wave dries the soil faster than expected. Hydroponics removes the soil from the equation, but it replaces it with water, nutrients, light, and a few details that need steady attention. If growing cannabis is legal … Read more >>
A backyard vegetable bed teaches you patience. You wait for rain, pull weeds, and hope the soil stays loose enough for roots to spread. But when I wanted fresh basil, lettuce, and herbs during a cold Zone 5 winter, I started growing them indoors with water instead of garden soil. Hydroponic gardening sounds high-tech at … Read more >>
After a summer rain, I always stop beside my backyard lotus tub for a minute. The big, round lotus leaves do not stay wet like hostas, squash, or the herbs in my container garden. Instead, raindrops sit on top like tiny glass marbles, then roll away at the lightest breeze. That dramatic water-shedding trick is … Read more >>
