Growing and caring for indoor plants is a great way to connect with nature in our indoor living space, growing indoor plants has so many benefits contributing to the aesthetics and creating a healthy environment by purifying or cleaning the air we breathe. Although the natural habitat for plants is outdoors we can climatize or groom many of them to thrive on the inside.
A flower bed can add to the curb appeal of a home or building structure, a well and beautifully designed flower bed has the potential of increasing a property’s value but in order to keep these garden beds neat and polished requires maintenance practices. A challenge that some homeowners face however is keeping these beds free not only of weeds but grass that may be planted nearby from growing into these beds.
The lantana plant is a hardy perennial that’s native to the tropical regions of the Americas and Africa, this garden beauty belongs to the family Verbenaceae and goes by the common names wild sage or button sage. I love lantanas because of their beautiful multi-color flower bloom that remains me of a rainbow. I have worked with lantanas on many garden projects in fact, I am growing a few of them as potted plants on my porch and have installed a few in my home garden.
Pentas are beautiful flowering plants also known as the Egyptian star pentas are native to tropical southern Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Comoros, and Madagascar. This tropical woody plant is considered a perennial or a subshrub. In its native habitat pentas can grow to be 3-6 ‘ tall, when grown and cared for in outdoor garden settings pentas will attract bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds but are known to be deer and rabbit resistant.
Trash cans are essential and should be a part of every home, these life savers if I can use that word make getting rid of garbage very easy. There are many brands of trash cans that are sold on the market that comes in many shape, sizes, colors, and features. Because of this choosing the one that’s right for you may be a bit of a challenge when thinking of the many types.
Pentas are warm-season plants that thrive best in the full sun, these flowering beauties grow 18 to 36 inches, pentas can be grown as annuals but in warmer regions, pentas are viewed as perennials. Pentas can be used as bedding plants, as border plants, and can be grown in containers and hanging baskets, I have worked with pentas on several garden projects, and know that these plants are worth the effort of keeping them growing healthy
Bromeliads are some of my favorite plant species that I have worked with for more than 25 years, these garden beauties come in so many shapes, sizes, and colors, in fact, there are estimated to be 2,877 species of bromeliads making these plants one of the largest in the plant kingdom. Besides their beauty, I also love bromeliads because they’re low maintenance so for anyone who wants plants but doesn’t have much time to spend in their garden then bromeliads are the ideal plants for you.
Nemesia flowering plants are grown mostly as annuals and look great as a bedding plant or a ground cover, these garden beauties come in a variety of colors and can give your garden and landscape that color pop. What I love about nemesia is their’ re low maintenance with no main disease or pest problems and once established little care is needed except to monitor the amount of moisture there are receiving.
Nemesia flowering plants are popular ground covers or bedding plants that are grown in Florida gardens, this garden beauty is a genus of perennials, annuals, and sub-shrubs that are native to the sandy coast of South Africa and can be found growing on coastal regions in and other areas. Nemesia thrives best when grown in warm conditions and has many cultivars that range in different sizes.
Compost is a gardeners gold to growing healthy plants, this all-natural organic benefits plants in so many ways, if your desire is to build a compost pile but you just don’t have the space then this guide will show you the quick and easy way of building a compost pile on a low budget and in no time you to can enjoy the many benefits of adding this natural-organic to your garden plant beds to reap the rewards or should I say a bountiful harvest (edible garden).
Roses are the queen of flowers, these beautiful plants need our attention, especially after coming through the winter months. As the warmer season returns, there are some steps that need to be taken to ensure that our roses perform their best by producing an abundance of healthy flower blooms. The approach to grooming your roses however is determined by the region your roses grow.
We are smack in the middle of the spring months, and garden insect pests that went into hiding by overwintering have emerged as they seek to take up residence in our gardens using plants as shelter, food and to lay their eggs as they make way for the next generation. These insect pests if left to occupy and use our gardens as a natural habitat will turn our dream gardens into a nightmare if control measures are not taken.
Keeping our lawns growing healthy requires the proper maintenance practices, one major component to a beautiful lawn that’s thriving is an effective fertilizer program. While fertilizer application can be broadcast by hand it’s a proven fact that the use of a fertilizer spreader has proven to give better results by distributing fertilizers equally over an entire area getting the proper coverage.
For those of us who work in our gardens, it’s a common thing to run into weeds, sometimes it seems at every turn weeds are staring us in the face. Weeds are not only unattractive but if control measures are not taken weeds will take over our gardens competing with garden plants for water, sunlight, and nutrients. Weeds also encourage disease, and certain garden pests and can be harbourage or hiding places for rodents such as rats and mice.
A healthy snack that’s enjoyed by kids and adults alike is raisins, I remember as a child raisins was a sweet treat that my parents would often provide for all of their kids. But how did we discover raisins or what’s the history behind raisins and how far does it date back to? History records that raisins were first discovered in dry form growing on vines probably in ancient Persia or Egypt around 2000 BC.
Appling fertilizers to your spring garden along with your lawn area is so important, during the spring months grass turf as well as garden plants are actively growing which means they need that extra boost or push to grow and perform their best. This practice of fertilizer application will supply your soil with the right amount of nutrients that your garden plants need including your lawn to grow healthy.
Whether you’re growing ornamental plants, shrubs, herbs, vegetables or fruit trees there is always the challenge in most cases of having to deal with and bring control of plant disease when spotted because if measures are not taken right away can rob you of a bountiful ( edible garden) harvest or turn that dream garden of beautiful healthy flowering plants into a nightmare.
Growing a lemon tree from your home garden is pretty amazing because you have at your fingertips an almost endless supply of this citrus fruit that can enhance the flavors of so many recipes. However ensuring that your lemon tree provides you constantly with nice juicy lemons requires the proper maintenance care, one such issue that growers of lemon tree face are garden insect pests that are attracted to the fragrance of your lemon tree.
The zingy and zesty taste of lemons can enhance the flavors of drink, dessert, and food recipes, this citrus fruit is a delight exciting our taste buds. Lemon trees are perennials growing in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant zones 9 through 11. These fruit trees are not only grown for their fruits but for aesthetics in a garden and landscaping setting.
Centipede grass is one of the most popular grasses that’s grown from South Carolina to Florida and along the gulf coast, this warm season turf can be identified by its coarse leaves and apple-green color. Centipede grass gets its name from how the short upright stems grow from the stolons that have the appearance of a centipede.
Spending time outdoors is an awesome experience filled with many rewards, this activity can relieve stress and is of great benefit to our physical as well as our mental health. There is just something with spending time in nature that gives us the freedom to unwind as we watch the many wildlife in their natural habitat, it’s estimated that in 2020 48 million households went camping whereas some households went camping 3 times per year. With these record-breaking figures, it’s quite clear that spending time in nature offers so many benefits.
Our environment has been negatively impacted in so many ways from the exhaust of cars to harmful fumes to small and big engine equipment to burning fossil fuels, deforestation, coal, oil, factory fumes, etc.. a common practice in many countries is planting trees. One such day that’s celebrated is Arbor Day, this popular day is set aside on March 21 when schools nationwide recognize this day with environment-related activities such as tree planting.
The awareness of self-sustainability has increased and is on the rise since the pandemic, homeowners are no longer growing ornamental plants but ripping out flower beds to grow edible gardens and there are others that are intergrading both edible and ornamental plants to create not only beautiful landscapes but a garden that provides foods in a control and confined environment.
Water is one of our most precious resources, therefore, we should do all that we can when it comes to water conservation, every living thing needs water to survive, from humans, plants, and animals even down to the tiniest microscopic organism. I once heard a statement that someone made many years ago” Water is the liquid of life.” This liquid of life supports all life forms on our planet.
Organic fertilizers are a great way to feed our garden plants especially if we are growing an edible garden, going organic is a great way to avoid food contamination. Goat manure which is a natural organic is broken down by soil microbes once broken down in a nutrient form is taken up by the plant’s root system. This natural organic is rich in levels of nitrogen that conditions the soil structure which improves soil’s absorption or moisture.
Weed management is an issue that many homeowners as well as landowners and farmers face, weeds can become a real problem especially if control measures are not taken. If weeds are left to grow freely can present many challenges some of which include the encouragement of disease, a harbourage for insect pests, competes with garden plants for water, sunlight, and nutrients.
Pocket Garden Construction Guide One of the many wonders of gardening is being free to experiment with plants (landscape) as well as hardscapes that allow us the creativity to combine plants with other features that work with nature to support plant life as well as wildlife including pollinators, beneficial insects to the tiniest of soil … Read more
Installing spring flower bulbs in your garden is a great way to kick the spring months off, spring flowering bulbs however are planted during the fall months and will not emerge until the following spring. Although you may not have taken advantage of fall planting you can still fill your spring garden with these flowering beauties. Choose an area that gets plenty of sunlight.
The long winter months are finally over as our gardens are awakened to the warmth of the sun’s rays and the beautiful singing of bird species as nature comes alive with a burst of energy and plants as well as wildlife work together in our ecosystem that’s so diverse but work as one to bring balance to the environment that needs our assistance as well in not only beautifying our surroundings but providing a habitat that helps to support and sustain them.
A common problem that many homeowners and other growers face is the pink hibiscus mealybug bug, this garden pest according to records was first detected in 1994 in the Caribbean islands. But it was not until June of 2002 that the pink hibiscus mealybug was spotted in Miami-Dade countries and Broward, the female hibiscus mealybugs reproduces very quickly laying up to 600 eggs which are deposited on the undersides of the plant leaves.
Raccoons are nocturnal meaning they are most active during nighttime although they can be spotted during day time, these little critters are agile and very intelligent. Their natural habitat includes ponds, wooden areas near streams, mashes, and dense clumps of cattail, but can also be found around agricultural areas making their dens in rock crevices, tree cavities, brush piles, abandoned fox burrows or woodchuck, sheds, haystacks, attics, underneath porches and chimneys.
Vinegar is used in so many ways around the home, but do you know that vinegar can be used in our gardens as well to help resolve many garden issues? This all-natural remedy has proven time and again its benefits not only in our indoor living space but outdoors as well. If you are facing these listed issues in your garden and are looking not only for an inexpensive way but a safe and effective approach to remedy these concerns then look no further you have come to the right place to get the results you’re searching for.
To keep your landscapes and gardens well-manicured requires not only having some knowledge to take on those garden projects but the right tools to get the job done. Investing in good garden tools that are of high quality will make your time spent outdoors easier, these tools that are top-rated will last for years apart from giving them the proper maintenance care.
Installing a mini garden pond is a great way to invite nature into your outdoor living space, these ponds will create the perfect habitat for birds, frogs, toads, tadpoles, hedgehogs, bats, lizards, water snails, etc… butterflies, dragonflies, and other insects. What I love about a mini pond besides plant life, is wildlife will have your pond teaming with many activities which are so exciting.
Springtime has finally arrived and for many of us who have been waiting with anticipation can get started working outdoors to freshen up our outdoor living space or to install a flower garden painting our landscapes with an array of beautiful colors and fragrances that are so inviting. What I love about creating a spring garden are the many benefits this type of garden offers, from beautification to helping to bring balance to our ecosystem attracting wildlife ( butterflies, birds & bees) to inviting the many beneficial insects that help to protect our garden plants from garden insect pests.
St. Augustine grass is a warm-season turf that is popular throughout the state of Florida, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean, this turf adapts to a wide variety of soil types. When properly maintained St. Augustine grass produces a nice dense green turf that is very beautiful, if you’re living in a coastal area this grass type is the best choice because of its ability to withstand salt sprays.
Sea grapes are grown in many coastal areas because of their high salt tolerance the sea grape tree can serve as a dune stabilizer and protective habitat for small animals. This evergreen is a tropical plant that’s native to tropical America, the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Sea grapes can be grown as a tree, hedge, or shrub.
Since the pandemic (covet-19) there has been an increase in awareness of the importance of starting backyard farms or gardens to sustain one’s self by not only relying wholly on foods being produced by growers (farms) but individuals turning their backyards into edible gardens or increasing food production in an existing home garden setting that has proven to be beneficial. One such garden that has made a comeback from the Middle ages is kitchen gardens which are believed to” have started from the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans”.
Good Garden soil is at the root of a plant’s health therefore care should be taken when choosing the right soil type, there are billions of soil microbes that are busy at work breaking down organic matter for example, leaves that have fallen on the soil’s surface, branches, tree limbs, dead plant roots, the dead bodies of insects. Anything that was once alive but is dead and laying on the soil’s surface is considered organic matter and will be broken down by soil microbes and converted into nutrients that are taken up by the roots of trees and plants.
In just a few days we will be entering the spring months, this time of year presents us with the opportunity to take advantage of that extra yard space if we have not done so as yet or to begin working or to make some improvements in our existing garden planting some of our favorite veggies, herbs, fruits, or even ornamental plants including shrubs and other gardening plants. Prepare your garden beds by the removal of rocks, leaves, and other debris.
The warm weather of South Florida makes it ideal for growing (tropical) a range of flowering plants, one such plant that has made its mark is the evolvulus flowering plant commonly called the blue daze. This evergreen is a member of the morning glory family, blue daze is a perennial beauty that produces bright blue flowers with gray leaves that are fuzzy.
Blue daze can reach heights of 12 inches with a width of 2-3 ft. This garden beauty grows best in zones 8-11 and blooms from mid-summer through mid-fall.
Coco plums also called lcaco, (species Chrysobalanus icaco) are in the family Chrysobalanaceae, the coco plum plant is native to tropical America and Africa. This tropical to sub-tropical evergreen grows best in Zones 10-11. Coco plums are grown for their delicious berries and can also be grown as a hedge, this evergreen is moderately salt-tolerant, and can be planted inland and in coastal areas.
Are Blue Daze Toxic to Dogs A flowering evergreen that will brighten up your spring and summer garden is the ( Evolvulus glomerulus) or blue daze, this flowering beauty is native to Paraguay and Brazil. Blue daze is an evergreen and a member of the morning glory family. The common names of the blue daze … Read more
The blue daze evolvulus flowering plant is native to Paraguay and Brazil. This perennial beauty is an evergreen and a member of the morning glory family. Another name for the blue daze is the dwarf morning glory, blue daze is a tropical plant that produces gray leaves which are fuzzy in appearance with bright blue flowers that bloom from mid-summer through mid-fall and can reach heights of 12 inches with a width of 2-3 ft. Blue daze grows well in zones 8-11.
Persian Shield plants are native to Myanmar (formerly Burma) this garden beauty attracts butterflies and bees, Persian Shield is an evergreen sub-shrub in the acanthus family (Acanthaceae) and is known to have been cultivated from the Victorian times for its beautiful Foliage (leaves). its natural habitat is the edges of tropical forest clearing.
Part of maintaining a lawn that’s growing beautiful and healthy requires a lawn mower that is in good repair, a mower can have so much wear and tear because of continual use, especially during the growing season. Therefore it’s our duty to ensure that our lawn mower is giving us peak performance at all times. A mower that’s neglected or needs to be serviced will perform poorly and can affect the health of your lawn, a well-maintained lawn mower will not only contribute to the health of your lawn but will help your mower to last as long as possible.
Maintaining a beautiful lawn involves many components which include the proper mowing height, the right water and fertilizer methods, diseases, and lawn pests management but a very important practice that is overlooked is ensuring that the lawn mower blade is sharp at all times. A dull blade will not only tear the grasses contributing to a lawn that looks sickly but will weaken grass causing it to be more susceptible to weeds and lawn pests. A lawn that’s mowed with a dull blade will also turn brown.
The Ixora coccinea plant commonly known as scarlet jungle flame is an evergreen shrub that is native to Bangladesh, Thailand, Sir Lanka, Cambodia, Vietnam, and India. This garden beauty is a tropical-subtropical plant and is used widely in many landscapes and garden designs. Ixora’s are a genus of flowering plants in the family Rubiaceae and comprises some 562 species.
Gardening is considered an art that requires the basic know-how of how to group plants together that complement each other creating a pleasing effect. I have seen garden designs that were far from what they should be simply because the designer either did not know or took into consideration that a beautifully designed landscape or garden is not thrown together but is a well-thought-out plan.
Backpack sprayers are used for a range of projects from applying herbicides, pesticides, and other liquids, these sprayers have also been designed to get into hard-to-reach places. I have worked with many brands on garden projects from treating weeds and garden insect pests outdoors to pest control indoors ( interior plantscape).