Pumpkins fit in a square foot bed when you pick a small-fruited variety and send the vine up. For square foot gardening pumpkins, I plant one mini or pie pumpkin per two squares at the foot of a sturdy north-side trellis, then cradle each fruit in a sling as it grows. If you’d rather let … Read more >>
Plant one eggplant per square in a square foot garden. Give each eggplant its own full 12 x 12-inch square, set the transplant in the center, and choose a compact or slender Asian variety so the plant stays inside its space. Large globe types can spread 2 to 3 feet and spill into the squares … Read more >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
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 >>
The most reliable way to get rid of ferns in a garden bed is to dig out the crowns and the creeping roots, then keep cutting or pulling every new frond until the plant runs out of stored energy. Small clumps often clear in a single season. Large, spreading patches take repeated work over two … Read more >>