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Gardening

How To Keep A Christmas Cactus Looking Beautiful All Season Long

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The Christmas Cactus is a beautiful plant that produces bright, delicate blooms during the holiday season. It’s not just a seasonal plant, however. Many people enjoy keeping this plant alive and healthy all year.

Christmas Cactus

Keep Your Plant Alive All Season

With the right care, your cactus can live, thrive and continue to bloom year after year.

To know the basics of caring for one, it’s important to know that these cactuses come from the mountains of South America. There, they grow in cool forests under the shade of giant trees. They receive scattered sunshine, cool mountain breezes and light rain.

You don’t think of succulents as forest plants, but that just tells you how unusual these plants are.

How to Care for Your Christmas Cactus

To keep your plant healthy, follow these steps.

  1. Bring your plant indoors. Keep it in a cool area away from heat sources.
  2. Don’t rush to repot your cactus. These plants do well in tiny pots. Repotting can shock them, so don’t do it until it’s necessary.
  3. Keep the plant in indirect sunlight.
  4. If your Christmas Cactus is still in its decorative wrapping, cut holes in the bottom to allow drainage. Place the plant on a dish to catch excess water.
  5. Speaking of water, don’t over water your plant. Give it a little water about every three days.
  6. If you need to add soil, use a cactus mix.

Keep Your Cactus Blooming

The above steps will keep your plant healthy. If you want to have blooms every year, follow these steps:

  • Cut back on watering in the spring and summer. This lets the blossoms rest.
  • At the end of summer, feed it with bloom food diluted to one-quarter strength.
  • When buds form, stop fertilizing and go back to normal watering.

Enjoy Christmas All Year

Do you ever wish it could be Christmas all year? You can’t make that happen, but you can keep one part of Christmas alive with a little loving care.

Do you have tips for keeping Christmas plants alive and blooming?

Christmas Cactus

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

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They’re tasty boiled, baked, mashed, fried and roasted. If you’re a fan of spuds, you can now grow your own easily in a bag or a bucket. If you have a tiny garden or no garden at all, you can grow tasty, nutritious potatoes.

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

Anyone Can Grow Your Own Potatoes at Home

Most of us think potatoes need a lot of land. In reality, you can grow them anywhere that’s sunny. It’s not complicated, and it’s an affordable way to grow your own organic potatoes.

You will need:

  • Bags or buckets for growing.
  • Garden soil.
  • Organic fertilizer.
  • Compost.
  • Seed potatoes.

Lots of People Are Ready to Help

Are you nervous about getting started? Don’t be. The online world is full of people who want to help you do this.

Van Meuwen Gardening makes grow bags that come with their own seed potatoes. The company has created a wonderfully helpful instructional video that walks you through the whole process.

Potatoes Even Grow In a Bucket

Hollis and Nancy of Urban Homestead show you how to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes in a 5-gallon bucket.

As Hollis says, “If you have room for a bucket or two in an area that gets good sunlight, you can grow potatoes.”

Goodness That Tastes Good

Potatoes aren’t just good to eat. They’re also good for you. They contain high levels of vitamin B6, vitamin C, potassium, copper, antioxidants and dietary fiber.

Buy some grow bags now. You’ll be ready to harvest your own potatoes this summer.

How to Grow Your Own Potatoes in a Bag or Container

Crochet Succulents and Cacti Will Brighten Up Your Window Sill

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Brighten up your desktop or a windowsill with beautiful beautiful crochet succulents and cacti that you never need to feed, water or prune. If you’re looking for a quick, easy project with a wonderful payoff, pull out your needles and start crocheting these colorful flowering plants.

Here’s Why You Need These Crochet Succulents

You love to knit and crochet, but sometimes, your preferred projects can take a long time. You also might be getting bored with the usual scarves or hats.

With these crochet patterns, you can quickly create bright, pretty decorations for your home or office. Making these is an enjoyable project that’s suitable for any skill level.

Totally Precious Potted Plants

These darling potted plants are perfect for you or for a gift.

Are you far from a green thumb? Do you kill every plant you attempt to grow? That’s not a problem because these plants require no care.

Are you looking for the perfect gift for someone who needs cheering up? These tiny, darling flowers will bring a smile to anyone’s face.

Find Your Favorite Flowers

You can choose a miniature planter packed with spiny cacti or a blooming Christmas cactus.

If you prefer flowers, select a colorful planter filled with primroses, pansies or African violets. They are all bright, realistic and totally adorable.

How Can You Get Crochet Succulents?

The patterns for these projects are available from the Etsy store Planet June, which specializes in crochet patterns. Reviewers say these plant patterns are fun, quick and easy to do.

As soon as you make the payment, you’ll get an instant download of the pattern you choose. All you have to do is choose your yarn.

Have fun making these darling plants for your next project.

Raised Garden Beds Keep The Critters Away And Reduce Back Strain

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Planting means preparing a patch of ground, fertilizing it and then planting seeds or plants, right? Yes, some people are still planting in gardening beds, and while those are still my favorite, I admit I’ve come to appreciate really nice, lofty, raised garden beds. Here’s why.

Raised Garden Beds

You’re In for a Gardening Treat

If you’ve never used raised garden beds before, you’re going to be pleasantly surprised. They have so many advantages over ground planting:

  • It’s a lot easier on your back and knees.
  • You can constantly improve the soil conditions to achieve perfect growing soil in your beds.
  • Your plants get some protection from critters and insects.
  • They give your garden a wonderfully neat, organized look.
  • There are fewer weeds in a raised bed.
  • Roots can grow deep into the soil to produce strong, healthy plants.

Does it sound good? Here’s how you can get started with raised beds.

Easy on Your Knees, Back and Feet

As you can see, it’s easy to walk around the raised beds to weed, water, harvest and just enjoy your growing plants. You don’t have to worry about bending, kneeling or walking through muddy planting beds.

Raised beds work for flowers, vegetables, fruits, shrubs and small trees.

Try a Combination of Garden Types

Ideally, you should have a combination of ground plantings, raised beds and potted plants for a vivid, varied garden that you’ll enjoy every day.

Raised Garden Beds

Where to Get the Best Raised Garden Beds

Raised bed gardening is even easier if you don’t have to worry about building the beds. The online store Wayfair has an outstanding selection of premade wooden planting beds.

Have you ever planted in raised beds? Did you enjoy it?

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Rose Succulents: The Perfect Low-Maintenance Plant For Flower-Lovers

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As an experienced gardener, I enjoy working with challenging plants, but I also enjoy discovering easy-growing, low-maintenance plants that I know will add vibrancy to my garden with very little work. That’s why I always include petunias, marigolds and mums in every garden plan, and it’s why I’m over the moon about rose succulents.

Rose Succulents

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Get to Know Greenovias

Rose succulents are formally known as greenovias. Like all succulents, they’re easy to grow and require little work.

Rose Succulents

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If your only experience with succulents is aloe plants or chicks and hens, be prepared to be pleasantly surprised. These gorgeous, shapely plants resemble fully blown roses when they come out of dormancy.

Rose Succulents

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Gorgeous Island Natives

Greenovias are native to the Canary Islands. Sadly, they’re becoming endangered there. It’s surprising that they’re not more popular here, but we should all do our part to change that.

Unlike succulents that like hot, dry weather, greenovias prefer balmy, humid climates. They start to come out of their dormant phase when the temperatures reach 65 to 70.

Rose Succulents

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Greenovias Will Make You a Green Thumb

Plant expert Ashley Glassman gives a detailed tutorial on caring for greenovias. She shows how to care for them at every stage of their dormancy and life.

It’s important to know how to water greenovias to prevent sunburn and water rot.

Glassman recommends letting them go into their dormant phase. This keeps them on a natural cycle that allows them to grow strong. Follow her tips if you want greenovias as healthy, gorgeous and perfectly shaped as hers.

Get Your Own Rose Succulents

Are you ready to add these succulent beauties to your garden? You can buy them from these Etsy sellers.

Rose Succulents

Lithops Are “Living Stones” That Look Like Beautifully Marked Pebbles

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Lithops look exactly like stones until the day a delicate white, yellow or pink flower bursts through.

Lithops

An unusual succulent plant, lithops are sometimes called “flowering stones,” “living stones” or “mimicry plants.” When you see a group of them lying on the ground together, they look just like a group of stones with colorful, pebbled surfaces. If you look closely, you can see what looks like a split in each stone. That’s where they will sprout a single flower in the spring and summer.

Lithops

Lithops are Nature’s Mimics

If you want an unusual plant to add color and drama to your potting garden, try growing some lithops.

In nature, these beautiful succulents grow in the arid, hot plains of the South African desert. They have adapted to mimic the look of the stones surrounding them, but they also produce flowers that attract bees and other pollinators.

Lithops

Some Special Care Required

It’s not difficult to take care of lithops, but you have to adopt a different mindset than the one you’re used to for most plants. They need special growing techniques to flourish.

  • Use a growing medium that offers high drainage. Don’t use dirt or potting soil.
  • Lithops need four hours of sunlight. Gentle morning sunlight is best for them.
  • You should regularly check their roots to make sure they’re all growing and thriving.
  • The main way people kill them is by overwatering them.

Lighten Up With Lithops

Lithops will add a lovely, unusual element to any garden. If you’re ready to try something new, give these plants a sunny spot in your yard.

Lithops

 

Lithops

Teddy Bear Sunflowers Produce Beautiful, Fluffy Golden-Orange Blooms

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If you’re starting to plan ahead for spring planting, make room in your beds for gorgeous, endearing Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers. They’ll add charm and color to any garden.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers

You’ll Want to Hug These Fuzzy Teddy Bears

If you think of sunflowers as 15-foot-tall flowers with huge blossoms, get ready to get surprised by this version. Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers are not as tall as regular sunflowers, and they develop softer, fluffier blooms that only get bigger and fluffier the more they grow.

The name “Teddy Bear” refers to these cuddly, furry blossoms. They come in gorgeous shades of yellow that will brighten your day. Their fuzzy leaves, bright color and nice height make them perfect for borders, containers and fences.

Growing Your Own

Like all sunflowers, Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers are low-maintenance and easy to grow. Follow these tips for loads of stunning blossoms:

  • Plant the seeds in full sunlight after all danger of frost has passed.
  • Seeds germinate in 7 to 10 days.
  • Sunflowers need well-drained soil.
  • Sunflowers don’t generally need fertilizer, but if your soil is poor, prepare it with compost or organic fertilizer before planting.
  • Water your sunflowers regularly, but don’t let the soil get waterlogged.
  • Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers grow about 3 feet tall.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers

Will They Produce Seeds?

Just like classic sunflowers, the Teddy Bear version will start producing seeds about three months after you plant them. Your sunflowers will attract many colorful songbirds during this time.

You’ll need to wait for just the right time to harvest those seeds for yourself.

Where Can You Buy Teddy Bear Sunflowers?

Are you excited about planting fuzzy, cuddly and gorgeous Dwarf Teddy Bear Sunflowers in your favorite spot of sun?

If you want strong, healthy plants that will bloom quickly and consistently, buy them from a trusted seed supplier. These seed sellers on Etsy are good sources of fresh seed that’s certain to germinate and produce beautiful plants.

Teddy Bear Sunflowers Produce Beautiful, Fluffy Golden-Orange Blooms

People Are Turning Broken Flower Pots Into The Cutest Fairy Gardens

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Spring will be here before you know it, and that means planting flowers and making fairy gardens. If you’ve never made a fairy garden, what are you waiting for? If you need a little inspiration, look no further than that old, broken flower pot on your lawn.

 

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Broken Pots Make Gorgeous Gardens

The trend seems to have started on the Emerald Isle.

Rachel and Adrian Allkin are Ireland’s experts in all things fairy-related.

Rachel’s most recent creations include broken planters that she turns into imaginative, illuminated fairy gardens. These colorful, enchanting pieces will transport you far, far away to a magical land.

 

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Now They’re Everywhere

Since then, the idea has been popping up everywhere. Many gardeners are posting their own version of the broken pot fairy garden on Instagram.

 

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Make Your Own Magical Garden

Better Homes and Gardens provides a simple, four-step guide to creating your own magical garden from a broken pot.

 

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Where to Buy Everything Fairy-Related

You can buy Rachel’s creations at the Galway Market in Galway, Ireland, or on the Allkins’ website, Away With the Fairies.

You can also buy everything you need from the website, including fairy figurines, houses, furniture, lighting, animals, doors and landscaping for miniature fairy gardens. You’ll also find helpful tips, how-to videos and tons of inspiration.

Have you been inspired to create your own little garden? If you have, share those pictures far and wide.

 

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People Are Turning Broken Flower Pots Into The Cutest Fairy Gardens

Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas Produce Gorgeous White and Pink Flowers

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Large, showy Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas can be the most dramatic-looking flowers in any garden. This new hydrangea variety combines two colors to make these blooms even more show-stopping.

 

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All About Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas

Make your bouquets brighter with hydrangeas in pretty shades of pink and white. If you like hydrangeas, you’ll like them even more in these mixed shades. The petals are all a blend of pinks, creams, whites and pale reds.

The sweetly named Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangea was first introduced as a new color option by Cottage Farms Nursery.

How to Grow Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are a gardener’s favorite. They grow quickly and produce large, bright flowers. They also make stunning cut flowers for bouquets.

Are you worried that you don’t have a green thumb? Hydrangeas are easy to grow. Follow these basic tips and consult your local garden supply store for expert advice on growing these gorgeous flowers.

  • Hydrangeas prefer partial sun or shade. They don’t do well in full sunlight.
  • Give them plenty of water.
  • Hydrangeas prefer loose, well-fertilized soil. Add natural compost or organic fertilizer if your soil is heavy with clay or sand.

Where to Buy Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas

You can buy your own colorful, healthy plant from sellers on Etsy. Follow the planting instructions for your region to get gorgeous, healthy hydrangeas in time for spring.

Vanilla Strawberry Hydrangeas Produce Gorgeous White and Pink Flowers

The Very Best Mosquito Repellent Plants

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When Spring arrives so do those pesky mosquitoes. Instead of using harsh chemicals on the annoying blood-suckers, consider a more natural approach using these fragrant mosquito repellent plants.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

MARIGOLDS (Tagetes sp.)

Marigold plants provide showy garden colors. They contain a compound called pyrethrin that is very effective in keeping mosquitoes away. In fact, this substance works so well that it is used in many natural insecticides. In addition to mosquitoes, marigolds are also useful in repelling other insects such as aphids, tomato worms and squash bugs.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis)

Not only will Rosemary make your food taste delicious and your garden look amazing, but its woody aroma is wonderful at keeping small mosquito infestations away. The live plant, cuttings from the plant and its essential oil are all effective at repelling mosquitoes. It thrives in containers but can also be pruned into many shapes and sizes to make creative borders and decorations in a garden bed. In addition to Rosemary’s ability to get rid of the skeeters, a unique lesser-known trait of this medicinal herb is its ability to help improve memory.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citrates)

Lemongrass contains citronella, which has long been used in natural insect repellents. Since it makes a good container plant, it is often planted in pots around porches or near home entrances to keep mosquitoes away. In addition to pest control, Lemongrass has a myriad of useful benefits that include calming nerves, promoting restful sleep, and maintaining digestive health.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

CATNIP (Nepeta cataria)

A research group from Iowa State University studied the essential oil in catnip, which is called nepetalactone. They found it to be ten times more effective at repelling mosquitoes than DEET.  Catnip plants can grow very tall, so be sure to plant them in an area where it won’t block any desired views.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

LEMON THYME (Thymus vulgaris)

This hardy herb repels mosquitoes when its essential oil is released by crushing or bruising its fragrant foliage. The oil must then be rubbed onto exposed areas of bare skin to be effective. Lemon thyme is an excellent plant with a pleasant lemony fragrance and a creeping habit that make it perfect for hanging baskets. It can also be planted along a path or patio to form a ground cover.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

BASIL (Ocimum americanum)

Basil’s strong fragrance makes it one of the most effective mosquito repellent plants. Mosquitoes detest all basil varieties. However, lemon basil, Peruvian basil and cinnamon basil seem to work best because they have the strongest aromas. A 2009 study concluded that an essential oil from basil is toxic to mosquito larvae. Therefore, it may be a good idea to plant it near water sources to control the amount of eggs being laid.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

LAVENDER (Lavandula angustifolia)

Not only are the purple flowers beautiful to look at, but the smell is known to repel mosquitoes and other pests. The lavender plant’s strong aroma comes from the essential oil in its leaves. Experts speculate that the potent scent masks the mosquito’s sense of smell, preventing it from detecting the carbon dioxide that humans emit.

Another benefit of growing this wonderful plant is being able to make Lavender Lemonade. It’s delicious, refreshing AND good for you!

Mosquito Repellent Plants

LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis)

Lemon balm contains high levels of a compound called citronellal. This compound has similar properties to citronella, including the ability to repel mosquitoes. It has a lemony scent and flavor that are undesirable to mosquitoes and other pests. It it best grown in containers since it can be a very invasive plant.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

GARLIC (Allium sativum)

Garlic has more uses than scaring off vampires and adding flavor to Italian dishes. It can also keep mosquitoes from hanging around your house. Just add some garlic to your flower bed or vegetable garden to increase the likelihood that they’ll find a home elsewhere and leave yours alone.

Mosquito Repellent Plants

We wish you much success in using these mosquito repellent plants for a fun-filled and bite-free summer!