Growing an avocado from a pit starts with sprouting. The only skill you need to coax that hard avocado seed (aka the pit) to crack is patience — because it usually takes six to eight weeks to get a sprout. Some sources say it takes two to six weeks to go from avocado seed to…

Most often we plant trees to provide shade and beautify our landscapes. These are great benefits but trees also provide other less obvious benefits. Social Benefits Trees make life nicer. It has been shown that spending time among trees and green spaces reduces the amount of stress that we carry around with us in our…

Jelly bean succulents (Sedum rubrotinctum) are evergreen, low-growing perennial succulents that are native to Mexico. Also commonly mentioned as “pork and beans” or “banana cactus”, jelly egg succulents are a neighborhood of the Sedum genus within the Crassulaceae. they appear beautiful in succulent arrangements or grown on their own. because of their sprawling growth habit, mature jelly egg succulents also can be used as ground cover. These cute succulents are a…

The marshmallow plant, also referred to as marsh-mallow, may be a useful perennial with many medicinal uses. Althaea officinalis features a rich history that has been described in historical documents from Egyptian, Roman and Syrian sources, and its use as a food source made it a crucial plant in civilizations going back centuries. The marshmallow candy we all know and love is predicated on a…

Herbs can easily be grown indoors as long as you make sure to get started off the right way. The key to successfully creating an indoor kitchen herb garden is understanding the plant’s requirements & making sure to give them what they need. It’s that simple. Follow these 10 important tips to create your own…

The common name bamboo is applied to over a thousand plant species. In the wild, several of these species can grow to tower heights of 50 feet or more. However, it is possible to grow certain types of bamboo in containers—even indoors. Golden bamboo (Phyllostachys aurea) is one of those species. This bamboo features bright green upright canes that…

Hardy kiwi (Actinidia arguta and Actinidia kolomikta) is the cold-hardy cousin of the vine that produces the familiar kiwi fruit sold at grocery stores. The latter is the species Actinidia deliciosa and is hardy only to USDA plant hardiness zone 8. Hardy kiwi is much more cold-tolerant and can be grown in zones 3, 4, or 5 (and up to…

If you aren’t familiar with hydroponics, this Hydroponics for Beginners article is for you. It might seem intimidating to set up your own indoor hydroponic grow system. You might think you’ll need a lot of special equipment. Or you could be thinking that it will be expensive to set up, or the process will be…

No garden’s complete without this old-fashioned favorite, and new varieties make hydrangeas easier than ever to grow. Generally speaking, acidic soil, with a pH lower than 6.0, yields blue or lavender-blue hydrangea blooms. Alkaline soil, with a pH above 7.0, promotes pinks and reds. With a pH between 6 and 7, the blooms turn purple…

Pandan plant (Pandanus amaryllifolius) (Chinese Name:  is a tropical plant native to South East Asia. It’s a perennial evergreen tree with fragrantly-scented leaves, growing into a small shrub 1 – 1.6 m tall when the leaves are harvested often, or a small tree 2 – 4.5 m tall in its tropical native habitat. Picking the…

Amaryllis Quick Tips: Planting Period: October until the end of April. Flowering Period:  Late December until the end of June. Flowering time is 7-10 weeks. Larger bulbs produce more flowers. Always store un-planted bulbs in a cool place between 40-50 deg. F. Amaryllis-One of a Kind Of all flowering bulbs, amaryllis is the easiest to bring…

Fenugreek or ‘Methi’ is native to Southwest Asia and widely cultivated for its medicinal and culinary uses. It’s an all-purpose plant. Seeds are used as a spice, dried leaves as a herb, and fresh and tender leaves as a green leafy vegetable. It tastes a little sweet with a touch of bitterness like mustard greens or bok…