9 of the Best Artichoke Cultivars to Grow at Home

A close up horizontal image of artichokes growing in the garden pictured in light sunshine on a soft focus background.

Artichokes can become long-term perennial residents in your garden. Before you plant these thistles, make sure you pick the best variety for your climate and conditions. Whether you have a short growing season, very mild winters, or a compact garden, you have your choice among cultivars. Keep reading to learn more.

How to Plant and Grow Artichokes

A close up horizontal image of artichokes growing in the garden pictured on a blue sky background.

Artichoke plants can be grown in your garden or flower beds, offering a tasty and generous harvest as either annuals or perennials. Adaptable to various climates and growing seasons, these silvery architectural plants can also do double duty as ornamental features. Keep reading to learn more about growing artichokes.

Orchids 101: How to Grow and Care for Orchids

A close up horizontal image of orchids growing in terra cotta pots in a conservatory.

Orchids make striking houseplants with their novel good looks – and they’re really not that hard to keep happy. But when you bring one of these beauties into your home, you’ll want to make sure you provide it with the right light and water and give it the best care. To learn the basics of growing orchids, keep reading.

9 of the Most Beautiful Spiderworts to Grow as Houseplants

A close up horizontal image of a person holding different varieties of spiderwort in two hands, wearing a green apron.

Spiderworts are gorgeous, low maintenance houseplants and they are available in some stunning varieties. With a variety of color combinations, and solid or variegated foliage, these tropical foliage plants liven up the indoor landscape. Discover 9 of the best spiderwort varieties and choose your favorites. Read more now.

Are Spider Plants Toxic to Cats?

A close up horizontal image of a dark gray tabby with wide green eyes looking up at the camera with a guilty expression.

Some cats love to nibble on spider plants, so you may be wondering whether it’s safe for them to chew on this grass-like houseplant. You may also wonder why your feline companion is so obsessed with this particular plant. Learn whether spider plants are toxic to cats and how to protect your plant from being chewed to a nub.

Troubleshooting Yellow Leaves on Prayer Plants

A close up horizontal image of a prayer plant with leaves that are turning yellow at the tips, pictured on a soft focus background.

Prayer plants make enchanting houseplants with their gorgeous, patterned foliage. But sometimes their leaves can turn yellow, and the effect of those beautiful patterns is spoiled. There are many causes for yellow leaves in prayer plants. Learn about the most common problems and how to remedy them in this guide.

Troubleshooting Brown Leaves on Prayer Plants

A close up horizontal image of a prayer plant growing in a white pot indoors.

Prayer plants are gorgeous foliage houseplants that thrive in humid conditions. But sometimes brown blemishes tarnish their beautifully patterned leaves. When your prayer plant’s leaves turn brown, there is a reason. Learn about the top 7 reasons prayer plant leaves turn brown and what to do about them in this guide.

How to Grow and Care for Prayer Plants

A close up horizontal image of different types of prayer plants growing in pots.

Prayer plants – including calatheas, marantas, stromanthes, and ctenanthes – are colorful ornamentals with fascinating leaf patterns. These houseplants can be a bit challenging to keep happy, but they are worth the extra effort. Ready to learn more about growing and caring for prayer plants indoors? Read more now.

How Cold Hardy Are Poinsettia Plants?

A close up horizontal image of the bright red bracts of a poinsettia plant pictured in a snowy winter landscape on a soft focus background.

Poinsettias are colorful tropical plants that add vibrant color to your holiday decor. But how cold-hardy are they? Whether you want to grow these winter-blooming plants indoors or out, you’ll need to know their cold limits. Learn more about poinsettia cold hardiness and in what areas you can grow them outdoors.

How to Propagate Poinsettia Plants from Cuttings

A close up horizontal image of the bright red bracts of the poinsettia plant pictured on a soft focus background.

Want to grow your own poinsettias at home? Start with a live poinsettia plant and then follow seven steps for a brand new batch of beautiful, baby Christmas flowers. By taking cuttings from your established plant, you can grow others just like it. Learn how to propagate poinsettias from cuttings in this guide. Read more.

Are Poinsettia Plants Poisonous?

A close up horizontal image of a curious gray and white cat nibbling at a leaf of a Euphorbia pulcherrima plant on a dining room table. In the background is a windowsill with houseplants in soft focus.

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.

How to Create a Naturalized Daffodil Planting

A close up horizontal image of bright yellow daffodils growing in a lawn, blooming in the springtime.

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.

Composting Autumn Leaves: How to Use Leaves for Compost and Mulch

A close up horizontal image of a wheelbarrow with fresh compost in the garden, with a fork to the right of the frame, pictured in light sunshine.

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.

What Is an Heirloom Tomato?

A farmer holding a large basket filled with heirloom tomatoes in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes.

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.

25 of the Sweetest, Juiciest Watermelon Varieties You Can Grow

A close up of slices of watermelon set on a green plate on a wooden surface with fruit in soft focus in the background.

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.

Kale Spacing: How Far Apart to Plant for the Best Harvest

Neat rows of large, mature kale plants, intercropped with cabbage and other vegetables. In the center of the frame is a light green curly variety, and to its right a large purple variety.

Curious how much space to leave between each of the kale plants in your garden? By spacing these leafy green vegetables just right, it will be easy to care for and harvest your crop throughout your growing season. To find out the best spacing recommendations for your kale varieties and harvesting plans, read more now.

Is Kale an Annual or a Perennial?

A top down picture of different types of kale growing in an autumn garden surrounded by yellow and brown leaves.

A vegetable garden favorite, kale is a reliable producer of healthy leafy greens. But is this cruciferous vegetable an annual or a perennial? We’ll have to go back to the birds and the bees to fully understand kale’s life cycle. To find out when to expect flowering and seed heads from your kale plants, keep on reading.

7 of the Best Cold Hardy Apricot Trees

Ripe fruit on a cold hardy apricot tree.

Ready to grow flavorful homegrown apricots in your chilly northern climate? If you plant the best cold-hardy varieties, you’ll be sure to harvest a bounty of sweet fruit. Discover the best cold tolerant apricot cultivars to ensure a bumper summer crop, and defy the dreaded late frost. Keep reading to learn more.

Spice Up Your Garden with Fall Decor: Decorating Ideas for Autumn

Straw bales with a display of autumn vegetables and fruit. A curved wicker basket with the fresh produce cascading out of it. In the background are flowers, yellow and red.

Spice up your fall garden with seasonal decorations, ranging from the classic (pumpkins and straw bales) to the whimsical (lanterns and fairies). Whether elegant or rustic, bring hints of harvest season warmth to your outdoor landscape this autumn. Read on for ideas to complete your very own fall garden decor.