BIZARRE: 8 - You Need To See This

6 Ways to Save Seeds Without Ruining Next Year’s Germination

Saving seeds sounds wonderfully simple: let a plant make seeds, scoop them up, put them somewhere safe, and plant them next year. Unfortunately, seeds can act like tiny divas when gardeners give them the wrong treatment, especially when moisture, heat, immature seeds, or poor storage enter the picture. A little…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 26

Poison Ivy Isn’t the Only Plant Gardeners Should Learn to Recognize

Poison ivy gets the celebrity treatment when it comes to plants gardeners should avoid, and for good reason. Its three leaflets have inspired generations of cautious yard work, but several other plants can cause much more serious problems, from painful skin burns to severe poisoning if someone mistakes them for…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 26

Ordered Seeds on Amazon? You May Not Know What You’re Actually Planting

Ordering seeds online feels wonderfully simple. A few taps, a colorful photograph of an enormous flower, and suddenly the garden has a new botanical adventure on the way. The trouble starts when that photograph shows a plant that cannot actually exist, or when the packet contains seeds that have little…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 26

7 Late-Summer Garden Checks That Can Prevent Winter Damage

Winter damage often starts long before the first snowflake falls, which makes late summer a surprisingly important time to inspect the garden. A cracked branch, dry root zone, loose stake, or forgotten hose can turn into a much bigger headache once freezing temperatures arrive. A little detective work now can…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 25

Where Can Gardeners Find Free Mulch in Late Summer?

Late summer can make a garden look a little parched around the edges, and fresh mulch can help without making the garden budget groan. Fortunately, gardeners do not always need to visit a garden center and pay for a stack of neatly bagged material. Tree crews, municipalities, neighbors, compost sites,…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 25

Why Are Gardeners Experimenting With In-and-Out Plants?

The old gardening rulebook says outdoor plants belong outside and houseplants belong inside, but plenty of gardeners now enjoy bending that rule. An “in-and-out plant” can spend part of the year outdoors soaking up natural light and fresh air, then move indoors when temperatures, frost, or harsh weather create trouble.

Frugal Gardening · Aug 24

5 Ways to Turn an Unused Corner Into a Perennial Food Patch

That awkward corner of the yard does not need to remain the place where forgotten pots, a hose, and one suspiciously rusty shovel go to retire. With the right perennial edibles, even a small, overlooked patch can become a dependable source of food that returns year after year with far…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 24

This Invasive Plant Can Cause Severe Skin Burns — Here’s How to Recognize It

Giant hogweed looks like the sort of enormous, dramatic plant that belongs in a fantasy garden, but getting too close can turn a pleasant walk or weekend yard project into a medical problem. Its clear, watery sap contains compounds that can make skin extremely sensitive to ultraviolet light, leading to…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 24

7 Red Flags That an Online Seed Listing May Be a Scam

A packet of seeds can look like a tiny promise in an envelope, especially when the listing shows a rose with rainbow petals, a sunflower shaped like a teddy bear, or a flower that appears to glow from the inside. The problem starts when that gorgeous picture has more to…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 24

Should You Add Compost Before Planting Spring Bulbs?

Spring bulbs bring a little seasonal magic to the garden, but getting them into the ground involves more than digging a hole and dropping them in. If compost sits nearby, it can look like an obvious helper, especially when the soil looks tired, compacted, or generally unimpressed with its gardening…

Frugal Gardening · Aug 24