The main ZZ plant varieties are the classic green form, near-black ‘Raven’, compact ‘Zenzi’, dwarf ‘Zamicro’, round-leaved ‘Lucky Classic’, yellow-flushing ‘Chameleon’, and rare variegated forms. For most homes, I’d pick classic green or ‘Raven’ for a floor plant, and ‘Zenzi’ or ‘Zamicro’ for a desk or shelf, because all of them share the same tough, … Read more >>
ZZ plants are naturally slow, but low light, winter, crowded rhizomes and watering problems can stall them completely. Here is how to get new shoots.
When a ZZ plant starts falling over, the most common culprit is wet soil that has started to rot the rhizomes and stalk bases. A ZZ plant falls over most often because overwatering has softened its rhizomes, followed by too little light, a top-heavy clump in a small or light pot, and less often thirst, … Read more >>
Most vegetables, flowers and lawns like mushroom compost. Acid lovers such as blueberries and azaleas do not. Here are both lists.
You can grow cabbage in a pot with good results. Give each plant its own container that holds at least 5 gallons and is 12 or more inches deep, pick a compact early variety, and grow it in the cool weather of spring or fall with 6 or more hours of sun. If you meet … Read more >>
A head of iceberg lettuce and a head of green cabbage can sit side by side in the produce bin looking like twins. Pick them up, though, and the difference shows right away. Cabbage is the heavy, dense head with thick, waxy leaves and a peppery bite, while a head of lettuce is lighter, softer, … Read more >>
Napa cabbage is the better pick for kimchi, stir-fries, and crisp raw salads, while savoy cabbage is the better pick for cabbage rolls, braises, and cold-weather gardens. Both are mild and tender compared to plain green cabbage, yet they come from different species and behave very differently in the pot and in the garden. Napa … Read more >>
Yes, dogs can eat plain cabbage leaves in small amounts, raw or cooked, as long as nothing has been added to them. Cabbage isn’t toxic to dogs, and a few bites of a clean leaf make a crunchy, low-calorie snack for most healthy pups. The catch is what comes with it. Cabbage gives many dogs … Read more >>
I don’t recommend planting cabbage and strawberries side by side. Cabbage is a big, hungry annual that can shade low strawberry plants, and strawberries stay in the same bed for 3 to 4 years. That mismatch makes feeding, watering, and crop rotation harder for both. You can still grow both in the same yard. Give … Read more >>
If you’re planting most cabbage varieties in a raised bed, I’d set them about 18 inches apart, measured from the center of one plant to the center of the next. For most cabbage in a raised bed, plant 18 inches apart; use 12 inches for small early types and 24 inches for big storage varieties. … Read more >>