We are huge fans of composting! We have large bins in the back of our yard for leaves and yard waste, and we also have a compost tumbler and an electric countertop kitchen composter we use in the winter when it’s freezing out. Today we’re making…
Bamboo is one of my favorite things to use in the garden. It is prolific and very sustainable, meaning I don’t feel bad cutting it down and using it. I just don’t want it in my yard since it spreads so fast…but the good news for…
Today I’m talking about 7 easy beginner-friendly houseplants that you probably haven’t heard of. Because these beginner-friendly lists always have the same plants on them! One of the plants I’m spotlighting starts with an X, and I had to look up how to properly say the…
Today we’re talking about the right way to water your houseplants. I know—it sounds like something so easy that it doesn’t need a tutorial to explain it. But it’s entirely possible you’re watering your houseplants wrong if you’re just getting started. And that’s because there is…
I love a simple salad with olive oil as the dressing. And although I really enjoy infused olive oils from a fancy place near where I live, it can get expensive! So sometimes I like to make my own infused olive oil at home. Especially rosemary-infused…
Hey all! A few months ago I wrote about choosing a vinyl privacy fence over a standard wooden privacy fence. The fence is gorgeous, easy to keep clean, and doesn’t have any gaps between the slats. But one thing I do miss about having a wooden…
I have been on a fall bulb kick at the new house. I’ve done articles on How to Grow Allium, How to Grow Hyacinth, and How to Plant Tulips. I’m looking forward to seeing them sprout in the spring—but for now, I have indoor bulbs to…
Hey all! Today I’m sharing all about my experience with the Gardyn 4.0, a completely hydroponic indoor gardening system designed to help you grow fresh produce at home. Huge thanks to the folks at Gardyn for sending me a Gardyn 4.0 to review! I’d actually gotten…
My wife has been putting in lots of new garden beds, so we’ve been thinking through how to best and most efficiently water them. Cue: irrigation! She sent me down a rabbit hole for today’s project—our DIY solar-powered rain barrel irrigation system. Last summer my big…
Today we’re talking through planting our mini orchard in our backyard. One of the things I always hear from people who are looking to expand their gardens and increase their self-sufficiency is to plant more fruit trees. So how that we’re somewhere with a little yard,…
The new in-ground beds we put in this year are putting in some serious work…the first two rows are for asparagus, but I’ve been doing greens and fava beans between those plants. The third row had sweet potatoes in it. But now that I’ve dug those…
Learn how to propagate sage from stem cuttings! Sage is one of those plants that you either love or hate the smell of. While I don’t eat a ton of sage, I love the smell of it! And I love growing perennial sage in my garden…
Every year I do an update about the changes we’ve made in the garden. This is our third update for this house—here are the first two: And for year 3…well, we really went off the deep end. I thought it was going to be a chill…
If you’ve been hanging around to witness my plant adventures over the years, you probably know that building a greenhouse is truly a dream come true for me. That’s right—we bought the 9×6 Willow model greenhouse from Backyard Discovery! It’s perfect for us, our needs, and…
Learn what causes gnats & how to get rid of them! If you have any houseplants, you have probably dealt with fungus gnats. Fungus gnats are teeny tiny black flying insects that are attracted to wet potting soil. My plants are 100% gnat free. Through trial…
All about the gorgeous Scindapsus treubii moonlight! Let’s talk about one of my favorites! If you’re looking to add an interesting new plant to your collection, then the scindapsus treubii ‘moonlight’ might be a good choice. The moonlight’s leaves are milky green with a silver sheen,…
How to care for holiday cacti…and get blooms! Today we’re talking about holiday cacti, including the Thanksgiving cactus and the Christmas cactus. My Thanksgiving cactus started as a cutting from my own grandmother’s plant, so it’s a really special plant in my collection. Christmas and Thanksgiving…
How to help the ric rac cactus thrive! I ordered my first ric rac cactus online many years ago—it’s such a cool-looking plant and was on my wish list for a while. You might hear it called a ton of different names: the fishbone cactus, the…
How to care for the unique string of turtles! Have you had a chance to see a string of turtles plant in person? This plant has become very trendy in the last few years, and for good reason. It looks really cool, but it’s a peperomia—peperomia…
I have to admit that spider plants (Chlorophytum comosum) aren’t my favorite. I have had some bad luck with them many years ago despite being really easy to care for. But I wanted to give it another shot after seeing my mom’s stunning spider plant FULL…
How to care for hoya linearis as a houseplant Today we’re talking about a plant I first got as a cutting…and then got rid of…and then re-bought when I saw a larger plant for sale locally. It’s a hoya linearis! I seem to love hoyas more…
All about silver sword philodendron care Today we’re talking about the silver sword philodendron—aka philodendron hastatum ‘silver sword.’ When I first got this plant, I had never seen one in person. I really only see them occasionally popping up in plant nurseries where I live for…
Learn how to make a plant propagation box It’s been plants out the wazoo over here lately. It’s spring, meaning it’s propagation season! So what better time than now for me to share my moss propagation box setup? A plant propagation box is basically a way…
Caring for the mildly dramatic calathea Dottie I’ve written about general calathea care tips in the past, and I’ve tried many times to swear off calatheas Because they are a bit higher maintenance than some other plants. They are beautiful, though. Especially Calathea Dottie with her…
Elephant ear plants are one of my favorite plants to decorate our patio with. I sometimes plant them in the ground, too—and they can get quite large! Regardless of whether you plant them in the ground or in pots, you’ll likely need to dig up your…
Learn how to dry or preserve eucalyptus branches I have an article all about how to care for potted eucalyptus that’s one of my most popular. I love growing eucalyptus in pots every year—and based on the number of emails I get about eucalyptus, you all…
Hey all! Today I am adding another hoya to my hoya care guide arsenal—the hoya obovata. One of my favorite plants in my whole collection! The obovata’s thick, flat, round, succulent-like leaves make it truly stand out. Each leaf is deep green with a gray/whitish “splash”…
How to care for the lovely philodendron white knight It’s time for a philodendron white knight care guide! White knight has lovely deep red stems that look a lot like pink princess philodendron stems. The leaves, however, are a deep green with bright white variegation. Not…
Today I am sharing all about how to hang flower pots on a fence, deck, or just about any other vertical wood surface—specifically how to hang terracotta flower pots. Terracotta flower pots are so cheap, easy to paint if you want to, and come in a…
I am really excited to share something a bit different today…a post about how to raise black swallowtail butterflies! Our focus this year has been largely on adding butterfly-friendly plants to the garden, so we’re swimming in caterpillars. Identification The black swallowtail—otherwise known as the eastern…
Today’s post really gets back to basics, because I’m walking you through how I start my seeds indoors. If you’re wanting to start gardening and starting some seeds, you might be a bit intimidated. I know I was. In this post, I’ll walk you through what…
How to grow gorgeous alocasia odora Alocasia odora is probably the first elephant ear plant I ever grew. It’s definitely a “gateway” elephant ear plant because it’s so easy to find in garden centers in nurseries. You’ll often find it either as a potted patio plant…
Today we’re talking about how to propagate basil from stem cuttings. It’s a super easy thing to do if you want to enjoy fresh basil for your whole growing season. And you can continue chopping and propping basil stem cuttings pretty much indefinitely, meaning you really…
Our DIY landscaping progress & a Vego beds review! I’m home from work and puttering around this week, reading and whatnot. I figured it’d be a nice time to go through some of my blogging backlog. And one of the things on my list was my…
The pink princess is easier to find than ever! And pink princess philodendron care is a breeze. Learn about this gorgeous pink-variegated plant, including how to keep it pink, pricing, reverting variegation, and more. Hey plant people! I am finally getting around to writing a pink…
Hoya crassipetiolata is a lovely plant to add to your collection. If you’re wondering whether or not hoya crassipetiolata care is difficult—this is the post for you! (Spoiler: It’s not.) I recently wrote about the hoya polyneura, one of the more recent hoyas I’ve added to…
Xanthosoma lindenii is a tropical plant with striking green and white arrowhead-like leaves. Learn how to help this plant thrive indoors, including how much light it needs, when to water it, how much humidity it likes, and more. Xanthosoma lindenii is a striking plant that reminds…
Looking for hoya polyneura care tips? This plant’s needs are like most other hoyas, and it’s one of the newer types I’ve added to my collection. Learn more about it here. I am coming out of what feels like a bit of a houseplant care guide…
Wondering how to root epiphyllum cuttings? Epiphyllums are stunning plants, and epiphyllum propagation is one of the easiest in the game! Learn how to get it right on the first try. Hey, all! It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a houseplant propagation post. So…
Today I am talking about one of my favorite plants to grow in my garden: ipomoea alba, otherwise known as moonflower vine. I absolutely adore this plant because I love anything vining and climbing. And I grew this plant in containers before I moved to our…