Blog
Rose bush yellow leaves: what the yellow is telling you
On a rose bush, yellow leaves are almost never just a watering issue. Two questions resolve nearly every case: where the leaf is on the bush and what appears alongside the yellowing.
How to Care for Rose Bushes: A Guide by Type, in Pots and in Beds
To care for rose bushes, start by identifying your type: miniature, floribunda, hybrid tea, or climber all require different pruning and space. Here are three rules that apply to all of them and the best month to prune.
Plant Fertilizer: How to Read the Label, How Much to Use, and When Not to Fertilize
The three numbers on the label are not straight nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium: by law, the second and third are declared as oxides, which changes the math. See what each number really means, how to compare two bottles on the shelf, how much to dilute, the seasonal calendar, and the six situations where fertilizing harms the plant.
How to make a poinsettia rebloom in Brazil
What makes the bracts turn red is long nights: 13 to 14 hours of total, uninterrupted darkness for 8 to 10 weeks. English-language guides tell you to start October 1, a Northern Hemisphere date. In Brazil, the window opens in late March.
Lily leaves turning yellow: when it is normal and when the bulb is rotting
A lily with yellow leaves after blooming is storing reserves in the bulb, and the leaves should not be cut. See how to tell this normal yellowing apart from bulb rot, fungus, and virus.
How to Propagate Lilies: 5 Methods and Time to Bloom
How to propagate lilies: by bulb division, scales, stem bulblets, tiger lily bulbils, or seed. See the step-by-step guide for scales and how long each method takes to bloom.
How to Propagate Palms: Division, Seeds, and What Doesn't Work
Palms will not grow from cuttings, leaves, or trunk pieces. Learn which species can be divided, how long seeds take to germinate, and what to do with pots that contain multiple plants.
How to Care for Lilies: From Potted Flower to Reblooming Bulb
How to care for potted lilies while in bloom and after the flowers fade: why keep green foliage and how much chilling time the bulb needs to bloom again.
How Often to Water a Palm: The Soil Test by Species
Water your potted palm when the top 1 to 1.5 inches of soil feel dry, until water drains from the hole. Learn the differences between areca and parlor palms, garden care for new plantings, and why brown tips are not fixed by extra water.
Palm Pests: How to Identify Signs and Treat Potted and Garden Palms
Potted palm pests include scale, spider mites, and thrips, and they wash off with water, a cotton swab, and soap. In the garden, sawdust on the trunk and a collapsed crown point to borers, which have no home remedy. Learn to tell them apart by their signs.
Palm Fertilizer: The Right Ratio for Pots and Gardens
Garden palm fertilizer needs more potassium than nitrogen, with magnesium and slow release, spread under the entire canopy every 3 months. In a pot, the math changes. See the formula, dosage, leaf signs, and when not to fertilize.
Cold-Hardy Palms: Which Ones Tolerate Frost and How to Protect Them
The easiest cold-hardy palm to find is the windmill palm, which tolerates about −12 °C once mature. See the minimum temperature each species survives, how to protect potted and in-ground plants, and what to do if frost damaged the leaves.