If you want to learn how to grow garlic in your garden, then it’s important to get the timing right. Many new gardeners make the mistake of planting garlic too late, and end up with tiny bulbs when they go to harvest it. I am no exception! The first time I tried growing it in my garden was an epic failure, and I was extremely disappointed. The good news is that once you learn how and when to plant garlic, you’ll find that it’s super easy!...

Chives produce seeds reliably, and they are easy to collect, even for beginners. Harvesting chive seeds from your own garden is also a fun way to save yourself a little cash. If you’ve never tried collecting seeds from your garden before, this is a great one to start with. As long as you get the timing right, you’ll be rewarded with tons of free chive seeds with very little effort....

Overwintering caladiums is the best way to keep your favorite varieties year after year! Saving caladium bulbs over winter can sometimes be a bit of a challenge, but it’s not terribly difficult. Don’t worry, I’ll show you exactly what to do in this post! Even if you live in a cold climate like I do here in MN, it’s not hard to keep caladiums through the winter, and replant them again each spring....

Jade plant propagation is super easy, and there are a few methods that you can use. In this post I will talk about how to grow a jade plant from a leaf or stem cuttings, give you details about how to take a cutting, and show you exactly how to propagate jade plants, step-by-step. Jade plant propagation from leaf or stem cuttings is very easy. In fact, jades are one of the best plants to start with if you’ve never tried propagating plants before....

Snake plants are tough, require minimal care, and are fun to grow. In this post, I’ll tell you all you need to know in order to take care of your mother-in-law’s tongue plant. There are few plants better for beginners to grow than the snake plant. They’re low maintenance, don’t require much attention, and are beautiful indoors or outside. These stunning specimens look amazing as the focal plant in mixed containers or garden beds, and are equally stunning on their own....

One of my favorite activities in the fall is collecting seeds from my garden. I use them to grow my annuals and vegetables every year, which saves me tons of money. I also love to share them with friends, and use them to trade for other varieties I don’t already have. For sharing and trading, I like to make my own DIY seed envelopes. It’s very easy to make your own paper seed packets, and inexpensive too!...

Growing thyme is not as difficult as you might think, and their care is minimal. In this post, I’ll teach you everything you need to know to be successful. Hardy and low maintenance thyme makes a great addition to any garden. Not only are they edible, they’re beautiful too. It’s easy enough for even the newest beginner to learn how to grow thyme successfully, once you understand how to care for it....

Mounting a staghorn fern is fun and a great way to display the most prized specimens in your collection. In this post, I’ll show you step by step exactly how to do it, and give you my best tips for success. I remember the first time I saw a mounted staghorn fern. I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen, and I so-very-badly wanted to try doing it myself....

Propagating spider plants is super easy, and there are a few ways to do it. In this post, I will talk about the different methods, and then show you exactly how to root the babies step by step. A reader on my Facebook page recently asked me to write a post about how to propagate spider plants. Well, the good news is that spider plants are one of the easiest houseplants to propagate....

Growing cucumbers on a trellis is easy, looks awesome, and has tons of great benefits. In this article, I’ll show you how to grow cucumbers vertically, give you techniques for training the vines, and tips for choosing the right type of support for them. I don’t know about you, but I am absolutely hooked on vertical gardening! I grow as many of my vegetables vertically as I can, and cucumbers are no exception....

Repotting indoor plants is beneficial and fun. In this post, you’ll learn everything there is to know, including how to tell if it needs to be repotted, when and how often to do it, and get tips for choosing the best pots and soil. Then I’ll show you exactly how to repot houseplants step-by-step. Repotting is beneficial, and an important part of growing houseplants that are healthy and happy. But you should only do it at the right time, and for the right reasons....

Shade gardening isn’t nearly as fun as it is in the full sun! Yep, I hear this all the time. The reason this is such a common feeling is because the most well known of all shade garden plants you see are BOR-ing (ehem, plain green hostas!). Ok, confession time… I find hostas mundane and overdone (at least they are here in Minnesota). Sure, there are tons of varieties to choose from....

Below I’ve listed out the main questions I get asked, or the ones I hear most often, along with details to answer each one. Finding The Answer To Your Question If you’re brand new, or aren’t familiar with this technique, then start by reading my quick-start guide. There you learn all about it, and how to get started. Table of Contents Here are more articles that address many other common winter sowing questions…...

Keeping track of your harvests may seem tedious, but it ultimately helps you be a more successful gardener. First of all, it’s fun to see how much food you can grow in your garden. But when you keep records like this, it will also be easier to plan for future years. You can see exactly what’s working the best in your garden, and ditch the stuff that isn’t. You can also compare it to your previous records to see how your garden performs year over year....

Firestick plants are beautiful and surprisingly easy to care for. In this post, I’ll show you all you need to know in order to keep them healthy and growing for decades to come. The firestick plant can be a striking, low-maintenance addition to any collection, once you understand how to take care of them. This guide on firestick plant care is designed to help you learn what it takes to keep them growing and thriving....

Learning the basic lawn mowing patterns will make your yard look amazing, and it’s also better for the grass too. You don’t need to spend tons of extra time learning how to cut grass like a pro, it’s all about being intentional with the way you mow. When you are more intentional, it becomes much easier (and more fun!) to maintain a healthy lawn. In this detailed guide, you’ll learn all about the different grass cutting techniques and patterns, and how to easily use them to make nice designs in your lawn....

Cat palm plants are easy to care for, and grow well either indoors or outside. In this post, I’ll tell you everything you need to know in order to keep them thriving for many years to come. Enjoying the green foliage of a cat palm is easy, even if you’re a beginner gardener. They’re low-maintenance, tolerant nature makes them perfect to feature in your home or outdoors. This guide is designed to teach anyone about cat palm plant care so they can grow them successfully....

If you have ever built a garden bed from scratch, you know that it is hard work. And maintaining it is just as tiring. Instead, try no dig gardening! Rather than relying on manual labor to manage weeds and fertilize the soil, no dig gardening uses nature (and a bit of time) to do these tasks. This is so much easier on you, and it’s healthier for the soil too!...

When I was a newbie gardener, I thought I needed to start all of my seeds indoors. Although I was pretty successful growing lots of different types of seeds inside, I had many failures too. After a few years of trial-and-error, I began to experiment with starting seeds both indoors and direct sowing (i.e.: planting) them right in my garden. I literally tossed my leftover seeds into the garden in the spring just to see what would sprout....

One of the biggest challenges many home gardeners face is not having enough sunlight to grow vegetables. I’ve struggled with this too. My vegetable garden used to be in full sun until the neighbors trees started growing taller, and now it’s mostly shaded. If I’ve learned one thing from growing vegetables all of these years, it’s that they don’t all have the same sun exposure requirements. This is great news for those of use with shady vegetable gardens!...