Do deer eat tomato plants? Yes, and the answer surprises many home gardeners who assume the animals stay in the woods. Deer are foragers, which means they eat whatever they can reach, and a tomato plant offers both fragrant foliage and fruit with high water content. The smell attracts them regardless of the variety, and […]
Tomatoes are sprawling vines, not true climbers. Unlike cucumbers, which grab supports with tendrils, a tomato plant sprawls across the ground unless it is trained onto a stake, cage, or trellis. Left to lie on the soil, the vine and fruit pick up disease, rot, and ground pests, and the harvest turns into a hunt
Moss gives a garden an aged, quiet character that few other plants can match. In wet climates it shows up on its own between pavers, on tree bases, and in bare lawn patches, and many gardeners decide to encourage it on purpose. A moss bed works as ground cover, edging, or a living finish on
The weeping cherry tree, also called the weeping Higan cherry, is a broadleaf deciduous ornamental valued in spring for its cascading pink flowers and year-round for its graceful form. Gardeners choose it when they want a specimen that draws the eye without demanding a large footprint, since most cultivars stay within 15 to 25 feet
Aphids are among the most common garden pests, feeding on sap from new growth and spreading plant viruses as they move between plants. A heavy infestation stunts shoots, curls leaves, and coats surfaces in sticky honeydew that grows black sooty mold. Early identification and prompt treatment keep populations from exploding, and a few simple habits
The Persian lime (Citrus × latifolia) is the most common lime in grocery stores and the easiest citrus for home gardeners to grow. Trees fruit in about three years, thrive in full sun, and stay handsome in the landscape with petite, ovular leaves and delicate white flowers. Standard trees reach 15 to 20 feet tall
The Itoh peony, also called the intersectional peony, crosses common herbaceous peonies with tree peonies. From one parent it takes enormous, long-lasting blooms and sturdy stems; from the other, dark green, deeply lobed foliage that holds until autumn and a flower palette that includes yellow and coral. Blooms can spread up to 8 inches across,
Spiraea has been a workhorse of the residential landscape for generations. With roughly 80 species and hundreds of cultivars, the genus delivers dependable flowers, easy maintenance, and a shape that fits everything from foundation beds to borders. Most species are deciduous, with narrow, oval leaves called lanceolate, and all carry tight clusters of five-petaled flowers
Variegated plants carry leaves patterned with spots, splotches, stripes, or edges in white, cream, yellow, pink, or red instead of solid green. Gardeners pay a premium for the most striking specimens, and the bright foliage stands out against ordinary green plantings indoors and out. Understanding how the color happens makes care predictable, because a variegated
Fishtail palms earn their name from foliage that looks like the tail fin of a fish. The fan-shaped, ragged-edged leaves are large enough to anchor a room, which makes Caryota palms popular statement houseplants despite a reputation for being particular. They are not winter-hardy and grow outdoors only in USDA zones 8 to 11, but
