Terrariums are glass containers that grow houseplants in a controlled environment. Closed terrariums recycle air and moisture, keeping humidity high with little or no watering, while open terrariums let fresh air in and dry out faster. Choose humidity-loving species like ferns and mosses for sealed jars and drought-tolerant plants for open bowls. A well-built terrarium […]
Companion planting is the practice of growing certain plants near each other so they support one another through pest confusion, scent masking, nutrient sharing, or simple space efficiency. Some pairings are backed by decades of garden experience, while others are folklore that falls apart under scrutiny. The chart in this article covers the pairings that
Cold hardy palm trees turn an ordinary yard into a tropical retreat even where winters dip below freezing. Survival depends on three things: a variety rated for your USDA zone, a sheltered planting spot, and a root zone that stays dry through the coldest weeks. Gardeners in Maine, Michigan, and Montana have grown these palms
Squirrels treat a potted plant the way other animals treat a pantry. They dig up bulbs, bury nuts in the loose mix, and tear through fresh soil looking for a place to stash food, and each visit can pull a seedling out by the roots or scatter a mulch layer across the patio. On a
Money trees (Pachira aquatica) carry a reputation for good luck, a belief rooted in feng shui tradition, and their braided trunks make them one of the most recognizable houseplants on the market. They are also among the easiest tropicals to multiply: a single healthy plant can produce several new ones in about eight to twelve
Canna plants deliver some of the boldest color in the summer garden, with paddle-shaped leaves and flower spikes in red, orange, yellow, and pink. In USDA hardiness zones 8 through 10 they behave as perennials and stay in the ground year-round. North of zone 8, winter ground freezes kill the underground rhizomes, and gardeners face
Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) are evergreen flowering plants from the tropical regions of Central and South America, and outside their hardiness zones of 11 to 12 they are grown almost entirely as houseplants. Their popularity rests on two features: large, glossy leaves and white blooms that appear even in low light. They are forgiving plants, but
Lavender is one of the easiest garden perennials to multiply for free. A single mature plant can produce a dozen or more new plants over the course of one summer, which matters when a full border of lavender costs several dollars per pot at a nursery. Propagation means taking a piece of an existing plant
Prayer plants (Maranta leuconeura) are known for striped leaves that fold upward at night like hands in prayer, and for being one of the easiest houseplants to multiply. Native to the shaded forest floor of Brazil, they grow from shallow rhizomes, so a single healthy plant can become several with almost no special equipment. Propagation
Succulents have a reputation as the easiest plants in the garden, and with more than 10,000 species in the wider group, there is a type for nearly every windowsill, patio, and climate zone. Their fleshy leaves and stems store water, so they survive missed waterings that would kill most houseplants. The catch is that easy
