Epipremnum pinnatum, the tropical vine sold as the dragon-tail plant or silver vine, has become one of the most popular climbing houseplants because it tolerates ordinary room conditions while still looking dramatic. Its glossy, lobed leaves develop the holes and splits that collectors prize as the plant matures, which is why it also carries the […]
Japanese anemone, also called windflower or Japanese thimbleweed, is a herbaceous perennial that reliably blooms from late summer into fall, when many borders have already finished. The flowers, in white, pink, purple, or lavender with yellow centers, sit on wiry stems 2 to 3 feet tall and keep opening for weeks. The plant asks for
Watering a lawn sounds simple, yet lawn care professionals see the same five mistakes every summer: watering at the wrong time of day, giving short frequent sprinklings, following a rigid calendar schedule, overwatering, and ignoring the soil underneath. Each mistake wastes water and leaves grass with weaker roots that struggle through heat and recover slowly
Most gardeners kill plants with kindness. The same enthusiasm that fills a potting bench with new shrubs translates into watering on a fixed schedule, fertilizing before a plant asks for it, and setting transplants into the ground at the hottest point of the day. These routines feel productive, yet each one adds stress that a
Moles are small burrowing mammals that can be both beneficial and troublesome in a yard. They aerate the soil and feed on grubs, earthworms, and other insects, yet their tunneling creates raised ridges and soil mounds that disrupt the look of a well-maintained lawn. The animals do not eat plant roots, so the damage is
Hydrangeas are among the most recognizable plants in American gardens. Even people who know nothing about horticulture can pick out the big mophead blooms from a moving car, and that familiarity is the problem for landscape professionals. The shrubs have been planted so heavily for so long that they have lost the element of surprise,
Mums, also known as chrysanthemums, come in two main varieties with very different life cycles. Florist mums are the heavily budded potted plants sold everywhere in fall, and they act as annuals: they bloom once, then die off with the season. Garden mums, also called hardy mums, are true perennials that can survive winter and
Extreme heat changes how nearly every material behaves, and living plants are no exception. Contractors check the effect of hot weather on concrete before they schedule a pour, because high air temperatures speed up setting, drive off mixing water, and force extra curing attention. A garden deserves the same respect for the calendar. When summer
Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most affordable multipurpose products a gardener can keep on hand, and most homes already have a bottle in the medicine cabinet. Used correctly, it can improve germination, add oxygen to the root zone, fight fungal disease, and help control pests, all for pennies per ounce. Used carelessly, it damages
Slugs and snails rank among the trickiest pests in the garden; they can leave flowers, fruit, and vegetables tattered with holes in a single night. The damage is worst in spring and fall, when cool, damp weather keeps them active for hours after dark. Companion planting offers a chemical-free line of defense, and the same
