Kristina Hicks-Hamblin 
Poinsettias have a reputation for being toxic, but are they really? These holiday plants are no longer considered poisonous, but they come with some serious safety concerns. Learn more about how to keep yourself, your kids, and your pets safe when these potentially irritating plants are in your home in this guide.
If you find yourself with a bumper crop of apples, you’ll likely want to put some of your harvest up for winter storage, either fresh or as preserves. The fresh fruits will keep their delicious flavors and perfect textures for months when stored in the best conditions. Learn how to store your apple harvest in this guide.
If you’re growing apples in your orchard, you’ll harvest the best quality fruit if you know how to judge the maturity of your crop. There are a number of factors that will help you estimate when your apples will be ripe for picking. Learn when and how to harvest your apples in this guide. Read more now.
When a bright poinsettia arrives in your home for the winter months, it’s time to celebrate! Not sure how to keep your plant happy? Whether you enjoy it just through the holidays, or you want to keep it as one of your cherished houseplants, your poinsettia needs proper care – and a little understanding. Read more now.
Lacinato kale is a healthy, delicious, and easy-to-grow crop that deserves a place in the backyard garden. Also known as Dinosaur or Tuscan kale, this plant has long blueish green leaves that are just as ornamental as they are tasty. Read more to learn how to grow this cruciferous leafy green vegetable.
Are you designing a landscape filled with drifts of naturalized daffodils? Make sure you choose the best cultivars for your planting to succeed. You’ll need vigorous bulbs, and varieties that you’ll be happy to see each spring for decades to come. To discover 15 of the best daffodils for naturalizing, keep reading.
Naturalized daffodils are great for hard-to-landscape areas and can last for decades, providing springtime color year after year. To make these drifts of flowers look like they were designed by nature’s hand rather than your own, you’ll want to plan your layout before you plant in the fall. Keep reading to learn more.
When life gives you leaves, why not make compost? Autumn’s falling leaves are perfect for making a well-balanced compost bin. Often treated as “waste,” dead leaves are a valuable natural resource that you can turn into black gold for your garden. To learn how to create compost and mulch with fall leaves, keep reading.
Are you looking for the best companion plants for your Swiss chard? Whether you want them to deter pests, add nutrients to the soil, or serve as a living mulch, some excellent options are available that may help your chard to thrive. Discover the top garden buddies for these tasty and colorful leafy greens now.
Watermelons are a delightful way to celebrate the summer months, so why not grow your own? Sometimes thought of as an intimidating fruit to grow, they are well worth the effort for their sensational sweet bounty. Learn how to plant and grow your own fresh harvest of watermelons with this guide. Read more now.
They’re colorful, juicy, and oh so tasty – we know an heirloom tomato when we see one. Heirloom tomatoes come in all shapes and sizes, have been grown in gardens for centuries, and often have charming histories attached to them. Want to know what makes these tomatoes worthy of handing down? To find out, keep reading.
Ready to discover 25 of the best watermelon varieties you can grow in your own garden? This refreshing summer staple comes in all sizes – from single serving fruit to hefty giants – in a range of colors and with seedless options too. Learn more about some of the sweetest, juiciest watermelons around. Read more.
Want to grow your own summer squash? These veggies are available in a delicious assortment of colors, shapes, patterns, and sizes. Whether you prefer your squash grilled, stuffed, spiralized, or sauteed, you have your pick for the garden. Discover 21 of the best summer squash varieties and choose your favorite now.
Ready to plant marigolds from seed for bright summer blooms? Planting marigolds from seed is easy, but you’ll want to know when you should start these annual flower seeds indoors – and when you can sow the seeds right into your garden soil. Learn more about how and when to plant marigolds from seed. Read more now.
Dill is an easy-going herb that can double as a spice. This cool-weather annual can brighten up nearly any homecooked meal, so having a fresh supply is a must in any kitchen garden. Whether you plant dill for its leaves, seeds, or as an ornamental, this aromatic plant is a delight in the garden and the kitchen.
Wondering what the difference is between determinate and indeterminate tomatoes – and what this means for your garden? From staking and pruning to harvesting, these two types of tomato plants grow differently – and understanding their differences will guide you to the best tomato harvests. To learn more, keep reading.
Ready for a tour of 35 of the best bush bean varieties? Whether you are growing in planters, worried about bean diseases, or dealing with unusually hot or cool summer conditions, there’s a variety for every garden. Discover the best classic snap, stringless, filet, wax, purple, and Romano bush varieties. Read more now.
Want to use eggshells in your garden? Learn the best techniques for breaking them down in your compost and using them as a soil amendment. And find out the truth about whether eggshells really repel garden pests. To learn more about turning eggshells into garden amendments instead of landfill waste, read more now.